Thank you, hunters!

Now that we’ve wrapped up the 2023 deer season, we want to pause to thank you, hunters, for your purchasing a license, enjoying the outdoors and starting or continuing your hunting traditions. And thank you to everyone who submitted samples for chronic wasting disease testing this season — hunting is critical for our efforts to manage and slow the spread of CWD and provides us a better understanding of disease prevalence on the landscape.

Deer harvest totals were significantly lower in northern Minnesota, and close to average in central and southern Minnesota, with 158,746 deer harvested statewide, 8% fewer than last year. 

Whether you harvested a deer or not, we know there is strong interest and opinions about this year’s harvest and the deer population. Your viewpoints matter and we want to let you know you can share your thoughts in our end-of-season questionnaire. We hope you participate. This is an opportunity for hunters and all Minnesotans to provide their views on deer populations and to share their observations from the field. 

“First muzzleloader buck” photo courtesy of Dean Storgaard.

Shed hunting for antlers 

While deer hunting in Minnesota has come to a close this season, searching for dropped antlers, called shed hunting, can be an extremely fun way to keep yourself outdoors. White-tailed deer begin to shed their antlers in winter, typically January through February, and the next set of antlers begin to grow shortly after.

The first step in shed hunting is to locate good deer sign, such as heavily used trails, tree rubs and scrapes. These signs indicate higher deer activity which will increase your chances of finding sheds. Look for good bedding in these areas, especially on southern facing slopes that receive a good amount of sun and are preferred areas for bucks to bed.

Finding areas with a good food and water sources is also key when looking for sheds. A quality late season food source will keep bucks around, so look for fresh sign and trails between bedding areas and food sources. Keep these things in mind when going out shed hunting this winter and be prepared to cover a lot of ground while searching. Lastly, shed hunting is a great way to scout for next year’s hunting season, especially the late hunting season.

Keep in mind it is illegal to remove sheds from National Parks, Minnesota State Parks, and Scientific and Natural Areas. Additionally, while shed hunting is a great winter activity, it can also cause stress to deer, elk and moose during a particularly difficult time of the year when nutritional resources are limited. Some of the best areas to find sheds are also some of the most critical areas for deer, elk and moose in the winter. Some best-practice guidelines to keep in mind: Limit disturbance or visits to the same locations, especially in late winter or before spring green up. Respect private property. Do not push animals — if you see them try to back off or limit their stress. And if you are using a dog for shed hunting make sure your dog is under control at all times.

Want to learn more? Check out this DNR webinar on shed antler hunting basics.

Photo courtesy of epstrowbridge, iNaturalist

Reminder about the deer feeding ban

Feeding and attractant bans are in place across the state to prevent unnatural concentrations of wild deer in areas with a higher risk for disease. These bans are precautionary steps the Minnesota DNR took after deer that tested positive for chronic wasting disease were found both in the wild and on deer farms. Feeding bans encompass wider areas because food sources can concentrate deer and allow for close contact — one of the mechanisms for CWD spread. Please find more details including which counties are included in these bans, on the Minnesota DNR website.

Join these wildlife webinars

Each Wednesday the Minnesota DNR invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to check out Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series webinars. We have a couple coming up you may be interested in — one on wolves in Minnesota and another on winter deer behavior.

On Wednesday, Jan. 31, Dan Stark, DNR large carnivore specialist, will share information on Minnesota’s wolf population, ecology and management along with an overview of the DNR’s updated plan to guide wolf conservation and the challenges of a recovered wolf population.

On Wednesday, Feb. 7, DNR big game specialists will discuss the winter severity index and discuss recent winters and their impacts on deer. They will also cover some adaptations deer have developed that help them to survive winter, and what you could do to help them out, including habitat improvements that can be made on private land. Finally, there will be some discussion on the negative effects of supplemental feeding of deer in winter.

These webinars are free and offered year-round, though registration is required. Visit the Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webpage of the Minnesota DNR website for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.

The taste of success

Thank you to everyone who shared venison recipes with us for the Wild Minnesota Recipe Exchange! We had so many great recipes to choose from. We will be featuring recipes in Deer Notes and on our website, social media and other publications.

Recipes can carry special meaning. They’re passed down generations and are central to cultural traditions. And some are special simply because they taste great. Wild game meals give hunters a chance to fully appreciate their harvest, share with friends and family, and connect with nature on a deeper level.

Today’s featured recipe is the Real deal venison barbacoa tacos shared by Fernando Chapa, who noted that “barbacoa tacos are a traditional dish from Mexico. It’s customary to eat it on Sunday mornings with the family.”

Find this recipe and other featured recipes on the Minnesota DNR website, and watch for more chances to share recipes in the future.