Hunters harvested about 172,000 deer during the 2022 deer hunting season, a lower total harvest than in recent years. Total harvest was down 7% compared to the 2021 season and 10% less than the five-year average deer harvest for Minnesota. Some bullets about the season:
•Lower deer numbers in northern Minnesota and poor weather during opening weekend in some parts of the state likely contributed to lower firearms A season harvest.
•Weather was better during later seasons including firearms B and muzzleloader seasons. The number of deer harvested during muzzleloader season was the highest reported since 2007 and was 10% higher than the 2021 season harvest.
•Archery season harvest was about 1% lower than the 2021 season. Most archery season harvest occurred prior to the firearms season and peaked in late October and early November.
A final deer harvest report and reports from past seasons are available on the DNR website.
