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Why such a low deer harvest 2022

Why after gun season were there only 117,000 deer registered? Liberal harvest regs with up to 3-6 deer in most areas. Not many deer are seen in a lot of areas. If that is the case why are so many permits issued? Does the DNR want a very low deer population? Low populations will result in low license sales. The weather was not the best but with 3-6 deer limits there should be more deer seen and harvested.

The wolves keep extending their range southward. It used to be we had a few now they are all over the place. Combined with winter kill the population is down. I was a little surprised when the DNR issued two management tags for our zone which is 240. I think it should have been dropped to one.

I am wondering if they want a very low state-wide population with CWD. 3-6 deer make no sense. Either or is just fine in higher populated areas.

3-6 deer, what areas are those outside of the metro??

I did my part and took a buck in October instead of during the rut.

Party hunting, rifle rut hunt, 3-6 tags, wolves, does anyone think the population will be high with that set of criteria?

I think the DNR is succeeding in trying to bring numbers down in the CWD areas, at least in 648, I hunt opening weekend of firearms there with my brother's family and 2 years ago the 5 of us saw 0 deer. Last year we saw 5 and this year we saw 4 so the numbers don't seem to be there and this year it rained hard all day Saturday. In my local area 643 the numbers seem to be good but this year hunter numbers were down. Seems landowners aren't letting people (groups driving) in as much which personally I don't mind.

First they over estimate the deer population, then they put on early antlerless seasons, underestimate severe winter effects, and keep the pressure on. I hunt 214 a lot and their population estimate PRE FAWN was 55 dpsm, up from the previous year. No way in heck! I don't know what the heck inputs they put into that model, but it is way off. I don't know why they don't say that they've had success reducing the population through their liberal management strategies. Hopefully they back off a bit now that the harvest is significantly down. But I doubt they will.

I am usually hunting north of Hwy 1 and notice a down trend of deer sighting/movement. I have been physically limited in the woods this season but the rubs and scapes were few and far between on the trails. The wolf sightings have been more than usual but I know several people there that are having cougar appearance, 1 was following his son to the stand early morning which he fired his rifle off to scare it away and another had 1 adult and a young cougar on his door steps (he is a retired NFWL). Even just south of Red Wing a lady I know has a picture of one going down her steps to the River, she stopped her early morning walks.. What I am suggesting that predators are putting more pressure on the deer population. My son did rattle up a nice 8pt in the gale winds but first time several of us ate the either sex tag during the gun hunt. The wind was bad it back Red Lake about 3.5 ft up the Tamarak River in Washkish, heard about it before but first time witnessing it. More wolves less deer is the problem and need to be resolved.

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