Despite nice weather, deer harvest way down

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources likes to point out that 50% of the firearms deer season happens in the first three days.
If that holds true this year, look for a drop of over 20% for the season.
Deer numbers are way down despite weather that was perfect for sitting in deer stands.
Hunters in the Ely area reported seeing few bucks and more wolves.
Statewide the harvest is down 16% and for permit area 118, the first four days of the hunt is down around 28% from last year.
“Two factors contributed to the poor opening weekend harvest,” said Tom Rusch, the DNR wildlife manager in Tower.
“Unseasonably warm temperatures reaching into the low 70s negatively impacted daytime deer activity and harvest on both Saturday and Sunday. And A low deer population and low numbers of antlerless deer permits resulting in a ‘bucks only’ season for the majority of hunters,” said Rusch.
Through the first four days of the season in 118 there were 245 deer registered, down from 331 in 2019.