MONROE - The first two days of the November nine-day gun deer hunt yielded 25 percent fewer bucks and 20 percent fewer antlerless deer, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
A similar drop was seen locally.
In Green County, there were 279 bucks harvested on Saturday and Sunday, compared to 361 during the same period last year. There were 635 antlerless harvested during the first two days this year, compared to 847 in 2007. The total harvest in the initial period this year was down from 1,208 last year to 914.
In Lafayette County, there were 488 bucks harvested Saturday and Sunday, compared to 651 in 2007. The number of antlerless deer harvested increased from 930 in 2007 to 1,022 this year. But the total harvest in the county for the first two days of the season dropped from 1,581 to 1,510.
A preliminary count for the state counted 133,828 deer registered. That's a drop from 171,584 a year ago.
Wildlife officials say several factors likely contributed to the lower count, including lower deer numbers after several years of herd reduction strategies, very cold hunting on opening morning in northern units, a late opening weekend that missed the peak of the rutting season, poor fawn recruitment this year, and tough winter conditions last year after a string of mild winters.
A similar drop was seen locally.
In Green County, there were 279 bucks harvested on Saturday and Sunday, compared to 361 during the same period last year. There were 635 antlerless harvested during the first two days this year, compared to 847 in 2007. The total harvest in the initial period this year was down from 1,208 last year to 914.
In Lafayette County, there were 488 bucks harvested Saturday and Sunday, compared to 651 in 2007. The number of antlerless deer harvested increased from 930 in 2007 to 1,022 this year. But the total harvest in the county for the first two days of the season dropped from 1,581 to 1,510.
A preliminary count for the state counted 133,828 deer registered. That's a drop from 171,584 a year ago.
Wildlife officials say several factors likely contributed to the lower count, including lower deer numbers after several years of herd reduction strategies, very cold hunting on opening morning in northern units, a late opening weekend that missed the peak of the rutting season, poor fawn recruitment this year, and tough winter conditions last year after a string of mild winters.