• The Minnesota DNR sets rules for deer hunting.Deer image by Pinhole from Fotolia.com
  
  Minnesota is a heavily forested state with many hunting opportunities. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has developed rules for deer hunting meant to control the deer population, stop the spread of disease and protect the long term survival of deer. Limits on number of deer vary by area, population, disease and age and disability of the hunter.
  
  

License Rules

• Licenses are limited to certain hunting equipment.Men bow shooting. Amateur competition in the sanatorium image by Igor Zhorov from Fotolia.com
  
  Deer hunters must possess a deer hunting license based on the type of weapon they're using and the season in which they're hunting. Different sections of the state are open to hunting at various times based on wildlife management needs. Hunter licenses cover firearms, muzzleloader and archery hunting. Crossbows are allowed during archery season for disabled hunters. Licenses may be purchased prior to or during the hunting season. If a license is bought during a season it only becomes valid two days after it is issued.
  
  

Anterless Hunting

• Hunting of anterless deer is limited to preserve populations.deer image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com
  
  The DNR limits hunting of anterless deer, which are female deer and deer with antlers less than three inches. Youth-only restricted areas are limited to hunters 12-17 and awarded on a lottery basis. Lottery deer areas allow any hunter to take one anterless deer with permit, which is awarded on a lottery basis.
  
  

Bag Limits

• Bag limits are enforced to keep a healthy deer population. Certain areas are designated to allow higher bag limits when population and disease control is a priority. Hunters can tag one buck per year per license. Hunters can buy all three licenses–firearm, muzzleloader, and archery– but may be limited to one buck in youth-only or lottery deer areas. In intensive deer areas hunters may bag up to five deer with a full combination of licenses and bonus permits. In early anterless areas hunters may bag up to two additional deer above the state limit of five. Landowner permits allow one additional deer a year over the five deer limit, if hunting on one's own land. In Metro deer managements areas there is no limit to the number of anterless deer that may be taken. In special bovine-TB areas there is no limit to the number of deer that can be taken, but deer must be specially registered.
  
  

Restricted Hunting Methods

• Permanent tree stands and blinds have height limits.pulpit image by martini from Fotolia.com
  
  Certain hunting methods are banned by the state. Baiting deer with food is illegal in the state and participants or people who knowingly hunt in baited areas may be charged with a crime. Areas are considered baited for up to ten days after removal of food. The use of scent or salts is not considered baiting. Constructed tree stands and deer blinds cannot be over sixteen feet in the air. The restriction does not apply to portable tree stands secured with rope or chains.