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DNR to reassess deer population goals

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Mar 6, 2012 at 11:09 am

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Amid complaints by hunters, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it will begin reassessing its deer population goals this spring.

Steve Merchant, the DNR's wildlife programs manager, says those goals have been reached across most of the state. But as deer numbers have been brought down to goal levels in many areas, and even raised in some, hunters have been saying they're not seeing as many deer as they did before.

So Merchant says the agency wants to revisit population goals in southwestern and north-central Minnesota to strike the right balance between hunters, landowners and other interests.

There will be a public input process similar to what the DNR has used before. The agency plans to listen to stakeholders prior to setting bag limits for the 2012 deer season.