The Minnesota DNR is reporting more than 120,000 deer harvested during the 9-day firearms deer season this year.  Those numbers are down 10.5% compared to 2020 when more than 135,200 deer were harvested.  Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON today.  He says weather this past weekend was much more conducive for deer hunting but less people appeared to participate.  Schmitt says the majority of people choose to go out the first weekend.

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Schmitt says some areas of the state have large deer numbers which includes Central Minnesota.  Fred Bengston is the DNR Wildlife Supervisor from Sauk Rapids.  Schmitt says Bengston is reporting the harvest numbers in our area were "pretty good" and "kind of what he expected, maybe down a bit given the deer numbers."  Schmitt says reports he's heard in the area were a bit spotty but people in Central Minnesota did as good as anyone in the state.

There are still some opportunities for firearms deer hunting in northern Minnesota in what's called the 100 series.  Schmitt says there is an 8-day season in southern Minnesota called the 300 series.  He says that opens Saturday and continues until November 28.  The muzzleloader season starts November 27 and goes to December 12.  Archery deer hunting can continue through the month of December.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News it is available below.

 

 

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