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SF2247 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Northeast Deer Management Task Force establishment requirement provision

AI Generated Summary

This Minnesota Senate bill (S.F. No. 2247) proposes two key changes related to wildlife management in the state:

  1. Wolf Hunting Season Regulations:

    • Amends existing law to state that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) must prescribe an annual wolf hunting season only if the wolf is no longer listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
    • Requires the DNR commissioner to consult with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service before setting regulations for the wolf hunting season. This consultation must include a review of data on wolf depredation of livestock and pets as well as other human-wolf conflicts.

  2. Northeast Deer Management Task Force:

    • Directs the DNR commissioner to establish a Northeast Deer Management Task Force by October 1, 2025, to develop recommendations for increasing deer populations in northeastern Minnesota.
    • The task force will include hunters, wildlife managers, tribal representatives, a member of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, and other interested stakeholders.
    • Requires the task force to meet at least three times per year and allows it to make recommendations to the DNR and legislature at any time.
    • A final report with recommendations must be submitted by August 1, 2027.
    • The task force will expire upon submission of the final report or on August 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

This bill aims to balance wolf management with livestock protection and to address concerns about declining deer populations in northeastern Minnesota.

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 05, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 05, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toEnvironment, Climate, and Legacy

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requirement for public comment before setting seasons and restrictions."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "No citation removal, but changes eliminate the indefinite open season status."
      ],
      "summary": "The bill amends the conditions under which the commissioner can prescribe a wolf season, with reference to section 97B.646.",
      "modified": [
        "Adjusts condition for setting hunting seasons from automatic opening post-federal delisting to requiring public consultation."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "97B.646"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Clarifies administrative provisions for the Northeast Deer Management Task Force."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Establishes terms, compensation, and removal of task force members under section 15.059.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "15.059"
  }
]

Sponsors