New Regs out today

[mnmaverick]

The new MN Hunting regs are out today at: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regula ... l_regs.pdf

I hunt in 345, and I'm shocked that they cut the limit to one deer of either sex. We had a 5 deer limit in '09, and a 2 deer limit last year. Anyone else surprised by the new regs in their zone?

[bowcrackin]

I was checking over the new regs and was pleasantly surprised several of the zones I hunt in switched from lottery to Management 259 & 223. Ladies beware!

[dewey]

We have the same issue in zone 260 WAY up North as you do mnmaverick. In 2009 it was intensive harvest area with an early antlerless season in October and now it is "Hunter Choice" area which means you can harvest ONE doe/buck and that is it. Assuming I understand the regulations correctly. The good thing is my backup area is 239 and that area is still a managed area so if I hunt 260 and 239 I could harvest one deer in 260 and 1 in 239 or 2 in 239 and 0 in 260.

Dewey

[mnmaverick]

Interesting. I can understand why they would cut the harvest up North given all the grumbling about low deer numbers in the past years, but we are smack dab in the middle of Southeast MN and have a big herd. I have a ton of does on my property and was hoping to harvest some, but I have some other areas I can hunt to fill the freezer as well! Only about 1 month to go!

[rjohannsen]

I was shocked...and bummed out. Looks like we will be hunting the timber ghosts in SE MN, and filling freezers with does from the farm in WI. I just hope they enforce the regs this year! Most of the registration stations the last several years had no idea there was even a 4 point antler restriction in our zone.