Gov. Walz celebrates the start of deer hunting season in Lanesboro
MINNESOTA — Our beautiful weather likely had deer hunters shedding some layers on this opening weekend.
The governor's deer hunting opener was held in Lanesboro Saturday morning.
Gov. Tim Walz donned the blaze orange, joined by local hunting and conservation groups.
Walz is one of more than 400,000 hunters looking to harvest a deer during this firearm season in Minnesota. Even though the DNR says deer numbers are down after back-to-back harsh winters, the Governor says the state benefits in many ways from the tradition.
READ MORE: Fewer hunters, healthy deer posing challenges ahead of deer hunting opener
"Well it matters a lot because of conservation, preservation of the land, and traditions like hunting. But it's really encouraging to me to see the economic impact of this," said Walz. "It's exciting to see businesses full on a Friday night in downtown Lanesboro, spending money in the community. Just really what we want to see."
The hunting season runs until the 12th for most of the state. The firearm deer hunting season in Wisconsin starts two weeks from Saturday.
READ MORE: DNR urges caution during deer hunting opener
Hunters in these parts of northern and southeastern Minnesota are required to test for Chronic Wasting Disease.
CWD has been found in wild deer in parts of Minnesota.
Testing is mandatory during opening weekend. You can do that on your own or through an approved taxidermist or processor. The zones in gray also require testing, but CWD has not been found in wild deer in those areas.
You can find more information on CWD testing here.
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