Here’s What You Need To Know About Minnesota’s Youth Deer Hunt

Fall is in the air which means growing anticipation and excitement for Minnesota deer hunters as the firearm season approaches.

Firearm deer hunting season within the state begins on Saturday, November 9, but Minnesota's youth once again has the opportunity to get out well before then.

The Minnesota youth firearms deer season happens statewide from Thursday, October 17, through Sunday, October. 20. There is no limit on participant numbers and no special permit is needed, so parents should purchase or obtain a regular deer hunting license for the youth who will be hunting.

There are things to keep in mind regarding participation, hunting requirements, and bag limit/bonus tags.

What You Need To Know About Minnesota's Youth Deer Hunt

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wants all youth firearms season participants to know the following rules and regulations that are in place for the weekend:

Participation

• Youth ages 10 to 17 may participate.
• Youth ages 10 to 13 must be accompanied by an adult parent/guardian/mentor 18 or older. The adult does not need to be licensed.
• The accompanying adult cannot hunt in most areas and party hunting is not allowed (youth must tag their own deer).
• Adults may hunt in areas where the early antlerless season is open with the correct license.
• Participation does not affect eligibility for the regular deer season. However, any deer harvested during the youth season count toward the youth’s annual statewide bag limit.

Requirements

• Participating youth must possess a valid firearm deer license.
• Youth ages 10, 11, and 12 must possess a free license.
• Youth aged 12 and older must also have a firearms safety certificate or apprentice hunter validation.
• An early antlerless deer license is not required for youth to participate in the youth deer season.
• Blaze orange/pink requirements apply to all hunters, trappers, and adult mentors during this season.
• Youths possessing a firearms license may use a crossbow. Youth hunting under an archery license may also use a crossbow during the entire archery season as well as the four-day youth deer season.

Bag Limit/Bonus Tags

• The youth season is open statewide.
• The bag limit is one deer of either sex.
• If the youth is hunting in an early antlerless area, he or she may take up to three antlerless deer with the correct licenses.
• Youth may not take antlerless deer in permit areas designated bucks-only.
• Legal bucks must be tagged with the youth’s firearm license. Bonus tags are not valid for legal bucks. Party hunting is not allowed.
• Deer permit area designations for the youth season are the same as the firearms season. A permit area designated for either sex during the firearm season is also either sex during the youth deer season.
• Youth may use a bonus tag rather than their youth firearm license tag for antlerless deer in permit areas designated two-deer limit or three-deer limit, or where the early antlerless season is open.
• In disease management areas (600-series with the exceptions of DPAs 679 and 684) youth may use a disease management permit in place of a bonus permit to tag antlerless deer.
• Youth must use their youth firearm license tag if they take an antlerless deer in a permit area designated antlerless permit lottery or either sex. Bonus tags are not valid in these areas.
• Crossbows are allowed.
• The Whitewater State Game Refuge in Winona County and the surrounding DPA 644 is open only to youth participating in the Youth Deer Season. It is not open to early-antlerless season hunters.
• Itasca State Park (Deer Permit Area 287) is closed during the Youth Deer Season.

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Good luck to everyone heading out for the special hunt! Remember, we'd love to see pictures of your weekend, which you can upload to us through our mobile app!

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