Minnesota Deer Notes – November 2015
DNR responds to comments from 2015 deer population goal setting process
Thank you to everyone who provided a comment during the 2015 deer goal setting process, whether you spoke at a public meeting, filled out an online questionnaire, or sent us a letter or email. We received more than 2,100 comments total on subjects including deer population numbers, wolf management, hunter recruitment, moose, native plants and much more.
Although we are unable to provide individual responses to each comment, we have created a DNR Response to Comments document that is now available under the 2015 Goal Setting tab along with other deer management information. This document provides a brief summary of, and response to, the topics most commonly addressed in the comments we received.
Anticipation builds for Saturday deer opener
Deer hunters will soon head out to the fields and forests for the firearms deer opener that gets underway a half-hour before sunrise on Saturday, Nov. 7. Here are some other reminders from the DNR for the Minnesota firearms deer season.
Check regulations
The DNR strongly advises hunters to review new deer hunting regulations, permit area designations and boundary changes. Find this and more deer hunting information from the DNR.
Buy your license
With nearly 500,000 firearms deer hunters in the state, the DNR encourages hunters to purchase their licenses early to avoid long lines and any potential system issues associated with the high sales volume. License agents where you can buy a license are located across Minnesota.
Changes in 2015 affect when licenses are valid if purchased after a season is open. A deer hunting license purchased after a season is open is valid the same day of purchase if purchased prior to the beginning of legal shooting hours. If the license is purchased after legal shooting hours have begun, then the license is valid the following day.
Register deer
Deer must be registered within 48 hours after the deer was taken, before being processed and before antlers are removed. Hunters can register deer they harvest by making a telephone call, using the Internet or bringing deer to a big-game registration station. Hunters need to provide accurate information when registering. Registering a deer as taken in a permit area different from where is was actually taken is a violation. Here are registration instructions for all methods. Registration is important because it provides data on harvest that’s used for management of deer populations.
Stoke the digital camp fire
Do you have Minnesota deer camp photos or stories to share? Don’t forget to tag them with#DeerCampMN on Twitter or #DeerCampMN on Facebook. Also check out #MNDeerOpener, which will include some from the festivities in Mountain Iron at the 2015 Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener. While you’re at it, catch up with Minnesota Wildlife on Facebook orMinnesota Wildlife on Twitter