Additional deer hunting opportunities will be available this fall, following a series of mild winters and conservative hunting regulations, now resulting in rebounding deer populations across Minnesota.
“Deer populations have responded well to favorable winter weather and our efforts to rebuild deer numbers, and we have been able to expand harvest opportunities in almost all areas of the state this fall,” said Adam Murkowski, big game program leader for the DNR.
Hunters can buy deer licenses and apply to the lottery for antlerless deer permits now. The deadline to apply for the antlerless permit lottery is September. 7. Archery deer season opens September 16, and firearms deer season opens November 4.
Every year harvest regulations are reviewed to estimate late winter deer abundance in each permit area. These estimates are compared to established population goals for each area and along with observation from DNR area wildlife managers, hunters, farmers, foresters and others, form the basis for final season recommendations.
The regulations for each of Minnesota’s deer permit areas are set to manage deer populations goals for each area. The goals are based on information from the DNR and local citizens through a periodic goal-setting process.
There are 130 permit areas in 2017. In one deer permit area only bucks can be hunted (down from five areas last season). In 48 areas, hunters must be chosen in a lottery to harvest an antlerless deer (down from 67 areas).
In 38 areas, hunters have the choice of harvesting a doe or a buck (up from 32 areas). Bonus permits allowing hunters to harvest more than one deer may only be used in 43 permit areas and for some special hunts (up from 24 areas).
All hunters who purchase licenses by September 7 are automatically entered into the lottery if they declare a lottery deer permit area when they buy their license. Those who do not wish to harvest an antlerless deer are encouraged to purchase their license after the lottery deadline.
Hunters may apply using both their firearm and muzzleloader licenses. If hunters are selected for both licenses, they must select the one season in which they want to shoot an antlerless deer.
Deer hunting licenses, lottery applications and special hunt applications are available at any DNR license agent, by telephone at (888)646-6367 or online at mndnr.gov/buyalicense.
Lottery winners will be notified in October.
Hunters who harvest deer outside the state are reminded they cannot bring a whole carcasses of any member of the deer family into Minnesota. These animals include but are not limited to white-tail deer, mule deer, black-tail deer, elk, caribou and moose. More information is available here.
Hunters need to review new deer hunting regulations, permit area designations and boundary changes before applying for the antlerless lottery. Regularly updated deer information, including the deer permit mapping tool, can be found online.