 The Minnesota DNR says deer numbers are continuing to rebound all across the state this year. Officials say the deer populations are now at or above goal levels for many areas. It's too early to know exact numbers of how many deer were harvested over the opening weekend. The mild fall weather made it a challenge for some hunters while others had a successful opening weekend. It's a little different from last year. I think that the rut is just a little bit behind where last year was at the opener because it was a little colder at the opener last year, but I have heard a lot of reports of really nice bucks being shot. I know of several nines and 10-point bucks that were shot over the weekend, some really nice big ones. Hunters in three different parts of the state, north, central, central and southeastern Minnesota are required to bring their deer into a sampling station to check for chronic wasting disease. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.