Question 1
Quote:
Suppose a big buck comes by in October. If I take him with a bow, can I still slug hunt in Nov.? Would it be antlerless only? I believe it said one buck per season somewhere. If I purchased a multi-zone buck license would I be able to slug hunt in zone 4 alone after shooting that buck?
Answer: No you would not be able to slug hunt alone for a buck as you already took a buck with your bow, you would need to party hunt for a buck in any gun season. I belive however that you can slug hunt alone for a doe with the correct licence.
Question 2
Quote:
Intensive Harvest. Can you buy more than one permit at a time or do you have to register a deer and then buy another permit?
Answer: Yes you can buy more than one Intensive Harvest tag at a time.
Question 3
Quote:
If I get picked in the lottery for zone 4, could I tag 2 deer there and 5 deer in 228 as long as only one is a buck? Obviously, I am dreaming here since that wouldn’t happen, but just curious. It would make for a heck of a game feed at a GTG though.
Answer: Archery and muzzleloader hunters, including All-Season licensees,
may use bonus permits in Intensive Deer Permit Areas to take up to
a grand total of five deer. In other words the total number of deer you can take in MN is 5 One buck and 4 does or 5 does.
Click here for Deer General Information from DNR Web Site
2005 Minnesota Hunting Regulations
dEER—GENERAL
Important Dates:
• Sept. 8 (Thursday): Antlerless Deer and Special Area Permit
application deadline.
• Sept. 17: Archery opening date.
• Nov. 5: General Firearms opening date.
• Nov. 26: Muzzleloader opening date.
• Nov. 4, 2006: Firearms Deer opening date for 2006.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
In addition to those listed below, deer hunters must know the Big
Game general hunting regulations on pages 59-61.
Important! Statewide Antlerless Deer Information
In many deer permit areas there is no longer a lottery application
process for either-sex permits—hunters are authorized to take deer of
either sex by purchasing a license over the counter. Deer permit areas
are divided into three categories: 1) Lottery Deer Permit Areas; 2)
Managed Deer Permit Areas; and 3) Intensive Deer Permit Areas.
In Lottery Deer Permit Areas, hunters still need to apply for
either-sex permits. The deadline is September 8, 2005.
In Managed and Intensive Deer Permit Areas, applications
are not necessary. In these areas, either-sex and multiple-deer permits
are available over the counter.
At the time of license purchase, all firearms hunters will need
to indicate which permit area they primarily hunt. Firearms hunters
may hunt throughout the zone(s) where licensed or may hunt
antlerless deer on their regular license in any managed or intensive
deer permit area where licensed.
See details in the box on the next page, the firearms, archery,
and muzzleloader deer sections of this handbook, and the color
map and table on the back of the large deer zone map (available
separately) for more information.
5
Deer
dEER PERmIT AREA cLASSIFIcATIONS
Lottery Deer Permit Areas. If you hunt a Lottery Deer Permit
Area and want to be able to take an antlerless deer, you must apply
for an either-sex permit by Sept. 8. If you are drawn, you will
receive an authorization to take a deer of either sex in that area. If
you have an All-Season Deer License, the authorization will allow
you to take an antlerless deer in that area during the firearms season
with the antlerless portion of your all-season license.
Managed Deer Permit Areas. If you hunt a Managed Deer
Permit Area, you may take a deer of either sex by firearms on a regular
license, or you may hunt bucks throughout the zone(s) licensed
for. No application for an either-sex permit is necessary. Firearms
hunters (including All-Season and Multi-Zone licensees) who hunt
a Managed Deer Permit Area may also purchase one bonus permit,
valid for taking one antlerless deer. Bonus permits are available over
the counter throughout the firearms season; there is no need to
apply for these permits. All-Season license holders who hunt a managed
deer permit area may use the antlerless portion of their regular
license to take an antlerless deer and may purchase one bonus permit.
For example, if you have a Zone 1 license, you may take a deer
of either-sex in any managed or intensive permit area and you can
use one bonus permit in only one managed deer permit area.
