1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to game and fish; lowering the minimum age to take big game from ten
1.3 to eight years of age; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 97A.451,
1.4 subdivision 4; 97A.475, subdivisions 2, 3.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.451, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.7 Subd. 4.Residents and nonresidents under age 16; big game.(a) A resident or
1.8nonresident age 12, 13, 14, or 15 may not obtain a license to take big game unless the person
1.9possesses a firearms safety certificate or an apprentice-hunter validation as provided under
1.10section 97B.022. A nonresident age 12 or 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
1.11to hunt big game.
1.12 (b) A resident or nonresident age eight, nine, ten, or 11 must obtain a license under
1.13paragraph (c) and may take big game, provided the person is under the direct supervision
1.14of a parent or guardian where the parent or guardian is within immediate reach.
1.15 (c) A resident or nonresident age eight, nine, ten, 11, or 12 must obtain a license to take
1.16big game under section 97A.475, subdivision 2 or 3.
1.17 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.475, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.18 Subd. 2.Resident hunting.Fees for the following licenses, to be issued to residents
1.19only, are:
1.20 (1) for persons age 18 or over and under age 65 to take small game, $15.50;
1.21 (2) for persons age 65 or over, $7 to take small game;
1Sec. 2.
25-04789 as introduced03/11/25 REVISOR CKM/KR
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 3195NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: WESENBERG, Green and Bahr)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading04/01/2025
Referred to Environment, Climate, and Legacy 2.1 (3) for persons age 18 or over to take turkey, $26;
2.2 (4) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take turkey, $5;
2.3 (5) for persons age 18 or over to take deer with firearms during the regular firearms
2.4season, $34;
2.5 (6) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by archery, $34;
2.6 (7) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by muzzleloader during the muzzleloader
2.7season, $34;
2.8 (8) to take moose, for a party of not more than six persons, $356;
2.9 (9) for persons age 18 or over to take bear, $44;
2.10 (10) to take elk, for a party of not more than two persons, $287;
2.11 (11) to take light geese during the light goose conservation order, $2.50;
2.12 (12) to take sandhill crane during the sandhill crane season, $3;
2.13 (13) to take prairie chickens, $23;
2.14 (14) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer with firearms during the
2.15regular firearms season, $5;
2.16 (15) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer by archery, $5;
2.17 (16) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer by muzzleloader during
2.18the muzzleloader season, $5;
2.19 (17) for persons age 10 eight, nine, ten, 11, or 12 to take bear, no fee;
2.20 (18) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take bear, $5;
2.21 (19) for persons age 18 or over to take small game for a consecutive 72-hour period
2.22selected by the licensee, $19, of which an amount equal to one-half of the fee for the
2.23migratory-waterfowl stamp under subdivision 5, clause (1), shall be deposited in the
2.24waterfowl habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 2; one-half of
2.25the fee for the pheasant stamp under subdivision 5, clause (2), shall be deposited in the
2.26pheasant habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 4; and one-half
2.27of the small-game surcharge under subdivision 4, shall be deposited in the wildlife acquisition
2.28account;
2.29 (20) for persons age 16 or over and under age 18 to take small game, $5;
2.30 (21) to take wolf, $30;
2Sec. 2.
25-04789 as introduced03/11/25 REVISOR CKM/KR 3.1 (22) for persons age 12 and under to take turkey, no fee;
3.2 (23) for persons age 10 eight, nine, ten, 11, or 12 to take deer by firearm, no fee;
3.3 (24) for persons age 10 ten, 11, or 12 to take deer by archery, no fee; and
3.4 (25) for persons age 10 eight, nine, ten, 11, or 12 to take deer by muzzleloader during
3.5the muzzleloader season, no fee.
3.6 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.475, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.7 Subd. 3.Nonresident hunting.(a) Fees for the following licenses, to be issued to
3.8nonresidents, are:
3.9 (1) for persons age 18 or over to take small game, $90.50;
3.10 (2) for persons age 18 or over to take deer with firearms during the regular firearms
3.11season, $180;
3.12 (3) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by archery, $180;
3.13 (4) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by muzzleloader during the muzzleloader
3.14season, $180;
3.15 (5) for persons age 18 or over to take bear, $225;
3.16 (6) for persons age 18 or over to take turkey, $91;
3.17 (7) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take turkey, $5;
3.18 (8) to take raccoon or bobcat, $178;
3.19 (9) to take light geese during the light goose conservation order, $2.50;
3.20 (10) to take sandhill crane during the sandhill crane season, $3;
3.21 (11) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer with firearms during the
3.22regular firearms season in any open season option or time period, $5;
3.23 (12) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer by archery, $5;
3.24 (13) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer during the muzzleloader
3.25season, $5;
3.26 (14) for persons age 13 or over and under 18 to take bear, $5;
3.27 (15) for persons age 18 or over to take small game for a consecutive 72-hour period
3.28selected by the licensee, $75, of which an amount equal to one-half of the fee for the
3.29migratory-waterfowl stamp under subdivision 5, clause (1), shall be deposited in the
3Sec. 3.
25-04789 as introduced03/11/25 REVISOR CKM/KR 4.1waterfowl habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 2; one-half of
4.2the fee for the pheasant stamp under subdivision 5, clause (2), shall be deposited in the
4.3pheasant habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 4; and one-half
4.4of the small-game surcharge under subdivision 4, shall be deposited into the wildlife
4.5acquisition account;
4.6 (16) for persons age 16 or 17 to take small game, $5;
4.7 (17) to take wolf, $250;
4.8 (18) for persons age 12 and under to take turkey, no fee;
4.9 (19) for persons age 10 eight, nine, ten, 11, or 12 to take deer by firearm, no fee;
4.10 (20) for persons age 10 ten, 11, or 12 to take deer by archery, no fee;
4.11 (21) for persons age 10 eight, nine, ten, 11, or 12 to take deer by muzzleloader during
4.12the muzzleloader season, no fee; and
4.13 (22) for persons age 10 eight, nine, ten, 11, or 12 to take bear, no fee.
4.14 (b) A $5 surcharge shall be added to nonresident hunting licenses issued under paragraph
4.15(a), clauses (1) to (6) and (8). An additional commission may not be assessed on this
4.16surcharge.
4Sec. 3.
25-04789 as introduced03/11/25 REVISOR CKM/KR