About 8,000 landowners and hunters across 14 southwestern Minnesota counties will receive deer surveys from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) this spring.
Results from the in-depth survey will help the DNR better understand the experiences and attitudes of hunters and landowners about deer and deer hunting in southwestern Minnesota, said Gino D’Angelo, DNR deer project leader.
“We hope to get a high response rate on this survey,” D’Angelo said. “This will be one factor in helping us determine whether changes in deer hunting regulations are necessary to meet deer population goals in the future.”
Hunter surveys will be mailed to about 3,600 adult firearm hunters who indicated they hunt in southwestern Minnesota. The survey will ask questions about hunting success, deer populations and interest in management techniques such as antler point restrictions, buck-only hunting, youth-only seasons and varied dates for seasons.
Landowner surveys will be mailed to approximately 4,400 landowners owning at least 160 acres in southwestern Minnesota. They will be asked about the impact deer or other wildlife have had on their land, whether or not they hunted and ideas they have for deer management in their area.
Surveys will be sent in three separate mailings in March and April. Preliminary results from the surveys are expected this summer.
Counties included in the survey are Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine.
More information on deer in Minnesota can be found here.
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