State hunters shot more bucks in ‘24

The Department of Natural Resources has released preliminary harvest numbers, including a buck kill of 161,512 and an antlerless take of 160,332.

Both were within the 10-year average, and antlered buck registrations were the fourth highest since 2008. The total harvest was more than 21,000 higher the 2023-’24 count.

The preliminary numbers show 185,978 deer in the nine-day hunt (89,582 bucks); 63,138 with crossbow (39,387 bucks); 38,466 with archery gear (24,062 bucks); 8,219 in the four-day December antlerless hunt (20 bucks also reported); 7,340 in the youth gun hunt (3,809 bucks); 7,824 in the muzzleloader season (3,468 bucks) and 7,476 in the nine-day holiday antlerless gun hunt (24 bucks reported).

The extended January bow and crossbow season produced 1,018 deer, 221 of them antlered bucks. Those deer are included in the general archery and crossbow preliminary count.

Marathon was the top county in total harvest (11,580). Rounding out the top 10 were Clark (10,760), Waupaca (10,244), Marinette (9,399), Shawano (9,346), Vernon (8,785), Oconto (8,151), Monroe (8,011), Polk (7,914) and Dunn (7,706).

Besides Marinette and Oconto, other area county totals included Brown, 3,154; Kewaunee, 3,078; Door, 4,193; Manitowoc, 4,245; and Outagamie, 4,227.

The Central Farmland region produced 189,019 deer, including 89,056 bucks; Southern Farmland, 71,106 (34,100 bucks); Northern Forest 49,676 (31,094 bucks); and Central Forest 12,043 (7,262 bucks).

Both the antlered and antlerless kills were within the 10-year average, but far from the all-time records of more than 212,000 bucks and nearly 403,000 antlerless, both in 2000. While the turn-of-the-century hunt was not an earn-a-buck season, it was the first in which two free antlerless tags were included with the purchase of a deer hunting license. There were also more than 694,000 licensed firearm deer hunters 25 years ago, about 140,000 more than last season.

CDAC meetings

The 2025 County Deer Advisory Council meeting dates weren’t yet posted as of Feb. 17, but should be soon. You’ll be able to find them at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Hunt/cdac.

You can find a list of your county council members there, as well as review the data they see when making decisions.

The meetings will include a review of each county’s 2024 deer season structure and harvest results and offer the public an opportunity to comment (there will be online opportunities as well).

CDACs have a chair and alternate chair that are members of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and up to eight citizen stakeholders. A majority hunt.

The citizens represent tribal, agriculture, forestry, tourism, transportation, local government, hunting organization and Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) interests. A DNR wildlife manager is there to provide data, answer questions and give an assessment of the council’s recommendations.

Each CDAC member is asked to gather public opinion on deer populations and goals, antlerless quotas and herd management strategies; review and consider scientific metrics on the county deer herd, including impacts to habitat, agriculture and human-deer interactions; and provide the DNR with recommendations on deer population objectives, antlerless quotas and herd management strategies.

Sturgeon update

A total of 664 lake sturgeon were taken the first 10 days of the spearing season on the Lake Winnebago system, 382 on the big lake and 282 on the upriver lakes.

Through Monday, there were 42 sturgeon larger than 100 pounds speared, 37 of them on Winnebago and five on the upriver lakes. Check out the season totals at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/sturgeon/WinnSysSturgeonSpear.

Comment on plan

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is drafting a strategic plan for managing wildlife species and habitat and is seeking public feedback on the plan’s objectives.

You can learn about it, comment, and sign up for occasional updates at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/WMStrategicPlan. Public comment is due by Friday, Feb. 28.

Hunting Expo Feb. 21-23

The Wisconsin State Hunting expo is running through Sunday at the Resch Expo in Green Bay. Check out the exhibitors, seminar speakers and more at https://www.wisconsinstatehuntingexpo.com/.