Outdoor Insights: Thoughts on big outdoors policy expected to pass in Minnesota after all

During a “walk-through” session last Thursday at the Minnesota State Capitol, members of the Environment committee learned what the Omnibus Environment and Natural Resources finance, policy package contains.

Per the news story from Outdoor News, Capitol sharpies do not expect the bill to change before a special session passes it likely later this week. As of Tuesday, it contained several consequential outdoors policy items, some of which legislators have debated for years.

For starters, it repeals the shotgun-only zone for deer hunting in the southern portion of the state. Individual counties, however, still may limit firearms for deer hunting, i.e., they can opt out of rifles. The change is effective Jan. 1, 2026, so as of now, current rules still apply for this fall.

We’ve been talking about this change forever, so on one hand, it feels good to tear off the Band-Aid. On the other hand, a patchwork of counties where some allow rifles and some do not, strikes me as confusing and an enforcement headache.

The bill also extends for another year the ability of folks with an archery tag to use a crossbow. I still don’t like how the Legislature first passed this massive liberalization of the bowhunting season two years ago with no public input, but we’ll have a lot of angry crossbow owners if the legislature doesn’t extend this.

Other items include making the bass season continuous, lowering license costs for disabled vets, and cracking down on folks who abandon their watercraft. However you feel about these issues, the Legislature clearly is moving some language that will alter hunting and fishing experiences for rank-and-file Minnesotans.

MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

Foundation makes wetlands, stream accessible for all in Pennsylvania

Bass fishing in the Olympics? Movement gets a boost from Kevin VanDam

Limit of one tag per hunter among changes to Michigan’s fall turkey season

RANGER AND DOG REUNION. Regular guest on Outdoor News Radio and contributor to this newspaper, Sharon Stiteler has had a whirlwind half decade; her job with the U.S. Park Service took her to Alaska’s Denali National Park. Known as the “Birdchick” in Minnesota and beyond, Sharon has a reputation as an upbeat professional bird watcher who promotes birding and avian conservation across the land.

Whilst a Denali park ranger, Sharon handled volunteer walking duties for one of the resident sled dogs, an Alaskan husky named Party. (The dog and all her littermates shared birthday-themed names because they were born during the National Park Service’s centennial in 2016.) Sharon’s social media feeds during her time in Alaska contained lots of images of her canine companion, but when she returned to Minnesota to work for the U.S. Forest Service a year ago, Sharon and Party said goodbye.

The working sled dog team at Denali so far has survived federal budget cuts in 2025, but Party, at age 9, has reached the age when dogs retire and require adoption. Sharon requested that Party join her in Minnesota, and two weekends ago, another Denali staffer visiting our state for a wedding escorted Party to the Twin Cities.

An emotional ranger-and-dog reunion unfolded. Sharon recently took a buyout for her government job, but proclaims, “I lost a government job but I gained a government dog!”

Party has adjusted well to the ’burbs, including its chorus frogs, fireflies, dog parks, and even encountering flocks of wild turkeys with little drama. Knowing Sharon, here’s betting that Party can expect a dream retirement. I’m happy for them.