Minnesota State Senator Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) pushed hard on Thursday to fully eliminate southern Minnesota’s shotgun-only hunting zone, an antiquated law dating back to the 1940s that has become obsolete as technology advancements have increased the range of shotguns and further improved rifle accuracy. 

During the floor debate on the Senate’s environment policy bill, Senator Drazkowski offered an amendment that would have required county boards in counties where the rifle ban is in effect to hold annual public meetings on the issue. During those meetings, residents could weigh in and the commissioners would vote to remain in the shotgun only zone or withdraw.  

The environment policy bill largely ends the shotgun mandate across most of southern Minnesota, it kept it in place for Blue Earth, Dodge, Freeborn, Mower, Nicollet, and Olmsted Counties – presenting safety risks and unfairly treating hunters in those areas different than hunters in the rest of the state. 

“Rifles are safer than shotguns, period,” Senator Drazkowski said. “Keeping the shotgun-only zone in place anywhere in Minnesota raises questions about the legislature’s commitment to hunting safety.  The evidence is clear: if we want to improve safety, we must allow deer hunters to use rifles throughout the state. The shotgun-only zone needs to be fully and completely abolished immediately.” 

An in-depth study commissioned by the Pennsylvania General Assembly found “shotguns firing modern saboted slugs have a larger danger area than the .30-06 rifle when the angle of elevation is approximately level (0 degrees); hence, given this firing condition, the shotgun is riskier than the rifle. In other words, the typical hunter discharging a 12 gauge shotgun fitted with a rifled barrel firing a .50- caliber saboted modern high-velocity ammunition at a deer on level terrain is riskier than a hunter firing a .30-06 with a 150-grain expanding bullet at the same deer.” 

In 2013, Wisconsin legalized rifles for statewide use. Since then, according to the Wisconsin DNR, total incidents are at the lowest level in the history of the state. 

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a 2003 Wisconsin DNR survey found 76% of hunters used a rifle while 24% used a shotgun. Yet from 1998-2008; 42% of incidents were with a shotgun. In other words, shotguns are responsible for a disproportionate amount of shooting incidents. 

The Drazkowski amendment was not adopted, and the Senate later approved the broader environment policy bill. Before it can become law, Senate and House negotiators must meet to work out the differences between the two chambers’ respective bills.