Bluffland Whitetails Association in Minnesota commits to governor’s deer opener after MDHA drops out

St. Charles, Minn. — The Bluffland Whitetails Association confirmed earlier this week that it will join the cast that produces the Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener this fall, the location yet to be determined.

The development comes after the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association – one of the original sponsors of the event that began 20 years ago – announced in May that it was withdrawing from participation “due to continued attempts to ban wolf hunting and anti-gun legislation within the state, which are in direct opposition to our mission,” according to an MDHA release.

Taylor Bestor, president of the BWA, said Monday that the organization surveyed members regarding involvement in the event. He said responses were mixed, but that feedback indicated overall support.

“We want to keep that tradition going, so we’re gonna move forward with it,” Bestor said.

Several other groups and agencies also play roles in the Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener, including the state DNR and Explore Minnesota. Others partaking this year, according to an email from a DNR official, include the Minnesota Conservation Federation and the Minnesota Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.

According to a recent email from BWA leaders to members, “BWA, as a state leading organization in deer hunting, deer management, and preservation, has been asked to be the host organization for the 2023 Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener in November. With a publicized event like this, the board of directors wanted to get as much feedback as possible before making a decision on hosting the event,” the email, which contained a survey question, stated. “Members of the board see both positive and negative items and issues from being the host organization of this hunting event.”

Bestor said that as a regional organization, with approximately 4,000 present and past members, he’d like to see the event held in southeastern Minnesota – within the 300 series of deer permit areas. Among other things, he said, it would offer the group a chance to put on display the reasons why rifle hunting shouldn’t occur in what’s currently a shotgun zone.

But, he adds, most members who spoke favorably about the opportunity say developing a tradition might be the best outcome for the BWA.

“We’ll see how it goes, but it would be a nice, little tradition (for the group),” Bestor said.

Jared Mazurek, executive director of the MDHA, told Outdoor News in May that both the DNR and Explore Minnesota were informed of the organization’s decision before it formally was announced.

According to the MDHA release, “Since (the Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener) inception in 2002, the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, along with the DNR and Explore Minnesota, has been an organizing partner of the Governor’s Deer Opener. While this is a great event, designed to celebrate the pastime that we all love and cherish, MDHA will not be participating this year. In a unanimous decision, our executive board voted not to support this year’s Governor’s Opener …

“Until our governor represents the interests of wild deer and deer hunters around the state, we cannot, in good conscience, support the 2023 event. We encourage you to still celebrate this exciting time of year; we know we will be. We will continue to review our position on our support of the Governor’s Deer Opener in future years.”

While proposed in the state Legislature, a wolf-hunting ban was not included in legislation passed during the session. Certain gun-related restrictions, however, became law.

The BWA letter/survey request to members stated that the group “has always been and tried to remain a nonpartisan organization” which has allowed it “to work well with all political parties in (the Legislature).”