DNR reminds hunters of changes to southeastern Minnesota deer seasons

[HD]

DNR reminds hunters of changes to southeastern Minnesota deer seasons
(Released October 27, 2010)


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants to remind hunters that southeastern Minnesota’s 3A and 3B firearm deer seasons will remain at nine days this fall and bucks must have at least one four-point antler in order to be legal for harvest.

Also, deer hunters in the southeast also will no longer be allowed to tag bucks shot by other hunters.

“These new regulations are designed to effectively manage the deer populations at goal levels and increase the proportion of mature bucks,” said Lou Cornicelli, the DNR’s Big Game Program coordinator.

Changes are in effect only in deer permit areas 338-349, which comprise southeastern Minnesota. The 2010 firearm deer season structure in those areas is:

Nine-day seasons for both the early (3A) and late (3B) hunts.
For all hunters older than 17 during the archery, firearms and muzzleloader seasons, a legal buck must have at least one 4-point antler.
Hunters are prohibited from tagging an antlered buck for another hunter.
To be legal, a buck needs to have four points on one side only, which does not mean an 8-point deer. The restriction is expected to increase the number of antlerless deer harvested because a significant proportion of males will be protected and some hunters will opt to take an antlerless deer.

Youth ages 10-17 are exempt from the antler-point restriction. Adult hunters are not allowed to tag a buck for youth hunters. Minnesota hunters have supported regulations that encourage the recruitment of young hunters. Research has shown that a positive early experience is critical to retaining young hunters.

“Our hope is that providing youth in the southeast an opportunity for early success will encourage them to be lifelong deer hunters,” Cornicelli said.

Elimination of cross-tagging of bucks, commonly referred to as party hunting, is not intended to break up a hunting party or force people to leave the field once they are successful. Its purpose is to help increase the number of mature bucks.

“Southeastern Minnesota’s cross-tagging regulation only requires a person to take and tag his or her own buck,” Cornicelli said. “Hunters still can take and tag antlerless deer for others in their party.”

Cornicelli said University of Minnesota wildlife students will be staffing deer registration stations throughout Zone 3 to collect data on harvested bucks. Staff will be at more than 20 stations Nov. 6-7. Hunters are strongly encouraged to let students take measurements as the data allows DNR to make sound biologically based decisions.

“We’ve done our research regarding what to expect with these regulatory changes,” Cornicelli said. Now that they’re in place, we want to collect biological data to assess buck age structures through time.”