Bill > SF1825

This bill modifies existing Minnesota wildlife regulations to allow landowners and their agents to take elk without a permit when the animals are causing damage to their property. Specifically, the bill amends section 97B.655 of Minnesota Statutes to add elk to the list of animals that can be taken without a license when they are causing damage on owned or occupied land. The bill maintains existing provisions that allow such animals to be taken in any manner except by artificial lights during closed season or by poison, and requires that if an elk is killed, the landowner or agent must notify a conservation officer or Fish and Wildlife Division employee within 24 hours. Additionally, the bill explicitly states that a special permit is not required to take elk under these circumstances, which differs from the previous regulatory approach for other protected wild animals. This change provides landowners with more direct authority to manage elk that are causing property damage, potentially offering a more immediate solution to agricultural or property-related elk-related challenges.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF1825&ssn=0&y=2025