Action is heating up at the Legislature, where several outdoors-related bills have been introduced. Some have little chance of passing, but others likely will become law.
Among the proposals are ones that would:
• Prevent citizens who see a dog wounding, killing or pursuing big game to kill the dog; currently citizens can do so between Jan. 1 and July 14. Under the change, only a peace officer or conservation officer could kill a dog seen chasing big game. Those officers wouldn't be liable for damages.
• Allow residents 84 or older to take a deer of either sex without a special antlerless permit.
• Allow a resident of a Minnesota veterans home to take an antlerless deer without a special permit. It would not allow another member of the party to take an antlerless deer.
• Allow a person age 60 or older to use a muzzleloader with a scope to take deer during the muzzleloader season.
• Allow residents age 70 and older to fish without a license; currently residents 90 and older don't need a license.
• Require identification on conservation officer vehicles. The bill also apparently would prohibit unmarked State Patrol vehicles used primarily to enforce highway traffic rules.
