Wisconsin's public lands offer great hunting opportunities, especially for those willing to scout and adapt. (Shutterstock)
October 14, 2024
By Barb Melloni
This whitetail hunting forecast for the state of Wisconsin is part of Game & Fish’s “Great States" project identifying the best deer-hunting states in the country. Read more: America's Top Whitetail States Wisconsin Hunters Should Be Happy This Season For the 2024 Wisconsin white-tailed deer season, hunters can expect favorable conditions due to a mild winter and excellent forage availability. Deer populations remain strong across the state, particularly in the Central and Southern Farmland Zones, where increased antlerless permits aim to manage high deer densities. Public lands offer great hunting opportunities, especially for those willing to scout and adapt. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) remains a concern, with increased testing and regulations in place.
This season offers hunters of all types and disciplines a chance to add to the state's massive yearly harvest. The archery and crossbow season runs from September 14 to January 5, 2025, with additional extended dates in January. Highlights include the traditional nine-day gun deer hunt from November 23 to December 1 and specialized hunts for youth, hunters with disabilities, and metro sub-units. Check specific DMUs for details on hunts like the Antlerless-Only Holiday Hunt.
In 2023, Wisconsin saw a total harvest of nearly 300,000 deer across the state when considering all methods of taking deer throughout the season. The nine-day gun hunt contributed the largest portion, with over 180,000 deer harvested. Crossbow and bow hunting also contributed significantly, along with specialty hunts like the muzzleloader and antlerless hunts. Tribal harvests accounted for 681 deer, bringing the total harvest closer to 300,000 for the season.
"Deer numbers have been trending up over the past decade, especially in the Farmland Zones of the state," said Jeffrey Pritzl, deer program specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. "Numbers may be down a bit in some parts of northwestern Wisconsin, but overall numbers are up. Season structure and harvest opportunity will be very similar to those in Wisconsin in recent years. Somewhat reduced opportunity to harvest antlerless deer in the Northern Forest Zone in response to the lower harvest experienced in 2023.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
PUBLIC HUNTING Wisconsin has approximately 7 million acres of public hunting lands.
It's no secret that temperature, barometric pressure, snow, rain and wind all have their own unique effects on how deer move about. Deer will be more nocturnal the warmer it is, and vice versa when the temperature takes a dive. Heavy wind and rain will keep deer bedded down, while drops in barometric pressure will get them moving in anticipation of bad conditions to come.
Bringing the focus to gun season, as it accounts for the bulk of each year's harvest, we see significant variation across management zones. The Central Farmland Zone had the highest harvest numbers, with both antlered and antlerless deer exceeding 50,000. The Northern Forest Zone followed, with nearly 20,000 deer harvested. The Southern Farmland Zone saw a balanced but smaller harvest, while the Central Forest Zone had the lowest overall numbers.
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Wisconsin has more than half a million acres of hunting grounds open to the public. Amongst the more popular areas to hunt include Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, Tiffany Wildlife Area, Buckhorn State Park and Wildlife Area, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, and portions of the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest. For a full list of land open to the public for hunting, check out Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources website. Here, you will find a county-by-county breakdown of where you may hunt and information on recreation trails, DNR roads and more.
THAT'S A FACT
KING OF BOONER WHITETAILS Wisconsin has the most Boone & Crockett Club entries with a total of 483 trophy deer taken.
While scientific evidence is slim to none regarding the effect of the moon phase on deer movement, you'll find more hunters than not who attribute various phases to more (or less) movement amongst the herd. Deer are generally more active during dawn and dusk, but lunar phases, especially a full moon, often influence their movement patterns. The full moons (October 17, November 15, December 15 and January 14) are periods when deer are likely to be more active during the night, while new moons (October 2, October 31 November 30 December 30 and January 28) bring about higher levels of activity during daylight hours. Paying attention to what phase the moon can go a long way in increasing your odds of success this season.
Wisconsin has more than half a million acres of hunting grounds open to the public. (Shutterstock) As expected, higher levels of CWD were found in the zones in which the bulk of deer are harvested each season. The Southern Farmland Zone shows the highest testing numbers, with 7,719 deer sampled and 1,483 positive cases, making it a hot spot for CWD. Other regions, such as the Central Farmland Zone, show a moderate number of samples, with 6,942 tested and 85 positive cases. The Northern Forest and Central Forest Zones had no positive cases reported despite a few hundred deer being tested.
Symptoms of CWD include significant weight loss, excessive drooling, lack of coordination and generally abnormal behavior. It's best to play it safe if you suspect a deer is unwell, as not all signs are particularly obvious, so testing is the only definitive way to confirm a CWD diagnosis.
As we enter deer season, be sure to take advantage of all the tools at your disposal and educate yourself on what things may affect a deer's behavior. From hunting area, food source, population density and more, a little time spent planning your next hunt will set you up for success in one of the most prolific states for white-tailed deer this fall.