Note: Archery and muzzleloaders may use one bonus permit in a
Managed Deer Permit Area.
Intensive Deer Permit Areas. If you hunt an Intensive Deer
Permit Area, you may take a deer of either sex by firearms on a regular
license, or you may hunt bucks throughout the zone(s) licensed
for. No application for an either-sex permit is necessary. Firearms
hunters (including All-Season Deer and Multi-Zone licensees) who
are licensed to hunt in a zone that has Intensive Deer Permit Areas
may purchase and use bonus permits in any of those areas. Bonus
permits are valid for taking additional antlerless deer and may be
used in any Intensive Deer Permit Area for which you have a valid
regular license. For example: if you have a Zone 1 license, you
may use bonus permits to take antlerless deer by firearms in any
Intensive Deer Permit Area in Zone 1. All-Season license holders
may use the antlerless portion of their regular license and purchase
up to 3 additional bonus permits to take antlerless deer by firearms
in any Intensive Deer Permit Area, except in Zone 3B. Note:
Archery and muzzleloader hunters, including All-Season licensees,
may use bonus permits in Intensive Deer Permit Areas to take up to
a grand total of five deer.
biG Game dEER—GENERAL
2005 Minnesota Hunting Regulations
LIcENSING
License Purchase and validity
All deer licenses (archery, firearms, muzzleloader) may be purchased
at any time before or during the season. However, a license
purchased on or after the day the respective season opens is not
valid until the second day after the day it is issued (for example,
a license issued on Saturday would not be valid until Monday). A
“day” means midnight to midnight. The “respective season” refers
to the first season for which the license is valid. The exceptions are
bonus permits, which are valid immediately when issued as long as
the appropriate regular license is also valid.
• A resident under the age of 18 or a disabled person who has been
issued a permit to shoot from a stationary vehicle who has a valid
deer license may take a deer of either sex. Only the authorized youth
or disabled hunters may shoot and tag the antlerless deer (no party
hunting). Also, this provision does not apply to special hunts.
• A person may purchase no more than one Firearms Deer
License and one Archery Deer License in a calendar year,
except that bonus and early antlerless permits, which allow the taking
of additional antlerless deer, may be purchased.
• Multi-Zone Buck Licenses are not valid for the Muzzleloader
Season or Zone 3B.
• All-Season Deer Licenses are not valid during Zone 3B season.
• Bonus permits may be purchased throughout the season, but you
must purchase the permit and have it in possession when taking
the deer. The permit is valid when your regular license to hunt in
that season is valid. Regular License and bonus permit tags may be
used in any order.
• A person may not take or tag deer without the appropriate license
or permit. The term “taking” includes attempting to take deer, and
driving, spotting, or otherwise assisting another person in taking
deer.
7
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
CWD is an invariably fatal disease of the deer family that is present
in wild deer and elk populations in isolated areas of the United
States. Federal health officials say that it is unlikely that chronic
wasting disease is ever transmitted to humans or to animals other
than deer or elk. There have been no cases of CWD transmission to
humans.
Since 2002, 28,000 deer have been tested for CWD in Minnesota.
To date, no deer have tested positive for the disease
Clinical Signs of CWD
Animals infected with CWD typically exhibit one or more of the
following clinical signs, which may be apparent to an observer.
• Severe emaciation and dehydration.
• Excessive salivation.
• Stumbling, weakness, loss of coordination, or tremors.
• Drooping of the head and ears.
• Excessively rough, dull coat.
• Loss of fear of humans (other than habituation through feeding).
Hunters who notice an animal that exhibits these symptoms or
is acting strangely should not shoot the animal. Rather, they should
contact the local wildlife office or DNR conservation officer to provide
information on what was observed and where. The DNR will
attempt to locate the animal, dispatch it and have it tested for CWD.
For the latest information on the status of CWD testing and information
in Minnesota, go to the DNR Web site http://www.dnr.state.mn.us.
Also, see the frequently asked questions on page 8.
