Slightly more than 260,000 deer were harvested by Minnesota hunters during 2007, the fourth-highest deer harvest ever recorded, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game program coordinator, said "Once again, Minnesota deer hunters enjoyed another great deer season. The last five years have yielded the top five harvests ever recorded."
Before 2003, Minnesota hunters never had killed 250,000 deer in any one season. During the last five years, he said, total deer harvest exceeded that each year.
Nearly 500,000 deer hunters enjoyed long seasons and liberal bag limits.
Firearms hunters harvested 224,250 deer while archery and muzzleloader hunters harvested 24,200 and 12,000 deer respectively.
During the early antlerless season, which was expanded to 23 areas in 2007, hunters tagged 7,166 deer.
Overall, the statewide firearms harvest was down 2 percent, archery was 4 percent lower and muzzleloader harvest decreased 11 percent from 2006.
Cornicelli said the declines likely were caused by management changes that reduced the number of deer that could be taken in some areas.
A final report, which includes more detailed harvest information, will be available online at mndnr.gov/hunting/deer.
For the 2008 season, the deadline for the either-sex permit application is Thursday, Sept. 4. Archery deer hunting will begin Sept. 13.
The early antlerless deer season will be the weekend of Oct. 11-12. The statewide firearms deer hunting season will open on Nov. 8. The muzzleloader season will open Nov. 29.
Source: http://www.newrichmond-news.com/articles/index.cfm?id=9591§ion=Outdoor%20News&property_id=27
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