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Minnesota Hunting Incidents & Fatalities by Year
Reported firearm-related hunting incidents statewide, 1974–2025
Note: Data completeness varies by era. Years 1976–1986 may reflect partial reporting. Gaps in certain years (1978) indicate no data available.
| Year | Incidents | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 95 | 8 |
| 1975 | 102 | 14 |
| 1976 | 2 | 2 |
| 1977 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | 3 | 3 |
| 1981 | 8 | 8 |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983 | 5 | 5 |
| 1984 | 3 | 3 |
| 1985 | 2 | 2 |
| 1986 | 9 | 9 |
| 1987 | 27 | 4 |
| 1988 | 11 | 1 |
| 1989 | 77 | 9 |
| 1990 | 34 | 5 |
| 1991 | 14 | 4 |
| 1992 | 16 | 3 |
| 1993 | 21 | 5 |
| 1994 | 37 | 4 |
| 1995 | 33 | 3 |
| 1996 | 45 | 1 |
| 1997 | 34 | 1 |
| 1998 | 43 | 0 |
| 1999 | 42 | 3 |
| Year | Incidents | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27 | 4 |
| 2001 | 35 | 2 |
| 2002 | 20 | 2 |
| 2003 | 31 | 1 |
| 2004 | 16 | 0 |
| 2005 | 24 | 3 |
| 2006 | 23 | 4 |
| 2007 | 25 | 2 |
| 2008 | 25 | 2 |
| 2009 | 25 | 1 |
| 2010 | 26 | 2 |
| 2011 | 18 | 4 |
| 2012 | 18 | 1 |
| 2013 | 17 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | 11 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2020 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 | 13 | 1 |
| 2022 | 13 | 1 |
| 2023 | 11 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 |
Licensing and certifications
| Years | Certified Students | Licenses Sold |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1977 | 27,487 • 28,527 • 22,806 • 21,034 | 297,995 • 329,517 • 264,897 • 288,701 |
| 1979–1983 | 18,747 • 20,004 • 20,409 • 21,269 • 19,175 | 314,666 • 346,894 • 372,398 • 372,056 • 394,710 |
| 1984–1988 | 18,148 • 18,009 • 17,065 • 15,894 • 16,511 | 400,381 • 413,016 • 416,552 • 417,058 • 412,658 |
| 1989–1993 | 17,412 • 17,610 • 19,882 • 21,275 • 21,099 | 411,882 • 420,023 • 422,247 • 420,000 • 435,000 |
| 1994–1998 | 22,255 • 22,243 • 21,375 • 20,847 • 21,232 | 439,071 • 462,440 • 441,605 • 425,065 • 437,056 |
| 1999–2003 | 22,453 • 23,259 • 22,311 • 23,142 • 23,248 | 502,703 • 459,792 • 460,560 • 444,170 • 455,073 |
Incident statistics 2002 - 2025
Incident result
| Total incidents | 369 |
|---|---|
| Fatal | 335 |
| Non-fatal | 34 |
Incident cause
| Incident type | Number |
| Self-inflicted | 199 |
| Shot by other | 170 |
Type of firearm
| Firearm type | Number |
| Shotgun | 219 |
|---|---|
| Handgun | 32 |
| Large bore rifle | 27 |
| Small bore rifle | 22 |
| Centerfire rifle | 19 |
| Rimfire rifle | 10 |
| Lever action rifle | 1 |
| 308 caliber | 1 |
| Misc rifle | 10 |
| Muzzleloader | 10 |
| Air or gas gun | 1 |
| Crossbow | 1 |
| Other | 1 |
| Unspecified | 1 |
Age of victims
| Age of victim | Number |
| Under 18 | 73 |
| Over 18 | 260 |
| Unspecified | 34 |
Animals being hunted
| Animal being hunted | Number |
| Deer | 132 |
|---|---|
| Pheasant | 39 |
| Grouse | 38 |
| Waterfowl | 63 |
| Squirrel | 22 |
| Other | 22 |
| Raccoon | 12 |
| Coyote | 9 |
| Rabbit | 8 |
| Turkey | 7 |
| Gopher | 3 |
| Bear | 2 |
| Skunk | 2 |
| Squirrel/Rabbit | 3 |
| Other birds | 5 |