Guidelines For Field Dressing, Processing, and
Preparing Venison for Consumption
• Hunters should not consume meat from any deer that appears or
acts sick.
• Hunters should wear durable rubber gloves when field dressing
carcasses and wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field
dressing.
• Do not consume brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, or lymph
nodes from any deer.
Deer
biG Game dEER—GENERAL
FOR YOUR INFORmATION
2005 Minnesota Hunting Regulations
Landowner Free Deer License in Selected Areas
These licenses allow the taking of one antlerless deer per farm (in
managed and intensive deer permit areas). The free license can be for
firearms, archery, or muzzleloader.
An owner or tenant who is living and actively farming on
at least 80 acres of agricultural or grazing land in deer permit
areas 104, 105, 107, 110, 111, 114, 115, 126, 154, 156, 157,
159, 170, 172, 174, 178, 180-184, 201, 202, 204, 206-210,
221-223, 225, 227, 228, 236, 241-249, 252-259, 297, 298,
337-343, 345-349, 410-421, 423, 428, 429, 452, 456, 461,
462, 464-467 (applies to both A and B seasons) may obtain a
free license to take an antlerless deer by firearms, muzzleloader or
archery. These licenses can be obtained from any ELS license agent
(see page 18). A person may receive only one license per year. For
land with co-owners or co-tenants, only one co-owner or co-tenant
may receive a license per year. The license is valid only on the
land owned or leased for agricultural purposes by the license-holder
within the permit area where the qualifying land is located. The
license holder may give the license to the license-holder’s spouse or
dependent. A license issued under this provision does not affect the
license-holder’s eligibility to purchase additional deer licenses.
A person who obtains a license under this provision must allow
public deer hunting on their land during the deer hunting season
for that license, except for the first Saturday and Sunday of the
season selected.
BAG LImIT FOR dEER
No one may tag more than one deer per calendar year, except as follows:
TAGGING DEER ON MULTIPLE LICENSES: Hunters may now
tag deer on both their firearms (including muzzleloader) and archery deer
licenses. This provision applies statewide, however, hunters may only tag
ONE buck per calendar year.
Lottery deer permit areas: The bag limit is one deer except all-season
license holders and hunters tagging deer with both their archery and firearms
license may take two deer. Bonus permits are not valid in lottery deer
permit areas.
Managed deer permit areas: The bag limit for managed deer permit
areas is two deer, except all-season license holders and hunters tagging deer
with both their archery and firearms license may take three deer. Archery,
firearm, and muzzleloader hunters may not tag antlerless deer using a bonus
permit in more than one managed deer permit area per year.
Intensive deer permit areas: The bag limit for intensive deer permit
areas is five deer.
9
Deer
Bonus Permits
Bonus permits are available to archery, firearms, and muzzleloader
hunters to take additional antlerless deer in designated areas. Bonus
permits are available for one-half the cost of regular licenses. One
bonus permit may be used per year in one managed deer permit area.
Up to four bonus permits may be used in intensive deer permit areas
and some special hunts. Deer taken under bonus permits are in addition
to deer authorized to be taken under regular licenses. The maximum
number of deer any individual may tag is 5 by any combination
of licenses and permits, except eligible landowners may take an additional
antlerless deer on a free landowner license, and up to two deer
may be taken during the early antlerless season.
Bonus permits are valid for archery, muzzleloader or firearms, but
hunters must have the appropriate Regular License for the area, season
and method they are using.
Early Season Antlerless Permits
Early season antlerless permits are available to hunters interested
in participating in the early antlerless deer season in permit areas 209,
210, 225, 227, 236, 252, 256, and 257 (the last 3 permit areas were
formerly 401, 405, and 406). Early season antlerless permits are only
valid during the early antlerless deer season and can be purchased for
one-half the cost of a regular license. Up to two permits may be used
during the early antlerless season.
HUNTING mETHOd RESTRIcTIONS
Bait
• No person may place or use bait for the purpose of taking deer.
