Confused About MN Regs. Help!

[Jameson]

If you take 2 deer in an intensive area but are still under the state bag limit of 5 you are legal to go to a managed zone and take 2 more deer.

Basically as I understand it you are allowed 1 deer from any one of the lottery or HC zones (tagged with your main tag), 2 more deer from any of the managed zones (does only using bonus tags), and then 2 more from any of the intensive zones (does only using bonus tags), for a total of 5 deer. It doesn't matter what order you hunt the zones in.

The unlimited zones are a little different because they do not count toward your bag limit with the exception of the 1 buck per year rule still in effect. The only thing I'm unsure about is whether or not you need to use your main tag to tag a buck in an unlimited zone. If so then you wouldn't have your main tag available to hunt in a lottery or HC zone. YOu could still hunt managed or intensive with bonus tags though.

There is a hole lot of incorrect hear.

We can use all three of our main tags every year. Main tags can be used on does.

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

There is a hole lot of incorrect hear.

Always love when people ask on forums for rules on hunting and fishing regs... How many get the wrong info when they should be dialing 651-296-6157 and asking the DNR directly....

good stuff...

[nofishfisherman]

If you take 2 deer in an intensive area but are still under the state bag limit of 5 you are legal to go to a managed zone and take 2 more deer.

Basically as I understand it you are allowed 1 deer from any one of the lottery or HC zones (tagged with your main tag), 2 more deer from any of the managed zones (does only using bonus tags), and then 2 more from any of the intensive zones (does only using bonus tags), for a total of 5 deer. It doesn't matter what order you hunt the zones in.

The unlimited zones are a little different because they do not count toward your bag limit with the exception of the 1 buck per year rule still in effect. The only thing I'm unsure about is whether or not you need to use your main tag to tag a buck in an unlimited zone. If so then you wouldn't have your main tag available to hunt in a lottery or HC zone. YOu could still hunt managed or intensive with bonus tags though.

[fivebucks]

Pretty simple really. In all the lottery or HC areas in the state you can only take 1 deer total and only with main tag (either bow, rifle or muzzy). In all managed areas you can take 2 deer total (buck & doe or 2 does). In all intensive areas you can take five deer. What you do in one area has no effect on what you do in the other areas. Think of it as 3 independant rules areas. What you take in a managed has no bearing on what you take in a lottery or intensive. Of course no matter what, you can only take 1 buck per year and you have a cummulative total of 5 deer you can take (metro area not included).

[Cheetah]

Gotta love the clarity to it all... and to think they(DNR) simplified the rules a few years back.... LOLLL

Agreed. What a mess...

I think DonBo should be restricted to a spear or a knife to get his next deer. He is too deadly with a bow, and you know he's gonna get one with the gun now.

[DonBo]

I think DonBo should be restricted to a spear or a knife to get his next deer. He is too deadly with a bow, and you know he's gonna get one with the gun now.

You make that sound like a bad thing. Just trying to rid the state of all those pesky garden eating, shrub rubbing, car mutilating beasts.

[96trigger]

When the light bulb turns on and people finally "get it", the regs will seem easier than before. fivebucks hit the nail on the head. 5 deer total, 1 buck, in any combination of areas (lottery, managed, intensive harvest). The hardest part about all of this is what license to use in what area. That to me, is the only thing that needs to get cleaned up. Just remember, once you shoot the maximum # of deer for that area, you are done in all areas labeled that way, for example, if you shoot two deer in a managed area, you are done in all managed areas of the state. And if you are in a HC or Lottery, you have to use your main tag.

[nofishfisherman]

Pretty simple really. In all the lottery or HC areas in the state you can only take 1 deer total and only with main tag (either bow, rifle or muzzy). In all managed areas you can take 2 deer total (buck & doe or 2 does). In all intensive areas you can take five deer. What you do in one area has no effect on what you do in the other areas. Think of it as 3 independant rules areas. What you take in a managed has no bearing on what you take in a lottery or intensive. Of course no matter what, you can only take 1 buck per year and you have a cummulative total of 5 deer you can take (metro area not included).

Thats how I've always understood it as well. I've reread my post and I believe I'm saying the same thing. Perhaps I just didn't write it as clearly.

[Jameson]

...What do you mean by use all three of your main tags? Are you referring to Archery, Rifle, and Muzzy? If so how and where are you using them? ALl in a lottery or HC zone? Anyone?

We can use them however we want as long as we don't go over the area's (lotto,hc, man, intense) limit and don't exceed the states limit of one antlered buck. Main tags can be used on antlered or antlerless deer as long as we won a permit in the lottery area. Otherwise in lottery areas our main tags are only good for bucks, except the archers are allowed to shoot an antlerless on their main tag in a lottery area. (don't get me started on that exception.)

So...

Use arch main tag (mt) in h.c., use gun mt in managed, then use muzzy mt in managed.

Or

....(there are way too many combo's to list.)

[nofishfisherman]

I think we are saying the same thing Jameson, I just didn't break it down using archery, firearm, and muzzy tags. I just assumed we were talking firearm, hence 1 main tag and then bonus tags after that.

As long as you only take a maximum of 1 deer in lotto/HC zones, max of 2 deer in mananaged zones, or max of 5 in intensive, and stay within the 5 deer bag limit you are good to go. Assuming only 1 buck per year and bonus tags used when neeed.

