2016 Deer Hunting Licenses Now Available

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is now selling 2016 deer hunting licenses and accepting applications to the lottery for antlerless deer permits.

DNR officials say two years of mild winters and lower overall harvest have led to steadily growing deer populations through much of Minnesota, although one-deer limits will remain in place for much of the state during the upcoming hunting season.

The deadline to apply for the antlerless permit lottery is September 8th. The archery deer hunting season will open on September 17th and the firearms deer season opener will be Saturday, November 5th.

Hunters in the 300 series deer permit areas of southeastern Minnesota are being reminded by the DNR that testing for chronic wasting disease will be conducted during the fall deer hunting season. While the testing is taking place, hunters in some areas may need to register dear in person until sampling goals are reached.

The agency has been aggressively testing for the disease in this region since it was discovered in a wild deer near Pine Island in 2009.

For more information on the CWD testing program and the hunting season visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.