“Bait” is defined as grain, fruit, vegetables, nuts, hay, or other
food transported and placed for the purpose of attracting or enticing
deer. This restriction does not apply to foods resulting from
normal or accepted farming, forest management, wildlife management,
orchard management, or similar land management activities.
• DNR expects to adopt rules further clarifying the prohibition on
deer baiting before this year’s firearms season. The new regulations
will define bait as any foods capable of attracting deer, and hunters
will not be allowed to use bait or hunt in the vicinity of bait
that the hunter knows about or has reason to know about, or hunt
where bait has been placed within the previous ten days. The new
rules were not yet adopted at the time this regulation handbook
was published. When the new rules are adopted, DNR will notify
hunters through news releases and on the DNR Web site.
• Liquid scents, salt, and minerals are not considered bait.
biG Game dEER—GENERAL
70
2005 Minnesota Hunting Regulations
Elevated Stands
• No person may take deer from a constructed platform or other
structure that is higher than 16 feet above the ground. This restriction
does not apply to a portable stand that is chained, belted,
clamped, or tied with rope.
• In Wildlife Management Areas and State Parks open to hunting
(see pages 39-41, 84, 85, 91,125-129), only portable stands may
be used. They must not be left overnight. Portable stand use is
encouraged in State Forests (see page 135-138).
• In Scientific and Natural Areas open to hunting, no stands
(including portable stands) may be used (see pages 138-139).
• Any unoccupied, permanent stand or blind on public land is
public and not the property of the person who constructed the
stand. Any use of threat or force against another person to gain
possession of a stand is unlawful.
PARTY HUNTING
• A “party” is defined as any group of two or more licensed deer hunters
who are all afield; hunting together at the same time; and all using
firearms (including muzzleloaders) or all using archery.
IMPORTANT! The intent of the party hunting regulation is to
prevent parties from shooting more deer than the available number
of tags. The party hunting regulation requires that all hunters who
intend to tag deer for each other be hunting together, in the field, at
the time the deer are taken. Party members who are not afield hunting
with the individual who takes a deer at the time it is taken may
not legally tag that deer. Hunters may not lend licenses to or borrow
licenses from other hunters.
• A mixed group of firearms and archery hunters is considered two
separate parties.
• Any member of a party meeting this definition may kill a deer for any
other member of the party who has an unused tag valid for that deer,
except party members may not kill an antlerless deer in a lottery
deer permit area for: 1) a member of the party who is a resident
under age 18; or 2) a disabled person authorized to take antlerless
deer under a permit to shoot from a motor vehicle.
• Multi-Zone Buck license-holders may party hunt with Regular Firearms
license-holders, except in Zone 3B and the Muzzleloader Season.
• All-Season Deer license-holders may party hunt (see page 77).
71
USING SNOWmOBILES ANd ALL-TERRAIN vEHIcLES
To reduce disturbance during the prime hunting times, a person
possessing any valid deer license is restricted to the following hours of
operation for snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs*) during the firearms
deer season, including the muzzleloader season.
Such vehicles may only be operated:
a) before legal shooting time (one-half hour before sunrise),
b) from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m, and
c) after legal shooting hours (one-half hour after sunset).
• This regulation applies to all public and private lands and waters
except for occupational use by landowners, their employees and
immediate family on their own land while not in possession of a
firearm.
• A permit to operate snowmobiles or ATVs during the closed time
periods may be issued by a DNR conservation officer in an emergency
or other unusual condition.
• ATVs and snowmobiles are not allowed in State Parks, National
Wildlife Refuges, Scientific and Natural Areas, or Wildlife Management
Areas. ATV use is regulated in state and national forests. (See
rules on using public lands, pages 125-146.)
* ATVs are defined for the purposes of these regulations as all vehicles not
requiring Minnesota Department of Public Safety licensing, including
trail bikes, 3-wheelers, 4-wheelers, 6-wheelers, tracked vehicles, and other
similarly manufactured or homemade vehicles.
