Preliminary gun deer hunt opening weekend numbers show drop in harvest statewide

As of midnight on November 19, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website showed that deer license sales were down by 0.61% for opening weekend. Conservation patron licenses were up 1.5%, however. In all, 774,369 licenses were sold for deer season up to that point, with 421,525 of them being for gun privileges only. Of those licenses purchased, 65% were sold online with 35% of hunters opting to purchase their license at an in-person location through a DNR license agent or at a DNR service center.

Harvest numbers were down 16 percent from last year, according to the DNR. They were also down 10% over the most recent five-year average. 

In all, 92,050 deer were registered on the opening weekend of gun deer season. This is compared to 103,623 in 2022. Last year’s harvest statewide was up 15.1% from 2021 but only 1.2% up from the five-year average.

“A majority of the decrease was due to a decline in antlerless harvest, but that usually picks up over the second half of the season,” the DNR website said. There was a 13% decline in buck harvest over opening weekend with 51,870 bucks registered statewide versus 56,638 last year. 

In Oneida County, 889 deer were registered over opening weekend. Antlerless deer accounted for 210 of those while 679 were antlered deer. This was down slightly from last year’s opening weekend total of 939.

In Vilas County, 617 deer were registered. One hundred eighty seven of those were antlerless and 430 were antlered deer. For opening weekend of 2022, 691 deer were registered with 240 being antlerless deer and 451 being antlered.

In Iron County for this year’s opening weekend, hunters registered 112 deer, which was just over half of last year’s harvest of 214. In 2022, antlerless deer accounted for 43 of those and 171 were antlered. This year, only three antlerless deer were registered in Iron County over opening weekend and 109 antlered deer.

There were two firearm-related incidents, as of the time of this writing, according to the DNR.

One of those was in Forest County in the Town of Argonne. On Saturday morning Nov. 18, a 53-year-old man suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot while walking to his stand. He attempted to adjust his rifle sling and accidentally pulled the trigger. 

The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The second incident was reported in Adams County in the Town of Big Flatts. On Sunday morning, Nov. 19, a 62-year-old male shot at a dog, which he said he believed was an antlerless deer. 

A 47-year-old female who was walking the dog was shot in the abdomen. She was transported via MedFlight for treatment of injuries, according to the DNR.

By comparison, the 2023 opening weekend incidents were down from 2022. In 2022 there were six firearm-related incidents. Of those, three were self-inflicted.

Full statistics on this year’s deer hunting season will be available early next year, according to the DNR. As numbers become available, those interested in learning more can visit the DNR website dnr.wi.gov and input the search term “Deer harvest summary” for the latest information.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].