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Friday, November 21, 2008
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Deer harvest shows decline
Outdoors Editor Maybe they figured that, because he's a DNR conservation officer, Randy Posner had the answers. But most likely, the questions were rhetorical.
Even if they weren't, Posner didn't know any more than the frustrated hunters.
"Where are the deer? Really, where are the deer?" Posner said when asked what he's heard from hunters in the field this firearms deer hunting season. "Some hunters did fair. But the vast population of hunters want to know, where are the deer?"
They're not in Brainerd lakes permit areas. At least they're not being harvested in their usual numbers.
Gary Drotts, DNR wildlife manager in Brainerd, said harvest numbers were down 30.5 percent from last year for the five permit areas in the greater Brainerd lakes area through the first nine days of the firearms season. That's through Sunday, when the season closed in four of the five local permit areas.
Permit area 246 (Pequot Lakes/Pine River area) saw the biggest drop from a year ago - 47.5 percent. Area 247 (north of Highway 18, east of Crow Wing County Road 3 and west of Highway 6, covering much of the Brainerd and Crosby area) was down 40 percent and area 249 (south of Highway 18 and east of Highway 371, covering the Garrison and Lake Mille Lacs area) dropped 36.2 percent. Area 172 (Backus/Hackensack/Longville area), the only one of the five local areas still open to firearms (through this weekend), was down 22.9 percent, and area 242 (Nisswa area) was down only 8 percent.
"Preseason, we projected a 20 percent decline due primarily to lottery designation for local permit areas," Drotts said. "Factoring in the cold and windy weather, a final decline of 25 percent is not far off our original estimate."
Areas 246, 247 and 249, which saw the sharpest drops both weekends, went from managed areas last year to lotteries (one deer per hunter) this year. Area 242 remained an intensive area (up to five deer per hunter) and 172 a managed area (up to two deer).
"Only six permit areas (in the state) changed to lottery, and three were here. That's half of the change," said Drotts, adding that statewide, harvest totals were down 13.6 percent.
According to Drotts, 8,304 deer were harvested in the five areas in the first nine days of the season, down from 11,956 during that time last year. The DNR had projected a harvest of 11,000 through the first nine days this year.
"I don't have an answer to why the numbers are down except that the herd is smaller than it was previously," said Posner, who has worked blocks of areas 246 and 249 this season. "Everyone started out with high expectations. Whether the weather had an impact on the deer harvest, it may have. It definitely changed their movement.
"I have not seen the deer I traditionally see in the fall. I know there are a lot of frustrated hunters. The deer numbers just are not the way they used to be."
However, hunter numbers in the area have increased over last year, according to Drotts. The biggest increase came in area 242, which saw a 12.1 percent jump in hunters. Statewide, there was a .6 percent decline in license sales, Drotts said.
"I saw hunters everywhere in the normal places I see hunters," Posner said. "Pillsbury (State Forest) may not be up to what it has been in peak years, but there's still a lot of hunters out there."
While the harvest includes totals from bow and muzzleloaders, firearms typically account for about 90 percent of the total harvest. Along with 172, a number of areas in central and northern Minnesota remain open for firearms and the muzzleloader season opens Nov. 29.
"What are you going to do? We were hoping activity would pick up some, but it has stayed cold and stayed windy," Drotts said.
He added that hunters may call the area wildlife office at 828-2550 or 833-8620 with comments and opinions.
And, he said, the season isn't over yet.
"Hopefully," Drotts said, "there's still some quality hunting."
BRIAN S. PETERSON may be reached at brian.peterson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5864.
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