Minnesota’s regular waterfowl season opens this weekend
Minnesota’s regular waterfowl hunting season opens a half-hour before sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Spring waterfowl counts were generally higher than last year, with the full report from the spring waterfowl survey available on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources waterfowl management webpage. In the report, total breeding duck abundance (excluding scaup) was estimated at 417,000, which is 8% above the 2024 estimate and 32% below the long-term average going back to 1968.
Hunters can find important information about required waterfowl stamps, season dates and hunting regulations in the Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting Regulations booklet, available wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold, and on the Minnesota DNR waterfowl hunting page.
Information to help hunters properly identify waterfowl is available in an illustrated guide on page 18 of the regulations booklet. For more information on what the Minnesota DNR is doing for ducks and habitat is available in the five year Duck Action Plan available on the DNR waterfowl management webpage.
Statewide youth deer season returns Oct. 16-19
Minnesota offers a perfect opportunity for experienced deer hunters to share their knowledge and traditions with youth ages 10-17 during the statewide youth deer season.
The four-day season will take place statewide Thursday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 19, and coincides with statewide teacher workshops, when many Minnesota schools are closed for fall break.
Temperatures in the middle of October are warmer than those during the regular November firearm deer season; snow hasn’t typically fallen yet, and deer are moving more during the daylight hours. These factors create an ideal environment for youth interested in deer hunting.
Important information about license and safety requirements for youth hunters and their accompanying adults is available on the Minnesota DNR youth deer season webpage. General deer hunting information is available on the Minnesota DNR deer hunting webpage.
Early antlerless-only deer season is Oct. 16-19
Hunters can participate in an early antlerless-only deer season from Thursday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 19. The season increases opportunities for hunters in deer permit areas where deer populations are above population goals.
Permit areas open during the hunt are 213, 214, 215, 218, 219, 221, 222, 223, 225, 227, 229, 236, 240, 277, 341, 601, 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649 and 661.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers this opportunity to hunters to manage local deer herds. Before participating, hunters should review important information about bag limits, blaze orange requirements and other regulations on the Minnesota DNR early antlerless-only season webpage.
Deer carcass movement restrictions in place in 17 deer permit areas
Deer carcass movement restrictions are in place for 17 deer permit areas located in southeastern, western, north-central Minnesota, and the metro area.
Hunters are not allowed to take whole deer carcasses outside of chronic wasting disease management zones formed by deer permit areas 601, 604, 605, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655, 661, 666, 671, 679 and 684 until each deer receives a “not detected” CWD test result. The restrictions apply to all deer, including fawns. Hunters are allowed to move whole deer carcasses between contiguous disease management zone DPAs, such as DPAs 601 and 605, and the block of DPAs in southeast Minnesota.
In CWD management zone DPAs, sampling is mandatory during opening weekend of firearms season, Nov. 8-9. If hunters harvest a deer before or after the opening weekend of firearms season and choose not to submit a sample from their deer or want to transport a deer outside CWD management zones before getting a test result, they must debone or quarter their deer, properly disposing of the head and spinal column inside the zone. Meat and quarters with the main leg bone can leave the zone immediately.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides dumpsters in some areas for hunters to use to help facilitate carcass disposal. In addition to these dumpsters, carcasses may be disposed of on private land with the permission of the landowner, through a refuse hauler by following the hauler’s instructions, or at a local landfill. Carcasses cannot be left on public land, including wildlife management areas, state forests, road rights-of-way or in any waterbody.
Hunters who harvest a deer within Minnesota’s CWD management zones are allowed to take intact heads from deer with or without the cape and neck attached outside of CWD management zones if they are delivered to a licensed taxidermist within 48 hours of leaving the zones.
Carcass movement restrictions are part of a comprehensive strategy to keep Minnesota’s deer, elk and moose healthy by limiting the spread of disease. Hunters can find details for the DPA in which they hunt, including locations of dumpsters and instructions for carcass disposal, by visiting the Minnesota DNR’s CWD webpage and using the “find the requirements for your DPA” tool.