2005 Minnesota hunting and trapping seasons announced

[Rick]

2005 Minnesota hunting and trapping seasons announced

DEER SEASON CHANGES

This fall, hunters will have more opportunity than ever before to harvest deer, thanks to regulation changes that include the opportunity to tag deer with both a firearm and archery license, an early antlerless season, zone realignments and the creation of a metro deer-hunting zone.

The new regulations, announced earlier this summer, were discussed at 15 public meetings held across the state. More than 800 comments were considered in finalizing the regulations. Details about the regulations are available in the 2005 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook.

"We hope to increase deer harvest in areas with high deer populations," said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game program coordinator. "To do this, we're offering hunters more flexibility with deer licenses and more hunting opportunities."

The changes begin to take effect with the Sept. 17 opening of archery deer hunting. Firearms deer hunting begins statewide on Nov. 5 and the muzzleloader season starts Nov. 26.

MOOSE

Moose populations in northwestern Minnesota are still very low and the season is still closed in that area. However, the northeast Minnesota moose population remains stable and 284 moose licenses were offered this year, up from 246 licenses in 2004, when state licensed hunters killed 127 bulls and 24 cows, for a party success rate of 62 percent.

ELK

A limited season with five permits will be held. The deadline for applications has passed.

NEW REGULATIONS

Merriam advised Minnesota hunters to be aware of several new law and regulation changes in effect this fall. They include:

- Those registering fisher, otter, bobcat and pine marten must be at least five years old.

- Starting March 1, 2007, trappers born after Dec. 31, 1989 must have a trapper education certificate or a previous trapping license.

- Raccoons may be pursued and treed in the closed season without a permit.

- .30 caliber M-1 carbines are now legal for big game hunting.

- Hunters may purchase a bear license in both the quota and no-quota areas.

- Deer permit area boundaries around Duluth have been changed.

- Hunters may now tag deer with both firearms (including muzzleloader) and archery deer licenses (one buck allowed statewide, including the northwest five-county area).

- A two-day antlerless deer season will be held Oct. 15-16 in permit areas 209, 210, 225, 227, 236, 252, 256, and 257. Hunters must have a license valid for the appropriate zone and an early antlerless deer permit ($14 at any ELS license agent) to participate. The bag limit is two deer.

- Permit areas 205, 211, 214, 283 and 284 have been moved to Zone 1 and renumbered.

- Permit areas 110 and 283 are combined into permit area 110.

- Permit areas 401 through 409 have been moved to Zone 2 and renumbered.

- Permit areas 228 and 337 now comprise the metro deer management zone. Any firearm license is valid and the season dates are Nov. 5-27.

- New special regulations apply to deer hunts at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, Great River Bluffs State Park, Itasca State Park, Lake Elmo State Park, Maplewood State Park, St. Croix State Park, Savanna Portage State Park and Wild River State Park.

2005 MINNESOTA HUNTING AND TRAPPING SEASONS

SMALL GAME HUNTING

Cottontail rabbit, jackrabbit, snowshoe hare, Sept. 17 - Feb. 28

gray and fox squirrel, Sept. 17 - Feb. 28

ruffed and spruce grouse, Sept. 17 - Jan. 1

Take-a-Kid Hunting Weekend, Sept. 24 - Sept. 25

BIG GAME HUNTING

Deer - Archery

Northeast Border Zone (permit areas 116 and 127), Sept. 17 - Nov. 20; remainder of state, Sept. 17 - Dec. 31.

Deer - Firearms

Zone 1A (northeastern Minnesota), Nov. 5 - Nov. 20; Zone

2A (Lake of the Woods to Twin Cities), Nov. 5 - Nov. 13

Zone 3A (southeastern Minnesota), Nov. 5 - Nov. 11

Zone 3B (southeastern Minnesota), Nov. 19 - Nov. 27

Zone 4A (southern and western Minnesota), Nov. 5 - Nov. 6

Zone 4B (southern and western Minnesota), Nov. 12 - Nov. 15

deer - muzzleloader, Nov. 26 - Dec. 11.

Black bear, Sept. 1 - Oct. 16.

Moose (northeast zone), Oct. 1 - Oct. 16; moose (northwest zone), closed.

Elk, (bull season), Sept. 17-25; (cow season) Dec. 3-11.

FURBEARER HUNTING/TRAPPING

Raccoon and red fox, continuous through March 15

gray fox, badger, opossum, Sept. 17 - March 15

bobcat, Nov. 26 - Jan 8

pine marten and fisher, Nov. 26 - Dec. 11

mink and muskrat (north zone), Oct. 29 - Feb. 28

beaver (north zone), Oct. 29 - May 15

otter (north of Interstate 94 and U.S. Highway 10), Oct. 29 - Jan. 8.