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I found this link on a birding website. The big movement of snowy owls this past winter has prompted another attempt to ban the baiting of owls. This time in Minnesota.  But it seems half-hearted as there is talk of an amendment to permit baiting in a safe place.


"The bill would apply to people who “purposefully attract a wild owl” in an attempt to cause it to move from one place to another. People conducting research under a state or federal permit would be exempt. People who rescue an ill or injured owl also would be in the clear."  "Huntley said the bill might be changed to limit luring to safe places rather than banning it altogether".





http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/content/amendment-minnesota-house-bill-bans-luring-owls



Politicians usually act when there are enough complaints   Incidents earlier in the winter prompted many complaints and at that time, the DNR in Minnesota was already looking at ways to curtail the practice.  In this example, one photographer used a GoPro camera and a mouse to get a close-up perspective of an owl flying in to grab the mouse.  In the same news segment, it mentions some photogs using a fake mouse on the end of a fishing line to lure snowy owls closer.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/02/17/snowy-owl-photographers-divided-over-baiting-flight-shots/

Some details can be found here.  Apparently parts of the bill have some birders concerned at it seems to prohibit the playback of calls.  Birders use calls to do owl surveys.

https://www.facebook.com/thebirdchick



I usually only pay attention to my neck of the woods so am not aware of what's going on in the USA, etc. although I do read in the forums here about similar discussions in New York, etc. 

http://lauraerickson.blogspot.ca/2014/02/baiting-owls.html

This ammendment is toast! The local nature photographers, bird guides, and bird lovers did some hard work at the legislative level as well as in various other forms of media to get this BS legislation tossed out on it's (marginally thin basis at best) for existing in the first place. Sooo, hooray in my opinion, there is still freedom to feed birds in Minnesota

Thanks for the update. Both those who bait and those who are against it have a voice.  An amendment removes the part of the bill that bans the luring and feeding of owls.


"Wolf, owl and muskie issues get aired on the House Floor".

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/Sessio ... oryID=5270