And deer harvest numbers are on the DNR website



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minnesota department of natural resources


*Minnesota Wildlife*



"Dec. 5, 2024"

Stay informed! Here’s a summary of upcoming wildlife and habitat management activities and ways you can discover, explore and experience Minnesota’s outdoors.

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gray squirrel in a tree
Explore the outdoors this winter by hunting Minnesota small game

Hunting pheasants, ruffed grouse, squirrels or rabbits offers opportunities to enjoy the Minnesota outdoors as temperatures fall and snow blankets the landscape.

Pheasant hunting season [ [link removed] ] is open through Jan. 1, 2025. On Dec. 1, the daily bag limit increased to three roosters, with a possession limit of nine roosters. The best places to find pheasants at this time of year are in tall grass or cattail marshes. Hunters should remember to exercise caution around thin ice.

Grouse hunting season [ [link removed] ] is open through Jan. 1, 2025. Wintertime grouse hunters might find success during the “golden hour,” which is the last hour before sunset when ruffed grouse move out of their snow roosts to feed.

Squirrel hunting season [ [link removed] ] is open through Feb. 28, 2025. Winter is breeding season for squirrels, which means they are active and easier to find.

Rabbit hunting season [ [link removed] ] is open through Feb. 28, 2025. Hunters will find the most success around thick cover, such as brush piles, thorn tangles and briars.

Fisher, martin and bobcat trapping opens Saturday, Dec. 14, so hunters should be aware of the potential for additional traps in the woods.

You can find regulations and on the DNR hunting page [ [link removed] ], and more about how or where to hunt on the DNR learn to hunt webpages [ [link removed] ]. Tips on how to hunt pheasants, grouse, squirrels or rabbits are also available in recorded webinars [ [link removed] ].



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young hunter, dog and teal harvested
Sharing stories from new hunters

"We’re sharing stories from hunters who’ve taken someone new hunting and participated in the "Hunter Mentor Pledge [ [link removed] ]". Here’s one from Jeffrey Freeman of Big Lake, who shared this story from September 2023:"

I took my 14-year-old nephew, Caden, out for his first waterfowl hunt this season and he had an amazing time shooting two teal. He was super excited to get out and hunt waterfowl. We were on public land and we set up on the south side of a pond. He asked a bunch of questions about how to set decoys, why we set them the way we did, and what kind of ducks would be around. After setting up we went through a safety reminder and took our spots.

Caden’s dad, my brother, was with to help out and we awaited shooting light. We didn’t have to wait long as the clock struck shooting time we had a lone teal land right in the decoys and he was able to bag his first ever duck, one minute into shooting time. We had some more teal work but they were out of range and we couldn’t get them to commit within shotgun range. Then out of nowhere a single bluewing zoomed past us and made a wide circle until finally committing into our decoys and duck number two was in hand.

We called it a day around 8:30 and started to pick up the decoys. To be fully immersed in the experience of duck hunting Caden wanted to help pick decoys up and I informed him to go slow as walking in waders and muck is very different than normally walking around. He took my advice and was doing great until he stopped and tried to get moving again. Down he went in slow motion face first into the mucky water, baptism by the ducky waters of the marsh. Even after his swim he loved every minute of it, thanked me multiple times, and couldn’t wait to get out there again.

"The Hunter Mentor Pledge from the Minnesota DNR and Pheasants Forever encourages hunters to take someone hunting who has never hunted or hasn’t hunted for a few years. The program is open to all types of hunting in Minnesota that are legal and in-season. Participation is simple and you can find all the details on the Minnesota DNR take a friend hunting webpage [ [link removed] ]."

"Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Freeman"



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image of online harvest dashboard, showing 156,509 deer harvested so far as of 12-3-24
Deer harvest numbers and CWD test results available online

Interested in deer harvest numbers? Find current harvest data and past harvest reports on the Minnesota DNR’s deer reports and statistics webpage [ [link removed] ]. The page also features an interactive map and graph that visualize the data.

