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Minnesota DNR partnering with farmers to address deer depredation

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working with farmers to address deer depredation across the state.

Assistant commissioner Bob Meyer says crop and livestock producers often face rising deer populations.

“And unfortunately they tend to like soybeans and corn and other things, sometimes more than others. So how do we make sure that producers can protect their fields, those deer are being used adequately, and the animals are being used as a great food source?”

Speaking to Brownfield last week at Farmfest in southwest Minnesota, he said area wildlife managers can assist in developing a farm management program.

“We can get you tags and things like that. But also trying to figure out what are the new ways to do this? How do we connect people who want to shoot deer with landowners that have too many deer and want to get rid of them on their fields? And how do we make sure that those deer go to food sources that people want protein, it’s a great source of protein.”

Meyer says ag producers can also use deer mitigation tools like hazing, air cannons, or lights.