Baiting of whitetails is a persistent offense in Minnesota

On the days leading up to the Nov. 4 firearms deer opener, Minnesota DNR Conservation Officer Mitch Lawler received word from the agency’s enforcement’s aviation unit about suspicious deer movement in the Alexandria area. Lawler, along with other officers, visited the location and found bait on the property. Then, on the Nov. 4 firearms deer opener, Lawler found more bait at the site. He eventually wrote up citations and gave out fines to the individuals for baiting deer. Along with fines, the hunters firearms were seized, and the hunters won’t allowed to hunt big game for an entire year if convicted.