Legislators to hold public discussion on 2023 gun deer season Dec. 21 in Woodruff

State Representatives Rob Swearingen, Calvin Callahan, and Senator Mary Felzkowski are seeking public input regarding the 2023 gun deer hunting season in Wisconsin — including, but not limited to, the gray wolf impact on our deer population.

Event details

Date: Dec. 21 

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Location: Woodruff Town Hall, 1418 1st Avenue.

Representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are invited to attend so they can provide their perspective on deer management strategies regarding this year's hunt.

“After a disappointing gun deer hunting season, we received outreach from constituents who expressed their concern with the state of our deer ecosystem. Harvest numbers saw a significant decline of nearly 20 percent this year,” said Rep. Swearingen. “This public discussion is vital for us to address these concerns and explore ways to ensure a sustainable and thriving deer population.” 

Senator Felzkowski added: “Northern Wisconsin used to be a deer hunter’s paradise, and now we’ve got folks who don’t see a single deer during the entire nine-day gun deer season. They’re beyond frustrated with the population numbers, so we want to give hunters an opportunity to directly join the discussion as we work with the DNR to ensure this downward trend is reversed as fast as possible.”

“Hunting is a time-honored tradition in Wisconsin,” stated Rep. Callahan. “The decline in successful hunts this year should be deeply concerning to us all, and it’s time the DNR got a handle on managing our state’s deer population in a way that is effective and beneficial for our citizens and our environment. I look forward to hearing from folks at our upcoming listening session.”

All community members, hunters, and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend this informative event. The discussion will include an open forum for attendees to share their thoughts and engage in a constructive conversation.