The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources shared their preliminary deer harvest numbers for the 2024 hunting season. Overall, numbers were up compared to last year, but in some parts of the state, deer harvest numbers are still below average.

Deer Harvest Up 3% Over Previous Year

Hunters harvest over 170,000 deer across the state. That's 7 percent up statewide over last year. However, if you look at the five-year average, it's still 3% lower.

Some parts of the state had more success than others. Northeast Minnesota still has a ways to go, but the DNR says the numbers are heading in the right direction.

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MN DNR big game program coordinator Todd Frober addressed the problems in Northern Minnesota:

“We still have a way to go in parts of northern Minnesota, but it seems like we’re moving in the right direction.”

Northeast Minnesota saw a 9% increase in the deer harvest this last season. Northwest Minnesota saw an 8% increase, and central and southeast regions of Minnesota saw a 9% increase and a 2% increase compared to the five-year average. Some regions in southern and central Minnesota have a robust deer population and have bag limits as high as three to five deer limits.

Someone Holding a Compound Hunting Bow
Stefan Malloch
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Read More: Why I'm Giving Up Hunting This Year In Minnesota

Mild 2023-2024 Winter Helped Deer Population

The winter of 2022-2023 was a record amount of snowfall for the region, which greatly affects the deer population. Last year's mild winter helped the deer population recover, but the DNR cautions that we need more than just one mild winter to help the population fully recover.

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It was a very successful archery season.

The DNR says that the archery season was incredibly successful, showing a double-digit increase in harvest numbers. Archery harvest was up 16% and it may be the second-highest archery harvest ever in the state.

You can read more about the harvest from the DNR website. They are also seeking public input on the topic. 

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Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz

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