Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Thousands of calls answered daily

More and more hunters are discovering our call center as the go-to place for answers. Call center staff fielded an all-time high of 4,030 calls on the Friday before the 2011 gun deer season opening day. The next day, the torrid pace kept up and we even had 823 calls after shooting hours were over for that day! Our online chats were up 43 percent as well.

Top call topics?

The day before the season opener in 2011, what was the most popular call? People were reporting hearing guns shots. Confusion on which tags to use was another popular one. some hunters believed that since archery hunting was also going on during the same time in 2011, they did not need to follow the weapon specifics on their tags.

Read about the most frequently asked questions our call center staff are getting as the 2012 season opens and unfolds in special FAQ editions of The Warden Wire.

We're here to help

Got a hunting question at deer camp or while you’re perched in your tree stand? DNR’s Call Center staff have your answer 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Hmong and Spanish speaking representatives available on weekdays. ¿Cómo puedo ayudarle? Kuv pab koj tau licas?

Call Toll-Free 1-888-WDNR INFo (1-888-936-7463)
E-mail csweb@wisconsin.gov
Open a chat session available from 7 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.

Strange but true...

There's a story behind every call. Here are some of the most memorable our staff shared from last year

“A guy was asking if it was legal for him to shoot at skunks with his bow. He was calling from his tree stand right around closing hours and wanted to get down but there were three skunks below him that he wasn't able to scare off and he didn't want to get sprayed.”

“A gentleman called our hotline area to complain that his neighbor had just put up a tree stand that looks directly into his bathroom. The caller said that even if it is legal to have the tree stand at that location, "it will be an visually unpleasant experience for everyone"...

Finally…”I have a wheel chair bound customer that I have helped over the past couple of years. When he needs to get his licenses he calls our office via his cell phone when he gets to our parking lot. We then go out to his car to give him his license and get his signature and payment. He's very appreciative that he doesn't have to try and get his wheel chair out of the back seat of his little car by himself and then get into our building.