[winterwalleye]

Better get in writing or an e mail. The clearwater county prosecuting attorney said the people who answer the phone on the DNR handbook are potentially unqualified.

[nofishfisherman]

I already sent an email to the DNR to confirm my interpretation of the regs. Usually hear back in a day or two.

I not currently planning on jumping around to different zones but if I do I'll be sure to have the printed email with me with their explaination of the rules.

[96trigger]

Sad thing is, I don't know how they will explain it better, it will still be how you interpret what they say. Most of the information you got in this thread was correct so if you are still confused, I'm not sure how the DNR email will help. If you are still confused after the email, you better call them.

[2Crank]

Talked to a CO about this two night ago.

Answer= You may use 1 regular license in MN to "TAG" a deer per year.

Everything else must be management tags or Intensive tags and that is for antlerless deer only.

One thing to be clear on, If you shoot and TAG a doe during Bow season in a hunter choice area with your MAIN ARCHERY LICENSE, you cannot use another Regular license (ie-rifle)to shoot a buck during another season. Everything else must be management (does only).

[nofishfisherman]

Recieved confirmation from the DNR via email that what I had posted previously was correct. Here is their response.

Quote:

The firearm questions you have correct. No order to filling the tags, as long as you have the tags before taking the deer. Total of 5 deer, only one buck per person per year, regardless of licenses purchased. One in any lottery or hunter choice area, 2 in managed, up to 5 in intensive. Including archery, firearm and muzzleloader, 5 total.

Only one deer can come from any lottery and or hunter choice area, regardless of the licenses used. Once a deer is taken, you would have to take any remaining deer in managed or intensive areas. So if the first deer taken was with an archery license in a hunter choice or lottery area, any firearm or bonus permit would have to be filled in a managed or intensive area

[96trigger]

Quote:

Answer= You may use 1 regular license in MN to "TAG" a deer per year.

Everything else must be management tags or Intensive tags and that is for antlerless deer only.

One thing to be clear on, If you shoot and TAG a doe during Bow season in a hunter choice area with your MAIN ARCHERY LICENSE, you cannot use another Regular license (ie-rifle)to shoot a buck during another season. Everything else must be management (does only).

I don't know what CO you talked to, but it hasn't been that way in about 5 years. He better read the regs.

[2Crank]

Trigger,

What part is wrong? I would like clarification on that. Just sharing what I was told.

[AF-1984]

Talked to a CO about this two night ago.

Answer= You may use 1 regular license in MN to "TAG" a deer per year.

Everything else must be management tags or Intensive tags and that is for antlerless deer only.

One thing to be clear on, If you shoot and TAG a doe during Bow season in a hunter choice area with your MAIN ARCHERY LICENSE, you cannot use another Regular license (ie-rifle)to shoot a buck during another season. Everything else must be management (does only).

I am with 96 trigger on this...I received the exact opposite answer to this question from a CO a few years back.

[nofishfisherman]

You can use all 3 regular tags (Archery, Firearm, Muzzy) but only one of them can be used in a Lottery or Hunters Choice zone. The others would need to be used in a managed or intensive zone.

[2Crank]

Interesting, Well if the DNR (CO's) aren't on the same page, then what are we suppose to do?

Again, not saying I am right or you are wrong just sharing what the CO told me on a phone conversation two nights ago and what he was teaching the students of my son's Firearm Safety class.

Yikes!

[96trigger]

I just double checked the regs to make sure they didn't go back to the old way of doing things, they haven't changed any thing. Is there a chance that you misunderstood what the CO was saying? I can tell you with pretty much 100% certainty that your statement is incorrect.

I would definitely call someone else on it and I certainly do not plan on doing it that way anymore. I have been doing it that way for the last 4 or 5 years.

[2Crank]

Trigger,

Still confused, what part are you referring to? Fill one Regular license per year, or the doe only part?

Now I am confused:(

I wouldn't break any laws by doing it this way, but I might limit myself to not shooting a buck. And spend more $$$ on mgmt tags than needed.

[fivebucks]

I will use my main rifle tag this Saturday (maybe Sunday thru in a HC area. I plan to bowhunt later in a managed area and I will use my main archery tag on a doe if I am lucky enough. I do not need to buy the "bonus" tags unless I want to try for 2 deer. I am quite certain that this is legal to do. If I find out differently later in the year I will post what the fine was.

[96trigger]

You can tag one buck on one regular license per year, you CAN mix and match any combination of licenses over all three seasons (archery, firearm, and Muzzleloader). You CAN tag a doe with your regular archery tag, and then tag a buck with a firearm tag. You only have to remember that you get 1 buck a year, and it has to be tagged with an either sex permit, it cannot be a bonus. I can shoot a doe with my bow tonight, use my regular archery tag, and shoot and tag a buck this weekend with the firearm and be completely legal as long as my area allows for two deer.

[deerminator]

Yes, you would be fine given you can take two deer total in a managed area and no more than one buck statewide. You're just doing it in reverse compared to many people baggind a doe archery and then a buck or doe in gun season.

Trigger is right on, you can use your main tag up in archery on a doe and then buy a main rifle tag and use it on a buck, provided you are in a managed or intensive area where you can take two or more deer.

If you were in an intensive harvest area, you could use your main tags for archery and rifle on a does and then your main ML tag on a buck, correct? The tag being your main one or either/or, really doesn't matter. It's a different season with a different main tag.