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Hunters harvested more than 170,000 deer during the 2024 hunting season, up 7% statewide from the 2023 hunting season. The statewide harvest was 3% lower than the five-year average.

“We still have a way to go in parts of northern Minnesota,” said Todd Froberg, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources big game program coordinator. “But it seems like we’re moving in the right direction.”

Weather during peak hunting times such as weekends played a significant factor in hunter success and provided optimal conditions for hunting during firearms season in much of the state. Anecdotal reports to wildlife managers also suggested that opening weekend of 2024 firearms opener lined up well with deer activity during the peak of their mating season.