Antlerless deer will be tougher to come by this fall for a substantial number of Minnesota's half-million deer hunters.

More hunters will have to apply for a limited number of antlerless permits in some areas, and bag limits are being reduced in other areas. Antlerless permits for youths, which had been unlimited in some areas, will be restricted.

Those are among the changes being made by the Department of Natural Resources in its management of the state's deer herd. The bottom line: Fewer hunters will go home with a deer this fall.

"The harvest will be down for sure," said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game program leader. Last fall, hunters bagged about 225,000 deer, and he expects hunters this fall likely will kill around 200,000 whitetails. But he said the decline is needed to stabilize the deer population, especially in the north.

The tightened regulations come after several years of more liberal rules intended to reduce the deer herd in many areas. "Now we have the population back down to near our goals," he said.

For the past six years, about one-third of the permit areas in the state were "lottery" areas, where hunters applied for a limited number of antlerless permits. (Those who didn't get one could only shoot a buck.) Under the new plan, half the permit areas now will be lottery areas.

"It will be new for a lot of people," Cornicelli said.

Hunters must apply for antlerless permits by Sept. 10. The DNR's hunting regulation booklet, which will detail all the changes, comes out in two weeks.

"People who don't read it and miss the deadline won't be happy," he said. "You've got to get the book and read it."

Changes in a nutshell For the most part, permit areas that were "intensive" last year -- allowing the harvest of up to five deer -- will be classified as "managed" this fall, meaning just two deer can be taken, including one antlerless deer. "Managed" areas will be classified as "lottery" areas.

The goal in the north is to maintain the current deer population, Cornicelli said. The goal in the southwest is to reduce the antlerless harvest to try to boost the deer population. There, antlerless permits for youths are being restricted this fall because, Cornicelli says, those tags have been abused by adult hunters who used them to shoot does. Unlimited numbers of youth permits had been available; this fall youths will have to apply for a limited number of antlerless tags.

"It will be very limited doe harvest," he said. "We're trying to raise some deer herds by 25 percent, and we can't do it when we're taking so many antlerless deer."

In the southeast, where the deer herd is robust, the 3A and 3B seasons will have the same bag limits.

Walleye stamp sales So far sales of Minnesota's new walleye stamp have been meager.

About 5,000 anglers have purchased the new $5 stamp since it became available this year. The voluntary stamp was established to raise money to pay for additional walleye stocking. The stamp has raised only about $25,000.

With about 873,000 licenses sold thus far this season, the 5,000 stamps sold represents less than one-half of 1 percent of anglers.

"It's a start," said state Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley, who sponsored the legislation. He said officials had hoped at least 1 percent of anglers would buy the stamps. "I think it needs to be promoted a heck of a lot more," he said.

Did you know? • The Red Lake Band of Chippewa has begun limited commercial walleye netting on Red Lake. One crew is supplementing fish caught by hook and line for the band's commercial operation. The band started netting because angler success has diminished recently, a pattern noticed by nonband anglers on Upper Red Lake.

• Don Young, executive vice president of Ducks Unlimited for the past 10 years, is resigning effective Aug. 1. The nonprofit group didn't say why Young was quitting but said a nationwide search is under way for his replacement.

• Minnesota's breeding duck population declined 31 percent from last year, falling to an estimated 507,000 birds. See the story, and Dennis Anderson's response, at www.startribune.com/cluboutdoors.

Doug Smith•dsmith@startribune.com

Conservation licenses Sales of Minnesota's new conservation fishing licenses - which cost one-third less than a regular license and allows anglers to keep one-half the normal bag limit - has been stronger. Through last weekend, anglers had purchased 11,728 of them. They are only available to residents.

Youth pheasant hunts Youths 12 to 17 can apply now to participate in mentored pheasant hunts this fall, part of an effort to introduce kids to pheasant hunting. Last year, 200 youths went afield in the first-time event. Youths an a parent, guardian or adult will accompany them with guide-mentors. The hunts take place Oct. 24. Lottery applications are available at www.mndnr.gov/youthhunts or by calling the DNR at 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367). Applications are due by Aug. 21. The program is a partnership between DNR and Pheasants Forever. The non-profit group is looking for private land for the one-day youth hunt. If you have some, call Pheasants Forever at 763-242-1273 or 507-327-9785.

Be careful out there Life jackets are mandatory for personal watercraft operators, and conservation officer Marty Stage of Ely can attest that there's good reason for that. He was patrolling on a Jet Ski recently when he hit a submerged log and was thrown into the water. The machine was heavily damaged, but he wasn't hurt and his inflatable life jacket worked flawlessly.

Did you know? • The newly formed Anglers for Habitat, a non-profit alliance of anglers dedicated to the preservation and improvement of aquatic habitat, clean water and fishing in Minnesota, meets for the first time Thursday in St. Cloud.

• Conservation officer Don Bozovsky of Hibbing observed for the first time an angler fishing from a personal watercraft. And he encountered another angler fishing from a paddleboat that was being towed by a personal watercraft. Both were non-resident anglers with no fishing licenses, and were cited.

• A Duluth-area lakeshore owner has been charged with shooting geese out of season after he fired on a flock for making a mess on his dock.

• Minnesota anglers must have their fishing licenses on them while fishing - having it back at the cabin or at home isn't good enough. You could be cited and have to go to court to prove that you had a license when you were stopped. DNR conservation officer Dustie Heaton of Willow River offered some advice in her weekly report: Buy a duplicate fishing license for $2.50, and keep one copy in your tackle box or in your boat.