 This year's deer hunting season proved to be a very successful one around the state for Minnesota hunters. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota hunters registered 161,057 deer through the third weekend of the deer season. That is a 16% increase over the 2016 deer season. Of the deer harvested, 53% were bucks compared to 63% during the same time last year. Southeastern Minnesota was the only zone in the state that saw a decrease in deer harvest. Overall, the Minnesota DNR credits this year's success to ideal hunting conditions. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.