Minnesota hunters register 68401 deer on first weekend
Minnesota hunters have harvested more deer in the first three days of the firearms season compared to previous year.
“During the deer population goalsetting process, hunters made it clear they wanted more easily accessible and comprehensive information”, Merchant said.
In much of Minnesota, the deer season continues through November 15. Zone 1 total firearms harvest was up 8.2 percent, Zone 2 was up 5.9 percent, and Zone 3 was up 3.2 percent. The trend reflects wildlife managers’ observations and similar increases in the archery harvest.
Craig Engwall of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, hunting near Dora Lake northwest of Deer River, was pleased to hear of the increases in the deer harvest.
Deer hunters tend to go out in good years and bad. Many parts of the state are buck-only permit areas. A final harvest report is usually finished by early February.
“The deer population around here is better”, VanValkenburg said.
The Department of Natural Resources says that’s up over 6 percent from the first three days of the 2014 season, when regulations were tightened to rebuild the state’s deer herd. Hunters can gather for bragging rights, contests and fellowship. Through Friday before Saturday’s opening day of hunting, just more than 419,000 licenses had been sold, DNR officials said. That compares with 393,549 for the same period past year.