Minnesota Deer Harvest Down in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Hunters have taken fewer deer during the opening weekend of Minnesota's firearms deer season, compared with last year.

The state Department of Natural Resources says hunters registered 54,000 deer during the first three days of the firearms season. The number of deer registered dropped 30,000 from the opening weekend of 2013.

So far this year, including special hunts and the archery season, Minnesota hunters have harvested 67,000 deer, down from 100,000 at this time in the 2013 hunt.

The DNR is expecting the lowest deer harvest in decades as wildlife managers seek to rebuild the herd. They're limiting the take of does, in particular, to improve deer numbers in the future.

Minnesota's wolf hunting season also opened Saturday. So far hunters have taken 73 wolves during the early season.