Wisconsin Hunters Harvest Fewer Deer, Less Licenses Sold

11/22/17 – Wisconsin hunters shot 12-percent fewer deer in the opening weekend of the nine-day gun season, continuing a downward spiral that lasted for the entire hunt in 2016. The state D-N-R said Tuesday that a preliminary total of 102-thousand-903 deer were taken last Saturday and Sunday, when most of the hunting takes place. There were fewer hunters in the woods as well, as almost 583-thousand licenses were sold through the opening weekend — almost five-thousand fewer than in 2016. Hunters took 15-percent fewer antlerless deer than a year ago, while the buck harvest was down nine-percent. The Northwoods was the only region where the deer totals were up — evidence that the northern herd is recovering after three mild winters and a regional ban on antlerless deer hunting that’s no longer in place. In Dodge County, there were 1033 deer taken this weekend, compared to 1531 last year. Fond du Lac County saw 1073 this year, an increase of 282 from opening weekend in 2016. Columbia County had 322 less deer harvested this year compared to last year with 1737 taken. Jefferson County had 682 this year, down from 837 last year. Washington County was at 546 this weekend after 728 were taken last year.

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/harvest/deerharvest.html