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Hunting and Trapping Season Dates
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 2007 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping season dates document. [PDF 131KB]
Download the 2008 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping season dates for season dates extending into and ending in 2009. [PDF 803KB]
The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Regulations (Exit DNR)
2008 Season Dates
Due to pending rules, these deer seasons may be modified.
- Bow - Sept. 13 - Nov. 20, 2008 and Dec. 1, 2008 - Jan. 4, 2009
- Gun - Nov. 22 - Nov. 30, 2008
- Muzzleloader - Dec. 1 - Dec. 10, 2008
- Youth Deer Hunt - Oct. 11 & 12, 2008
- Statewide Antlerless Hunt - Dec. 11 - Dec. 14, 2008
- CWD Zones Season Dates
**See the 2008 Deer Hunting Regulations for October anterless only gun hunting opportunities likely to be in place on October 16-19; list of Herd Control and Earn-a-Buck units; and for CWD hunt dates.
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Zone C where dogs are not permitted:
- Sept. 3 - Oct. 7, 2008
All other zones where dogs are permitted:
Sept. 3 - Sept. 9, 2008
- with aid of bait
- with other methods not utilizing dogs
Sept. 10 - 30, 2008
- with aid of dogs
- with aid of bait
- with other methods
Oct. 1 - Oct. 7, 2008
Youth Turkey Hunt: April 12 - 13, 2008
2008 Spring Open Zones:
- Period A: Apr 16 - 20, 2008
- Period B: Apr 23 - 27, 2008
- Period C: Apr 30 - May 4, 2008
- Period D: May 7 - 11, 2008
- Period E: May 14 - 18, 2008
- Period F: May 21 - 25, 2008
2008 Fall Season - September 13 - November 20, 2008
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Statewide - Oct. 18 (noon) - Dec. 31, 2008
- Zone A - Sept. 13 - Jan. 31, 2009
- Zone B - Oct. 18 - Dec. 8, 2008
Oct. 18 - Nov. 9, 2008
Statewide - Oct. 18 (noon) - Dec. 10, 2008
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Statewide* - Oct. 18 (noon) - Dec. 31, 2008
*Closed in Clark, Marathon, and Taylor Counties
- Jan. 18 – March 20, 2008
- Sept. 13 - Nov. 20, 2008
Statewide - Sept. 1 - Oct. 30, 2008
- Northern Zone - Sept. 13, 2008 - Feb. 28, 2009
- Southern Zone - Oct. 18 (noon), 2008 - Feb. 28, 2009
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Statewide - Sept. 13, 2008 - Jan. 31, 2009
- Resident Hunting/Trapping - Oct. 18, 2008 - Jan. 31, 2009
- Non-Resident Furbearer - Nov. 1, 2008 - Jan. 31, 2009
- Northern Zone - Oct. 18, 2008 - Feb. 15, 2009
- Southern Zone - Oct. 25, 2008 - Feb. 15, 2009
Hunting:
Continuous open season except closed in the northern Wisconsin wolf management zone during the regular gun deer, December antlerless only, and muzzleloader seasons.
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Trapping:
- Northern Zone - Oct. 18, 2008 - Feb. 15, 2009
- Southern Zone - Oct. 25, 2008 - Feb. 15, 2009
No season limits, bag limits, size limits, or possession limits
Hunting Protected Species such as badger, woodchuck, wolf, elk, jackrabbit and flying squirrel is prohibited. See Small Game Regulations for more details.
Trapping Only:
- Zone A (Northwest) - Nov. 1, 2008 - April 30, 2009
- Zone B (Northeast) - Nov. 1, 2008 - April 30, 2009
- Zone C (South) - Nov. 1, 2008 - March 31, 2009
- Zone D (Mississippi River) - Day after duck season closes to March 15, 2009.
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- Northern Zone - Oct. 18, 2008 - Feb. 28, 2009
- South Zone - Oct. 25, 2008 - Feb. 28, 2009
- Winnebago - Oct. 25, 2008 - March 15, 2009
- Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes or the second Monday in November, whichever occurs first, and ends February 28, 2009.
