Minnesota hunters are expected to harvest more than 250,000 deer in 2007, according to preliminary estimates from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The projected 2007 harvest is below the 2003 record harvest of 290,000, but still among the top five harvests in Minnesota.

To date, a total of 234,000 deer have been registered electronically. The last firearm season closed Nov. 25, but the muzzleloader season is open until Dec. 9 and archery hunting continues until Dec. 31. Final results of the deer harvest will be available in mid-January.

"All things considered, the deer season went well," said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game program coordinator. "There will be some slight reductions in archery harvest, most likely due to a lot of rain this fall. Also, muzzleloader hunters will be less successful in lottery deer areas because of the change in how antlerless permits were allocated."

Overall, Minnesota's deer harvest is down 4 percent from 2006, but that year's deer harvest was the second highest ever recorded in Minnesota.

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First Minnesota Deer Hunt
It was 5:45 and my dad and I were on the way to our stand when I noticed that there were tracks leading into our stand. Finally, get to stand. Right around 6:15 I heard some brush moving to the left of me. About 15 minutes later I saw some horns moving and they weren't stopping. I grab my gun and line it up between two pine trees. As soon he got bewteen those two trees I lined the cross hairs on his shoulder and pulled the trigger.