Deer Opener Numbers Down From 2012. Cold To Blame.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) Wisconsin wildlife officials say hunters killed 110,298 deer during the opening weekend of the state’s nine-day gun season, down about 18 percent from last year’s opening two days.

The 2013 buck harvest was down 25 percent and the antlerless harvest was down 9 percent.

Department of Natural Resources officials say cold weather likely drove many hunters out of the woods early. They also noted the agency also issued fewer antlerless permits across the northern section of the state in hopes of growing the herd in that region, leading to a reduced harvest.

Gov. Scott Walker went hunting in Washington County on Monday morning. Just before noon he posted a tweet complaining about the cold and that he hadn’t seen any deer. He gave up around noon.