It’s a tale of two deer seasons.
Across much of Northeastern Minnesota, deer numbers are expected to be down and most hunters will find themselves in bucks-only hunting areas with a one-deer limit.
But within that area lies an island called deer permit area 182 bordering Duluth, where deer are still plentiful and hunters can take up to five of them.
Within Duluth itself, a new designation makes the city’s archery season a special “metro” hunt in which hunters can take an unlimited number of deer.
Minnesota’s archery deer season opens Saturday in Duluth and statewide, continuing through Dec. 31.
Archery deer hunters are a dedicated bunch, and most are expected to go afield this fall no matter where they hunt. Mark Johnson, executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, said he expects the same from firearms hunters when their season opens Nov. 8.
“Some folks are disappointed they have to go with bucks-only or one deer,” Johnson said, “but they understand and are supportive. And I haven’t heard of a lot who aren’t going to buy a license. They’re still going to go out for the camaraderie, for the outing. They figure if they get a deer, it will be a huge bonus.”
A string of moderate to severe winters across much of Northeastern Minnesota is responsible for reducing deer numbers, Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials say. Those winters came on top of an effort by wildlife officials to reduce deer numbers in many permit areas after public goal-setting meetings from 2005 to 2007.
As a result, DNR wildlife managers have designated all permit areas across Northeastern Minnesota except 182 as bucks-only or one-deer units in an effort to allow the deer population to recover.
Wisconsin bucks-only, too
Hunters across all of northern Wisconsin will see bucks-only hunting this fall, too, except for the Superior metro zone, where some antlerless deer permits were available. The deer population remains low relative to record-setting harvests of the early 2000s, said Greg Kessler, wildlife manager at Brule for the Wisconsin DNR.
“Last winter didn’t help,” Kessler said. “I wouldn’t expect a stellar season.”
In Wisconsin, the bucks-only regulation also applies to archery hunters, Kessler said, but he reminds hunters that they may take one buck by archery and one buck by gun.
Duluth bow hunters ready
A total of 353 hunters are registered for the Duluth city bow hunt, down from 391 last year. Many hunters said deer were harder to come by last year than in previous years, and the harvest was 399, down 30 percent from 2012.
Phillip Lockett, chair of the Arrowhead Bowhunters Alliance, which conducts the city’s bow hunt, said he’s been seeing plenty of deer.
“As I’ve driven around and surveyed areas, I’ve seen a lot more deer than I expected, especially fawns,” Lockett said. “I think our deer did all right last winter. I think hunters will get some shots at deer. I think we’ll hold our own.”
Duluth’s recent winter was the second-coldest meteorological winter (December, January and February) on record, and some fawn loss was expected.
After nine years (2005-2013), city hunters have taken 4,751 deer. Complaints about too many deer in the city, while still prevalent, are down from previous years, said Kevin Scharnberg, the city employee designated as a liaison to the city hunt. He believes another tough winter had an effect on the deer.
“I think the deer took a beating again this year,” Scharnberg said. “I’m not seeing as many, but I am seeing a few. I think there are going to be some problem areas where there are too many deer. We’re going to try to hit them with hotspots again.”
So-called hotspots are areas of densely populated private property where deer tend to concentrate. The ABA has assigned its best hunters, with permission from landowners, to shoot deer in these areas. Some past hotspots have now been incorporated into regular hunting zones within the city, Lockett said, but hunters still must get permission from homeowners to hunt there.
About 47 percent of the deer taken in last year’s hunt were shot on private land, according to the ABA.
The rules
As archery hunters prepare for the Minnesota archery season opener on Saturday, the Department of Natural Resources reminds them that a bucks-only management strategy may apply to them, too.
In a bucks-only harvest area, all hunters may harvest one legal buck, no matter the hunter or the weapon used. In a lottery area, archers, youth and disabled hunters may harvest an antlerless deer without being drawn for an antlerless permit.