SPEcIAL SEASONS FOR HUNTERS WITH PHYSIcAL dISABILITIES
Special deer hunts for hunters with physical disabilities are tentatively
scheduled at a number of sites (see table on page 72). Additional hunts
for disabled archers may be organized by Capable Partners, and are not
listed here. For more information call the DNR Information Center at 1-
888-MINN DNR (888-646-6367).
Persons who are totally blind may use a laser sight to participate in
assisted special hunting opportunities.
Deer
biG Game dEER—GENERAL
72
2005 Minnesota Hunting Regulations
2005 disabled deer Hunts
Hunt name dates Location
Camp Ripley DAV Oct. 5-6 Morrison County
St Cloud Veterans Hospital
(320) 255-6323
Carlos Avery WMA Sanctuary Oct. 8–16 Anoka County
http://www.CapablePartners.org
(763) 439-1038
Lac Qui Parle Refuge Sept. 17–25 Lac Qui Parle WMA
http://www.CapablePartners.org
(763) 439-1038
Rydell National Wildlife Refuge Oct. 13–15 Polk County
Options Resource Center
(218) 773-6100
Lake Bemidji State Park Nov. 7–8 Beltrami County
MDHA(Bemidji Chapter)
(800) 450-3337
Camp Wilderness Hunt Sept. 29–Oct 2 DMU 244, 245
United Foundation for Disabled Archers
http://www.uffdaclub.com
REGISTRATION ANd TRANSPORTATION
deer Registration
Every deer taken must be registered. Registration stations display
large, orange “Big Game Registration” signs. You may view a complete
list of all stations at any DNR Wildlife office or on the DNR Web site.
The person whose tag is on the deer must personally present the
deer at an official deer registration station and receive a Big Game
Possession Tag. This tag must be attached to the hind leg, ear, or antler
where the Site Tag was attached.‑
A Possession Tag must be obtained:
a) within 24 hours after the expiration of the season under which
the deer was taken (for example, a deer taken during the Zone
4A firearms season must be registered within 24 hours after the
close of the 4A season, even if the deer is tagged by a Multi-
Zone or All-Season Deer licensee); and
b) before the deer is processed, either privately or commercially.
Deer may be transported out of the zone where taken without
being registered first.
73
Deer
biG Game dEER—GENERAL
ELS Registration
At registration stations in Aitkin, Cloquet, Twin Cities, Pine County,
Winona, Little Falls, and other locations throughout the state, Minnesota
possession tags will be printed by the ELS terminal and must be attached
with a string or wire like the site tag (see page 76). This system should
improve the efficiency and accuracy of deer harvest estimates and provide
more timely information to hunters.
Transportation
• A legally registered animal may be transported any time during
and after the deer hunting season.
• The licensee must accompany the deer in transport except as follows:
A deer that has been registered may be transported by another person,
if the signature, address, and license number of the licensee and
the origin and destination of the transport are written on the back
of the possession tag. A licensee also does not have to accompany an
animal transported by commercial transportation (see page 37).
• All deer in transport must be readily accessible for inspection by
DNR conservation officers.
• The head of a deer must remain attached to the carcass until the
deer is registered. Skin and entrails may be removed before registration.
Deer may be quartered before being registered, but the
animal’s head must remain attached to one of the quarters.
• Whole deer, elk, caribou, or moose carcasses from other states or
provinces may not be brought into Minnesota from areas known to
have CWD in wild deer or elk (see page 59).
dEER—FIREARmS
Shooting Hours
Legal shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half
hour after sunset.
Legal Buck and Antlerless deer
• A “legal buck” is a deer having one antler at least 3 inches long.
Fawn bucks, sometimes called button bucks, are not legal bucks.
• “Antlerless deer” are those without an antler at least 3 inches long.
Rifle-Shotgun Boundary
• In the Shotgun Zone (see map on the back of the large, deer zone
map, available separately), deer hunters may use only legal shotguns
loaded with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading
long guns, or legal handguns.
• Legal shotguns include those with rifled barrels.
