Hunting groups plan lawsuit over cuts to hunter education, outdoor programs in schools
Aug. 19—COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Sportsmen's Alliance, together with Safari Club International (SCI), on Friday, Aug. 11, filed notice of intent to sue the U.S. Department of Education to restore recently announced funding cuts to hunter education, archery and other outdoor programs in schools nationwide. The department announced the cuts in guidance documents the agency sent to schools and districts throughout the country.
In a news release, the Sportsmen's Alliance said the department's decision results from its interpretation of gun control provisions in last year's Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Since the funding cuts were announced, however, the sponsors of the BSCA — along with a bipartisan group of congressmen and senators who voted for the bill — have voiced their strong opposition to the administration's funding cuts.
"It's obvious that the Administration's interpretation is wrong under anyone's understanding of the gun control package passed last year," Todd Adkins, vice president of government affairs at the Sportsmen's Alliance, said in a statement. "We are moving quickly to restore some sanity here and protect funding for these critical programs."
As part of the notice of intent to sue, the Sportsmen's Alliance and SCI requested that the department withdraw the funding guidance announcing the cuts and publish notice in the Federal Register that no funding will be withdrawn as a result of the previous interpretation of the BSCA.
More info:
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BISMARCK — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds hunters, trappers and anglers that an equipment registration number, or the person's name, address and telephone number, must be displayed on all equipment requiring identification.
In addition, written permission is required from the owner of the property, or a person authorized by the owner, for an individual to install camera or video equipment on private property, and the equipment must be identified.
While on state wildlife management areas, identification is required on items such as ground blinds, tree stands, cameras and traps.
Identification must be attached to cable devices set on either private or public land, and on fish houses left unattended on the ice.
Owners can generate an equipment registration number by clicking the Buy and Apply page on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at
. One registration number will be issued for equipment requiring identification.
The equipment registration number does not expire. — staff report
ST. PAUL — Finding places to hunt can be a daunting task, but the earlier you start looking, the better off you'll be, come hunting season. To aid the search, the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' online Recreation Compass
offers info on a wide variety of land open to public hunting, including wildlife management areas, state forests, national forests, private lands enrolled in the Walk-In Access program and others.
After finding a place to hunt, the DNR recommends that hunters read the specific hunting rules and regulations, as they may differ depending on land type. Special hunts are also offered throughout the state, which open certain areas where hunting typically isn't allowed. Special hunts are offered on certain scientific and natural areas, state parks and even within some city limits. Each special hunt comes with its own set of unique rules, and some require you to apply for a lottery.
* More info:
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ST. PAUL — Want to hear more about Minnesota's 2023 deer season? Check out the DNR's webinar at noon Wednesday, Aug. 23.
Todd Froberg, DNR big game program coordinator, will discuss regulations and changes for hunters in the 2023 deer season. Froberg will also discuss deer hunting opportunities, important dates and deadlines, deer populations statewide, an overview of the deer population goal-setting process and chronic wasting disease regulations. Additionally, the webinar will include information about the
Offal Wildlife Watching Project
with the University of Minnesota Extension, a citizen science and research project aimed at better understanding what Minnesota wildlife species are attracted to — and eat — the organ meats (offal) in gut piles left after hunters field dress deer, and how offal affects wildlife food webs.
The webinar is part of the
Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series.
Webinars are free and registration is required. For more information, go the DNR website at
and type "Outdoor skills and stewardship" in the search window. — staff report
ST. PAUL — White-tailed deer have "dichromatic vision," meaning they only see in two colors — blue and yellow/green, the Minnesota DNR said. Humans have three types of color receptors — red, blue and green sensing cones — in their eyes, but deer only have two. So, deer are essentially red-green colorblind, meaning that rather than "seeing" reds and oranges the way humans do, deer simply experience them as shades of green.
Since deer have proportionally more blue sensing cones, they can see shades of blue really well. So, hunters should maybe rethink wearing blue jeans while out hunting. — staff report
ST. PAUL — Minnesota's shotgun zone remains in place for the 2023 firearms deer hunting season, the DNR said.
There has been some confusion about the shotgun zone, the DNR says, but here are the facts:
* Elimination of the shotgun zone did not pass during the 2023 legislative session. It could potentially be brought up again during the 2024 legislative session.
* In the shotgun zone, deer hunters may only use legal shotguns loaded with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzleloading long guns or legal handguns.
* Check out the
2023 deer season area map
for the boundary line of this zone. — staff report
