Night Vision in Minnesota

Song Dog Assasin

Song Dog Assasin

New member
Is it legal to use night vision devices to hunt predators in the state of Minnesota? According to the state regulation book it is not legal to use night vision to hunt for game animals in MN. However, does a coyote qualify as a game animal, as far as I know they are an unprotected species. I will clarify this with the DNR, but was just curious if any of you guys have checked it out. Thanks
 
Well the new regs. are out so I'll try to answer my own post incase any of you were wondering. As far as I could tell there is absolutely no mention of night vision anywhere in the regulations. It just says you cannot cast the rays of a spotlight, headlight, or any other artificial light to "take a wild animal." A coyote is not a game animal, but it is wild so I guess a coyote would fall under this restriction. The exception of course is the new law about spotlights to hunt coyotes after Jan. 1st. The way that I interperit this is that it is OK to hunt predators with nightvision, as long as your NV equipment does not have an IR illuminator on it. If you are simply using nighvision gear by itself, without the aid of an IR illuminator, you are not casting any light rays on anything else, artificial or otherwise. Of course this is just my interpretation, I have not called them on this or talked to my local C.O., who is actually an alright guy.
 
Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I just saw this.

You are exactly correct in your interpretation of the law. You can use night vision in Minnesota as long as you aren't casting an IR ray. (Of course the IR is OK Jan 1 to Mar 15 if it's hand held for foxes and coyotes.)

But, before anyone gets excited and buys some, there's talk about outlawing the use of NV. There was never actually a law that made it legal, there was just never a law made making it illegal. When I was at the legislature this past year working on the light law, some of them told me they are going to be working on making it illegal.

Randy
 
It does not make sense to make incadescent lights legal and IR illegal. Unless..... DNR feels that night hunters are one step away from being poachers, and IR is not visible spectrum, but regular spotlights are. Therefore......

I am glad to see that visible ray lights are now legal in MN. Randy and others have fought a long battle to get this accomplished. Hooray. Carl L.
 
Last edited:
Contacted the DNR on the use of night vision last week. This is the response that I got back for this question:

Is it ok to use a night vision scope on a rifle for hunting varmints? Also this setup using infer red technology.

Reply from James Abernathy DNR Information Consultant:

The night vision would be legal. But if it can also project a light onto the animal. Example a red laser light projected onto the animal. Than that would be illegal and cannot be used.

Bad new for me,the new owner of night vision, if they make this technology illegal.
 
Keep in mind that your illuminator needs to be completely off your gun if you are using it. If it's a built in IR illuminator, then it can't be used at all.
 
Good topic and thread...

The CO's clarification still seems confusing...

Along similiar lines, the language in the MN Regs seems very specific that any coyote hunting done with a light at night, needs to be with a shotgun, and not a rifle...

The MN Regs are confusing, one part of the book refers to coyotes as "an unprotected mammal': "They can be taken in any manner" (except by vehicle) until you read the light/at night section...

Rules Rules Rules...Best hope for cloudless, bright moon nights, boys.
 
Welcome mudgoat.

I know the regs can be confusing but if you piece all stuff together, it becomes fairly clear.

For example, it IS legal to use night vision on a rifle as long as it doesn't throw an infrared beam, if it does it can't be used on a rifle at all but can be used on a shotgun between Jan 1st and March 15th. If it doesn't throw a beam it can be used on a rifle any time. And, keep in mind that we can use rifles without any kind of light no matter how dark the night is and no matter what time of year but if we use a light so we can see what we are shooting at we need to use a shotgun because a rifle is too dangerous and we can only use that light between Jan 1st and March 15th.

Clear as mud? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

As MUD, indeed
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

--and thanks for the welcome--this site and this board has some familiar " faces that I know, and a whole lot of new ones --with good info.

Between the new light and e-caller/remote MN regs (good info in your posts R Buker & Flying V) MN coyote hunters will need to be careful and sure about the rules...
 
I have gen.3 Night Vision Goggles. I use them real easy, put them on, and still look through the scope, and see a perfect normal view, just green looking color but very clear. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Back
Top