Perception - DNR and Laws

I am sure all states have this one way or another, but I am writing with my experiences here in Minnesota and how some hunters perceptions of the hunting regulations / laws and the DNR involvement. Some laws seem very ridiculous, outdated, and need to be revisited and re-written.

So I know this may sound like a rant, but please bear with me as I just want to do what is right and promote hunting, education, and involvement.

I think we need to clarify something here. I have been guilty of blaming the MN DNR of ridiculous rules and even discriminating against age (which I do not understand how they can get away with it, because if a business does it, lawsuits happen, but since it is the DNR, it is perfectly fine??? An example of this is in MN no one can use a crossbow to harvest an big game aninimal unless you are disabled or 60+years of age. So if a person 60+ years old is able to legal hunt with a crossbow regardless of having a disability or not, why cannot that not extrend to a youth hunter (or any other age)? I will write another blog about this shortly but for not, this i snot a blog about whether a crossbow in MN should be allowed or not for all ages...I am using this just as one exampe.

So when it comes to such laws, many blame the DNR, but in reality, the DNR is not at fault for these rules as the DNR does not create these laws, but they are only the ones that enforce them. It is the MN legislature that creates these laws. So instead of blaming the MN DNR for the rules, we should really be blaming the people in office as they are the ones that create the law..

Continuing on...it should be our job (as hunters) and especially the hunting clubs like the MN Hunting Club, MN Bowhunter Association, MDHA, etc...to get up and create resolutions/petition for the change of some of these laws.

Here is the last issue I saw when trying to pursue to change one of these rules. People who speak the loudest and/or have money can make change.

MN Hunting Club and the MN Bowhunter Association do not have the legislative pull or money to make changes, so I was directed to the Minnesota Deer Hunter Association (MDHA). The MDHA is comprised of individuals that are set in there ways, have their own initiatives, so they push their own agenda and are not concerned with the greater good of promoting the greater good for hunting, involvement, recruitment, etc...so I also lost hope in my faith of them doing what is right.

So at the end of the day, although it would be nice to have one of these organizations speak honestly on behalf of the hunters, they are actually powerless or have their own agenda...so it is up to us as hunters to make sure our voice is heard. Write into your legislative representative and do not blame the DNR for these rules as they do not make them, they are the ones that are stuck enforcing these rules.

Sorry, rant is over... I am just passionate about doing what is right and not always necessarily putting the blame on the DNR as they do not make the rules, they only enforce the laws...the state makes the laws and that is who we need to petition for changes.