Minnesota Governor Tim Walz returned to his home state to offer a sobering message about his election loss.

In his first public remarks since he was spotted teary-eyed at Vice President Kamala Harris’ concession speech, Walz acknowledged the pain he and other Democrats are feeling.

“It’s hard to lose,” Walz said on Friday. “It’s hard to understand how so many of our fellow citizens, people Democrats have long fought to help, wound up choosing the path they did. And it’s hard to reckon with what that path looks like over the next four years.”

Shocked though he was, Walz championed the importance of looking across the aisle and seeing our neighbors not as enemies but as friends.

“Maybe when the campaign signs come down, we all get a little break from the rhetoric and the TV ads, and the fundraising texts – I’m sorry about those,” Walz joked, “we will sit down over coffee or a Diet Mountain Dew and just talk.”

The former candidate granted that the days ahead would be tough but emphasized hope was not lost.

“If you are feeling deflated or discouraged today, I get it. Take some time. Take care of yourselves, take care of your loved ones, take care of your community,” Walz said. “Get back in this fight when you are ready. And know that whenever you are ready to get back in that fight, I will be standing right here, ready to fight with you.”

Walz made it clear that he was serious about fighting, too, promising the North Star State would remain a “shelter from the storm” as long as he is the state’s governor. 

“As long as I’m governor of Minnesota, we’ll be a state that respects democracy, a place where we’re proud of our civic debate and where we don’t demonize people who disagree with us,” Walz said.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans will be on the hunt for a trophy buck this weekend.

Saturday just before sunrise marks the start of the firearm deer opener in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says overall, deer numbers are on the rise, especially in the central and southern parts of the state, thanks in part to last year’s mild winter.

DNR leaders add northern Minnesota is still suffering from several harsh winters, so it’s expected to take longer for those areas to recover.

They also said one big difference from last year is there’s no huge acorn crop, so we’re not seeing a record mast year, which means the deer movements will change a little bit.

“This year, if you can find some leftover acorns or maybe some trees that are actually producing acorns to key in on those and really focus on where those deer patterns are changing,” said Todd Froberg, big game program coordinator for the Minnesota DNR. “So, they might be a little more predictable this year.”

New this year, language was added to clarify blaze orange requirements for fabric or synthetic ground blinds only during deer hunting season. It no longer impacts spring turkey, bear, or waterfowl seasons. A person in a fabric or synthetic ground blind on public land must have a blaze orange safety covering on top of the blind that is visible from all directions or a patch made of blaze orange that is at least 144 square inches (12×12 inches) on each side of the blind.

Mandatory chronic waste disease testing is back this weekend for the opener.

Also new this year, hunters can now bring any deer harvested out of state into Minnesota so long as they bring it to a taxidermist within the first 48 hours. The same goes for removing any deer harvested in a CWD zone.  

The Minnesota DNR has also added some new CWD management sites in parts of the northeast and a new site near Wabasha after a deer tested positive for CWD last fall.

“They’re there so that we can ensure that future generations have the same or better opportunities that we have today,” said Justin Frisch, DNR conservation officer. “If we’re not following the regulations, then it puts the resource at risk.”

The firearm season ends with the 16-day muzzleloader season Dec. 15.

As of Wednesday, 230,946 licenses have been sold, which is 1% higher than last year.