Minnesota Tightens Motorized Duck Decoy Regs


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Minnesota Tightens Motorized Duck Decoy Restrictions

ST. PAUL, MN—The Minnesota Legislature approved a bill last week that restricts the use of motorized duck decoys.

Under the bill, motorized duck decoys are now banned on state Public Wildlife Management Areas. The decoys are currently banned statewide during the first 8 days of the waterfowl season, or until the Saturday nearest October 8.

The new restrictions don’t affect hand- or wind-powered decoys.

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Re: Minnesota Tightens Motorized Duck Decoy Regs

[ QUOTE ]

That's fine I never used them anyways....

No Mojo for waterfowler_gal.... smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats not the point here. They start with that and then next it will be something you use. By then it's too late. You must stop them in their tracks.

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Re: Minnesota Tightens Motorized Duck Decoy Regs

The duck situation here in Minnesota is becoming a crisis situation. The loss and modification of habitat have really taken their toll. So many of the excellent shallow lakes and sloughs have been loaded with ducks have had gamefish, carp and fathead minnows introduced. This has had a negative effect on the water clarify, fresh water shrimp and vegation that ducks prefer. You just don't see ducks there anymore. That combine with the loss of nesting habitat and the dramitic increase in coons, skunks, etc has had a negative impact on the hatches as well.

To be honest there has been quite a movement here by duck hunters to tighten regulations as well as for the DNR to stop sweeping the overall problem under the rug. Unforunately many hunters have been using the motorized decoys illegally without even knowing it. It's illegal in MN to use the wireless remote to turn the decoy on and off as it makes it a radio controlled device which is illegal here.

What I do see in the future is a shorter season and smaller bag limits. Last fall was the worst here in 20 years. I was able to hunt ducks 10 days last season(I usually hunt more but it was dismal). Myself and others hunting with shot 9 ducks last fall with 6 of those coming opening weekend. It got so bad that even if we saw a couple of ducks we felt guilty shooting one towards the end of the season.

Part of it was the weather. It was just so warm that northern ducks didn't come down from Canada until early November. Then you had 1 week(right in the middle of the firearms deer season) before the season closed because it opened early this year.

No one here has believe the number the DNR have put out for ducks the past 7-8 years. We all knew the numbers were inflated to sell liscenses. So trust between duck hunters and the MN DNR is at an all time low.

The fact that the motorized decoys have a little tighter restrictions are the least of the issues here now. It's not that the DNR felt pressure from anti hunters. Rather from those that do hunt at public meetings and a huge rally at the capital earlier this year. It looks like the MN DNR is starting to listen to those hunting. Hopefully it will strengthen the relationship again.

Borch

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Re: Minnesota Tightens Motorized Duck Decoy Regs

Never found motorized duck decoys to work that great. We have used them on numerous occasions and sometimes they even seem to spook the birds.

Might react differently early in the migration.

I don't have a problem with them as I have always harvested responsibly and to the best of my abitlity. If they help me pick out the drakes as they bring the ducks closer, all the better.

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