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Hunters can participate in an early antlerless-only deer season from Oct. 17 through Oct. 20. The season increases opportunities for hunters in deer permit areas where deer populations are above population goals or where there is an increased risk of chronic wasting disease.

Permit areas open during the hunt are 214, 215, 218, 219, 221, 222, 223, 225, 227, 229, 236, 341, 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 661 and 701.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers this opportunity to hunters to manage local deer herds. The bag limit is three antlerless deer, and deer taken during the early antlerless-only season do not count against the statewide bag limit or the DPA bag limit.

Youth may not tag antlerless deer or legal bucks taken by another individual. Fabric or synthetic ground 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 on each side of the blind.

Before participating, hunters should review the specific license and permit requirements available on page 88 of the Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which can be found at mndnr.gov/regulations/hunting.

Hunters can also check the chronic wasting disease sampling options and carcass movement restrictions for the deer permit areas where they hunt on the Minnesota DNR website, mndnr.gov/deerhunt.

Contact DNR big game program leader Barb Keller with questions at 651-259-5198.