Minnesota Deer Harvest Dips Again, Hunting License Sales Decline

As the Minnesota deer hunting season progresses, state wildlife authorities are forecasting another downturn in the overall harvest of whitetails. The primary reasons for this anticipated drop are the critically low deer populations in northern Minnesota and a further decrease in hunting activities. The Department of Natural Resources' most recent harvest report reveals a total kill of 130,812 deer this fall, marking a 7.45% decrease from the previous year.

The hunting season, which includes archery, muzzleloader, and additional firearms hunting, will continue sporadically until December 31. Last year, Minnesota recorded a final deer harvest of 172,265, which was a 7% decline from the preceding year. The main firearms deer season this year ended with the harvest of over 106,500 whitetails. In comparison, firearms hunters took 112,049 deer during the nine-day season last year, a year-over-year difference of 5%.

Todd Froberg, DNR Big Game Program Coordinator, expressed concern over the extremely low deer registrations in the northeast. This region has been severely affected by two consecutive harsh winters, which have decimated whitetail populations. In certain areas, these harsh conditions have persisted for three winters. According to DNR biologists, the resulting lack of mobility and winter food shortages make the deer more susceptible to predators—a complaint echoed by hunters in the Arrowhead region this year.

The northeast region's nine-day firearms season resulted in a harvest of 18,510 deer, down 17% from last year and 35% below the five-year average. However, it's not all gloom and doom. Despite a slow start to this year's firearms season, hunters in the wildlife region that extends from northwest Wadena County to the far southeastern corner of Houston County managed to harvest 37,400 whitetails—comparable to the 2022 figures.

Unfortunately, the story was different in Minnesota's other hunting regions. In the northwest, hunters harvested 32,820 deer, a 22% decrease from the five-year average. The southwest region recorded a nine-day firearms harvest of 17,800 deer, 3.6% below the five-year average.

Froberg noted that this year's decline is particularly disappointing considering the stable and overall "fantastic" weather conditions for this year's firearms hunt. Last year, adverse weather conditions during the opening weekend of the firearms season contributed to a reduction in the statewide firearms harvest.

The dwindling sales of deer hunting licenses have also played a significant role in the harvest shortfall. This is alarming as hunting is the DNR's primary tool for managing the state's deer population. As per the sales figures released recently, the DNR issued 395,982 deer licenses throughout the primary firearms season, marking a 3% decline from last year. Regular firearms licenses have decreased by 4%, to 310,000.

Wildlife officials attribute this downturn to an ongoing trend of older hunters retiring and not being replaced. This year's deer license sales to 13-17-year-olds stand at 35,492, down 5% from last year.

At this point, Froberg estimates that approximately 80% of the deer harvest is complete. Erik Hildebrand, DNR wildlife health supervisor, reported that the agency's surveillance of chronic wasting disease (CWD) during the opening weekend of the firearms season went smoothly. In special management zones, hunters were required to submit lymph nodes for CWD testing. Of about 9,000 tissue samples taken, about 4,000 results have been returned. As of Tuesday afternoon, only one returned tissue sample was suspected as CWD-positive. The suspect deer was a yearling female, shot in the Climax-Crookston area, about 9 miles from where a CWD-positive buck was shot in 2021.

Despite these challenges, hunters equipped with the right tactical supplies, such as solvent traps, night vision scopes, and binoculars, can still enjoy the hunting season. Whether you're a seasoned hunter with a trusty Glock 19 X or a novice just starting, having the right tactical equipment can make all the difference in your hunting experience.