REGIONAL— Hunters are almost certain to find more deer here in the North Country when they head to their stands for this Saturday’s opening of the 2025 regular firearms deer season. That’s the good news.
The bad news is most of them won’t be legal game, at least not this year.
After two exceptionally mild winters, the number of fawns appears to have increased around the region. But the North Country is still in recovery mode after back-to-back heavy snow winters in 2021-22 and 2022-23, which means the vast majority of hunters in the region will be limited to adult bucks only.
“We’re still digging out of our hole,” said Penny Backman, a DNR wildlife specialist based in Orr. “There will be more fawns on the landscape, but they won’t be available for harvest,” she said.
Jessica Holmes, DNR area wildlife manager in Tower, concurs. “I would say we’re definitely still digging out, but we’re definitely seeing an increase in activity.” And she expects the more seasonable weather forecast to move in over the weekend should help increase rutting activity, which helps to keep bucks moving across the landscape.
If there’s a potential bright spot for hunters in the region, it’s likely to come from a potential increase in the number of younger bucks. Males from the 2024 fawn crop, born after the mildest winter in Minnesota history, should be mostly spike or fork horn bucks this year, making them potential targets for hunters. Holmes said she’s hearing reports of more small bucks showing up on trail cams in the area, but cautioned that whether that proves to be true won’t be known until the harvest numbers come in.
If hunters want to improve their odds of success, Backman said there are two tried and true ways: pre-season scouting and spending time on the stand. She said weather traditionally plays a big role in determining how much time hunters are willing to sit, or how active white-tailed deer will be. The weather outlook for opener points to seasonable temperatures, with highs in the low 30s and chances of rain or snow showers. Holmes noted that some forecasts are suggesting a decent chance of a light dusting of snow just ahead of opening morning, which is typically very helpful for hunters.
The cooler temperatures and possible snow should keep the bucks moving, but conditions won’t be as pleasant for hunters and that could prompt them to spend less time on the stand. “If there’s nobody out there, nobody will shoot deer,” said Backman.
Wind also plays a role, notes Backman. During high winds, deer tend to stay put since they’re less able to detect predators. “Cool weather without much wind is the ideal,” she said.
The phase of the moon is another factor that can play into hunter success. The moon will be just past full on opening day, which should should keep the woods relatively bright overnight during the first week of the season. That often means bucks will remain active outside of legal hunting hours. While that can be a disadvantage, deer that are active overnight tend to bed down toward morning and often are more active than usual at midday. “I think we’ll be getting more of those 11 a.m. movements,” said Holmes. “A lot of folks who go in for lunch miss those opportunities. If they can stay on the stand, they’ll likely find it pays off.”
Tracking the harvest
Hunters will have the opportunity to keep tabs on registrations by going to the DNR’s deer reports and statistics web page at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/management/statistics.html. The site gives registration data that’s updated almost daily and is broken down by deer permit areas, so hunters can see how well others are doing in their local area.
More than 400,000 deer hunters are expected to take part in the firearms deer season.
Deer hunting is the primary tool the DNR uses to manage deer populations, and hunters help keep deer numbers in line with population goals across the state. Managing deer populations contributes to the overall health of Minnesota’s landscapes, natural systems and economy.
CWD testing
With CWD reported in parts of north-central Minnesota, hunters here in the North Country may want to consider having their deer tested for the brain wasting disease.
DNR staff will be available opening weekend at the Tower area office if hunters want to pick up a test kit or can even learn how to remove lymph nodes for CWD testing. “Folks interest should call and make an appointment,” said Holmes. The DNR’s area office can be reached at 218-300-7800.