- Huntable Species
- Hunting Regulations
- Season Dates
- Hunting Application Deadlines
- License Sales Locations
- Deer/Bear/Turkey Registration Stations
- Bait/Feed Regulations
Hunting Opportunities
- Wildlife Recreation Lands
- Damage Program
- Forest Tax Laws
- Learn to Hunt & Youth Hunt
- Disabled Deer Hunt
- Disabled Spring Turkey Hunt
Deer Hunting in Wisconsin
Matt Frank’s Testimony
Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank appeared before a joint Senate and Assembly legislative committee to testify on proposed revisions to Deer Management Unit population goals. Read his testimony.
Wisconsin is recognized as one of the premier deer hunting states in the nation as Wisconsin is home to a thriving deer herd. Wildlife habitat changes during the past century due to farming, logging, and urban expansion have led to the evolution of new method for managing our deer populations in an attempt to control their numbers under a wide array of habitats and social conditions.
Wildlife biologists in Wisconsin have developed population models for deer. The model depends on information gathered primarily from the hunters themselves. Such information includes the actual number of deer harvested annually, and the sex and age of each animal. When applied to a specific geographical "unit," it is possible for biologists to accurately estimate the number of deer living in that unit. They can then estimate the numbers that may be harvested to keep populations at healthy levels that are socially acceptable to both hunters and nonhunters alike. For more information, please feel free to read "Wisconsin's Deer Management Program: [PDF 1.72MB], The Issues Involved in the Decision-Making."
Season Information
Current Focus
- 2009 Deer Season Structure
- Deer Management Unit Boundary Descriptions
- Regulations
- Antlerless Deer (Bonus) Carcass Tags Availability
- Antlerless Deer Permit Information [PDF 386KB]
- Deer Carcass Tags Factsheet [PDF 207KB]
- Earn-A-Buck FAQ's [PDF 33KB]
- Deer Season Structure and Tagging FAQ’s [PDF 496KB]
- Deer Abundance and Densities in Wisconsin Deer Management Units
- Deer Donation Program
- Baiting and Feeding Regulations
Where to Hunt
Special Hunts
Other Topics
Other Topics
- Comparison of 2009 over-winter deer population estimates to population goals [PDF 368KB]
- Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey
- Deer Management Unit Review
- Deer Hunt on Wisconsin Public Television
- Deer Population Goals
- Keeping Wisconsin Deer Healthy
- Leptospirosis and White-tailed Deer Fact Sheet [PDF 58KB]
- Wisconsin's Deer Management Program [PDF 1.7MB]
The issues involved in decision making - Wisconsin Buck Fawn Fact Sheet [PDF 387KB]
- Deer/Vehicle Collisions
- Winter Severity Index
- Field Dressing and Butchering
- Caring for Deer and Forests [Exit DNR]
- Wolves & Deer in Wisconsin [PDF 245KB]
- Link to Minnesota Wolf Research [Exit DNR]
Harvest Information
SAK Audit
The SAK Stakeholder Steering Committee received this draft report reviewing Wisconsin DNR's use of the Sex-Age-Kill (SAK) deer population model. The report is from a SAK Model Review Panel consisting of biologists and statisticians selected by the SAK Stakeholder Steering Committee. The Natural Resources Board accepted the SAK audit report in February of 2007.
Audit Report [PDF 950KB]
Tim Van Deelen, Wildlife Professor from the University of Wisconsin, provides a brief explanation of the SAK model.
Dr. Mark Boyce delivered the review panel’s draft report to the NRB on Dec 5, 2006 and repeated his presentation for this recording.
Cervid Import/Export Restrictions
Questions for Wildlife Management
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