Penalties rise for deer baiting

Participants in Minnesota’s firearm deer season will be greeted with new penalties for baiting violations when they go afield Nov. 3. Deer baiting is placing food near deer stands or clearings with the intent of luring a deer into close shooting range. It has been illegal to bait deer in Minnesota since 1991.

“It seems that every year our officers are spending more and more time responding to complaints about baiting or discovering it while on patrol,” said Lt. Col. Rodmen Smith, Minnesota DNR Enforcement Division assistant director. “We hope these new penalties curb what has become an all too common violation.”

The new penalties for baiting:

• A person may not obtain any deer license or take deer under a lifetime license for one year after the person is convicted of hunting deer with the aid or use of bait. A second conviction within three years would result in a three-year revocation.

• The revocation period doubles if the conviction is for a deer that is a trophy deer scoring higher than 170 inches.

The fine for illegal baiting is $300, plus $80 or so in court costs. Another $500 can be tagged on for restitution if a deer is seized. Guns may be confiscated as well.

Tags: lifestyle, outdoors, minnesota