Wisconsin Ag Connection - State Deer Hunters Post Second-Best Season Ever

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State Deer Hunters Post Second-Best Season Ever
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/12/2008

Results of this past deer season indicate that hunters had a quality hunting experience and a positive impact on moving populations in parts of Wisconsin toward goals. With final 2007 season harvest numbers now in the books, deer hunters posted the second largest harvest in state history, registering 518,573 whitetails. And archers established a new all-time season record of 116,042, eclipsing the previous record of 113,918 that was only one year old. Gun deer hunters brought in 402,531 deer, their third best season ever.

"Bringing the herd down to established population goals and maintaining herd and ecosystem health are our main management objectives," said Keith Warnke, DNR big game biologist. "And while record harvests are not part of our objectives, the fact remains that hunters had a hugely successful season."

Wildlife officials point to the large herd size and wide-spread earn-a-buck requirements as a primary reason for the large harvests. The pre-2007 season population projection was 1.6-1.8 million deer. Biologists will complete population modeling in the next few weeks resulting in a post-2007 hunt estimate to compare to population goals. A population projection for fall 2008 will be available then as well.

Hunters across the state will be learning details of the harvest in their hunting areas at a series of deer management unit information meetings that will be held across the state. Other important deer-related meetings hunters should be aware of include hearings on proposed CWD management area hunting rules. Hunters can testify for the record a these hearings or send in written comments by March 25.

Hunters also posted the second safest gun hunt on record with three fatalities. Which, officials note, were all preventable providing hunters strictly observe the four rules of firearm safety.

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