Minnesota Deer Notes

[Lee Borgersen]

 Minnesota Deer Notes  April 2018

  Next week, watch for draft deer management plan.

  4/7/18

Hello,
Minnesota's White-tailed Deer Management Plan has been in development, with the help of the Deer Management Plan Advisory Committee and the input many citizens have provided during this process, for roughly 18 months. I'm excited to report that we plan to be releasing a draft for public comment in the next week.

We will be sending out another Deer Notes notice when the plan is released but you can also look to the deer management webpage and watch DNR social media postings for updates on timing. I want to encourage you all to take some time to read through the plan and participate in the public comment process. As you all know, deer management is complex and there are many different perspectives; however, we hope that as you read this draft you will see your interests as well as those of others reflected in the plan. We are looking for your feedback as we move this plan toward implementation.
Stay warm during these chilly spring days.

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[Lee Borgersen]

Update!

Minnesota DNR sets annual harvest goal of 200,000 deer.

 Apr 9, 2018 at 2:03 p.m.

 
  ...
ST. PAUL—The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on Monday, April 9, unveiled a new deer management plan that agency officials say will promote citizen input, set a target goal for each year's deer harvest and keep habitat in good shape from the southern prairies to the north woods.

  ....
The plan establishes an annual statewide harvest target of 200,000 deer — just one of several performance measures outlined in the plan. It marks the first time the DNR has set a goal for how many deer that hunters should expect to shoot each year.

  ....
The DNR hopes that number is about right for hunters who want plentiful deer to shoot, and for other Minnesota residents concerned with a sometimes overabundance of whitetails that cause accidents on roadways, damage crops, stifle growth of white pines and carry a brainworm that's often fatal to moose.

The DNR will consider annual harvests of less than 200,000 as showing a need for more conservative regulations to rebuild deer populations in following years, meaning fewer doe or antlerless permits would be issued.

Harvests greater than 200,000 will suggest hunting regulations need to be relaxed so more deer are harvested in the next years to reduce populations.

That harvest goal is close to the 197,000 deer taken by both gun and bowhunters statewide in the 2017 season. It's far above the 139,000-deer harvest in 2014, after two harsh winters and when few doe permits were issued, and far below the nearly 300,000 deer harvested in 2003, the highest ever in Minnesota — a season that came after a string of warm winters and large numbers of antlerless permits and bonus tags issued to hunters.

Lacking any statewide population estimate, DNR officials say the hunter harvest is about the best measure of population trends over the long-term.

"The plan recognizes the diversity of interests, considers multiple objectives, and is informed by the best available science," said Leslie McInenly, DNR acting wildlife populations and programs manager. "It also factors in ways to reduce the negative impacts deer can have on people and the landscape."

McInenly said that while the statewide number is a goal, each region may have different outcomes because of other factors, such as harsh winters, that the DNR can't control. McInenly added that the plan doesn't address the details of specific regulations or operational issues in each zone or region of the state, but rather plots a long-term strategic direction for managing the herd.


The plan heavily emphasizes getting more and better information to hunters and others interested in deer numbers, including enhanced websites that provide easier access to deer data.

The draft deer plan comes after years of lower havrests when many hunters were grumbling about  not seeing enough deer in the woods. The plan was in part guided over the past year by a 19-member citizens advisory group representing hunters, farmers, conservation groups, tribal resource agencies and others. But not everything the advisory group proposed was adopted by the DNR. For example, the group supported a permanent, statewide ban on all deer feeding at all times, in large part to prevent bringing large numbers of deer together in settings where diseases can more easily spread. Currently, deer feeding is banned just before and during hunting season and in areas where chronic wasting disease has been found.

"There's a real strong level of support" among the general public to allow deer feeding, McInenly said. "People like to see deer." She added that the DNR generally supports such a ban but that the public may not be ready for it yet.

Another part of the plan includes adding DNR staff to work with public attitudes and public information, and the DNR said part of the plan will include retaining hunters and recruiting new hunters. There are about 500,000 licensed deer hunters in Minnesota each year, but their average age is increasing rapidly and demographers expect that number to drop in coming years, meaning fewer licenses sold and less money available for deer management.

"This is one of our challenges going forward. ... we're losing hunters," McInenly said.

The DNR said it expects it may take up to five years to see if the new management plan is working.

"We're setting a course for deer management that encourages more dialogue among stakeholders, the public, and DNR staff," DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr said in a statement. "Our ultimate goal is to support our hunting traditions, better engage the public, and to maintain sustainable, healthy deer populations throughout Minnesota."

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association had lobbied for a harvest target of 225,000 deer annually, meaning more deer on the landscape each year so more can be shot.

The draft plan includes eight major goals, including:

• Communication, information and public involvement: Foster trusting, respectful and effective two-way communication between the DNR and the public regarding deer management.

• Deer "stakeholder" satisfaction: Consider social dimensions of deer management decisions.

• Population management, monitoring and research: Manage deer adaptively, considering both biological and social information in decision-making.

• Healthy deer: Support deer herd health by monitoring and addressing disease.

