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Wisconsin Gun Deer Season Opens With 4% Rise in Harvest Registrations

State managers say post-storm snow could improve deer visibility, increasing hunter success.

Overview

  • Hunters registered 90,671 deer over opening weekend, up 3.9% from 87,248 a year earlier, according to the DNR.
  • Antlered registrations reached 48,748, a 1.4% increase, while antlerless registrations rose 7% to 41,923.
  • Sales for 2025 deer hunting privileges totaled 777,843 through Sunday, including 538,865 gun privileges, a slight year-over-year decline.
  • Two firearm incidents were reported, including a fatal apparent self-inflicted shooting in Fond du Lac County under investigation and a nonfatal injury in Grant County, marking the first hunting-season fatality since 2022.
  • The DNR encouraged venison donations through its program as the nine-day season continues through Nov. 30.