You will see plenty of deer hunters entering the woods this weekend when the gun season opens on Saturday. Hunters have already been busy in 2024, with over 1,200 deer harvested in Door County and more than 800 harvested in Kewaunee County. Both counties granted hunters extra tags for antlerless deer when they purchased their licenses this year. Based on recommendations from their respective county deer advisory councils, Kewaunee County hunters received three antlerless deer tags, while Door County hunters received five.

The hope is that hunters will do their part to control the deer population, which has grown to an estimated 1.8 to 2 million statewide thanks to a combination of mild winters, declining hunter numbers, and diverse habitats. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Chris Kratcha says a lot of good can come from taking the time to harvest an extra deer or two within your allotment.

Kratcha also urges hunters to do their part to continue the downward trend of hunting accidents in Wisconsin. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2024 was the safest gun deer hunting season on record, with just one non-fatal shooting accident during the nine-day season. This year’s gun deer season ends on November 30th.