Published in the Duluth News Tribune
September 1, 2009
A new “shining” law has gone into effect in Minnesota, aimed at reducing poaching opportunities and minimizing the disturbance of rural residents.
Deer shining is “freezing” deer in bright lights to temporarily immobilize them. Recreational shining is legal at times for viewing wildlife. However, previous statutes made it too easy for people to poach wildlife while posing as recreational shiners, according to Department of Natural Resources officials.
The DNR met with stakeholder groups to determine how to curb abuse.
“Their collective opinion is that deer shining is a statewide problem,” Capt. Rod Smith, a DNR regional enforcement manager, said. “It’s also one of the most common complaints to law enforcement officers.”
Here are details of the new shining law, which took effect Aug. 1, according to a DNR news release:
Shining with firearms, bows
The old law allowed an unloaded and cased firearm or cased bow to be carried in the rear portion of a vehicle while shining. The new law prohibits shining with an artificial light while in possession of a firearm, bow or any other implement that could be used to take wild animals.
Shining without firearms
The old law allowed shining without firearms onto private agricultural or residential property or onto posted property until 10 p.m. from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, with no time restriction the remainder of the year. The new law removes the Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 provision and allows recreational shining up to two hours past sunset throughout the year.
The old law gave people up to five hours to recreationally shine. That extended period generated complaints among farmers and rural residents, DNR officials said. Law enforcement officers found that the extended period also enabled poachers, giving them more time and cover as recreational shiners to scope out potential areas to poach.
Another change prohibits shining onto residential property or building sites, a common complaint to law enforcement.
The new law also allows a landowner to post agricultural, residential and
nonagricultural property as “no shining.”
An exception in the new shining law allows the retrieval of dead or wounded big game animals past sunset using an artificial light while on foot, as long as the person does not possess a firearm or bow and arrow.
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