Hunting and Trapping Season Dates

Hunters Season dates for all species are found on this page. Some species listed are protected and therefore do not have a season. Some seasons are subject to change before hunting and trapping regulations pamphlets are published. Consult the regulation pamphlets before going into the field.

Check the Outdoor Report for the most up to date hunting and outdoor news releases or the Hunting and Trapping Regulations for more details on hunting and trapping in Wisconsin.

Reference the 2009 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping season dates document. [PDF 1.4MB]

Download the 2010 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping season dates for season dates extending into and ending in 2011. [PDF 424KB]

The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Regulations (Exit DNR)

2010 Season Dates

American Woodcock	Badger	Beaver
Black Bear	Bobcat	Bobwhite Quail
Cottontail Rabbit	Coyote	Crow
Dove	Fisher	Flying Squirrel
Fox	Gray/Fox Squirrels	Gray Partridge
Jackrabbit	Mink	Muskrat
Opossum	Otter	Raccoon
Ring-necked Pheasant	Ruffed Grouse	Sharp-tailed Grouse
Skunk	Snowshoe Hare	Waterfowl
Weasel	White-tailed Deer	Wild Turkey
Woodchuck

White-tailed Deer (non-CWD units and non-metro units)

Bow - Sept. 18 - Nov. 18 and Nov. 29 - Jan. 9, 2011
Gun - Nov. 20 - Nov. 28
Muzzleloader - Nov. 29 - Dec. 8
Youth Deer Hunt - Oct. 9 - 10
Statewide Antlerless Hunt - Dec. 9 - Dec. 12

**See the 2010 Deer Hunting Regulations for a list of Herd Control and Earn-a-Buck units; possible October gun hunt dates, and for CWD hunt dates.

Black Bear

Zone C where dogs are not permitted: - Sept. 8 - Oct. 12

All other zones where dogs are permitted:

Sept. 8 - Sept. 14

with aid of bait
with all other methods not utilizing dogs

Sept. 15 - Oct. 5

with aid of dogs
with aid of bait
with other methods

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12

with aid of dogs only

Wild Turkey

Youth Turkey Hunt: April 10 - 11

2010 Spring Open Zones:

Period A: Apr 14 - 18
Period B: Apr 21 - 25
Period C: Apr 28 - May 2
Period D: May 5 - 9
Period E: May 12 - 16
Period F: May 19 - 23

2010 Fall Season - September 18 - November 18 (Extended season Nov 30-Dec 31)

Late Fall Season- November 29 - December 31 (Zones 1-5)

Ring-necked Pheasant

Statewide - Oct. 16 (noon) - Dec. 31

Ruffed Grouse

Zone A - Sept. 18 - Jan. 31, 2011
Zone B - Oct. 16 - Dec. 8

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Oct. 16 - Nov. 7

Bobwhite Quail

Statewide - Oct. 16 (noon) - Dec. 8

Gray (Hungarian) Partridge

Statewide* - Oct. 16 (noon) - Dec. 31

*Closed in Clark, Marathon, and Taylor Counties

Crow

Jan. 25 - March 20
Sept. 18 - Nov. 18

Mourning Dove

Statewide - Sept. 1 – Nov. 9

Cottontail Rabbit

Northern Zone - Sept. 18 - Feb. 28, 2011
Southern Zone - Oct. 16 (noon) - Feb. 28, 2011

Gray and Fox Squirrels

Statewide - Sept. 18 - Jan. 31, 2011

Raccoon

Resident Hunting/Trapping - Oct. 16 - Feb. 15, 2011
Non-Resident Furbearer - Oct. 30 - Feb. 15, 2011

Fox (All Species)

Northern Zone - Oct. 16 - Feb. 15, 2011
Southern Zone - Oct. 30 - Feb. 15, 2011

Coyote

Hunting:
Continuous open season except closedin the northern Wisconsin wolf management zone during the regular gun deer, December antlerless only, and muzzleloader seasons.

Trapping:

Northern Zone - Oct. 16 - Feb. 15, 2011
Southern Zone - Oct. 30 - Feb. 15, 2011

Opossum, Skunk, Weasel, and Snowshoe Hare

No season limits, bag limits, size limits, or possession limits

Protected Species

Hunting Protected Species such as badger, woodchuck, wolf, elk, jackrabbit and flying squirrel is prohibited. See Small Game Regulations for more details.

Beaver

Trapping Only:

Zone A (Northwest) - Nov. 6 - Apr. 30, 2011
Zone B (Northeast) - Nov. 6 - Apr. 30, 2011
Zone C (South) - Nov. 6 - Mar. 31, 2011
Zone D (Mississippi River) - Day after duck season closes to March 15, 2011.
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Muskrat

Northern Zone - Oct. 16 - Feb. 28, 2011
South Zone - Oct. 30 - Feb. 28, 2011
Winnebago - Oct. 30 - March 15, 2011
Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes or thesecond Monday in November, whichever occursfirst and ends February 28, 2011.

Mink

North Zone - Oct. 16 - Feb. 28, 2011
South Zone - Oct. 30 - Feb. 28, 2011
Winnebago - Oct. 30 - March 15, 2011
Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes orthe second Monday in November, whicheveroccurs first and ends on February 28, 2011.

Otter

Permits required

Trapping Only:

Northern Zone - Nov. 6 - April 30, 2011
Central Zone - Nov. 6 - Mar. 31, 2011
South Zone - Nov. 6 - Mar. 31, 2011

Fisher

Permits required

Trapping Only:

Various Zones - Oct. 16 - Dec. 31

Bobcat

Permits required

Hunting/Trapping:

Period 1 - Oct. 16 - Dec. 25
Period 2 - Dec. 26 - Jan. 31, 2011

Waterfowl

Each year, the Natural Resources Board (NRB) determines the waterfowl season dates at their annual meeting in August. Yearly regulations and season dates are based on the US Fish and Wildlife Service framework limitations and public input that is gathered during the public comment period the week prior to the NRB meeting.

Woodcock

Sept. 25 - Nov. 8

Contact your local DNR office

Questions for Wildlife Management

Last Revised: Wednesday January 06 2010