MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the state deer harvest is running ahead of last year, but that’s not due to the gun-deer season.

Gun season results mixed

Despite a promising start, the DNR says the nine-day gun deer hunt ended with a harvest down 0.8% statewide. The antlerless harvest of 96,016 deer was up 0.9% compared to 2024 but that’s tempered by the antlered harvest of 86,086, down 2.6%.

Including bow and crossbow seasons, hunters bagged 294,757 deer so far, up 1.1% over this time last year.

Hunter participation declines

The number of deer hunters in the fields and woods was also down from 2024. Deer hunting license sales are down 0.12% overall from this time a year ago. So far the state has sold a total 790,044 gun, archery, crossbow, co

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