Here’s Why I Didn’t Get A Minnesota Deer Hunting License

Deer hunting in Minnesota is a tradition of many families and friends and has been for years.  For some people, it's the only time of the year they see certain people as they might live far away and make the trek to the deer shack just for a week or two.

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For me, deer season has never been about getting a deer, as much as it's about hanging with my dad and siblings.  Having a few drinks, giving each other crap, watching movies like Con Air for the 150th time, that's what it's about.

I for the second year in a row didn't get a hunting license.  The first reason is the lack of deer in my area mentioned above.  The second is the price of my license.  I live in Wisconsin, just over the bridge from Minnesota and because of that my out-of-state license is around $187.  That to me is pretty ridiculous to pay to sit in a stand, be cold, and not see any deer.

I just can't justify it with the license price, slim chance of shooting anything, and if I do, paying to have it cut up and processed.  At that rate, I'd be in for around $500 to put a deer in the freezer and that would buy a hell of a lot of beef.

One of our other staffers at the station is on the same page having seen the decline of deer in Northern Minnesota as well.  I'll certainly jump back to hunting in Minnesota when the deer population comes back or they drop the price of an out-of-state license, but until then I'll just hang out and play camp cook and loudmouth drinking bourbon.