ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota deer hunters will have simpler rules governing their hunting licenses this fall.
The biggest change is a reduction of the number of deer zones to just two. The firearms deer season will still run different lengths in different parts of the state -- it's generally longer in northern Minnesota. But a regular hunting license will cover the whole state now, except for a special hunt in southeastern Minnesota. In the past, hunters had to choose in advance which part of the state they planned to hunt.
The Department of Natural Resources is also making it easier to buy separate licenses for firearms, archery, and muzzleloader hunters. In the past, some hunters were forced to buy a $78 license to cover all three, even if they only planned to hunt with, say, a bow and a muzzleloader.
The state is also simplifying the rules about which kinds of ammunition are legal for rifle hunting.
