Minnesota deer hunting: Fewer deer harvested in first 9 days MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota's hunters have harvested fewer deer during the first nine days of the firearms deer season than last year, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The DNR says hunters have taken more than 106,000 deer statewide since the firearms deer season began earlier this month. That's a 5% drop from last year. Northeastern Minnesota saw the sharpest decline, with nearly 17% fewer deer harvested compared to this time last year.