Minnesota DNR Blows Up Deer Stands With Dynamite

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is backpedaling from a recent decision to blow up deer stands on public land using dynamite, according to the Duluth News Tribune.

Two enclosed wooden deer stands were destroyed by the explosions. The controversial method was employed in the Bowstring State Forest in Itasca County.

Those who have surveyed the scene tell the News Tribune that debris is 'still scattered for 100 feet' near the areas the deer stands stood.

No one is sure exactly when the explosions occurred, but those in the area estimated the structures had been in place for over a decade, measuring about 4'x8' feet and situated on trailers.

The people quoted in the Duluth News Tribune story admit the stands were on the land illegally, but their beef with the DNR lies in the fact that a less explosive method of removal was employed.

The DNR website says that 'temporary, portable deer stands that do not damage trees' are preferred in state forests, adding that cutting down trees for clearer shooting lanes is not allowed.

"Any deer stands on state forest land are considered to be available for public use and must remain accessible to all," the policy continues.

For its part, the DNR tells the Duluth News-Tribune that the stands were tagged for removal in October and efforts to reach the owner of the deer stands were unsuccessful.

Despite that, the DNR concedes that the action 'didn't reflect good judgement.'