The 2007 Minnesota firearms deer hunting season opens today. Here are some facts and figures about deer hunting in Minnesota.
DEER: THE ANIMAL
q Minnesota's deer population, 1.2 million, ranks number 8 nationally. Texas is number 1 with 4.7 million deer
q adult female white-tailed deer weigh about 145 pounds, males 170 - the average weight of female and male humans
q the biggest white-tailed deer ever recorded was a 500-pound Minnesota buck
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q a whitetail's home range is about one square mile.
DEER HUNTING
q last year, 43 percent of Minnesota hunters successfully harvested a deer; about 39 percent were antlered bucks
q 70 percent of Minnesota's firearms deer harvest typically occurs during the first three or four days of the season
q the average hunter spends 4.79 days afield during Minnesota's firearms deer season
q last year's total deer harvest was 270,800, the second highest on record; 2003 was the record (290,525)
q there are 43 Intensive deer permit areas, covering roughly one-third of the state, where hunters may harvest up to five deer
q Minnesota's average deer harvest of 239,920 ranks number 12 nationally. Wisconsin is number 1 with an average harvest of 487,685
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q the largest typical whitetail buck ever taken in Minnesota had a Boone & Crockett score of 202; shot by John Breen in 1918 near Funkley, Minn.
q Minnesota's number 1 nontypical whitetail buck had 43 points; shot by 17-year-old Mitch Vakoch in 1974.
DEER LICENSES
q Minnesota ranks number 6 nationally in number of deer licenses sold; Pennsylvania is number 1
q in total, 692,037 Minnesota deer licenses (all types) were sold in 2006
q 98 percent of deer licenses are sold to Minnesota residents
DEER: TOP 10 HUNTER VIOLATIONS
1) uncased/loaded firearm
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2) tagging
3) license
4) baiting
5) shooting from road or motor vehicle
6) shining
7) no blaze orange
8) fail to register
9) ATV/snowmobile closed hours
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10) closed season/hours
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
