Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol
Already have an account?
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
St. Paul, Minn. (AP)

Minnesota duck hunting season opens Saturday

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

As Minnesota duck hunters prepare for Saturday's season opener, safety experts are reminding them to pack something that could save their lives.

Tim Smalley is the boating safety specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He says the lack of life jackets is still one of the most common law violations among waterfowl hunters. And he says it's the most common cause of duck hunter deaths - more frequent than gun accidents.

Thirteen duck hunters have drowned in boating accidents since Minnesota made life jackets mandatory in 1988. But that compares with three to six per season before.

Last year, a 60-year-old hunter, who wasn't wearing a life jacket, capsized in a 10-foot john boat and drowned in 5 feet of water in Rat Lake in Becker County.

---

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)