MN Deer Hunting Licenses

[wannafish2]

so I can shoot a deer in a Management area or Bonus area with my archery tag, then shoot a buck with my rifle in Lottery area? That way I can get 2 deer?

[lcornice]

so I can shoot a deer in a Management area or Bonus area with my archery tag, then shoot a buck with my rifle in Lottery area? That way I can get 2 deer?

That you can do.

[vitalshot5]

Crawler Harness you are absolutely correct, I talked to my local conservation about this last week. He told me since I took my doe with a bow in a lottery area that my deer season is done, I cannot fill another tag, bow-rifle-or muzzleloader. On the flipside I asked him if I could still party hunt and he said as long as I have a legal license for the season me and my party are hunting, I can still party hunt, I just am not able to tag the deer myself.

[bikeoutback]

vitalshot - As far as I understood it and in my talkings with the DNR over the phone your season is not technically done. Your season is done in ALL Lottery zones. You can should still be able to purchase a bonus tag and hunt in Management zones or intensive harvest zones for anterless deer without having to be in a party. This is how I understood it. It's just a matter of hunting different zones. Also remember deer you take in lower quantity zones count in your total for a higher quantity zone = Take 1 in a lottery zone means you can only take 1 more from a managed zone, not 2 more from a managed zone. I understand it best from this example:

Take 1 deer from my lottery zone - total bagged = 1 (buck only unless got an antlerless permit in the lottery then it's an either sex tag)

Get 1 bonus tag - take 1 antlerless deer from managed deer area - total bagged = 2

Get 3 more bonus tags - take 3 more antlerless deer from intensive harvest zone - total bagged = 5

This would be completely legal and make you either a much better hunter than I am or much more dedicated, I'm hoping to just get my 1 in my lottery zone The info I used is on page 62 of the regulations manual and from my call to the DNR to clarify as I hunt both lottery and managed zones.

Also last thing the numbers are for all seasons (archery, rifle muzzle loader). No matter your tool of choice you get those totals for all combined seasons you hunt.

[Jameson]

...Also remember deer you take in lower quantity zones count in your total for a higher quantity zone = Take 1 in a lottery zone means you can only take 1 more from a managed zone, not 2 more from a managed zone....

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The one from lottery counts toward your state wide limit of 5, but does not count against your managed limit of 2.

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubb...t_s#Post2365093 Everyone, please look at this for the limits.

[bikeoutback]

I'm not sure I deserved capital letters and 31 exclamation points

From the other thread it appears I'm wrong and I believe you are correct, however if you read the regulations per usual it's worded to be confusing.

The regulations only refer to bag limits being 1 for lottery, 2 for intensive and 5 for managed. It makes it a bit confusing as you can hunt all 3 types of zones and max out at the intensive harvest max of 5 but somehow hunt lottery and managed and get 3?

Here is how I logically thought it out was simply in purchasing tags. I bought a lottery tag and if I shoot 1 deer I have to use my main tag. I can then buy a bonus tag but can't use it in my lottery zone. Logically I figured if I can only use 1 bonus tag for a managed area (this is where I think I'm wrong) as 2 deer would be my normal tag and 1 bonus tag but I'll have already used my main tag and so on to intensive harvest... again this was my thinking and logic and it's probably incorrect.

Just doesn't make sense how the bag limit for lottery is 1, bag limit for managed is 2 and bag limit for intensive is 5. Lottery and managed are similar to fishing's possession limit but managed is not and that's where I get confused I think, I related to fishing possession limits and thus though once I "possess" 2 deer I can no longer hunt a managed zone.

I'll call my CO once I shoot the first one to clarify

[Jameson]

I'm not sure I deserved capital letters and 31 exclamation points ...

You deserved much, much worse. Be thankful for a strict forum policy.

(sarcasm)

[vitalshot5]

I asked about that too and was told since my bow tag was used to take a doe, I cannot use a management tag, You must use a management doe tag BEFORE your primary license or you forfeit any management tags, My CO says I CANNOT take a management deer since my primary tag is already used.

[96trigger]

Quote:

I asked about that too and was told since my bow tag was used to take a doe, I cannot use a management tag, You must use a management doe tag BEFORE your primary license or you forfeit any management tags, My CO says I CANNOT take a management deer since my primary tag is already used.

WHAT??????

You need to call the DNR, that is not right... It sounds like the CO thinks he is in an earn-a-buck zone. I have never heard that before. The only thing you should be done doing is taking a deer in lottery areas, and because you used your either-sex archery tag, you can no longer shoot a buck with your BOW. Aside from that, I think you are still just fine to continue hunting with your bow in managed and intensive areas. What good are bonus tags if you can't use them? Lou, are you getting any of this? I have never read anything in the regs about this.

[TruthWalleyes]

As i understand it, you cannot tag a buck with a bonus tag...if you plan on shooting any does, have a bonus tag ready so you can keep your main tag for bucks.

[96trigger]

He is done shooting bucks with his bow, that is true, but he should not be done bow hunting for the year. Only for bucks, and only in lottery areas.

[vitalshot5]

I am done due to the fact I used my main tag already, you cannot fill your main tag than go get management permits, the management permits must be used first or your done. That includes my firearms and Muzzleloader license.

[Jameson]

...you cannot fill your main tag than go get management permits, the management permits must be used first or your done....

WRONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(this is getting fun )

Please e-mail the dnr info office with your specific question and copy and paste the question and answer you get here. Sometimes things get confused when talking. Writing is usually more clear.

[email protected]

edit: page 62 of the 2010 regs state "Regular license and antlerless tags may be used in any order."

[96trigger]

Vitalshot, I do not believe you are done. You need to contact the DNR directly, email them, you should get a response in a day, that way, you will also have their response in writing if you talk to the CO again.

I am more concerned that CO told you that you were done. Obviously, this CO either doesn't understand the regs, didn't understand the question, or you didn't understand the answer clearly. Either way, there is a miscommunication or misunderstanding somewhere.

[Bear55]

I have to agree with the others here, either you or the CO are confused. It doesn't make much sense to have a 5 deer limit but if you fill a certain tag you are done. Call the DNR.

[bikeoutback]

I asked:

Can I use my main tag first and if I were to harvest my 1 deer then able to purchase a bonus tag to use on an antlerless after that as long as I am hunting a managed or intensive harvest zone after taking the first deer? Some are saying must purchase bonus tags up front and first and use them before using your main tag.

I also asked about bag limits and zones so I had it in writing from a CO for my own use, thus the answer also has added information about bag limits and zones.

Here is the reply from the CO (in less than 1 hour to respond I might add):

You can use your main tag first, there is no order to filling the main tag or bonus tag. In lottery areas, it is buck only unless drawn for a doe permit. So in your lottery area, you will have to take a buck. Then you are done taking deer in the one deer lottery area. In managed areas, you can take either sex with your main license and one additional antlerless deer with a bonus permit. If you don’t fill your main tag in a lottery area, you can take 2 deer total in managed areas. 2 antlerless or 1 of either sex. If you take a buck in the lottery area, you can take 2 antlerless deer in the managed area if you purchase 2 bonus permits. Intensive areas are 5 deer areas, so depending on how many deer you’ve taken in lottery and managed areas, the rest up to 5 can come from the intensive area.

In your case, since you do not have a doe permit for the lottery area, you will need to take a buck in the lottery area, and if you do, you can purchase 2 bonus permits to fill in the 2 deer managed area, then take 2 more in the intensive area if you purchase 2 more bonus permits for the total of 5 deer. If you don’t take you buck in the lottery area, then you can fill your main tag in the managed or intensive area on an either sex deer, the remaining deer with bonus tags on antlerless deer. One buck per person per year. Hope this helps.

[96trigger]

Yep, that is what we have been saying...

[bikeoutback]

Yes but now I have it in writing if a CO somehow tries to tell me that after I use my main tag I can't use bonus tags

[96trigger]

yeah, there was breakdown in communication with that CO, not sure where it was, but somebody had their wires crossed. Even the regs say it doesn't matter what order you use your management or regular tag. At least now everybody knows, and knowing is half the battle.

[lcornice]

yeah, there was breakdown in communication with that CO, not sure where it was, but somebody had their wires crossed. Even the regs say it doesn't matter what order you use your management or regular tag. At least now everybody knows, and knowing is half the battle.

Can I be the final answer? I've always wanted to say that .. Trigger, Jameson, and Bear are correct. Also, the CO gave a perfect answer and if he/she are reading this, thanks! Thanks also to you guys who clarify some of the information that's out there.

I'll say again that I get the fact that it can be confusing if you hunt different areas and different seasons. However, that's the tradeoff to getting to hunt different areas and different seasons.

[Meat-Run]

Icornice,

It sure is nice that you check on this site and keep up with all 10,000 questions we have, thanks.

mr

[lcornice]

Icornice,

It sure is nice that you check on this site and keep up with all 10,000 questions we have, thanks.

mr

No problem. I've always I value the high standard this board places on information exchange and the high quality of the members. But, it's really 2,500 combinations of the same 4 questions

[96trigger]

I think some of us on here have a pretty good understanding of what the regs say, so those of us that do, will continue to try and help answer the 2500 different combinationis, of the same 4 questions. Thanks again Lou.

I give credit to all the people that come on here and ask questions.

[Meat-Run]

Ok, so i haven't read through this whole post and I'm sure somebody has brought the question up but I tried for the first time and purchased my rifle and bonus license online. Now I have a print out or reciept but how do I physically "tag" my deer if I don't get my real license in the mail by Friday?

thanks,

mr

[Jameson]

never heard that question before. My guess, and just a guess, is that you can't hunt until you have your license in your possession.

[Meat-Run]

TTT

[Heartman]

How can you tag a deer if you do not have the tag? Even I can figure that one out, and i ain't smart.

[Jameson]

Meat-run maybe you could go to a licensing agent and pay for a duplicate license.

[96trigger]

I think you better cross your fingers and hope you get it. Its not like a small game license or waterfowl license where the piece of paper is good for like 45 days. If it doesn't show up by Friday, I think you could probably go to any ESL and have them print a duplicate, but they will charge you for it. I don't think your reciept/online license will count at all as a license. Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear. You might want to contact the DNR directly about this one.

[TruthWalleyes]

I was going to buy my license online last week, and i wasn't going to risk my tag not showing up in time.

Good Luck,

I would say buy a duplicate the day prior to hunting season if it hasn't showed up yet....don't wait till the season is open, and even a duplicate may require you to wait a day to use it.