Hunters can also check the DNR website [ [link removed] ] for chronic wasting disease test results on the deer they’ve harvested. The site also shows statewide CWD test results, summary statistics and mapped locations of deer that tested positive. The DNR relies on hunters’ participation in providing samples to help with disease surveillance. Thank you to everyone who submitted samples!



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bear on a bed of reeds over snow
Report bear den locations in Brainerd, Duluth areas

The Minnesota DNR is asking hunters and other recreationists spending time outdoors this fall to report the locations of occupied bear dens they encounter in and around the Brainerd and Duluth areas. Bear researchers with the DNR and University of Minnesota Duluth hope to fit an additional number of bears with GPS tracking collars this winter.

The purpose of this research is to document bear movements on the landscape (both rural and urban) and assess the age of first reproduction in these two study areas. Anyone finding a den in either area should obtain a GPS location (if possible) and call DNR bear research in Grand Rapids at 218-328-8879 or 218-328-8874.

Bear research provides a better understanding of factors that cause populations to change, and in this way enables the Minnesota DNR and partners to better manage and conserve this species.

Separate from the bear den study, the Minnesota DNR also has an online tool that allows people to report bear sightings. The bear sightings tool and more about bear management in Minnesota is available on the DNR bear management page [ [link removed] ].



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pileated woodpecker closeup on a snowy tree
Registration open for webinars on winter outdoor skills and stewardship

The Minnesota DNR has a new lineup of winter webinars set for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webinar series. Webinars will cover flying squirrels, outdoor winter activities for kids and families, woodpeckers, ice fishing with tip-ups, oak wilt identification and prevention, fishers, outdoor classes at school, the status of the American chestnut, appreciating birds people love to hate, and winter ecology.

The webinars are free and offered year-round, though registration is required. Visit the webinar webpage [ [link removed] ] to register and find recordings of past webinars.

"Pileated woodpecker photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service"



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three girls in full camo with only their eyes showing
DNR grants help children get outside, begin a lifetime of outdoor experiences

The Minnesota DNR is pleased to announce another phase of the No Child Left Inside grants. These grants help more children cast a line, study animal tracks, hike or bike, or engage in other activities to learn more about nature.

Public entities and nonprofit organizations serving youth younger than 18, including Tribal Nations, schools or governments, can apply for No Child Left Inside grants. A special category of grants in this phase is held for organizations working in metropolitan environmental justice areas and serving youth from nonnative English speaking communities. Applications will be accepted until 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, and more information is available on the DNR No Child Left Inside grants webpage [ [link removed] ].



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young spring turkey hunter and adult with bird harvested
Coming March 2025: Fishing, hunting and recreational vehicle licensing, made easy! 

The Minnesota DNR is in the process of modernizing the system used to offer fishing, hunting, trapping and recreational vehicle licenses and registrations, including watercraft and off-highway vehicles. 

The new system will include a mobile app and make it easier for customers to buy licenses, register their harvests, access safety trainings and more.  

Learn more and sign up for project updates at our FAQ webpage [ [link removed] ].

"“Third year in a row for Vanna!” spring turkey hunt photo courtesy of Mo Vang"



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Hunting photo highlights
two young pheasant hunters and a dog, and pheasant harvested

"“Mason’s first pheasant! Paxton scared it up, and Maverick found it” photo courtesy of John Kluntz"

hunter with nice buck she harvested

"“Buck sent from Heaven by my grandpa!” photo courtesy of Lissette Hartung"






Let’s talk about wildlife

Hunters, trappers and wildlife watchers benefit from the management, habitat and oversight work of the Minnesota DNR’s area wildlife office staff. Have question, comment or concern? Area wildlife staff [ [link removed] ] are happy to talk with you!

Find hunting and trapping regulations, harvest registration, how to contact a conservation officer and information about pursuing a variety of species at the DNR hunting page [ [link removed] ]. New to hunting? Check out the DNR learn to hunt page [ [link removed] ].







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minnesota department of natural resources [ [link removed] ]

*Minnesota Department of Natural Resources  |  mndnr.gov [ [link removed] ] *

Email us: [email protected]  |  Call 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367

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