By: Jeff Beach(ND Monitor)
North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong has signed a bill that forbids state wildlife managers from restricting the use of bait for hunting deer on private property.
Senate Bill 2137 prevents the North Dakota Game and Fish Department from banning deer hunting over bait. The agency has imposed baiting bans in some areas of the state as it tries to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease, which can be fatal in deer.
“We can deal with wildlife management and respect private property rights,” Armstrong, who is a hunter, said in a statement.
Many hunters testified in favor of the bill sponsored by Sen. Keith Boehm, R-Mandan, though some joined the Game and Fish Department in opposing it.
Other outdoors related bills signed this week include House Bill 1470 that raises the price of hunting, fishing and boating licenses, Senate Bill 2216 that creates a $5 waterfowl hunting stamp to pay for habitat improvement and Senate Bill 2245 that changes rules on hunting waterfowl from a boat.
