Stearns County commissioners vote 4–1 to stay with state deer hunting law, reject shotgun‑only ordinance

The Stearns County Board of Commissioners voted 4–1 on April 21 to adopt a resolution that the county will follow Minnesota law on deer hunting rather than enact a countywide shotgun‑only ordinance.

Administration told the board the Legislature had removed the statewide shotgun zone and authorized counties to adopt local ordinances restricting firearms; the county needed to notify the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in early May to have any change published in the 2026 deer hunting rule book. "You had a well‑attended public hearing," administration staff said, noting dozens of citizens had testified and additional correspondence had been received.

Commissioners described a range of concerns. Supporters of staying with state law argued the DNR is the appropriate regulator for statewide hunting and that recent data and practices reduced the rationale for a local ban. "I moved from saying ‘let’s stay shotgun‑only’ to going with state law," one commissioner said, describing how public testimony and state studies shaped that view.

Opponents cited safety worries in more densely settled and subdivided rural areas. One commissioner said many of the people who contacted him urged keeping shotgun‑only limits and described concerns about longer rifle ranges and changing hunting patterns. The board discussed property‑owner rights and the option for individual landowners to set their own rules for hunting on private property.

When the roll was called the board recorded: Commissioner Johnson, yes; Commissioner Clark, yes; Commissioner Perski, nay; Commissioner Bertram, yes; Commissioner Notch, yes. The motion carried 4–1.

The board also approved a brief resolution explaining the county’s choice to follow state law and encouraged continued public education on safe hunting practices. No county ordinance was adopted; the DNR retains responsibility for statewide regulations and for including any county‑level notices in the annual deer hunting materials.

What happens next: The county administration said it will notify the DNR (if no ordinance is adopted) and continue to accept public inquiries. The board noted it could revisit the issue should new information or incidents change the local risk profile.