# Hatch wants an Answer



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

*Hatch wants hunting ruling*

By Jeff Zent, The Forum
Published Friday, January 28, 2005

Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch asked a federal judge Thursday to decide a lawsuit challenging North Dakota's nonresident hunting restrictions.

Hatch filed a motion for summary judgment Thursday, asking Bismarck-based U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland to rule on the lawsuit rather than holding a trial.

In a 22-page supporting brief, Hatch outlines why he believes North Dakota's hunting restrictions should be struck down.

Hatch, U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and two other Minnesota residents filed a federal lawsuit March 10, 2004, claiming that North Dakota's restrictions on nonresident hunters are unconstitutional.

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said his office will file its own motion for a summary judgment, seeking a ruling that would quash Minnesota's complaint.

"We have rich game reserves because we've properly managed them, and that's up to us to determine, not the attorney general of Minnesota," Stenehjem said.

Hatch expects a ruling in about four months.

Restrictions passed by North Dakota lawmakers in 2003 allow state residents to hunt pheasants and waterfowl a week earlier than nonresidents. They also limit where nonresidents may hunt.

The restrictions are discriminatory and violate constitutional protections for interstate commerce, Hatch said Thursday.

"We're going to prevail on this lawsuit," North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven said. "States should be able to manage their own wildlife resources."

Hatch said North Dakota's nonresident hunting restrictions aren't about managing game. The restrictions are about selectively managing hunters, he said. "And that's discrimination."

If Minnesota's lawsuit fails, the state's lawmakers will propose and likely pass "retaliatory" laws that restrict North Dakota hunters, Hatch said. "I would oppose that," he said. "This isn't good."

If Minnesota wins the suit, the state should review some of its own hunting and fishing laws, he said.

In the 2004 legislative session, Minnesota lawmakers introduced two bills that added restrictions for nonresident hunting and fishing. Neither bill passed.

"The primary purpose of the proposed legislation was to retaliate against North Dakota residents because of the state's restrictive hunting laws," Hatch wrote in a brief filed Thursday with the motion for summary judgment.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Zent at (701) 241-5526


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$,,, we all know the average hunter from MN does not want this to happen. My question is why do a select few get to detmermine what minnesota does, i.e. this lawsuit. Nevermind, I guess I ansered my own question with the dollar signs at the beginning.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Where does the ND Constitution and the term "states rights" fit in the mix?


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Here's an answer for Hatch...

"Motion for Summary Judgment... *DENIED!!!"*


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

Sounds like he missed the cut for one of our seasons :wink:


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

He obviously wants a decision before the bill to allow states to make their own laws passes Congress.Which is probably why the judge hasn't offered an opinion yet.....A new federal law would get him off the hook.


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## Gunner (Oct 30, 2002)

Hatch is an IDIOT! His real motivation is to be able to say he stood up for Minnesota hunters and try to peel off some of the sportsman vote for his run for the governor's office.


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## rap (Mar 26, 2002)

this case is rediculous. i hope hatch hears from some mn residents, because this will just make the situation even worse for them. i don't think too many nd residents are happy mn is trying to manage nd.


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## jamartinmg2 (Oct 7, 2004)

I have emailed Mike Hatch on this and didn't even get a response from him or his office. I urge all of you MN hunters who head to ND every fall who are against this lawsuit to write him also. I have also contacted Governor Pawlenty to urge him to distance himself from this thing too. Mike ought to be worried about what is going on in his own state. This is nothing but political grandstanding by a guy who wants to call himself Governor of Minnesota some day. :x


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

Hatch is an IDIOT!

I really think he has no idea what he is creating. There's probably one influential guy in his ear and he blindly goes on that. If every hunter from MN would send him their opinion I think the lawsuit would be dropped pretty quick.


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## birddog131 (Oct 28, 2004)

Hatch is not popular at all: I too have emailed his office and recieved no reply: Nodak has a great system of informing hunters and the public on outdoor related legislation and giving the information so hunters can be informed and vote on important matters:
I can't even find any legistlation on these things to share with outdoorspeople in MN. The Etree is a great idea, and I think hunters in MN need something like this: How do you find out what kind of things are out there that hunters need to be aware of?


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

It's easy...Here are the House bills in Natural Resources in Minn.

http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revi ... titleword=

Here's the Senate bills...

http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revi ... titleword=

Maybe you could get an outfit like this to start paying attention to issues in your legislature....

http://www.outdoornews.com/outdoornews/ ... ubID=13650


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Unfortunatly this whole thing is about Money and friends in "High Places". Right Chuck??

It is ironic that Mr. Hatch was fighting for this to not happen in Minnesota when the case was a hot button item in Arizona.

I guess no one ever said politics was supposed to make sence 

Later

Bob


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## jamartinmg2 (Oct 7, 2004)

Here is his contact info if anyone wants to send him their thoughts:

Attorney General Mike Hatch (DFL) Phone: 651-296-3353
Email: [email protected]


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## birddog131 (Oct 28, 2004)

KenW- Thank You!
So, who decides what is "good" for the outdoorspeople? I will be happy to recommend to people which bills are good and that they should contact their representatives and senators: Heck, I would like to find a whole list of who to contact for each bill. The only way people are even going to know about these bills is through word of mouth, and many of these bills will have no input from hunters/fisherman,simply because they do not know about them.
I really wish there was a way to tell people which bills are good for hunters/fisherman....is it just a judgement call, or what? 
I will be happy to suggest that sportsman contact Hatch, and their legislators...I just was looking for that kind of info! 
Thanks, and please let me know more about how a guy should go about getting something like this rolling.


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## 6162rk (Dec 5, 2004)

SOME SAY HATCH IS NOT POPULAR. I SAY HE IS VERY POPULAR. IN THE LAND OF 10,000,000 DEMOCRATS HOW CAN HE NOT BE POPULAR. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE BUMPER STICKERS THAT SAID DUMP SPANNUS, JUST REMEMBER WE MAY NEED THOSE WITH HATCHES NAME ON THEM IN A FEW YEARS.


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## james s melson (Aug 19, 2003)

Hatch is the "bad" guy for getting this lawsuit going. Who will be the "bad" guy when there is a restrictive cap put on non-resident waterfowl hunters and YOUR annual hunt in ND goes out the window. Some have said that they can live with "every other year or every 2nd year", I'm betting that those people will be the first to speak up.

This is the same comparison to those who are now looking to cut back the limit of fish. Residents want it because the Ole Fishing Hole ain't what it used to be, the resorts on Devils Lake say "no way", fishermen from out of state say it isn't worth the drive if the limit changes.

I don't care either way if the MN lawsuit goes any farther, I will be disappointed if MN doesn't drastically change it's non-resident laws if it does fail.


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