The antlerless deer harvest — the most valuable tool for herd control — has been lagging well behind normal so far this season. Nearly 64 percent of the deer harvested have been antlered bucks. Photo by Kevin Naze.
The latest possible start to Wisconsin’s annual gun deer hunt, Nov. 23, might actually be a good thing this season.
While the rut is well past peak, Mother Nature finally is getting into the holiday spirit by ushering in colder air that should get hungry deer on their feet.
This year’s late opener also hits it right for the moon phase, with the last quarter this weekend and very little moon left by the Thanksgiving break. Had the season opened a week earlier, it would have hit the full moon at its peak.
Timing also looks good for a break in the wind. After a very blustery week, the first few days of the nine-day gun hunt are expected to see gradually decreasing winds from the northwest.
If there’s any light snow on Thanksgiving or Black Friday – Orange Friday among the hunting contingent – that’d be a bonus as well. But no matter what the weather throws at them, thousands of blaze orange bundles of energy and excitement will be afield across the peninsula.
By the time you’re reading this, some 100,000 deer will have already been registered in Wisconsin this fall, a total that’s taken 10 weeks to achieve. Gun hunters could book that many in just a few days, and by the end of December – after more gun, bow and crossbow hunts – the harvest will almost certainly surpass 300,000.
Through Monday, state bow, crossbow and youth gun hunters had registered 97,036 deer, including 61,952 bucks and 35,084 antlerless. That includes 1,112 whitetails (682 bucks) in Brown County, 1,095 deer (650 bucks) in Door, and 751 (480 bucks) in Kewaunee.
Deer hunting means different things to different people. But no matter where you take a stand, camaraderie and wildlife watching are high on the list.
Those hours spent waiting can also be an opportunity to reflect on the good things in our lives, a chance to shift thoughts away from the stresses of everyday life.
Whether or not you’re one of the lucky few who sees and shoots a wide-racked, tall-tined and heavy bruiser of a buck, take some time to appreciate what you have in life. The mental health benefits of time spent reflecting outdoors are many, including a more positive outlook and increased happiness, which can lead to enhanced relationships with others.
Of course, happiness is relative if you’re reading this on your phone opening day and you look up to see a buck tail-flagging goodbye as he leaves your shooting lane.
This might be a good opportunity to remind you – don’t shoot the messenger.
Safety, and Respect
More than a half-million men, women and youths hunt during Wisconsin’s gun deer season, and safety and respect should be at the top of every one of their pre-hunt checklists.
Respect for the animals you’re hunting, respect for the wild lands you roam and respect for other hunters goes a long way toward the right mindset to help you succeed in the fresh air, and back home.
Things in the deer woods can happen suddenly, and without warning. At the end of the day, what’s most important is that everyone gets home safely.
Thanks to hundreds of volunteer hunter education instructors, a solid Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources safety curriculum and important reminders and planning each fall, hunting is much safer than it was decades ago.
Before blaze orange and mandatory hunter education came along, there were often more than 100 shooting accidents in a single season. In 1966, there were more than 260 – 21 of them fatal accidental shootings. Compare that to a combined 22 fatalities over the past decade and a half, including none last season.
But even one accident is too many. Most involve self-inflicted wounds, or same-party shootings. Almost all can be traced to one or more of the rules of firearm safety not being followed: treat every firearm as if it is loaded; always point the muzzle in a safe direction; be certain of your target, and what’s in front of and beyond it; and keep your safety on and finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.
Got ‘Em, Now What?
All deer shot by hunters must be registered no later than 5 pm on the day after recovery. You can do this online at gamereg.wi.gov or by phone at 1.844.GAME.REG (1.844.426.3734). You’ll need the harvest authorization number located on your printed permits.
Hunters who don’t butcher their own deer can expect to pay somewhere between $75 and $125 for processing, depending on whether the hide is on or off and what you want for cuts. Cost can easily double or triple if you want sausage, hot dogs, jerky and other treats made from some of your venison.
If you’re looking for a place to dispose of carcasses, there are some businesses that accept them for a fee, and some sportsmen club-sponsored dumpsters. There’s a list of many at dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/landfillmap.
Violation Hotline
Call or text 1-800-TIP-WDNR (1.800.847.9367), or submit a tip online at dnrx.wisconsin.gov/rav/.
