Photo by Mike Lambeth.

Despite what some folks would have you believe, the vast majority of Minnesota deer hunters are not in search of an elusive trophy buck. Deer hunting for most of us is more about getting together with friends and family, sharing in the fun of a deer hunt and getting some venison for the freezer.

While the potential for a massive trophy buck in the state has declined over the years, the potential for a deer or two to fill the freezer remains strong indeed. Minnesota's deer herd now stands at an estimated 1.2 million animals, and thanks to a mild winter last year, the herd is healthy and in good condition throughout the state, according to Lou Cornicelli, big-game coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). Cornicelli added, "It should be another good deer season with around 250,000 deer harvested."

The firearms deer-hunting season opens a half-hour before sunrise on Saturday, Nov. 3. By both the calendar and the Minnesota deer-hunting regulations, this is the earliest date the season can open and should help make for a terrific hunt.

"Usually the peak of conception and the rut is around the eighth or ninth of November, so the deer should be doing a lot of moving around the time of opening weekend," said Gary Drotts, a 33-year MDNR veteran who serves as the Brainerd-area wildlife manager.

Population goals for permit areas across the state are also looking good, with most MDNR area wildlife managers reporting populations at or above the desired range.

According to the MDNR, last year's deer season was the second most productive deer hunt in state history. In 2006, Minnesota deer hunters harvested 270,808 whitetails. Cornicelli predicts Minnesota deer hunters in 2007 will take 250,000 animals, a decline from last year's number, but the lower number does not equate to bad news.

"We've gone through a huge goal-setting process to shift populations to where the public has said they want them," he explained.

Some of this year's permit areas that were managed for "intensive harvest" in the past (meaning a hunter could take upward of five deer) will be moved back to "managed harvest" (meaning a hunter can take up to two deer). That change in the deer management regime represents a healthy shift of the herd size to a more manageable number.

"Basically, across the forest portion of the state, our deer populations are above goal; and while they are getting closer to those goals, they are not there yet," said MDNR biologist Mark Lenarz of the Forest Wildlife Populations and Research group. "We are going to attempt to bring the population down to the levels determined during the goal-setting process," he added.

That's where the fun part comes. Deer hunting is about camaraderie and having fun, but it's also about managing Minnesota's deer herd. Part of the reason this year's harvest is expected to be lower than last year is because Minnesota deer hunters did their job last year and took many deer. Who thought biology could be so much fun?

Reports and Locations Checking in with wildlife managers around the state revealed a deer population in relatively good shape.

"Right now the deer population is doing just fine," said Zone 1 MDNR wildlife manager Bob Kirsch in Two Harbors.

Hunting pressure throughout Zone 1 is lower on average than many other parts of the state, and the vast majority of Kirsch's area is publicly owned land. This means plenty of opportunities for hunters to hunt this zone with an all-season license if they so desire. In addition, Kirsch encourages hunters to take antlerless deer where bonus permits are available.

In the Brainerd area, Drotts manages permit areas in both zones 1 and 2, including the area with the highest harvest rate in the state. Deer hunters here have been very effective over the last few years, he said, so he's changing many of his permit areas back to "managed" status. In fact, all the permit areas under Drotts' domain, he added, are close to their goals except for (area) 242, which will remain under "intensive" harvest regulations. State forests are excellent locations to deer hunt. Drotts' area includes the Pillsbury State Forest, which is located northwest of Brainerd on the south end of Gull Lake.