Minnesota hunters bag 170K deer in 2024, a bump up from 2023 harvest

A preliminary report shows hunters around Minnesota bagged 170,000 deer during the 2024 hunting season, a 7% increase from 2023. The statewide harvest is still 3% lower than the five-year average, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Hunters in northeastern Minnesota enjoyed a 9% increase in their harvest over last year. The mild winter in 2023 helped bolster local populations, the DNR reported, but wildlife managers cautioned it takes more than one mild winter for deer populations to recover.

In northwest Minnesota, the 2024 harvest increased 8% over last year. Wildlife managers in this region received many reports of does with twins and triplets last spring and summer.

The central and southeast regions of the state also saw great success, with a 9% increase from 2023 and a 2% increase compared to the five-year average. The DNR said these areas of the state continue to see robust hunting seasons, with bag limits as high as three- to five-deer limits.

The southwest saw a 4% increase in harvest compared to 2023 and a 1% increase from the five-year average.

2024 also was remarkably successful for archery hunters, with harvest up 16%. Preliminary data suggests this might be the second-highest archery harvest ever recorded in Minnesota, second only to the 2020 season.

If drier winter conditions persist into this spring, the DNR said hunters can expect increasing deer numbers for the 2025 harvest.

Hunters and anyone with an interest in deer are invited to provide their input to the DNR through a survey, open through Feb. 10.

The survey includes questions about hunters' experiences during the deer season, as well as issues deer may have caused with crops, landscaping or gardens.