The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners unanimously votes to exempt the county from a proposed state bill that would allow the use of rifles for deer hunting, maintaining current shotgun restrictions that have been in place for over 80 years. Despite the growing trend in other regions to allow rifles, local hunters expressed significant concerns, with 85% of those surveyed opposing the legislation.
Board Chairman Brad Edwin highlighted the feedback from the community, noting that local hunters fear the change could increase risks during the busy harvest season when fields are crowded with farmers. Additionally, the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office, while not taking a stance, acknowledged that existing rifle use for hunting non-deer species already exists in the area. This decision follows similar exemptions by Dodge and Olmsted counties, emphasizing a local desire to maintain the status quo in deer hunting practices.
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