Posted 4/11/01 Object to Guv's comments about deer hunting The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) is expressing concerns about comments attributed to Governor Jesse Ventura in a Twin Cities newspaper on April 5th. The main comments that have drawn the ire of Minnesotaís largest hunting group were comparisons between combat and hunting, with Ventura quoted as saying, ìUntil you have hunted man, you havenít hunted yet.î ìI think there are about a half-of-a-million deer hunters in Minnesota that would disagree with the Governorís sentiments,î said Mark Johnson, Executive Director of MDHA. ìWhile it is fine that the Governor doesnít hunt deer himself, it doesnít serve any constructive purpose to disparage all of the Minnesotans that do.î Venturaís comments are reminiscent of his 1999 Playboy interview in which he also said deer hunting was not real hunting, and that he preferred when the opposition could shoot back. A Ventura spokesman said the comments were ìtongue in cheek,î but the resurfacing of the comments and sentiments from Minnesotaís top official has disappointed members of the hunting organization. The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association sent Ventura a letter in October of 1999 taking issue with his comments. Ventura has not responded to MDHAís concerns since that time, and the conservation group had let the issue drop. ìWe know the Governor has hunted pheasants, and is by no means an anti-hunter,î Johnson said. ìHowever his comments in 1999 and again this week do not promote the issues hunters are concerned about, including adequate protection of our natural resources and the passage of the Holsten/Lessard funding legislation.î The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association has expressed support for a constitutional amendment authored by Representative Mark Holsten and Senator Bob Lessard to dedicate 3/16th of one percent of the state sales tax to natural resources conservation efforts. The Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Allen Garber has expressed concerns about a citizensÇ board that would be created to allocate the revenue. The Governorís comments about hunting came during an interview in which the Governor was defending his appointee to DNRÇs top position. Wayne Enger, President of MDHA hopes to win over the Governor. ìI am inviting Governor Ventura to our State Habitat Banquet on April 21st,î Enger said. ìHalf a year before deer hunting season even opens he will see the dedication Minnesota deer hunters have to our sport, our heritage and the deer herd itself.î The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is a non-profit conservation organization with over 20,000 members. Founded in 1980, the group is dedicated to the betterment of deer and deer hunting in Minnesota. ©Post Review