Thanks to generous Chapter sponsors, community supporters, dedicated volunteers, and an incredible donation of six Mossberg Patriot rifles, preparations are well underway for this fall's MDHA & Roger Up Veteran Hunts.

Every fall, whitetail bucks go through one of the most dramatic changes in the deer woods—shedding the velvet from their antlers. It can be a bloody-looking process, but just how much blood does a buck actually lose? And does shedding velvet make him more vulnerable to predators?

President Trump's September 4 executive order has once again put federal gray wolf delisting—and the possibility of regulated wolf hunting and trapping in Minnesota—squarely into the conversation. But federal delisting would only be the first step. If and when management authority returns to Minnesota, the next decision will happen here at home, and MDHA intends to be there advocating for Minnesota's hunters.

For many Minnesota deer hunters, one of the biggest challenges isn't finding deer — it's finding a place to hunt them.

That challenge is especially noticeable in parts of western, central and southern Minnesota, where much of the landscape is privately owned. These areas can provide excellent deer habitat, but hunters without family land or an existing relationship with a landowner can have a difficult time finding access.

For years, Minnesota’s Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program has been one of the most effective ways for local conservation organizations to turn good ideas, volunteer effort and local partnerships into real habitat improvements on the ground.

We have been following our doe, born last spring in Minnesota’s prime deer habitat, the transition zone, where she grew rapidly through the summer and fall. She experienced her first estrus cycle in early winter and attracted an adult buck. When we left her, she rejoined her maternal family group to shelter in place for the winter after being bred. She entered winter in good condition with ample fat reserves and due to the fairly mild snowpack and temperatures, she is still doing well and is now nearing time to give birth. 

If your trail cameras have been busy this summer, you're not alone. Across Minnesota, hunters are starting to see mature bucks on their feet in bachelor groups, giving us an early glimpse of what the 2026 deer season could have in store.

In a boost for local youth outdoor education, Cuyuna Range Whitetails, established in 2001, recently partnered with the CRES Firearm Safety program to enhance accessibility for student trapshooters and hunters going through the Firearm Safety program.

If you've ever watched the sun come up from a deer stand, shared stories around deer camp, or helped a young hunter tag their first buck, you know deer hunting is about much more than filling a tag.