MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding landowners that the deadline to enroll property for the 2026 Gun Deer Hunt for Hunters with Disabilities is July 1st.
The DNR says there are changes to the program dates for this fall. For the first seven days of the hunt, October 3rd through 9th, hunters must be on property sponsored and enrolled in the program. On October 10th and 11th, the same weekend as the Youth Deer Hunt, eligible hunters may hunt statewide on public land or on private property where they have permission, even if the land is not enrolled in the program.
To sponsor a hunt, landowners must generally have at least 60 acres available, be able to host at least three hunters, and complete an online application by July 1st. The DNR encourages sponsors to keep hunter density to at least one hunter per 20 acres. Properties with fewer than three participants or less than 60 acres may be approved by the DNR on a case-by-case basis.
Sponsoring landowners must also provide a complete list of the hunters they will host, including names, phone numbers, and DNR Customer IDs, by September 15th. The DNR says the 2026 sponsor list is expected to be available July 15th, and hunters will have from July 15th through September 15th to sign up with a sponsor.
Brooke VanHandel, DNR assistant deer and elk specialist, says the special hunt has provided accessible deer hunting opportunities for hunters with disabilities for more than 30 years. VanHandel says the program depends on landowners who are willing to open their properties and partner with hunters.
The Gun Deer Hunt for Hunters with Disabilities began in 1992 and provides hunting opportunities for about 400 hunters each year. More information about rules, conditions for conducting a hunt, and opportunities for hunters with disabilities is available through the DNR’s Deer Hunting for Hunters with Disabilities webpage.
