DNR Reports Uptick In Registered Deer During Hunting Season

(Dodge County) Deer license sales were down 1.6-percent this year when compared to 2021. That according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources which says that gun, bow, crossbow, sports and patron licenses reached 795-thousand through the end of the nine-day season that wrapped Sunday.

Of that total, 554-thousand licenses were for gun privileges which is a 1.7-percent drop from last year. Preliminary figures show an increase in the deer harvest with 203-thousand registered this year, a jump of nearly 28-thousand deer from the 175-thousand registered last year.

In Dodge County, there were 4,067 deer harvested this year compared to 2,443 last year, a nearly 50-percent increase.

Columbia County hunters registered 5,768 deer, a jump of 53-percent.

Jefferson County reported 2,921 deer taken, an increase of 51-percent from last year’s 1,723.

Washington County registered 2,727 deer in 2022 compared to 1,263 last year, up 73-percent.

Fond du Lac County increased 48-percent with 3,618 deer this year after registering 2,204 in 2021.

DNR officials say the total firearm deer harvest was up 14.4-percent statewide over last year with the antlered harvest up 14.7-percent while the antlerless harvest jumped 14.1-percent.

Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin DNR