• Healthy habitat: Maintain natural wildlife habitat by protecting, enhancing and restoring habitat and by managing for an appropriate number of deer.

• Impact of deer on other resources: Reduce negative impacts of deer to the land, resources, and other species, including people.

• Deer management funding: Seek sufficient funding and promote cost-effective deer management.

• Deer management actions: Practice and ensure continuous improvement within the DNR's deer management program and supporting activities.

Minnesota deer management plan: Get involved

Public comments on the new Minnesota DNR deer management plan will be accepted online through May 9 at mndnr.gov/deerplan. The DNR will ask people to indicate their level of satisfaction with the purpose, mission, vision and goals of the plan. The site also allows people to give additional feedback on whether the plan reflects the conversation and public input over the past few years.

Some 35 informational meetings are set across the state. All will be held from 6-8 p.m., with people welcome to arrive anytime in that two-hour window. For sites, see https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/management/planning/index.html#NW

[markn]

Just took the survey. It only takes about seven to ten minutes. On the link Lee put up there is also a list of town hall meetings all over the state that start next week. I have attached it below. Here's a chance to put in your two cents concerning Minnesota whitetails. Thanks for reading.

Deer plan meetings

Northwest communities
•Baudette, Wednesday, April 18, Lake of the Woods School, 236 15th Ave. SW, IT room
•Bemidji, Tuesday, April 24, Bemidji City Hall, 317 4th St. NW
•Crookston, Monday, April 16, Crookston Public Library, 110 N Ash St.
•Detroit Lakes, Thursday, April 26, Minnesota State Community College, 900 Minnesota Highway 34, campus auditorium
•Fergus Falls, Wednesday, April 18, Fergus Falls Area Wildlife Office, 1509 First Ave. N
•Glenwood, Thursday, April 19, Glenwood Area Wildlife Office, 23070 North Lakeshore Drive
•Karlstad, Tuesday, April 17, Lake Bronson State Park Visitor's Center, 3793 2230th St., Lake Bronson
•Park Rapids, Tuesday, April 17, Park Rapids Area Library, 210 1st St. W
•Red Lake, Monday, April 16, Hayes Lake State Park, 48990 County Road 4, Roseau
•Roseau, Tuesday, April 17, Roseau County Courthouse, 606 5th Ave. SW
•Thief Lake, Wednesday, April 18, Thief Lake Area Wildlife Office, 42280 240th Ave. NE, Middle River
•Thief River Falls, Tuesday, April 24, Thief River Falls Area Wildlife Office, 246 125th Ave. NE

Northeast communities
•Aitkin, Tuesday, April 17, Aitkin Area DNR Office, 1200 Minnesota Ave S
•Brainerd, Wednesday, April 18, Brainerd Area DNR Office, 1601 Minnesota Drive, lower conference room
•Cloquet , Wednesday, April 25, Carlton County Transportation and Tax Forfeit Land Department Building, 1630 County Road 61
•Grand Rapids, Thursday, April 26, Grand Rapids Regional DNR Office, 1201 E Highway 2, upstairs conference room
•International Falls, Tuesday, April 24, Rainy River Community College, 1501 Highway 71, room H124
•Tower, Wednesday, April 18, Mountain Iron Community Center, 8586 Enterprise Drive
•Two Harbors, Thursday, April 26, Two Harbors Area Wildlife Office, 1568 Highway 2

Central & southeast communities
•Cambridge, Thursday, April 26, Cambridge Area Wildlife Office, 800 Oak Savanna Lane SW
•Carlos Avery/Forest Lake, Tuesday, April 24, Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, 5463 W Broadway, conference room
•Little Falls, Tuesday, April 24, Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, 19502 Iris Road
•Mille Lacs, Monday, April 23, Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area Office, 29172 100th Avenue
•Rochester, Tuesday, April 24, Willow Creek Middle School, 2425 11th Ave. SE
•Sauk Rapids, Thursday, April 19, Sauk Rapids Area DNR Office, 1035 South Benton Drive
•Shakopee, Tuesday, April 24, Shakopee Area Wildlife Office, 7050 E Highway 101
•Vermillion, Wednesday, April 25, Rosemount Research & Outreach Center, 16085 Alverno Ave.
•Whitewater, Thursday, April 26, Whitewater Wildlife Management Area Office, 15035 Highway 74

South & west communities
•Lac qui Parle and Appleton, Tuesday, April 24, Lac Qui Parle Area DNR Headquarters, 14047 20th St. NW, Watson
•Marshall, Tuesday, April 17, Marshall Area DNR Office, 1400 E Lyon
•New London, Tuesday, April 17, MnDOT District 8, 2505 Transportation Road, Willmar
•Nicollet, Monday, April 16, Nicollet Conservation Club, 46045 471st Lane
•Owatonna, Thursday, April 19, Cabela's, 3900 Cabela Drive
•Slayton/Talcot, Wednesday, April 18, Slayton Pizza Ranch, 2306 Broadway Avenue, Slayton
•Windom, Thursday, April 26, Windom Community Center, 1750 Cottonwood Lake Drive