Mnfshrman
12-15-2003, 09:48 AM
Minnesota deer hunters set record harvest
Doug Smith, Star Tribune
Published December 12, 2003 DEER12
Minnesota hunters harvested a record number of deer this fall, killing more than quarter-million whitetails -- nearly 25 percent more than last year.
The 253,300 deer bagged by firearms hunters easily exceeded the previous firearms record of 229,236 set in 1992.
The deer harvest from archery and muzzleloader hunters isn't included in the 2003 totals because those seasons haven't ended. But hunters already have broken the record total deer harvest by all methods -- 243,000 -- also set in 1992.
When all seasons are concluded, officials expect this year's total deer harvest to exceed 270,000.
"These are the good ol' days," said Mark Johnson, executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.
Minnesota natural resources officials wanted hunters to kill more deer this fall to control the burgeoning whitetail population. So they issued a record number of licenses and special permits allowing hunters to take more antlerless deer. And they did.
"We're pleased," said Ed Boggess, Department of Natural Resources wildlife program manager. "The objective was to increase the harvest, and increase the proportion that was antlerless deer, and it looks like we accomplished both of those."
Officials aren't sure yet what percentage of the kill was antlerless. A detailed analysis of the harvest won't be available until later this winter. However, in the northeast region, 57 percent of the kill were antlerless deer, compared to 46 percent last year, said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big-game program coordinator.
"Good weather, healthy deer populations, and a simplified system of distributing lots of licenses for antlerless deer all contributed to the record harvest," Cornicelli said.
It appears hunters had about a 40 percent success rate, compared to about 37 percent last year.
The total number of firearms hunters -- 437,200 -- was a 2.7 percent increase over 2002. But nearly 100,000 more licenses valid for antlerless deer were bought this year.
Doug Smith, Star Tribune
Published December 12, 2003 DEER12
Minnesota hunters harvested a record number of deer this fall, killing more than quarter-million whitetails -- nearly 25 percent more than last year.
The 253,300 deer bagged by firearms hunters easily exceeded the previous firearms record of 229,236 set in 1992.
The deer harvest from archery and muzzleloader hunters isn't included in the 2003 totals because those seasons haven't ended. But hunters already have broken the record total deer harvest by all methods -- 243,000 -- also set in 1992.
When all seasons are concluded, officials expect this year's total deer harvest to exceed 270,000.
"These are the good ol' days," said Mark Johnson, executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.
Minnesota natural resources officials wanted hunters to kill more deer this fall to control the burgeoning whitetail population. So they issued a record number of licenses and special permits allowing hunters to take more antlerless deer. And they did.
"We're pleased," said Ed Boggess, Department of Natural Resources wildlife program manager. "The objective was to increase the harvest, and increase the proportion that was antlerless deer, and it looks like we accomplished both of those."
Officials aren't sure yet what percentage of the kill was antlerless. A detailed analysis of the harvest won't be available until later this winter. However, in the northeast region, 57 percent of the kill were antlerless deer, compared to 46 percent last year, said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big-game program coordinator.
"Good weather, healthy deer populations, and a simplified system of distributing lots of licenses for antlerless deer all contributed to the record harvest," Cornicelli said.
It appears hunters had about a 40 percent success rate, compared to about 37 percent last year.
The total number of firearms hunters -- 437,200 -- was a 2.7 percent increase over 2002. But nearly 100,000 more licenses valid for antlerless deer were bought this year.