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Where are Minnesota's best deer hunting regions? Things to know ahead of the 2024 opener.

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Where are Minnesota's best deer hunting regions? Things to know ahead of the 2024 opener.


Last season’s warm winter helped the deer population, and that bodes well for firearm hunters anticipating next Saturday’s opener, especially in parts of central and southern Minnesota.

As many as 400,000 hunters are expected to hit the field during the firearm season, which concludes with the 16-day muzzleloader season Dec. 15.

Central Minnesota continues to have the healthiest and most productive deer population, and river floodplains will remain prime habitat for hunters in southern Minnesota. So far the deer harvest in the northeast region is faring better than last year, said Barb Keller, Big Game coordinator for the Fish & Wildlife Division of the Department of Natural Resources. The region remains the most restrictive area of the state. Harsh winters, in part, have diminished the deer population. Some, like Deer Permit Areas (DPA) 118 and 119 on the Canadian border in St. Louis and Lake counties, have a one-deer, bucks-only limit.

“Even coming off that mild winter, we further reduced bag limits in order to allow those populations to recover in some of those northern DPAs,” Keller added.

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A glimmer of positive news has been hard to come by in the last several years. The number of hunters in woods and fields have incrementally declined, Keller said. So far this year, license sales were down 1% from 2023 (134,546) two weeks before this year’s opener, mimicking year-to-year trends. Archery sales, however, were up 2%.

The success rate for hunters is trending downward, too, she added, reflected in the 14% drop in the overall deer harvest since 2019. Last year, hunters took 150,365 deer.

Here are several other things to know ahead of the opening weekend:

The highest harvests in 2023 based on total deer (bucks and does) and volume of land area:



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A look at Minnesota's revamped wide receiver room for 2025

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A look at Minnesota's revamped wide receiver room for 2025


Entering this transfer portal, Minnesota’s wide receiver room was a major focus for P.J. Fleck and his coaching staff.

It shouldn’t be a surprise. Entering the offseason, the Gophers were set to say goodbye to both Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer. Behind them, the depth at the position was highly inexperienced outside of Le’Meke Brockington. The only other receiver to appear in more than 10 games this season was Cristian Driver who had a limited impact in 2024.

Now with the Gophers putting the finishing touches on their transfer portal class this window, three of the program’s top four commitments in the portal are wide receivers.

This month, the Gophers have landed wide receiver commitments out of the protal. Those additions come in the forms of; Nebraska’s Malachi Coleman (No. 90 overall transfer), Miami (OH)’s Javon Tracy (No. 97 overall transfer), and UCLA’s Logan Loya (No. 222 overall transfer).

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Combined, the three wide receivers bring 88 career games of experience with them and over 1,500 career snaps.



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NEXT Weather: 10 p.m. report for Minnesota on Dec. 25, 2024

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NEXT Weather: 10 p.m. report for Minnesota on Dec. 25, 2024


NEXT Weather: 10 p.m. report for Minnesota on Dec. 25, 2024 – CBS Minnesota

Watch CBS News


WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says rain will move in late Thursday and stick around into the weekend.

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MSU Alum Having Career Year for Minnesota Vikings

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MSU Alum Having Career Year for Minnesota Vikings


Former Michigan State wide receiver and current Minnesota Viking Jalen Nailor has been terrific in his third season in the pros. As the third wide receiver on the field alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, Nailor has improved his career numbers in his now third year in the league.

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of MSU, the Vikings landed a strong piece to an even stronger offense in the Vikings. Nailor’s efforts since joining the Vikings have provided the franchise comfort knowing he is out on the field.

In his first season, Nailor played in 15 games, recording nine receptions in 13 targets. He posted 179 receiving yards in his rookie campaign, averaging 19.9 yards per reception. Receiving seven first downs in Year 1, the Vikings looked to get Nailor more involved on the roster in Year 2.

Though the team wanted to get more out of Nailor, they were unable to due to Nailor’s lack of time on the field. In his second season, Nailor only played in six games. In the six games, Nailor totaled only three receptions that went for 29 receiving yards. Nailor received one first down on the season before he was inactive in Weeks 15, 16 and 17.

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In what would be a do-or-die season after a lackluster second-season campaign, Nailor made sure he reminded Viking fans why he belonged. Playing in 15 games for the Vikings this season, Nailor has dropped career highs in four different statistical categories. MSU fans should be proud of their former Spartan.

Nailor has 20 receptions, which is one of his new career highs, and he has totaled 280 yards, averaging 14 yards per reception. His best game on the season came against the Detroit Lions back in Week 7, where he recorded four receptions in five targets and got 76 receiving yards, averaging 19 yards per reception.

As the Vikings approach the postseason, Nailor should be a key piece to a deep playoff run if the Vikings make it as far. Minnesota, going into Week 17, has a record of 13-2 and should continue to be a force to take seriously for whoever it faces in the playoffs.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE



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