1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to game and fish; providing for earlier openings for deer hunting and 
1.3 	angling seasons;amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 97B.311; 97C.395, 
1.4 	subdivision 1.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 97B.311, is amended to read:
1.7 	97B.311 DEER SEASONS AND RESTRICTIONS.
1.8 	(a) The commissioner may, by rule, prescribe restrictions and designate areas where 
1.9 	deer may be taken, including hunter selection criteria for special hunts established under 
1.10 	section 97A.401, subdivision 4. The commissioner may, by rule, prescribe the open 
1.11 	seasons for deer to begin no later than noon on a Friday within the following periods:
1.12 	(1) taking with firearms, other than muzzle-loading firearms, between November 1 
1.13 	and December 15;
1.14 	(2) taking with muzzle-loading firearms between September 1 and December 31; and
1.15 	(3) taking by archery between September 1 and December 31.
1.16 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the commissioner may establish special seasons 
1.17 	within designated areas at any time of year.

1.18 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 97C.395, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.19 		Subdivision 1.Dates for certain species. (a) The open seasons to take fish by 
1.20 	angling are as follows:
1.21 	(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, and 
1.22 	smallmouth bass, no later than noon the ~~Saturday~~ Friday two weeks prior to the ~~Saturday~~ 
1.23 	~~of~~ Friday before Memorial Day ~~weekend~~ to the last Sunday in February;
2.1 	(2) for lake trout, from January 1 to October 31;
2.2 	(3) for the winter season for lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and 
2.3 	splake on all lakes located outside or partially within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, 
2.4 	from January 15 to March 31;
2.5 	(4) for the winter season for lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, 
2.6 	and splake on all lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, from 
2.7 	January 1 to March 31;
2.8 	(5) for brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake, between January 1 to 
2.9 	October 31 as prescribed by the commissioner by rule except as provided in section 
2.10 	97C.415, subdivision 2; and
2.11 	(6) for salmon, as prescribed by the commissioner by rule.
2.12 	(b) The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the state where fish are 
2.13 	spawning and closing the season will protect the resource.

2.14 	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.15 	Sections 1 and 2 are effective for seasons opening after January 1, 2016.