The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that due to a series of mild winters along with conservative hunting regulations, the deer population has rebounded in Minnesota. What this means is additional deer hunting opportunities this fall.

Hunters can buy deer licenses and apply to the lottery for antlerless deer permits. The deadline for the antlerless permit lottery is Thursday, September 7. 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 should purchase their license after the September 7 lottery deadline. Lottery winners will be notified in October.

There are 130 permit areas in 2017. In one deer permit area only bucks can be hunted, which is down from five areas last season.

Changes in southeastern Minnesota occurred when portions of permit areas 347 and 348 were merged to form permit area 603 when chronic wasting disease was detected last fall.

Additional license and permit information can be accessed at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.

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