I think they should of been doing this years ago. One of the reasons I never went to an auction was because most good items sold too high to make a trip worth it. Going online eliminates that problem. Bidding from your couch! Heck everyone here will like that! 
Everything from rifle, handguns, antlers, ice rods, trail cameras and lots more! Eight pages worth!
Makes me sick that the MN DNR gets to operate as a for-profit extortion business with ZERO oversight. Conservation is not their gal, it’s profit plain and simple.
The Prices on this stuff seems to be super high, is due to people trying to buy their own stuff back and other bidding them up?
Makes me sick that the MN DNR gets to operate as a for-profit extortion business with ZERO oversight. Conservation is not their gal, it’s profit plain and simple.
What makes me sick is that the Legislature hamstrings the DNR funding, forces regulations in to place that have no scientific foundation and generally screws things up.
Makes me sick that the MN DNR gets to operate as a for-profit extortion business with ZERO oversight. Conservation is not their gal, it’s profit plain and simple.
What auction items are were yours? 
Kyle, what would you propose they do with violators? Please explain
I love it. Seize the stuff. Sell it to bidders at inflated prices. Use those funds to hopefully manage our resources and increase enforcement with COs.
Makes me sick that the MN DNR gets to operate as a for-profit extortion business with ZERO oversight. Conservation is not their gal, it’s profit plain and simple.
I believe they use the profits from the sales to pay the fines of the offenders.
And if you think that selling a few dozen guns makes them even 1% of their budget you’re dreaming.
I was talking to a buddy and we were wondering what level of offense does it take to get your gun, bow, decoys, rod, boat, truck, ATV, etc. confiscated by the DNR. Anybody know the answer?
Fishing or hunting without a license?
Baiting deer?
Baiting waterfowl?
Out-of-season fish or game?
Before/After legal shooting hours?
Over limit and if so, by how much?
Felon in procession of a fire arm?
First offense or upon multiple offenses?
And who decides when something is confiscated? Is it the court, the C.O., C.O.’s supervisor, etc.
Convicted of big game violation. Co can’t decide. Baiting is in that.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brad Dimond wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>KYLE P ERICKSON wrote:</div>
Makes me sick that the MN DNR gets to operate as a for-profit extortion business with ZERO oversight. Conservation is not their gal, it’s profit plain and simple.What makes me sick is that the Legislature hamstrings the DNR funding, forces regulations in to place that have no scientific foundation and generally screws things up.
Yeah, just like how the DNR is allocated $10 million annually from the general fund for AIS. Great example of how the legislature hamstrings the DNR’s funding, and forces regulations that have no scientific foundation, right?
What a joke!
Don’t forget that the goal of science based wildlife management isn’t to produce scientific papers and stuff that gets academically peer reviewed.
The goal of science based wildlife management is to produce quality wildlife management so the resource is utilized in the best possible manner by it’s owner—the public, with an emphasis on those who hunt and fish.
Too often the modern DNR forgets that and the people need to get involved and take back their resource from the scientists via their only avenue—the legislature.
Respectfully disagree. The legislature largely represents interest groups that pull their financial strings. Agree that people need to get involved and there are myriad ways to do so. Many of the most effective in the wildlife management space are non-governmental, e.g., DU, PF, MDHA, certified firearms safety instructors and more. The Legislature has modest, if any, positive impact on resource managment.
I was talking to a buddy and we were wondering what level of offense does it take to get your gun, bow, decoys, rod, boat, truck, ATV, etc. confiscated by the DNR. Anybody know the answer?
Fishing or hunting without a license?
Baiting deer?
Baiting waterfowl?
Out-of-season fish or game?
Before/After legal shooting hours?
Over limit and if so, by how much?
Felon in procession of a fire arm?
First offense or upon multiple offenses?And who decides when something is confiscated? Is it the court, the C.O., C.O.’s supervisor, etc.
A guy I used to work with had his rifle seized for baiting deer. He bought it back at the auction lol
I was talking to a buddy and we were wondering what level of offense does it take to get your gun, bow, decoys, rod, boat, truck, ATV, etc. confiscated by the DNR. Anybody know the answer?
Fishing or hunting without a license?
Baiting deer?
Baiting waterfowl?
Out-of-season fish or game?
Before/After legal shooting hours?
Over limit and if so, by how much?
Felon in procession of a fire arm?
First offense or upon multiple offenses?And who decides when something is confiscated? Is it the court, the C.O., C.O.’s supervisor, etc.
Great question. I’m not really sure what the answers are. These situations are likely handled differently from case to case.
