At the start of the 2010 hunting season, when nearly 500,000 deer hunters waded into field and forest, they were joined by about 150 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) field conservation officers, men and women with about 650 square miles to patrol.
It’s a big job, averaging one officer for every 3,300 hunters afield.
Hunters help pay for this service. That’s because a portion of each hunting license dollar is dedicated to law enforcement. In fact, revenue from licensed hunters and anglers accounts for about 60 percent of the DNR’s law enforcement budget.
Conservation officers spend about 35 percent of their time on hunting enforcement. This compares to about 43 percent for fishing. Fishing is higher than hunting because there are more anglers, hence more license revenue targeted at angling and invasive species enforcement.
November through December is the busiest time of year for conservation officers. Hunting is in full swing. Open water fishing is still under way. Trapping season is on, too. It’s also the time when trespass complaints go up and the occasional snowmobile goes down while trying to cross freshly formed ice.
Conservation officers also spend considerable time in the fall investigating Turn In Poachers complaints. Typically, these calls result in more than 300 convictions per year. Conservation officers appreciate the help provided by the public, because they can’t be everywhere. In fact, Minnesota ranks near the bottom of the nation in terms of conservation officers per hunter and angler.
Though the largest percentage of hunting license fees goes directly to the DNR’s Section of Wildlife (and license fees represent that section’s main source of funding), conservation officers put these and all other dollars they receive to good use. Examples from this part of the state include the Rainy River compliance project; invasive species protection; limiting the spread of fish diseases; off-highway vehicle enforcement; game and fish protection; and boating safety.
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