More than 400,000 deer hunters are preparing for the firearms deer season that opens Saturday, Nov. 5. The season offers opportunities to spend time outdoors with friends and family, find adventure and put venison in the freezer.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ wildlife managers report good opportunities to harvest deer in most areas. Hunters need to know the boundaries of the deer permit areas and any chronic wasting disease regulations that apply where they hunt.

Detailed information about each permit area and CWD area can be found on the DNR’s interactive deer map. Additional information about CWD areas, carcass movement restrictions and voluntary sampling can be found at the DNR’s CWD webpage and hunters are encouraged to use the DNR’s make a plan tool online to find comprehensive hunting and CWD information to consider before going afield.

Northwest Deer Report

Deer populations are mostly stable in the region. There are plenty of deer on the landscape and hunters who do their homework and spend time in the woods and fields should have plenty of opportunities to harvest deer. Many DPAs in the region have two- or three-deer limits, and hunters are reminded to check the regulations for the DPAs they hunt. Some DPAs have lower, more restrictive deer limits because of concerns about last winter’s effect on some local deer populations where winter severity index values were high. Lower deer limits will enable local herds to recover and possibly grow — some examples include DPAs 114, 184, 203, 251, 258, 269, 270, 271, 272, 287, 297 and 298, which are among DPAs with one-deer limits, as well as permit area 111 in the Baudette area, which is “bucks only” because deer populations remain below population goal range.

CWD sampling will be mandatory during the opening weekend of the regular firearms deer hunting season in parts of the region, including the East Grand Forks-Crookston-Climax area throughout DPA 661 as well as in DPA 184 and the adjacent DPAs. Hunters should refer to the Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations handbook or the DNR website for important details about CWD sampling and surveillance, carcass movement restrictions, and deer feeding and attractant bans, and more. Hunters are encouraged to make a plan and must follow any CWD sampling requirements and carcass movement restrictions in their DPA.