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Minnesota Hunting Incidents & Fatalities by Year
Reported firearm-related hunting incidents statewide, 1974–2025
Note: Data completeness varies by era. Years 1976–1986 may reflect partial reporting. Gaps in certain years (1978) indicate no data available.
| Year | Incidents | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 95 | 8 |
| 1975 | 102 | 14 |
| 1976 | 2 | 2 |
| 1977 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | 3 | 3 |
| 1981 | 8 | 8 |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983 | 5 | 5 |
| 1984 | 3 | 3 |
| 1985 | 2 | 2 |
| 1986 | 9 | 9 |
| 1987 | 27 | 4 |
| 1988 | 11 | 1 |
| 1989 | 77 | 9 |
| 1990 | 34 | 5 |
| 1991 | 14 | 4 |
| 1992 | 16 | 3 |
| 1993 | 21 | 5 |
| 1994 | 37 | 4 |
| 1995 | 33 | 3 |
| 1996 | 45 | 1 |
| 1997 | 34 | 1 |
| 1998 | 43 | 0 |
| 1999 | 42 | 3 |
| Year | Incidents | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27 | 4 |
| 2001 | 35 | 2 |
| 2002 | 20 | 2 |
| 2003 | 31 | 1 |
| 2004 | 16 | 0 |
| 2005 | 24 | 3 |
| 2006 | 23 | 4 |
| 2007 | 25 | 2 |
| 2008 | 25 | 2 |
| 2009 | 25 | 1 |
| 2010 | 26 | 2 |
| 2011 | 18 | 4 |
| 2012 | 18 | 1 |
| 2013 | 17 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | 11 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2020 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 | 13 | 1 |
| 2022 | 13 | 1 |
| 2023 | 11 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 |
Licensing and certifications
| Years | Certified Students | Licenses Sold |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1977 | 27,487 • 28,527 • 22,806 • 21,034 | 297,995 • 329,517 • 264,897 • 288,701 |
| 1979–1983 | 18,747 • 20,004 • 20,409 • 21,269 • 19,175 | 314,666 • 346,894 • 372,398 • 372,056 • 394,710 |
| 1984–1988 | 18,148 • 18,009 • 17,065 • 15,894 • 16,511 | 400,381 • 413,016 • 416,552 • 417,058 • 412,658 |
| 1989–1993 | 17,412 • 17,610 • 19,882 • 21,275 • 21,099 | 411,882 • 420,023 • 422,247 • 420,000 • 435,000 |
| 1994–1998 | 22,255 • 22,243 • 21,375 • 20,847 • 21,232 | 439,071 • 462,440 • 441,605 • 425,065 • 437,056 |
| 1999–2003 | 22,453 • 23,259 • 22,311 • 23,142 • 23,248 | 502,703 • 459,792 • 460,560 • 444,170 • 455,073 |
Historical statistics 2002 - 2025
Incident result
Incident cause
| Incident type | Number |
| Self-inflicted | 199 |
| Shot by other | 170 |
Type of firearm
| Firearm type | Number |
Age of victims
| Age of victim | Number |
Animals being hunted
| Animal being hunted | Number |
Location of incident
| Location of accident | Number |
Age of parties involved
| Age group | Victims | Shooters | Shooter had FAS certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 10-19 | 90 | 100 | 31 |
| 20-29 | 62 | 50 | 17 |
| 30-39 | 53 | 43 | 12 |
| 40-49 | 57 | 50 | 17 |
| 50-59 | 51 | 36 | 16 |
| 60-69 | 32 | 29 | 10 |
| 70-79 | 14 | 16 | 5 |
| 80-89 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Unspecified | 2 | 34 | 76 |
Hunting incidents: 2002 - 2025
Date | Sort date | County | Victim | Casualty | Shooter | Firearm | Action | Distance | Animal | Clothing | Cover | Description |
|---|
Year | All incidents | All fatalities | Certified students | Licenses sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | 11 | 0 | 25,835 | 826,983 |
2016 | 9 | 2 | 24475 | 866,364 |
2015 | 11 | 0 | 24343 | 870,930 |
2014 | 7 | 2 | 24540 | 855,400 |
2013 | 17 | 1 | 26389 | 886,904 |
2012 | 20 | 1 | 23229 | 935,337 |
2011 | 18 | 4 | 22005 | 852,525 |
2010 | 26 | 2 | 23142 | 864,002 |
2009 | 25 | 1 | 23608 | 836,549 |
2008 | 25 | 2 | 23657 | 842,382 |
2007 | 25 | 2 | 23601 | 702,929 |
2006 | 23 | 4 | 24380 | 702,381 |
2005 | 24 | 3 | 24033 | 475,508 |
2004 | 16 | 0 | 23495 | 456,844 |
2003 | 31 | 1 | 23248 | 455,073 |
2002 | 20 | 2 | 23142 | 444,170 |
2001 | 35 | 2 | 22311 | 460560 |
2000 | 27 | 4 | 23259 | 459792 |
1999 | 42 | 3 | 22453 | 502703 |
1998 | 43 | 0 | 21232 | 437056 |
1997 | 34 | 1 | 20847 | 425065 |
1996 | 45 | 1 | 21375 | 441605 |
1995 | 33 | 3 | 22243 | 462440 |
1994 | 37 | 4 | 22255 | 439071 |
1993 | 21 | 5 | 21099 | 435000 |
1992 | 16 | 3 | 21275 | 420000 |
1991 | 14 | 4 | 19882 | 422247 |
1990 | 34 | 5 | 17610 | 420023 |
1989 | 77 | 9 | 17412 | 411882 |
1988 | 11 | 1 | 16511 | 412658 |
1987 | 27 | 4 | 15894 | 417058 |
1986 | 9 | 9 | 17065 | 416552 |
1985 | 2 | 2 | 18009 | 413016 |
1984 | 3 | 3 | 18148 | 400381 |
1983 | 5 | 5 | 19175 | 394710 |
1982 | 1 | 1 | 21269 | 372056 |
1981 | 8 | 8 | 20409 | 372398 |
1980 | 3 | 3 | 20004 | 346894 |
1979 | 0 | 0 | 18747 | 314666 |
1977 | 0 | 0 | 21034 | 288701 |
1976 | 2 | 2 | 22806 | 264897 |
1975 | 102 | 14 | 28527 | 329517 |
1974 | 95 | 8 | 27487 | 297995 |
1973 | 94 | 14 | 295691 | |
1972 | 119 | 9 | 258957 | |
1971 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1970 | 2 | 2 | 188500 | |
1969 | 140 | 18 | 255059 | |
1968 | 128 | 19 | 303658 | |
1967 | 130 | 16 | ||
1966 | 100 | 11 | ||
1965 | 139 | 20 | ||
1964 | 149 | 10 | 19062 | |
1963 | 3 | 3 | ||
1962 | 130 | 10 | ||
1961 | 29 | 29 | ||
1960 | 82 | 6 | ||
1959 | 17 | 3 | ||
1958 | 27 | 5 | 203430 | |
1957 | 23 | 5 | 180028 | |
1956 | 18 | 2 | 193855 | |
1955 | 22 | 4 | 163406 | |
1954 | 12 | 1 | 169066 | |
1953 | 20 | 9 | 162806 | |
1952 | 35 | 11 | 161485 | |
1951 | 23 | 3 | 179524 | |
1950 | 0 | no season | 0 | |
1949 | 20 | 4 | 141923 | |
1948 | 28 | 4 | 174552 | |
1947 | 32 | 8 | 157954 |