Wisconsin gun deer season underway; hunter reminders, info

Gun deer hunt health, safety reminders

UW Health's Dr. Jeff Pothof joined FOX6 News with reminders for hunters. He also discussed vaccine exemptions for children and weight loss drugs.

MADISON, Wis. - It’s time for hunters across Wisconsin to gear up and head out for the state’s famed gun deer season, which started Saturday, Nov. 18 and runs through Nov. 26, 2023.

Wisconsin is a nationally-recognized state for hunting white-tailed deer, according to the state Department of Natural Resources, with an abundant herd and a proven reputation for producing some of the largest bucks in the world.

"Hunters’ goals are as diverse as the Wisconsin landscape. Some enjoy the challenge of pursuing a specific deer, while others find fulfillment in providing wild-sourced meat for themselves, family and friends," said DNR Deer Program Specialist Jeff Pritzl. "Whatever motivates our hunters this year, we wish them the best of luck."

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As of 10 a.m. Friday, the DNR said year-to-date sales for gun, bow, crossbow, sports and patron licenses reached 659,302. Of that total, 309,520 are for gun privileges only.

The DNR said many counties still have bonus antlerless harvest authorizations available on a first come, first-served basis.

(Photo by Jeffrey Phelps/Getty Images)

Harvest forecast, registration info

The DNR said, in 2022, snow cover across much of the state enhanced the deer harvest. With warmer than usual temperatures in the forecast, it’s unlikely hunters will match last year’s harvest. However, deer movement associated with the end of the breeding season should help increase deer sightings.

All harvested deer must be registered electronically by 5 p.m. the day after the deer is recovered. The state's GameReg system will prompt hunters to answer a series of questions. The unique harvest authorization number associated with each permit is required.

Hunters have three options to register their deer:

Online at gamereg.wi.gov
By phone at 1-844-426-3734
Electronically at a participating in-person registration station

Proper registration provides accurate harvest data for DNR wildlife managers and County Deer Advisory Councils for the management of deer in Wisconsin.

Hunter safety

It’s important for all hunters to do their part to keep Wisconsin a safe place to hunt by following these firearm safety rules, according to the DNR:

T - Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
A - Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
B - Be certain of your target, what’s before it and what’s beyond it.
K - Keep your finger outside your trigger guard until you are safe to shoot.

Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1973, must have a hunter education certification to purchase a hunting license, unless hunting under the Mentored Hunting Law. Learn more about safe hunting in Wisconsin and register to take a hunter education course on the DNR website.

Hunter resources

The DNR’s Online Deer Camp is a one-stop shop for everything a hunter needs to know before heading afield this season. Hunters can find information regarding purchasing a license, regulations and hours, season dates, where to hunt and hunter safety.

Hunters can tell the DNR what they see while afield and contribute to a long-term dataset of observations with the Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey. This citizen science opportunity gathers valuable data on hunter effort, relative abundance and distribution of deer and other wildlife data.

The DNR reminds hunters to remember to tag the DNR or use the hashtag #WildWisconsin on social media to share how the season is going for you.