2023 Minnesota deer hunting preview

Hunting regulations, hunting licenses available

Deer hunters will have more ways to hunt in Minnesota this fall. And deer hunting licenses can be purchased now.

We encourage all hunters to review the new hunting regulations and make a plan for hunting success. Here are some highlights of what’s new with the regulations this year.

• Crossbows are allowed for all deer hunters with an archery license. Hunters will be asked whether they harvested their deer with a crossbow or vertical bow when they register their deer.
• Synthetic ground blinds on public lands are required to have blaze orange covering. The change on ground blinds requires that fabric or synthetic blinds 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 that is at least 144 square inches (12×12 inches) on each side of the blind.
• Some chronic wasting disease zones have changed.
• Nontoxic ammunition will be required for special hunts in state parks or in scientific and natural areas where hunting is allowed.
• Some harvest limits are reduced in northeast and north-central Minnesota while most areas have similar bag limits as last year.

Deer hunting specifics can be found on the Minnesota DNR website. Electronic copies of all 2023 Minnesota hunting regulations are available now online.

This year the printed version of the regulations will be available later than expected, near the end August. To ensure hunters have the information they need to plan their hunt while awaiting printed regulations, the DNR sent materials to hunting license agents across the state to distribute to customers. These materials highlight upcoming deadlines that some hunters may need to meet before the printed regulations books will be delivered.

Deadlines and season dates

The deadline to apply for special archery hunts, the Camp Ripley archery hunt, the prairie chicken season and special youth hunts is Friday, Aug. 18. Hunters have through Thursday, Sept. 7, to apply for permits to harvest antlerless deer in antlerless lottery areas, and for special firearm or muzzleloader special hunts.

Here’s a snapshot of deer season dates for 2023:

• Archery: Saturday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Dec. 31
• Youth and early antlerless: Thursday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 22
• Firearms: Saturday, Nov. 4, with various closing dates depending on a hunter’s location
• Muzzleloader: Saturday, Nov. 25, through Sunday, Dec. 10
• Late CWD hunt (DPAs 605, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648 and 649) Dec. 15-17.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Dunlop

Overview of 2023 bag limits

After a tough winter, deer hunters in northern Minnesota might see fewer deer. In central and southern Minnesota, deer likely fared well.

Hunters in most of Minnesota can expect a season similar to last year in terms of how many deer they can harvest. The lower bag limits in northeast and north-central Minnesota aim to allow deer populations to recover after back-to-back severe winters. Deer are resilient and we are hopeful deer populations there will gradually recover along with lower harvests, especially if we get some mild winters.

The DNR increased the bag limit or lottery permits in 12 deer permit areas this year, 80 DPAs have the same designation as last year, and 38 DPAs have reduced bag limits or lottery permits. Information about specific DPA bag limits and other season information is available on the DNR website.

Photo courtesy of Sara L. Giles, iNaturalist

CWD sampling continues

It’s important for hunters to get their deer tested in CWD zones. This year, some DPAs were added to CWD zones and some were removed. Hunters should check the requirements and available sampling options for the DPAs where they hunt. Hunters can find this DPA-specific information by visiting the make a plan tool.

Hunters are required to have their deer 1 year or older sampled for CWD in all CWD management and surveillance zones during the opening weekend of the firearms A season (Nov. 4-5). In all areas outside CWD management and surveillance zones, hunters will have other options to get their deer sampled for CWD.

Sampling options include requesting a mail-in kit before hunting or utilizing kits obtained but not used last year. Hunters also may participate in sampling using partners, such as a taxidermist who is taking part in the DNR partner sampling program.

Visit the DNR website throughout the deer season for the most up-to-date information, find sampling locations or request a mail-in sampling kit.