One more regs question

[nofishfisherman]

So I was out getting a beer with my hunting buddies last night and we were talking over our plans for this year and we were discussing bonus tags.

One buddy thought he heard somewhere that if you buy a bonus tag you still need to tag the first deer you shoot with your main tag regardless if it is a buck or doe.

I had always thought that if you have a bonus tag in hand and the first deer you shoot is a doe then you can tag the doe with the bonus tag leaving you with your main tag in case a buck happens by your stand later on.

Any thoughts?

[Monkster]

I am pretty sure you can use the bonus first but not positive. Place a call to the DNR.

[ozzie]

you can use a bonus tag prior to using your main tag....

[John478]

Right from the book.

Bonus and disease management permits may be purchased in addition

to regular licenses. They may be purchased throughout the season,

but must be in possession when taking deer. The permit is valid when

your regular license in that season is valid. Regular licenses and antlerless tags may be used in any order.

[Sorgy]

Next time you go have beers with your buddys bring along a copy of the regulations

Our area is a "Managed Area" therefore the bag limit is 2 deer PERIOD. Up to 0ne bonus tag may be used. Nowhere in the MN regulations does Earn a Buck show up. 1 tag antlerless and 1 tag (which is your regular license is an either sex tag - unless you are hunting a lottery area).

Get a copy and read the regulations- I may not be 100% right as I will be reading the regs again myself.

Good Luck on your upcoming hunt- if it ever gets here- what a long day

Steve

[nofishfisherman]

Right from the book.

Bonus and disease management permits may be purchased in addition

to regular licenses. They may be purchased throughout the season,

but must be in possession when taking deer. The permit is valid when

your regular license in that season is valid. Regular licenses and antlerless tags may be used in any order.

Thats what I thought but without the regs in front of me I couldn't be 100% sure if i was remembering correctly since my buddy seemed so convinced. I think he got his info from a CO during a special early season veterans hunt. The rules may have been different for that hunt given its circumstances.

I'll be sure to bring the regs book next time we go for a beer and I'll be sure to send him the link to the regs right now proving I was right.

[Powerstroke]

A bonus tag may be used first as long as using a bonus tag is legal. There is no rule about which tag is to be used first. At the end of the last few years I have a couple does in the freezer and two empty weapons tags (firearms and archery).

There are no "earn a buck" rules and there are certainly no "earn an antlerless" rules.

There may have been other rules at those special early season hunts, but there are none regarding which order when it comes to the regular season.