The End of Slug Guns? | Deer & Deer Hunting

After more than 80 years, the state Legislature seems ready to repeal a law that restricts the kinds of firearms deer hunters can use in large parts of Minnesota.

The proposed bill aims to eliminate the shotgun-only zone for deer hunting statewide. Currently, southern Minnesota is designated as a shotgun-only zone, restricting hunters to using shotguns with slugs, muzzleloaders and handguns. The shotgun-only zone was created in 1942 to protect what was then a small deer population because shotguns cannot shoot as far as rifles, said Barbara Keller, big game program leader at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Now, overpopulated deer herds in the southern portion of the state are damaging crops and gardens in some areas. The DNR has been culling deer to manage the population.

Minnesota, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey are the only four states that limit the use of rifles for deer hunting, according to a report by Remington Ammunition.

The proposed legislation would repeal the existing law that defines the shotgun area, allowing counties to regulate the type of firearms and ammunition used for deer hunting through local ordinances. These ordinances would need to be renewed annually and would enable counties to opt out of the shotgun-only zone if they choose.

Opponents of the bill have safety concerns about allowing rifles because they can shoot farther distances than shotguns. However, proponents of the bill argue that modern rifles are safer than shotguns, as studies have shown that rifles, when used in a normal hunting position, have a smaller danger zone compared to shotguns.

Keller said in an interview that the DNR supports the bill because it will give hunters more flexibility. According to the Monticello Times, Republicans have been attempting to eliminate the shotgun zone for years. Some Democrats at the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee meeting on April 1 said they felt neutral about the bill. No one expressed opposition.