Become an active participant in the outdoors
Do you value strong connections to your outdoors and the food you eat? Are you looking for a new way to interact with the fields, woods, and waters around you?
Learning how to hunt deer with the Minnesota DNR is a fantastic opportunity for you to go from being a spectator to an active participant in Minnesota’s outdoors. You can learn how take high quality meat out of the field and put it on the table!
Regardless of where you’re from, or how much experience you have, we want to give you the knowledge and information you’ll need to get out into the deer woods!
Fall 2022 in-person programming now accepting applications
The DNR is offering in-person Adult Learn to Hunt classes for the fall of 2022. Classes will be in either Bemidji or Bloomington. If you are interested in taking these classes:
- Please contact James Burnham at [email protected] or Kraig Kiger at [email protected].
- Download a registration form and submit your completed form as soon as you can.
- Class space is limited.
- Cost is $150 for all instruction, range time, hunts and lodging. Scholarships are available for qualified applicants.
- Completion of Firearms Safety training is required.
Class archives
Class 1: Overview of webinar, introductions, to deer hunting, and what do you need to hunt deer.
Class 2: Deer biology, hunting history in Minnesota, hunter ethics, and why hunting matters.
Class 3: Rules and regulations, considerations when for hunting for food.
Class 4: Gear and equipment, what you need and what you don't.
Class 5: Deer ecology and habitat use, online scouting, identifying public lands.
Class 6: Deer sign, scouting in the field.
Class 7: Picking a spot, adjusting tactics.
Class 8: Locations, stands and blinds.
Class 9: Trailing, field dressing and retrieving an animal.
Class 10: Butchering, processing and storing venison.
Deer camp: A follow up to our 10-part series. We wanted to answer questions related to preparing for your hunt. Do you have questions about regulations? CWD sampling and transportation concerns? Which firearm is best for northern MN deer? Questions about bringing youth along to camp? We did our best to answer them!.
Gut a deer: Field dress a deer with a knife and zip tie.
Skin a deer: A video that walks you through the process of skinning a deer after it is field dressed.
Quarter a deer: A video that walks you through the process of removing the front and hind quarters, backstraps and tenderloins from a harvested deer.