While deer hunters across much of Minnesota will see increased opportunities to shoot deer this coming season, some areas of Northeast Minnesota will see fewer doe permits or bucks only hunting after a tough, deep-snow winter.
The Department of Natural Resources released its 2020 deer season information this week.
The deep snow, which started to pile up in November, was most troublesome for deer in northern St. Louis County and in Lake and Cook counties inland from Lake Superior, but also in some areas of Koochiching County. Wildlife managers in those areas restrict the number of antlerless deer taken by hunters in an effort to rebuild the herd faster. Some of those areas have seen multiple tough winters in recent years (deep snow is generally worse than cold for deer) leading to chronically lower deer numbers and bucks-only seasons or very few antlerless permits.
This year’s 16-day firearms season for the 100-numbered management areas is Nov. 7-22. Archery season runs Sept. 19 to Dec. 31. Muzzleoader season runs Nov. 28 to Dec. 13.
Deer licenses go on sale Aug. 1 at mndnr.gov/buyalicense , by phone at 888-646-6367 and at license agents across the state. For management areas with an antlerless permit lottery, the deadline to buy a license and apply for the lottery is Sept. 3
ADVERTISEMENT
The youth deer hunting season will be held statewide for the second year, from Oct. 15-18. Youth can shoot antlerless deer in areas where permits or hunter's choice are available, but must shoot bucks in bucks-only areas. During last year’s inaugural statewide youth season, nearly 5,700 young deer hunters harvested a deer.
Several deer permit area boundaries in north-central and northwest Minnesota have changed due to input from the public and DNR staff during the deer population goal-setting process and in response to chronic wasting disease spread. Hunters should double check the boundaries of any permit areas where they plan to hunt.
For more information on the upcoming deer hunting season, including the management area map, go to mndnr.gov/hunting/deer .
Status for 100-numbered deer management areas in Northeast Minnesota for 2020
101 — Hunter's choice (buck or doe), down from managed, two-deer limit in 2019.
104 — 50 antlerless permits available by lottery; new management area.
105 — Intensive harvest, up to three deer, same as 2019.
107 — 400 antlerless permits available by lottery; new management area.
109 — 25 antlerless permit available by lottery; new management area.
ADVERTISEMENT
110 — 500 antlerless permits available by lottery, down from hunter's choice (buck or doe) in 2019.
111 — 25 antlerless permits available by lottery, down from 500 antlerless permits in 2019.
114 — Hunter's choice (buck or doe), same as 2019.
117 — Hunter's choice (buck or doe), same as 2019.
118 — Bucks only, down from 50 antlerless permits available in 2019.
119 — Bucks only, same as 2019.
126 — 100 antlerless permits available by lottery, down from 150 antlerless permits in 2019.
130 — Bucks only, down from 50 antlerless permits in 2019.
ADVERTISEMENT
131 — 50 antlerless permits available by lottery, same as 2019.
132 — Bucks only, same as 2019.
133 — 150 antlerless permits available by lottery, down from hunter’s choice (buck or doe) in 2019.
152 — Hunter’s choice (buck or doe), same as 2019.
155 — Managed, two-deer limit, same as 2019
157 — Hunter’s choice (buck or doe), same as 2019; chronic wasting disease testing area.
159 — Hunter’s voice (buck or doe); same as 2019; chronic wasting disease testing area.
169 — 500 antlerless permits available by lottery, same as 2019.
ADVERTISEMENT
171 — Hunter’s choice (buck or doe), same as 2019.
172 — Hunter’s choice (buck or doe), same as 2019.
176 — 300 antlerless permits available by lottery, same as 2019.
173 — 1,500 antlerless permits available by lottery, same as 2019.
176 — 300 antlerless permits available by lottery, same as 2019.
177 — 600 antlerless permits available by lottery, down from hunter's choice (doe or buck) in 2019.
178 — 400 antlerless permits available by lottery, up 300 from 2019.
179 — 3,000 antlerless permits available by lottery, down from hunter’s choice (buck or doe) in 2019.
ADVERTISEMENT
181 — 2,000 antlerless permits available by lottery, same as 2019.
182 — Intensive harvest, up to three deer, same as 2019.
183 — Hunter’s choice (buck or doe), same as 2019.
184 — Managed, two-deer limit, same as 2019.
197 — 750 antlerless permits available by lottery, same as 2019.
199 — Bucks only, down from 100 antlerless permits available by lottery in 2019.