- North Zone - Oct. 18, 2008 - Feb. 28, 2009
- South Zone - Oct. 25, 2008 - Feb. 28, 2009
- Winnebago - Oct. 25, 2008 - March 15, 2009
- Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes or the second Monday in November, whichever occurs first, and ends on February 28, 2009.
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Permits required
Trapping Only:
- Northern Zone - Nov. 1, 2008 - April 30, 2009
- Central Zone - Nov. 1, 2008 - March 31, 2009
- South Zone - Nov. 1, 2008 - March 31, 2009
Permits required
Trapping Only:
- Various Zones - Oct. 18 - Dec. 31, 2008
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Permits required
Hunting/Trapping:
- North of Hwy 64 - Oct. 18 - Dec. 31, 2008
Early September Canada Goose Season
Dates: September 1-15, 2008 with a daily bag of 5 geese.
Youth Waterfowl Hunt
Dates: September 20-21, 2008. The daily bag is the same as the regular seasons.
Ducks
Dates:
- Northern Zone: September 27 – November 25, 2008;
- Southern Zone: October 4 - 12, 2008, October 18 - December 7, 2008
Bag: 60 Day Season – Daily bag of 6 ducks, no more than 4 mallards of which only 1 may be a hen, 3 wood ducks, 1 black duck, 2 redheads, 1 scaup for 40 days and 2 for 20 days, 1 pintail (60 days). Closed canvasback season. In addition, 5 mergansers to include not more than two hooded mergansers. Coot daily bag of 15. *Opening day shooting hours will begin at 9am.
Scaup
The Migratory Committee of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress agreed upon the following dates and the WDNR concurred.
Special Scaup Season - North zone:
- September 27 – October 17, 2008 – 1 duck daily bag
- October 18 – November 6, 2008 – 2 duck daily bag
- November 7 – 25, 2008 – 1 duck daily bag
Special Scaup Season South zone:
- October 4 – 12, 2008 – 1 duck daily bag
- October 13 - 17, 2008 – Overall duck season closed
- October 18 – 31, 2008 – 1 duck daily bag
- November 1 – 20, 2008 – 2 duck daily bag
- November 21- December 7, 2008 – 1 duck daily bag
Canada Geese
Year 2 of 5 year Mississippi Flyway stable Canada goose season.
Dates:
Bag: Daily Bag of two geese.
- Exterior Zone North: September 20 – December 13, 2008
- Exterior Zone South: September 20 – October 12 and October 18 - December 18, 2008
- Mississippi River Subzone: October 4 – 12 and October 18 – January 1, 2009
Horicon Zone: Only 2 periods simplify and provide more hunting days.
Bag: Daily bag of two, six tags per hunter.
- H1: September 16 – November 2, 2008
- H2: November 3 – December 16, 2008
Collins Zone:
Bag: Daily bag of two, six tags per hunter
- Period 1: September 16 – October 3, 2008 and October 4 (9am) - 5, 2008
- Period 2: October 6 – 26, 2008
- Period 3: October 27 – November 21, 2008
Other Geese
Light geese (Snow, Blue and Ross) and Brant: Seasons are the same as for the Canada goose zones and subzones. Daily Bag Limit: 1 brant and 20 light geese.
White-fronted geese: Season is the same as for Canada geese in the Exterior and Collins zones. In the Horicon zone the season will be September 22 – December 16. Daily Bag Limit: 1 white-fronted goose.
Important Changes for 2008
- Federal frameworks close canvasback season, offer scaup at 40 days/1 bird bag and 20 days with a 2 bird bag for a total of 60 days, and an increased daily bag of wood ducks from 2 to 3.
- Horicon zone simplified to 2 time periods.
- Mourning dove season extended by 10 days, Sept. 1- Nov.9; Non-toxic shot required on DNR managed lands
Falconry
Ducks - Dates are all the days ducks are open to gun hunting in the respective zones plus September 20 and 21 and January 9 - February 22, 2009.
Geese - Dates are the same as the statewide gun season.
Sept. 20 - Nov. 3, 2008.
Contact your local DNR office
Questions for Wildlife Management
Last Revised: Thursday August 14 2008
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