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Joe Shead: Why 2023 was my toughest Minnesota deer season ever

For Joe Shead, one of the “good old days” of deer hunting occurred when he took this buck in 2020. But 2023’s season had a different vibe, and he’s examining why that was. (Photo courtesy of Joe Shead)

I knew things were bad last spring when I found uprooted cedar trees that weren’t eaten. Deer congregate in cedar swamps to endure deep snow.
As soon as a limb or an entire cedar tree falls, deer devour every needle within reach. And you can’t find a young cedar tree along the North Shore because deer chomp them as soon as they sprout.

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