Walz announces 2024 Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener to be held in Sandstone, Friday

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KTTC) – Deer Hunting Season begins very soon, and the Governor is planning to celebrate it again this year.

The 2024 Governor's Deer Hunting Opener will take place in east-central Minnesota at the Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center in Sandstone, on Friday and Saturday.

"The season opener is a treasured event that brings communities together and connects us with the outdoors. I am grateful to the Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center in Sandstone for hosting this year's deer hunting opener. Their exceptional natural resources and world-class educational facilities will make for a great opening weekend."

This year's celebration is organized by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Explore Minnesota, in partnership with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Bluffland Whitetails Association and the Minnesota Conservation Federation.

"I am thrilled that the Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center will host this year's Governor's Deer Hunting Opener. They offer a phenomenal location to showcase Minnesota's beautiful natural resources and hunting lands," said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. "I wish the best of luck to the 400,000 hunters who will participate this season."

The Governor's recognition and celebration of Minnesota's firearms deer hunting season open will be on Friday Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov 9.

"Each year I look forward to welcoming Minnesota deer hunters to deer camp, wherever that deer camp may be. It's a Minnesota tradition that is as much about the memories made with friends and family, both old and new, and our connections to the outdoors as it is about the harvest," said Minnesota DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. "I am excited to join partners and members of the Sandstone community to make those memories and connections as Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center hosts this year's Minnesota Governor's Deer Hunting Opener."

"The location of this year's Governor's Deer Hunting Opener provides the opportunity to highlight Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center in Sandstone, an education facility with historic roots on Grindstone Lake that serves more than 15,000 children, adults and families each year.

"Minnesota's annual deer hunting season is a significant driver of spending at tourism-related businesses beyond summer and fall color seasons. The dollars invested by deer hunters provide crucial support to local businesses, serving as a cornerstone for the overall economic well-being of our state."

Highlights of the 2024 Governor's Deer Hunting Opener include a listening session, lymph node extraction demo, deer processing demo, venison sampling and a tour of Sandstone Wildlife Management Area.