City council proposes new hunting and trapping rules within city limits

Grand Marais city officials are moving forward with adopting an ordinance to regulate hunting and trapping within city limits.

During the Jan. 28 city council meeting, council members reviewed the first reading of the proposed ordinance that would restrict the hunting of animals, birds, or reptiles with a firearm or bow and arrow within the city.

The discharge of firearms for any purpose or the use of air rifles or slingshots within city limits has been prohibited for many years. The ordinance currently allows firearm exceptions only for law enforcement, firefighters, or other government officials performing official duties.

“When it comes to hunting with a bow, it’s been a gray area,” said Mike Roth, city administrator. “A gray area that’s typically not been tested.”

The hunting ordinance would restrict the use of vertical bows and crossbows.

The proposed ordinance would also restrict trapping within city limits, with a few exceptions.

Although city officials noted they are aware of several past incidents of pets being injured by traps within city limits, a recent incident earlier this fall has brought the ordinance discussion back into focus.

Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson told WTIP that a Grand Marais resident’s cat was injured in a trap and required veterinary care, resulting in vet bills.

Benson said the incident did not occur on the pet owner’s property; instead, the cat wandered off and was then injured in a trap. WTIP has not able to confirm if the trap was set on nearby public land or on neighboring private property.

Roth said in the Jan. 28 meeting that the city has heard from residents about similar incidents occurring within city limits and involving traps that are “inappropriately placed.”

Currently, Roth said, city rules are unclear whether setting traps in public spaces is legal or illegal. “So this ordinance will make that clear.”

He said, “It seems like a perfectly fine thing to do in a county where 92% of the (county) property is public, and there’s plenty of opportunities for folks to engage in outdoor activities outside of city limits.”

Benson told WTIP that the city does have existing rules, such as an animal nuisance ordinance, that prohibit pet owners from letting their pets roam free within city limits or from committing any act that constitutes a nuisance.

The proposed ordinance language states that no person shall place any type of animal, bird, or reptile trap within the city limits. The exceptions to the ordinance are as follows:

• A person can use quick-kill traps designed to kill only rats, mice, gophers, or moles.
• A person is allowed to trap bats, snakes, salamanders, lizards, weasels, mink, squirrels, rabbits, hares, raccoons, bobcats, fox, opossums, muskrats, or beavers in such a manner that is in accordance with Minn. Stat. 97B.655 on land owned or occupied by the person where the animal is causing damage.
• Employees or duly authorized representatives of the city, county, state, or federal government acting within the course and scope of their employment.

The hunting and trapping ordinance also includes language that no person shall hunt, molest, harm, frighten, kill, trap, chase, shoot, or throw objects at any animal, bird, or reptile, nor shall they remove or have in their possession the young of any wild animal, or the eggs or nest, or young of any bird or reptile.

Benson told WTIP that she encourages the public to provide input on the ordinance before it is adopted on Feb. 11. View the proposed ordinance in the Jan. 28 city council agenda here.

Once the hunting and trapping ordinance is adopted, Benson said the enforcement agency for violations would be the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

The city council unanimously approved the first reading of the new hunting and trapping ordinance. The city council will hold a second reading of the ordinance before adopting it during the Feb. 11 meeting.

Kalli Hawkins February 5, 2026