Public comment sought on state's first deer plan.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is holding public meetings around the state to discuss and receive feedback on a draft deer plan that sets a new statewide harvest target, increases citizen participation in deer management, and outlines ways to keep the whitetail population and habitat healthy.
"We're setting a course for deer management that encourages more dialogue among stakeholders, the public, and DNR staff," said DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr. "Our ultimate goal is to support our hunting traditions, better engage the public, and to maintain sustainable, healthy deer populations throughout Minnesota."
The draft deer plan outlines strategic ways the DNR will prioritize its resources and activities to meet the plan's eight key goals, which range from keeping Minnesota deer healthy to ensuring biological and societal factors are considered in management decisions. It establishes an annual statewide harvest target of 200,000 deer as one of several performance measures. It does not address the details of specific regulations or operational issues, but rather plots a long-term strategic direction for managing the herd. The plan was drafted with input from a 19-member citizen advisory group that met over the course of a year.
A copy of the deer plan, a schedule of open houses, background information and a link to submit online comments are available on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/deerplan. Comments will be accepted through May 9, and they can be submitted at any of the public meetings, as well as online.