For more than four decades, the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association has played a major role in shaping Minnesota’s outdoor heritage. While MDHA is best known for its advocacy on behalf of deer hunters and wildlife habitat, our organization’s influence extends far beyond the woods each fall. Through conservation projects, habitat restoration, outdoor education, fundraising events, and support for hunting participation, MDHA contributes significantly to Minnesota’s economy and quality of life.
Like many of us raised in Minnesota, I started hunting as a pre-teen (at the age of eleven) and have been at it ever since. Some highlights include my first ruffed grouse (1978) and first deer (1981). Years later, my first contribution to Whitetales, a story (“Whitetail Deer Evolution”) in the Spring 1995 issue. During the subsequent thirty-plus years I’ve been privileged to write/contribute an additional 42 Whitetales stories.
Spurred on by a combination of factors, including the growing interest in long-range shooting, availability of high ballistic coefficient bullets, new powders, rifles with fast-twist barrels, and the popularity of AR-15 style rifles, there has been a surge in the development of small-caliber cartridges over the last 20 years.
No rest for the wicked, or so the saying goes. We’ll quickly be staring down summer weather with all it’s drudgery, including ticks and mosquitoes, but there’s plenty of work to be done before then. Here’s how to triage spring chores that should be done now.
My grandma was a bona fide hoarder. Back when I was a kid, I was afraid to bring my friends to her house. There was stuff stacked floor to ceiling with just a deer trail leading between the rooms.
I love deer hunting. I love the preparation. I love the hunt. I love the camp. But, why let it end there? If you drop your deer off at the processor, then your hunt is truly over. In a future issue I will write an article on cutting up your deer, but for now, suffice it to say making your own sausage will extend your hunting experience. Not only that, you will save money and enjoy good eating for the rest of the year!
When winter settles in across Minnesota, sometimes early, sometimes late, other times in the middle, temperatures will vary from moderate to bitter lows throughout much of the state. For sure, the days will become shorter until the winter solstice on December 21 or 22, and more often than not, our lands and lakes will lay quiet under a blanket of snow of varying depths. In these often brutal conditions, survival is a constant challenge for white-tailed deer. Yet, they have proven to be remarkably tough.
If there’s one thing Minnesota deer hunters never run short of, it’s stories. Around the campfire, in the truck, or back at the cabin after dark, stories are how we share the moments that make hunting more than just a pastime. They are part of our tradition.
The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) has stood for decades as a powerful voice for deer hunters and wildlife conservation across the state. From habitat restoration to youth mentorship programs, from hunter education to legislative advocacy, MDHA’s mission is rooted in ensuring that future generations can enjoy the same traditions that define Minnesota’s outdoor heritage.
The last day of deer season has a certain temperature about it. Robust laughter bursting across a card table of happy flannel-clad hunters with their bucks hanging outside on a meatpole creates a warm feeling. By contrast, standing alone in a barren, snowy woods, clinging to the slim hope that your buck will appear in the waning seconds of the season creates a cold, lonely feeling.
Every January, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) chapters across the state gather for our annual Regional Meetings—an event that is far more than a simple organizational ritual. These meetings serve as the backbone of MDHA’s grassroots strength, shaping policy priorities, influencing conservation strategies, and connecting hunters who share a deep commitment to Minnesota’s deer herd and the future of hunting. As the 2026 legislative session approaches, member participation has never been more important.
I distinctly remember the weather that day. It was a lackluster December day, slightly overcast, with temps at least five degrees above normal. Sure, there was snow on the ground, but nothing about the conditions gave me butterflies about my odds of killing a good buck. If anything, I was hoping to see a few does, as I didn’t have any good bucks left on camera. I talk all the time about poor attitudes being hunt killers, but I’m not always great at practicing what I preach.
Minnesota Deer Hunters Association
460 Peterson Rd
Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744
