Keith Lusher 01.12.26
Minnesota deer hunters have plenty of reasons to feel good about how the 2025 season wrapped up, with final harvest numbers confirming what many saw from the stand last fall. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, hunters tagged 186,203 deer statewide, a 9% increase over 2024 and about 5 percent above the five year average.
Good weather during key firearms weekends, improving deer numbers, and solid rut timing all played a role in the increase. Roughly half of Minnesota’s deer harvest typically comes during the first two weekends of the firearms season, and conditions lined up well in 2025 with cooler temperatures and limited precipitation.
“We had a great deer harvest in most areas of the state this year,” said David Trauba, DNR wildlife section manager, noting that hunter success is a positive sign for both conservation and long term deer management.
Regionally, the gains were widespread, though not uniform. Northeast Minnesota led the way with a 14% increase over 2024, helped by two consecutive mild winters that allowed deer numbers to rebound after several severe years earlier in the decade. Northwest Minnesota followed with a 9% increase, while central and southeast Minnesota were both up about 8%. The southwest region posted a 6% increase and continued its trend of consistent harvests over the past several seasons.
Wildlife managers cautioned that northern deer herds are still in recovery mode, and conservative bag limits remain in place in some areas. Even so, the upward trend is encouraging for hunters who have waited through tough winters and lower deer numbers in recent years.
Archery hunters also played a major role in the overall increase. The archery harvest was up 8% compared to 2024, with crossbows accounting for about half of all archery deer taken. Minnesota legalized crossbows for archery hunters in 2023, and participation has continued to grow since.
Hunters also showed strong participation in disease monitoring efforts. Nearly 14,000 deer were submitted for chronic wasting disease testing during the season, most during the firearms opener. Preliminary results show 117 positive detections statewide in 2025, with the majority coming from southeast Minnesota. One positive buck was found outside an existing CWD management zone in McLeod County.
DNR officials thanked hunters for submitting samples, emphasizing that hunter participation is critical to tracking and managing CWD across the state. Hunters whose deer test positive are notified directly, and results are available through the DNR’s CWD Page
Looking ahead, the DNR is asking hunters and non hunters alike to share feedback on deer populations and hunting experiences through an online questionnaire open through Feb. 23. For many hunters, the 2025 season already delivered a clear takeaway. In much of Minnesota, deer numbers are improving, opportunities remain strong, and freezer space was well used last fall.
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