southeastern Minnesota deer goals

[lichen fox]

Group with diverse interests to consider southeastern Minnesota deer goals

(Released February 24, 2014)

A broad cross-section of interests will be represented on the 21-member advisory team that will help the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources set deer population goals in southeastern Minnesota.

“Team members were selected from an open call for nominations to represent both the diversity of interests in deer management as well as for their collective familiarity with individual deer permit areas that will be discussed,” said Leslie McInenly, DNR big game program leader.

More than 90 individuals applied to participate on the teams. Specific emphasis in choosing the 21 members was placed on identifying individuals with a personal connection to deer management in southeastern Minnesota.

Team members represent archery, firearm and muzzleloader hunters as well as nonhunters; area residents and landowners; farmers; orchard owners and operators; land managers; local government staff and appointed officials; local business owners; and members of hunting, conservation and agricultural organizations.

Advisory team members are: Mark Bauman, Rochester; Cynthie Christensen, Rushford; Ken Fetterly, Spring Valley; Larry Gates, Kellogg; Collin Johnson, St. Charles; Chris Kolbert, St. Charles; Kyle Kolbet, Rochester; Vong Lee, Roseville; Quintin Lohse, Chatfield; Melinda Miller, Stewartville; Anne Morse, Dakota; Mark Popovich, Welch; Ron Rosenthal, Red Wing; Tom Ryan, Byron; Jim Siewert, Lake City; Michael Simons, Cottage Grove; Terry Spaeth, Rochester; Len Strapp, Rushford; Marty Stubstad, Rochester; Mark Timm, Altura and Jim Vogen, Chatfield.

The advisory team will consider and discuss citizen input from two public meetings on deer population management as well as information from an online questionnaire and written comments. The analysis will help define the social, economic and recreational contexts for a biological discussion of the area’s deer population and development of goal recommendations.

The DNR began revisiting deer population goals in 2012, when similar area teams helped set new goals for some permit areas in the Windom, Floodwood and Tower areas. The current round of goal-setting focuses on the nine deer permit areas that comprise southeastern Minnesota. Those permit areas are 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348 and 349. The DNR plans to have new goals established in all of Minnesota’s deer permit areas before the 2016 firearms deer season begins.

More information about the goal-setting process and deer management is available on the DNR HSOforum.

[waligators]

Just a question I have for this, why is the DNR catering to SE Minnesota so much? The SE got there APR which is great, but why not concentrate on different parts of the state first? Establish advisory teams in other parts also. I see it says that the DNR plans to have new goals established in all of Minnesota’s deer permit areas before the 2016 firearms deer season begins. Keyword to this is "plans"... The Vikings plan on wining a super bowl every year and well, it just isn't happening. The deer heard is so depleted in 275 it just makes a guy shake his head...

[hockeybc69]

I think many are wondering the same thing......

[mntatonka]

Just a question I have for this, why is the DNR catering to SE Minnesota so much? The SE got there APR which is great, but why not concentrate on different parts of the state first? Establish advisory teams in other parts also. I see it says that the DNR plans to have new goals established in all of Minnesota’s deer permit areas before the 2016 firearms deer season begins. Keyword to this is "plans"... The Vikings plan on wining a super bowl every year and well, it just isn't happening. The deer heard is so depleted in 275 it just makes a guy shake his head...

Who said APR is great? Doesn't sound like quite so many people in Zone 3 are happy with the rules these days, judging by the comments at the input meetings.

I expect they are starting with Zone 3 because they need to evaluate public opinion of their terrible regulations before trying to build up the herd so they can push it across the rest of the state.

[zepman]

Just a question I have for this, why is the DNR catering to SE Minnesota so much? The SE got there APR which is great, but why not concentrate on different parts of the state first? Establish advisory teams in other parts also. I see it says that the DNR plans to have new goals established in all of Minnesota’s deer permit areas before the 2016 firearms deer season begins. Keyword to this is "plans"... The Vikings plan on wining a super bowl every year and well, it just isn't happening. The deer heard is so depleted in 275 it just makes a guy shake his head...

Good post...I hunt 348.

The last thing they need to be concentrating on is zone 3...deer populations are strong and who gives a rip about APR when the rest of the state is hurting big time as far as #'s go. To the DNR...Please put your efforts in to what needs addressing...the rest of the state.

Zone 3 is healthy...you know it...don't mess with it. Leave it alone and do what you can to bring the population back to the rest of the state that is hurting.

That's where your efforts should be.....

[smsmith]

DNR started in the SE because that is the only area of the state with somewhat "okay" hunter satisfaction rates. They are trying to implement a new public stakeholder meeting process and started down there because they're going to get a lot less "input" from disgruntled hunters in that area.

Those folks hunting in 221 and 222 (and a bunch of other units) get their goals re-adjusted next year...while over here in 215 (and a bunch of other units, looks like about 1/3 of the total state) we won't get to see the new process and goal re-adjustment until 2016.

Why does SE MN get so much attention every year? The only answer I can come up with is that a vast majority of the State's wealth is located in that area. That's also a likely reason APR's were able to be implemented.