Deer on the rebound in Wisconsin, according to DNR

Permits up, bucks-only counties down

Deer hunting season rules and quotas approved Wednesday by the Wisconsin DNR board, all seem to point to a strongly rebounding herd.

Permits are up and the numbers of bucks-only counties are down. Only 13 counties are even holding a so-called “holiday hunt” to thin the herd.

“It’s a recommendation that each county could make the the department, whether they want to offer that opportunity or not,” Big-game section chief at the DNR, Bob Nack, said. “So, 13 counties suggested that it would be a great opportunity to help them reach their harvest goals.”

The holiday hunts, including Richland and Crawford counties in western Wisconsin, will be held from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.  

The herd is increasing, “especially in that northern forest zone, we are seeing a herd recovery,” Nack said.

Just 10 counties will be bucks-only this year. That’s down from 12 last year and 19 the year before. Nine of those bucks-only counties are in northern Wisconsin. The tenth is Jackson county.

“Sever winters have an impact on our deer population,” Nack said. “You think about the last two winters, they were pretty mild. The two winters prior to that were two of the most sever winters we’ve had on record.”