MADISON — It’s time for hunters across Wisconsin to gear up and head out for the state’s famed gun deer season officially starting Saturday, Nov. 19 and running through Nov. 27.
Wisconsin is a nationally-recognized state for hunting white-tailed deer with an abundant herd and a proven reputation for producing some of the largest bucks in the world. Nothing beats this unique hunting experience for all levels to find their adventure afield.
As of 10 a.m. Nov. 18, sales for gun, bow, crossbow, sports and patron licenses reached 665,661. Of that total, 310,862 are for gun privileges only.
Don’t forget to tag the DNR or use the hashtag #WildWisconsin on social media to share how the season is going for you.
Hunter Safety
It’s important for all hunters to do their part to keep Wisconsin a safe place to hunt by following these firearm safety rules:
● T - Treat every firearm as if it is loaded
● A - Always point the muzzle in a safe direction
● B - Be certain of your target, what’s before it and what’s beyond it
● K - Keep your finger outside your trigger guard until you are safe to shoot
Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1973, must have a hunter education certification to purchase a hunting license unless hunting under the Mentored Hunting Law. Learn more about safe hunting in Wisconsin and register to take a hunter education course on the DNR website.
Deer Harvest Registration - GameReg
All harvested deer must be registered electronically by 5 p.m. the day after the deer is recovered. GameReg is simple, fast and convenient for hunters. The system will prompt hunters to answer a series of questions. A unique harvest authorization number is required.
Hunters have three options to register their deer:
● Online at gamereg.wi.gov (fastest and easiest option)
● By phone at 1-844-426-3734
● Electronically at a participating in-person registration station
Proper registration provides accurate harvest data for DNR wildlife managers and County Deer Advisory Councils for the management of deer in Wisconsin.
Visit the DNR’s GameReg Electronic Game Registration webpage for more information.
Additional Hunter Resources
The DNR offers hunters a variety of resources for a successful season:
● Check out the DNR’s online deer camp to help hunters old and new find the tools and information they need for a successful hunt this season.
● Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations remain available in many counties. Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations may be filled with any weapon type but must be filled in the zone, county and land type (public or private) designated on each harvest authorization. Check availability and purchase yours today.
● Brush up on this year’s hunting regulations and only take aim during legal shooting hours.
● Find public hunting lands via the DNR’s Public Access Lands Maps.
● Hunters can help protect the health of Wisconsin’s deer herd by submitting a sample of their harvest for CWD testing. Free CWD testing and various options to make the sample drop-off process fast and convenient are available and accessible to every hunter in the state. Visit the DNR’s Chronic Wasting Disease Sampling webpage for sample submission options and to find a CWD testing location.
● Consider giving back to local Wisconsin communities through the DNR’s Deer Donation Program. The venison from donated deer is processed and distributed to food pantries across the state. Since the program began in 2000, hunters have donated over 94,000 deer which were processed into over 3.8 million pounds of ground venison.
● Tell us what you see while out in your deer stand and contribute to a long-term dataset of deer hunter observations with the Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey. This citizen science opportunity gathers valuable data on hunter effort, relative abundance and distribution of deer and other wildlife data.