Here are my suggestions to the way I wish it was handled:
If someone is written a ticket for one of the things listed above, those items would be seized as evidence. If I’m pulled over and have an unregistered handgun on my passenger seat, I’d expect that to be seized as evidence. Same goes for drug paraphernalia, miscellaneous weapons, banned substances, or anything that can be used as evidence. If I harvest a deer or fish out of season, the firearm or gear are pieces of evidence. After that point, if it goes to court and I’m found innocent…the evidence should be returned. If I’m found guilty the court should levy the maximum legal fine at all times. A portion of that fine should go towards publicizing the offense in the nearest newspaper to the offender’s address. I could then elect whether to pay my fine in full, or credit my property towards the fine and pay the additional amounts I owe. Whatever it brings at these MNDNR auctions would be my credit.
For little stuff it says they “may seize” (vs 97A.225 which is big game & netting that says “must seize”) but I don’t see any minimum other than simply violating fish & game laws.
This isn’t civil asset forfeiture though which might be what Kyle was so against above. I agree civil asset forfeiture is awful but for this you have to be convicted or you get your stuff back. If it was damaged or sold then you are reimbursed.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/97A.221
Subdivision 1.Property subject to seizure and confiscation.
(a) An enforcement officer may seize:
(1) wild animals, wild rice, and other aquatic vegetation taken, bought, sold, transported, or possessed in violation of the game and fish laws or chapter 84 or 84D; and
(2) firearms, bows and arrows, nets, boats, lines, poles, fishing rods and tackle, lights, lanterns, snares, traps, spears, dark houses, fish houses, and wild rice harvesting equipment that are used with the owner’s knowledge to unlawfully take or transport wild animals, wild rice, or other aquatic vegetation and that have a value under $1,000 are subject to this section.
I was talking to a buddy and we were wondering what level of offense does it take to get your gun, bow, decoys, rod, boat, truck, ATV, etc. confiscated by the DNR. Anybody know the answer?
Fishing or hunting without a license?
Baiting deer?
Baiting waterfowl?
Out-of-season fish or game?
Before/After legal shooting hours?
Over limit and if so, by how much?
Felon in procession of a fire arm?
First offense or upon multiple offenses?And who decides when something is confiscated? Is it the court, the C.O., C.O.’s supervisor, etc.
Had a buddy who got caught fishing two lines open water. He said his encounter with the CO was positive and he was respectful. The CO told him that he could’ve taken all of his equipment for the violation and give him a fine but because he was respectful, he only gave him the fine. Buddy said the CO went down the shoreline to check on a few more people and as he was leaving, he saw the CO going back to his vehicle with a bunch of fishing rods, boxes, etc…. Don’t think the others were as respectful.
Here are my suggestions to the way I wish it was handled:
If someone is written a ticket for one of the things listed above, that those items would be seized as evidence. If I’m pulled over and have an unregistered handgun on my passenger seat, I’d expect that to be seized as evidence. Same goes for drug paraphernalia, miscellaneous weapons, banned substances, or anything that can be used as evidence. If I harvest a deer or fish out of season, the firearm or gear are pieces of evidence. After that point, if it goes to court and I’m found innocent…the evidence should be returned.
Well, you’re in luck because that is how it works with the DNR.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>KYLE P ERICKSON wrote:</div>
Makes me sick that the MN DNR gets to operate as a for-profit extortion business with ZERO oversight. Conservation is not their gal, it’s profit plain and simple.What auction items
arewere yours?
I’m sure momma is happy when you have to buy back the stuff they took when you broke the laws. I’m all for nailing these guys as hard as possible.
Baiting has been a big problem in MN in recent years and they DNR can seize weapons and prohibit someone from hunting again for a period of time on the first offense. That’s how bad it has gotten. They’ve adopted a zero tolerance policy on baiting.
A lot of other laws broken are repeat offenses. First time violators generally do have their weapons or equipment seized.
I’m sure momma is happy when you have to buy back the stuff they took when you broke the laws. I’m all for nailing these guys as hard as possible.
^^^ what he said!
Break the law, pay a price. I’m happy they auction the stuff off and get something out of it. Don’t most police departments destroy the guns they confiscate?
I think the dealers get in early and make sure there is a solid min bid on anything of value.
Always kind of surprises me when used stuff sells on an auction for more than I can buy new. I think there are some folks who get caught up in the excitement of an auction and lose sight of the value of the item. Likely a similar tendency that emptys savings accounts at casinos.
Mark my words, there will be an ever-increasing amount of times sportsmen will have to wrestle the DNR in order to get their resource back from the scientists in the not too distant future and the only way that can truly be done where the DNR becomes powerless and sportsmen get the final say is going to be through the legislature.
You have no idea how much I hope I’m wrong on that prediction.
IMO you are way off base. All the DNR people I have gotten to know, quite a few BTW, are in the flannel shirt, camo hat, hook and bullet crowd. They hunt, fish, and enjoy the outdoors just like the rest of us. They are trying to produce research that can be used for management purposes. Funding certainly plays a part of how in depth they can go on topics, so not every study can be more than an inch wide as you say.
