Deer & deer management surveys

The Section of Wildlife in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the Minnesota Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Minnesota, conducted a study of southeast Minnesota landowners’ attitudes toward chronic wasting disease (CWD) and CWD management. Landowners were surveyed to determine their preferences for CWD management alternatives, perceived risks from CWD, and preferences for deer population management in general, among other related topics.

DNR, in cooperation with the Minnesota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Minnesota, surveyed deer hunters in southeast Minnesota to assess hunters’ values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors associated with deer hunting, chronic wasting disease (CWD) and chronic wasting disease management. 

Hunters were asked about: the acceptability of current and potential management actions and programs that have been proposed to address the threat of CWD in the region; their support of financial and non-financial incentives to maintain participation and improve hunting access in the CWD management zone; and their perceived risks from CWD.
View: Summary | Report

DNR surveyed deer hunters in five regions in Minnesota to assess hunter attitudes toward deer populations and management. Survey questions involved information on: participation and activities; deer population perceptions and preferences; satisfaction; attitudes about deer management; regulatory preferences; relationship with DNR; and involvement in agency decision making.

DNR surveyed southwest Minnesota deer hunters and individuals who owned 160 or more acres to assess hunter attitudes toward deer and deer management, hunt satisfaction and support for deer management regulations. For landowners, DNR evaluated perspectives on crop damage; deer hunting and deer management; and land use patterns. Both studies were similar to the southeast surveys.

DNR surveyed southeastern Minnesota individuals who owned 40 or more acres to evaluate perspectives on crop damage; deer hunting and deer management; and land use patterns.

DNR surveyed southeast 3A and 3B deer hunters and landowners to evaluate the support for the southeast antler point restrictions, attitudes towards deer and deer management, hunt satisfaction and support for deer management regulations.
View: Hunter Report | Hunter Survey | Landowner Report | Landowner Survey

Surveys were sent to southeastern and central Minnesota hunters to assess many of the same questions as the survey work conducted in 2005. Ultimately, DNR decided to pursue antler point restrictions in the southeast only.
View: Report | Central Survey | 3A Survey

Mail surveys were conducted to provide baseline information on deer hunter demographics, attitudes and motivations regarding deer hunting, preference for regulation changes, and measure hunter satisfaction. Surveys were sent to hunters participating in early antlerless seasons, antler point restrictions and earn-a-buck hunts on state parks, and a control group of hunters for comparison purposes. The purpose of the project was to identify the hunter-preferred regulatory attributes that had the potential to increase antlerless deer harvest in Minnesota. The secondary objective was to increase the proportion of mature bucks in the population. This work ultimately laid the foundation for the antler point restrictions in southeastern Minnesota.
View: 2005 ADM Summary | 2005 ADM Report | 2005 ADM Survey | 2005 Park Report | 2005 Control Group Survey | 2005 Park APR Survey | 2005 Itasca APR Survey | 2005 EAB Survey | 2006 ADM Report | 2009 Article

With the increases in deer populations across the state in the early 2000s and the interest from some hunters to use regulations that would lead to more mature bucks, DNR began a multi-year effort to examine the feasibility of implementing regulations that would manage populations, increase the proportion of mature bucks and also have broad public support. The concept was first scoped in 2004 in northwest Minnesota in a phone survey that looked at hunter acceptance of different management options to decrease harvest pressure on antlered deer. Specifically, hunters were asked if they were willing to modify their traditional hunting behavior to relieve some harvest pressure on antlered deer and shift harvest pressure to antlerless deer.
View: Report | Survey

Deer hunters were surveyed to assess the opinions and attitudes of resident hunting license holders toward issues pertaining to deer management in Minnesota. It was a telephone survey that addressed a multitude of deer hunting issues.
View: Report | Survey

A mail survey was conducted to get a better understanding of where and when multi-zone buck license buyers were hunting, and whether they were successful. Although this license was discontinued in 2008, the report has information on hunting effort and success.