| Other small animals | 10 |
Location of incident
| Location of accident | Number |
| Wooded area | 74 |
| Open field | 35 |
| Marsh | 20 |
| Standing crops | 7 |
| Other | 26 |
| Unspecifie | 207 |
Age of parties involved
| Age group | Victims | Shooters | Shooter had FAS certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 10-19 | 90 | 100 | 31 |
| 20-29 | 62 | 50 | 17 |
| 30-39 | 53 | 43 | 12 |
| 40-49 | 57 | 50 | 17 |
| 50-59 | 51 | 36 | 16 |
| 60-69 | 32 | 29 | 10 |
| 70-79 | 14 | 16 | 5 |
| 80-89 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Unspecified | 2 | 34 | 76 |
Hunting incidents: 2002 - 2025
|
Date |
Sort date |
County |
Victim |
Casualty |
Shooter |
Firearm |
Action |
Distance |
Animal |
Clothing |
Cover |
Description |
|---|
|
Year |
All incidents |
All fatalities |
Certified students |
Licenses sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2023 |
11 |
0 |
25,835 |
826,983 |
|
2016 |
9 |
2 |
24475 |
866,364 |
|
2015 |
11 |
0 |
24343 |
870,930 |
|
2014 |
7 |
2 |
24540 |
855,400 |
|
2013 |
17 |
1 |
26389 |
886,904 |
|
2012 |
20 |
1 |
23229 |
935,337 |
|
2011 |
18 |
4 |
22005 |
852,525 |
|
2010 |
26 |
2 |
23142 |
864,002 |
|
2009 |
25 |
1 |
23608 |
836,549 |
|
2008 |
25 |
2 |
23657 |
842,382 |
|
2007 |
25 |
2 |
23601 |
702,929 |
|
2006 |
23 |
4 |
24380 |
702,381 |
|
2005 |
24 |
3 |
24033 |
475,508 |
|
2004 |
16 |
0 |
23495 |
456,844 |
|
2003 |
31 |
1 |
23248 |
455,073 |
|
2002 |
20 |
2 |
23142 |
444,170 |
|
2001 |
35 |
2 |
22311 |
460560 |
|
2000 |
27 |
4 |
23259 |
459792 |
|
1999 |
42 |
3 |
22453 |
502703 |
|
1998 |
43 |
0 |
21232 |
437056 |
|
1997 |
34 |
1 |
20847 |
425065 |
|
1996 |
45 |
1 |
21375 |
441605 |
|
1995 |
33 |
3 |
22243 |
462440 |
|
1994 |
37 |
4 |
22255 |
439071 |
|
1993 |
21 |
5 |
21099 |
435000 |
|
1992 |
16 |
3 |
21275 |
420000 |
|
1991 |
14 |
4 |
19882 |
422247 |
|
1990 |
34 |
5 |
17610 |
420023 |
|
1989 |
77 |
9 |
17412 |
411882 |
|
1988 |
11 |
1 |
16511 |
412658 |
|
1987 |
27 |
4 |
15894 |
417058 |
|
1986 |
9 |
9 |
17065 |
416552 |
|
1985 |
2 |
2 |
18009 |
413016 |
|
1984 |
3 |
3 |
18148 |
400381 |
|
1983 |
5 |
5 |
19175 |
394710 |
|
1982 |
1 |
1 |
21269 |
372056 |
|
1981 |
8 |
8 |
20409 |
372398 |
|
1980 |
3 |
3 |
20004 |
346894 |
|
1979 |
0 |
0 |
18747 |
314666 |
|
1977 |
0 |
0 |
21034 |
288701 |
|
1976 |
2 |
2 |
22806 |
264897 |
|
1975 |
102 |
14 |
28527 |
329517 |
|
1974 |
95 |
8 |
27487 |
297995 |
|
1973 |
94 |
14 |
295691 |
|
|
1972 |
119 |
9 |
258957 |
|
|
1971 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
1970 |
2 |
2 |
188500 |
|
|
1969 |
140 |
18 |
255059 |
|
|
1968 |
128 |
19 |
303658 |
|
|
1967 |
130 |
16 |
||
|
1966 |
100 |
11 |
||
|
1965 |
139 |
20 |
||
|
1964 |
149 |
10 |
19062 |
|
|
1963 |
3 |
3 |
||
|
1962 |
130 |
10 |
||
|
1961 |
29 |
29 |
||
|
1960 |
82 |
6 |
||
|
1959 |
17 |
3 |
||
|
1958 |
27 |
5 |
203430 |
|
|
1957 |
23 |
5 |
180028 |
|
|
1956 |
18 |
2 |
193855 |
|
|
1955 |
22 |
4 |
163406 |
|
|
1954 |
12 |
1 |
169066 |
|
|
1953 |
20 |
9 |
162806 |
|
|
1952 |
35 |
11 |
161485 |
|
|
1951 |
23 |
3 |
179524 |
|
|
1950 |
0 |
no season |
0 |
|
|
1949 |
20 |
4 |
141923 |
|
|
1948 |
28 |
4 |
174552 |
|
|
1947 |
32 |
8 |
157954 |