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   Minnesota’s archery deer season opens Saturday, Sept. 14, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has online tools and area wildlife staff ready to support hunters as they prepare for the season.

   “We’re looking forward to deer season and want hunters to know how to find the information they need for safe, enjoyable hunting this fall,” said Todd Froberg, DNR big game program coordinator.

   Minnesota DNR’s deer hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer) has important information for hunters about regulations, bag limits, and chronic wasting disease sampling information. Additionally, the Minnesota DNR Information Center and area wildlife staff can answer questions about deer hunting seasons and people can contact the DNR Information Center (mndnr.gov/contact) by email or by calling  888-646-6367. Wildlife area office contact information is available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/areas/wildlife).

   There are about 108,000 archery deer hunters in Minnesota and the season is open from Sept. 14 through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Crossbows are allowed for all deer hunters with an archery license, a statutory change enacted in 2023.

CWD testing 

reminders

   Hunters should check the CWD requirements and available sampling options for the deer permit areas where they hunt. Hunters can find DPA-specific information by visiting the make a plan tool (mndnr.gov/deerhunt). In CWD management and surveillance zones, all hunters, including archery hunters, are required to have deer one year old or older sampled for CWD if they harvest it during the opening weekend of the firearms A season (Nov. 9-10). During the rest of season, CWD sampling is optional. In areas outside of CWD management and surveillance zones, CWD sampling is optional all season. Multiple sampling options are available, with details on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/cwd/cwd-testing.html).

Blaze orange 

requirements

   Archery hunters are also reminded that blaze orange clothing is required during the youth and early antlerless seasons from Thursday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 20, and during any other open firearms season.

   Deer hunters, including archery hunters, who are hunting deer in a fabric or synthetic ground blind on public land must have a blaze orange safety covering on top of the blind that is visible from all directions or a patch made of blaze orange material that is at least 144 square inches (12x12 inches) on each side of the blind.

Tips and information

   Hunters can learn more about population management, season information, and tips for a successful hunt through upcoming webinars (mndnr.gov/discover). Detailed information for every DPA, including hunters per square mile in 2023, public hunting ground, and land cover types, is available through the interactive deer map by selecting “DPA Details” in the interactive deer map (mndnr.gov/deermap).

Deer hunting regulations are available on the Minnesota DNR’s deer hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/deer) and in the hunting and trapping regulations booklet. The Minnesota DNR provides translations of the regulations in Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Spanish. The translated versions are estimated to be available online in September and are expected in print by the end of October.

Deer season 

dates for 2024

   Archery: Saturday, Sept. 14, through Tuesday, Dec. 31

   Youth (statewide) and early antlerless (in applicable DPAs): Thursday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 20

   Firearms: Saturday, Nov. 9, with various closing dates depending on location

   Muzzleloader: Saturday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 15

   Late CWD (DPAs 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648 and 649) Friday, Dec. 20, through Sunday, Dec. 22.

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