(KNSI) – Deer hunters can start planning for the season after the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources released its rules and regulations on Tuesday.
Officials say overall, the deer population is in good shape. DNR big game program leader Barbara Keller says fewer tags will be available in 38 deer permit areas. “We did have a fairly harsh winter in northern Minnesota. So, in response to that and the effect they potentially had on our deer population, we’ve reduced some of those bag limits in northern Minnesota. However, in 12 permit areas, we have increased bag limits, and that’s mostly in the central and southern part of Minnesota, where our deer populations have been doing pretty well for the past few years.”
Bag limits are unchanged in 80 areas. Deer permits and bones tags for the 2023 season went on sale on August 1st.
A change starting this year allows crossbows to be used by anyone during archery season. “I expect we’ll have a gradual shift in our archery deer harvest over time to be composed more of crossbow. Crossbow harvest I expect it’ll gradually increase over the next few years and probably eventually overtake regular vertical bow harvest in our archery season harvest,” said Keller. She also says more gun hunters will participate in the archery season due to the change.
Before this year, only people age 60 or older or with a disability could use a crossbow during archery season.
Other new regulations for 2023 include:
A requirement for hunters using a ground blind on public land must have a blaze orange 12 by 12 inch covering on the top of the blind to make them more visible to other hunters.
Muzzleloader hunters can now use a breech-loader.
Nontoxic ammunition is required for special deer hunts in state parks and scientific and natural areas.
There is also now a requirement for hunters who think they have killed an escaped captive deer or elk to report that to the DNR within 24 hours.
No adult party hunting is allowed on youth licenses.
Portable deer stands may again be left overnight in certain wildlife management areas in Northwest Minnesota. This had been an experimental statute that had been in place for a few years. It expired last year, and now it’s been put back into place.
The state has ten zones that will be monitored for chronic wasting disease.
The DNR says it’s planning to hold a governor’s deer hunting opener but hasn’t picked out a host site.
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