The number of small game hunters in Minnesota in 2024 decreased slightly from 2023 and was 5% below the 10-year average. Overall, 228,661 small game licenses were sold for the 2024 hunting seasons, compared to the 10-year average of 240,812 small game licenses.
The annual survey estimates the number of hunters and harvest and hunter success rates for two dozen species. The survey asks small game license buyers if they hunted, what species they hunted, how many days they spent hunting and the amount of harvest by species. Highlights of the 2024 results for harvest, hunter numbers and success include: Canada geese: 28,037 hunters in 2024, 32% below the 10-year average of 41,454 hunters. An estimated 121,028 geese were harvested.
Ducks: 82,003 state duck stamps were sold, similar to 2023 sales and 5% below the 10-year average; there were 46,028 hunters, 28% below the 10-year average, and about 485,000 ducks were harvested, down 24% from the 10-year average of 640,475 ducks.
