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 2008 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping season dates document. [PDF 131KB]

Download the 2009 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping season dates for season dates extending into and ending in 2010. [PDF 803KB]

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

2009 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)

Due to pending rules, these deer seasons may be modified.

Bow - Sept. 12 - Nov. 19 and Nov. 30 - Jan. 3, 2010
Gun - Nov. 21 - Nov. 29
Muzzleloader - Nov. 30 - Dec. 9
Youth Deer Hunt - Oct. 10 - 11
Statewide Antlerless Hunt - Dec. 10 - Dec. 13
CWD Zones Season Dates

**See the 2009 Deer Hunting Regulations for possible October gun hunting opportunities; list of Herd Control and Earn-a-Buck units; and for CWD hunt dates.

Black Bear

Zone C where dogs are not permitted: - Sept. 9 - Oct. 13

All other zones where dogs are permitted:

Sept. 9 - Sept. 15

with aid of dogs only

Sept. 16 - Oct. 6

with aid of dogs
with aid of bait
with other methods

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13

with aid of bait
with other methods not utilizing dogs

Wild Turkey

Youth Turkey Hunt: April 11 - 12

2009 Spring Open Zones:

Period A: Apr 15 - 19
Period B: Apr 22 - 26
Period C: Apr 29 - May 3
Period D: May 6 - 10
Period E: May 13 - 17
Period F: May 20 - 24

2009 Fall Season - September 12 - November 19 (Fall season may be extended in 2009)

Ring-necked Pheasant

Statewide - Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 31

Ruffed Grouse

Zone A - Sept. 12 - Jan. 31, 2010
Zone B - Oct. 17 - Dec. 8

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Oct. 17 - Nov. 8

Bobwhite Quail

Statewide - Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 9

Gray (Hungarian) Partridge

Statewide* - Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 31

*Closed in Clark, Marathon, and Taylor Counties

Crow

Jan. 25 - March 20
Sept. 12 - Nov. 19

Mourning Dove

Statewide - Sept. 1 – Nov. 9

Cottontail Rabbit

Northern Zone - Sept. 12 - Feb. 28, 2010
Southern Zone - Oct. 17 (noon) - Feb. 28, 2010

Gray and Fox Squirrels

Statewide - Sept. 12 - Jan. 31, 2010

Raccoon

Resident Hunting/Trapping - Oct. 17 - Feb. 15, 2010
Non-Resident Furbearer - Oct. 31 - Feb. 15, 2010

Fox (All Species)

Northern Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 15, 2010
Southern Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 15, 2010

Coyote

Hunting:
Continuous open season except closedin the northern Wisconsin wolf managementzone during the regular gun deer, Decemberantlerless only, and muzzleloader seasons.

Trapping:

Northern Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 15, 2010
Southern Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 15, 2010

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. 7 - Apr. 30, 2010
Zone B (Northeast) - Nov. 7 - Apr. 30, 2010
Zone C (South) - Nov. 7 - Mar. 31, 2010
Zone D (Mississippi River) - Day after duck season closes to March 15, 2010.
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Muskrat

Northern Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 28, 2010
South Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 28, 2010
Winnebago - Oct. 31 - March 15, 2010
Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes or thesecond Monday in November, whichever occursfirst and ends February 28, 2010.

Mink

North Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 28, 2010
South Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 28, 2010
Winnebago - Oct. 31 - March 15, 2010
Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes orthe second Monday in November, whicheveroccurs first and ends on February 28, 2010.

Otter

Permits required

Trapping Only:

Northern Zone - Nov. 7 - April 30, 2010
Central Zone - Nov. 7 - Mar. 31, 2010
South Zone - Nov. 7 - Mar. 31, 2010

Fisher

Permits required

Trapping Only:

Various Zones - Oct. 17 - Dec. 31

Bobcat

Permits required

Hunting/Trapping:

North of Hwy 64 - Oct. 17 - Dec. 31

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.

Early September Canada Goose Season

Dates: Sept. 1 - 15

Falconry

Ducks - Dates are all the days ducks are open to gun hunting in the respective zones.

Geese - Dates are the same as the statewide gun season.

Woodcock:

Sept. 19 - Nov. 2

Contact your local DNR office

Questions for Wildlife Management

Last Revised: Monday December 29 2008