The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced that the number of deer harvested was up 10 percent when compared to last year, according to the Pioneer Press.

Minnesota firearm hunter registered just over 145,000 deer, in which 54 percent of them were bucks. The first weekend was slow, and that was due to the cold weather.

With the amount of permits remaining, the DNR expects around 200,000 to be harvested by the end of the season. Zone 3 is the southeast portion of the state, and the numbers are down 12 percent, while Zone 1 (northeastern) is up 25 percent and Zone 2 (majority of state) was up six percent. Last year 173,213 were harvested.

It is also important to note that preliminary testing show that seven deer in the Preston area had CWD.

“It appears as though deer harvest improved substantially since the first weekend,” said Steve Merchant, DNR wildlife populations and regulations manager told the Pioneer Press. “Getting more corn out of the fields and a bit drier weather likely helped.”

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