I wasn’t able to get to the mafia extortion auction from BK’s link but I think this one should work.
http://www.hillerauction.net/cgi-bin/mmdetails.cgi?hiller3
http://www.hillerauction.net/cgi-bin/mmlist.cgi?hiller3/category/ALL
Somebody will need to explain to me how the DNR is a villian in this . Is it because they enforce the laws like we pay them to do?
Hello Dutchboy. I’d be happy to take a shot at answering that question.
Is it because they enforce the laws like we pay them to do?
I’m not sure who the “we” in your question refers to but it certainly doesn’t include me. I don’t pay the DNR to do anything. I don’t want or need their “service”. What money the DNR does get from me is extracted under threat of violence.
No, I suspect what you mean when you say “we” is some people wishing to impose their opinions on other, otherwise peaceful, people by threats and force.
For instance, some people have the opinion that you should only shoot a buck deer with 4 one inch tines on a beam. They are able to impose that opinion on everyone else via threats and force. If you were to shoot a deer with 3 one inch tines and one 3/4 inch tine the DNR enforcement thugs would claim they now own the rifle your grandpa gave you. If you disagreed with their opinion and stupidly tried to defend the theft of your rifle they would likely assault you and then throw you in a steel cage. If you were able to defend yourself well enough they would call in enough violence to have you murdered. This is a fact that everyone well knows would happen but doesn’t like to think about because it might make them feel uncomfortable about what kind of sociopaths are lurking inside themselves.
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So Snap, which one of those guns in the 8 pages of poachers weapons is yours?
Had no idea I’d see that many guns in that auction. Good lord. How often do they hold these auctions?! And how do THAT many people get caught?? Vast majority of these guns come off hunters on public land, right? I hunt private and feel like I could kill 20 deer with hand grenades in July and I wouldn’t be caught. 
Moose are a perfect example. Why did the DNR close the moose season?
They’ll tell you that there’s nothing scientific to support the notions that hunting had an impact on the decline, that hunting will contribute to further decline, or that there’s any reason from a science based wildlife management perspective that supports the end of moose hunting in MN. Especially since the population has been stable for quite some time, a decade plus now.
Sportsmen should have fought the closure and should be fighting to reopen the season…which is going to be a tough fight with the only chance of winning being through the legislature.
So there’s another question to ask your DNR buddies, “Why is the moose season closed despite there not being anything from a scientific standpoint to support it’s closure?”
Moose are just one of the first instances of what you’re claiming to be a hook and bullet crowd closing a hunting season to protect the resource from the public. This is a pretty egregious offense in my opinion since they’re also scientists yet they’ll all tell you the science supports there being a season.
Over the last ten years there’s been a real significant decrease in moose numbers from both wolf predation and disease. Only in the last two years has the decline shown to have leveled off with no further decrease….but no increase to moose numbers either. I could see a 4 tag lottery each year IF the moose numbers show an increase each year for the next ten years. Moose are an animal that could easily be over-exploited and need extra protection so this current closure I feel is worthwhile.
Want moose? Other states have an abundance of them so head west. Just because Minnesota is taking care with it’s moose herd currently doesn’t mean you can’t hunt elsewhere in the lower 48 or take the plunge and hit Alaska.
When it comes to the legislature and DRN rules and regulations, any and all special interests should be barred from having an impact, pure and simple and any game/fish laws should be stand along and not piggy-bagged on a pile of trash.
The auction and confiscation laws? I think its great. It shows that the officers in the field are going their jobs.
Well Snap…………..everybody is entitled to their opinion I guess. I guess my opinion is the DNR works to protect our natural resources from people like you. Clearly you have a ax to grind with the DNR. I’ll let you work it out with the court systems, I pay them to handle that portion of life also. 
“What money the DNR does get from me is extracted under threat of violence.”
I guess that depends on your definition of “violence”. No definition of which I am aware posits that paying taxes, license fees and other legitimate government imposed costs is violence. In the case of license fees, don’t pay them – it’s a choice. You should then also not hunt, fish, trap, etc. The license fees collected pay to manage and protect the related resource. It may not be in a way the aligns with your perspective – I am displeased with how wolves are managed and the impact that decision has on other wildlife populations (not deer!). I can choose to ignore the closure of wolf season, over-harvest grouse, take too many walleyes, etc. I then need to be willing to face the consequences of my actions. Sounds like you think being held responsible for your actions by the government is “violence”.
I guess that depends on your definition of “violence”.
The violence part is where the DNR thug arms himself and steals your rifle under threat of force because you disagree with his opinion that it is not o.k. to shoot a buck deer with 3 tines, for one example. What if the guy needed meat to feed his family? Would you arm yourself and threaten someone directly like that? I would think most normal, civilized people would consider you an unhinged, dangerous sociopath if you did. It seems crazy for me to have to explain that in words.
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