A look at the numbers: northeast 2024 deer season
The Minnesota 2024 deer hunting season wrapped up on Dec. 31.
Areas across the state, including the northeast region, saw an increase in the 2024 deer harvests.
The total harvest for the state is 170,544, an increase from the 158,678 during the previous hunting season.
In the northeast, known as the Superior Uplands-Arrowhead region, harvests were higher than the previous year in the majority of the six deer permit areas (DPAs).
2024 deer harvests:
- DPA 126 = 92 deer harvested
- DPA 130 = 121 deer harvested
- DPA 131 = 46 deer harvested
- DPA 117 = 7 deer harvested
- DPA 118 = 402 deer harvested
- DPA 133 = 379 deer harvested
Compared to the total 2023 deer harvest data:
- DPA 126 = 62 deer harvested
- DPA 130 = 106 deer harvested
- DPA 131 = 19 deer harvested
- DPA 117 = 8 deer harvested
- DPA 118 = 366 deer harvested
- DPA 133 = 351 deer harvested
Nancy Hansen, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) area wildlife manager in Two Harbors, said the milder 2023 winter is one factor contributing to the increased harvest numbers in 2024.
“I do believe that last year’s winter definitely helped,” Hansen said. “It was a little easier on the deer population.”
While Hansen said it will take more than one mild winter to see an increase in deer populations, she does think “it did allow more survival compared to our previous winters.”
Another factor contributing to the increase in harvest numbers in the northeast region may also be the warmer temperatures during the opening weekend of the firearm deer season. “It wasn’t overly warm, but it was comfortable,” Hansen said.
While harvest numbers were higher during the 2024 deer season in DPA 126, which is primarily in Cook County, license sales were down.
Hansen said in DPA 126, 806 deer hunting licenses were sold for the 2024 season, compared to 853 in 2023. That trend was also seen in nearby DPA 130 and DPA 131.
DPA 130 sold 1006 licenses in 2024, down from 1052 in 2023. DPA 131 sold 434 licenses in 2024, down from 508 in 2023.
With license sales down and increased harvest numbers, Hansen said the hunters that did hunt had better success. The hunter success rate in 2023 for DPA 126 was approximately 7%, while 2024 it increased to approximately 10%. “So, went up just a little bit.”
“These are very small harvest numbers, so they aren’t going to make a huge difference,” Hansen said.
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Nancy Hansen, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) area wildlife manager in Two Harbors, about the 2024 deer harvest and license numbers. The audio from the interview is below.
Kalli Hawkins January 13, 2025
