It’s the time of year when leaves turn color, the air gets crisp, and hunters look forward to deer hunting opportunities as Minnesota’s archery deer season begins on Saturday, Sept. 13.
“We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable archery season,” said Paul Burr, acting big game program coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “We’re also encouraging hunters to take advantage of opportunities to harvest antlerless deer, which are abundant in much of the state.”
Deer hunting is critical for deer population management. While parts of northern Minnesota continue to experience lower deer numbers than recent decades, many farmland areas need help reducing local deer populations and allow hunters to harvest multiple antlerless deer.
Each year, the Minnesota DNR receives about 230 formal complaints from landowners experiencing deer damage, particularly from agricultural producers, because damage to crops and stored forage can result in lost revenue to producers.
“Hunting is one of the best ways to balance the size of the local herd with the available natural forage and habitat conditions,” Burr said. “Early archery season is a great time to go out and harvest a doe or two.”
Many archery hunters do harvest antlerless deer. In 2024, 52% of archery-harvested deer were antlerless, and archery hunters were responsible for one-fifth of all antlerless deer harvested in Minnesota. The number of archery hunters also rose from approximately 99,000 in 2008 to 110,000 in 2024. In that time, the percentage of deer harvested by archery hunters also rose from 10% to 16%. Since 2023, crossbows have been allowed for deer hunters with an archery license, and through approved legislation, crossbow use has been extended through at least 2026.
Minnesota DNR’s deer hunting webpage has important information for hunters about regulations, bag limits and chronic wasting disease sampling information.
Additionally, the DNR Information Center and area wildlife staff can answer questions about deer hunting seasons. People can contact the DNR Information Center by email or by calling 888-646-6367. Wildlife area office contact information is available on the Minnesota DNR website.
“One of the great parts about archery season is the length of the season,” Burr said. “From Sept. 13 to the season’s end on Dec. 31, hunters can take part in the whole range of the fall season and watch what the deer are doing through the transition from summer to fall to winter.”
CWD testing reminders
Hunters should check CWD requirements, including carcass movement restrictions, and available sampling options for the deer permit areas where they hunt. Hunters can find DPA-specific information by visiting the DNR deer hunting planning too.
Archery hunters should note that self-service sampling stations will only be available during the opening weekend of firearms deer season in CWD management and surveillance areas, and during the late CWD hunts. However, numerous other options are available for getting deer tested. Information about ways to get deer tested are available on the DNR website.
Blaze clothing requirements and safety reminders
Archery hunters are reminded that blaze orange or blaze pink clothing is required during the youth and early antlerless seasons from Thursday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 19, and during any other open firearms deer season.
For safety, hunters should bring an article of blaze clothing when hunting on public land because small game firearms seasons are open.
Hunters are strongly recommended to be safe when using tree stands, with more information on tree stand safety available on the DNR website.
In addition, deer hunters, including archery hunters, who are hunting deer in a fabric or synthetic ground blind 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 material that is at least 144 square inches (12x12 inches) on each side of the blind.
Tips and information
Hunters can learn more about what to expect this deer season, and how to welcome new hunters to the tradition, in an upcoming webinar at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Registration is required, and further details about the webinar are available on the DNR website. The webinar will also be recorded and posted on that webpage.
Detailed information for every DPA, including hunters per square mile in 2024, public hunting ground, and land cover types, is available through the interactive deer map by selecting “DPA Details” in the interactive deer map. Deer hunting regulations are available on the Minnesota DNR’s deer hunting webpage and in the hunting and trapping regulations booklet.
Deer season dates for 2025
- Archery: Saturday, Sept. 13, through Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Youth and early antlerless: Thursday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 19
- Firearms: Saturday, Nov. 8, with various closing dates depending on location
- Muzzleloader: Saturday, Nov. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 14
- Late CWD (DPAs 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648 and 649): Friday Dec. 19, through Sunday, Dec. 21.