hi all,
Forty years ago was one of the most memorable deer seasons in Minnesota history.
There wasn't one.
The season was closed in 1971 after two consecutive severe winters -- and an overharvest of antlerless deer by hunters -- decimated the state's deer herd.
About 300,000 deer hunters stayed home, an economic blow to countless towns and a stunning interruption to a treasured fall tradition.
But the drastic measure also sparked a re-evaluation of deer management, and led to the management system used today that restricts the taking of does.
Before that, Minnesota hunters followed a simple rule: "If it's brown, it's down," said Mark Lenarz, Department of Natural Resources wildlife scientist.
"We didn't have any antlerless permits," he said. "Hunters could shoot either sex deer."
That led to an overharvest of deer, especially females, and when severe winters came in 1969 and 1970, the population plummeted.
"It was almost a wasteland," said Rod Dimich, 63, of Grand Rapids. "There weren't any deer. You were lucky to see a deer or two in nine days of hunting. I would say we lost 40 percent of our deer."
Hunters realized the deer population was reeling, and they mostly supported the closure, said Al Berner, who then was DNR head of wildlife research at Madelia, Minn.
Edited by user Wednesday, November 02, 2011 9:12:13 PM(UTC)
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