You will likely see more deer than you would like to around the area after the gun season ended over the weekend. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released its final numbers for the season on Tuesday. The deer harvest was down 17.6 percent over last year and 11 percent over the five-year average during the nine-day period. The weather cooperated for hunters the final weekend, with different parts of the state, including northeastern Wisconsin, getting snowfall and colder temperatures to help drive activities. DNR Deer Program Specialist Jeff Pritzl says that even though there were a lot of factors that led to disappointed hunters, there are still chances to get your buck or doe.
Pritzl warned last week that they would only make up a little ground after the opening weekend harvest numbers were 16 percent behind last year and 10 percent off the five-year average. Over 50 percent of the deer harvest each gun season comes during opening weekend. The muzzleloader season started on Monday, while a statewide antlerless hunt will take place December 7th through 10th. Door and Kewaunee counties are also included in an antlerless holiday hunt from December 24th through January 1st and an extended archery season until January 31st.
HARVEST TOTALS
Door County: 1,100 antlered 1,103 antlerless, TOTAL: 2,203
Kewaunee County: 786 antlered, 947 antlerless, TOTAL: 1,733