MADISON – From the numbers, Wisconsin clearly is a land of opportunity for white-tailed deer hunters. In 2005, Wisconsin hunters harvested more than 467,000 deer, the sixth best season in Wisconsin hunting history. Wisconsin holds the record among states for a single year harvest at 618,000 in 2000, and is also the top deer harvest producing state over the past decade.
In 2006, Wisconsin’s deer herd remains above population goals. Wildlife managers estimate it to be at 1.5 to 1.7 million animals going into the hunting season. “That projection is well above established population goals, but better than expected,” said Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources. “Wisconsin, hunters did a great job holding projected herd growth to12 percent over last season given the 2005 season’s reduced emphasis on herd control measures, no Earn-a-Buck units and an extremely mild northern winter,” Warnke said. “But, one can see by the number of deer management units where we’ll offer an unlimited number of inexpensive antlerless deer tags and the number of Earn-a-Buck units this season, that hunters need to step to the plate this fall and harvest antlerless deer to keep the deer population within management goals.”
As a two year trial there will be no October Herd Control hunt, previously known as “Zone-T.” The change was one of several recommendations by Wisconsin deer hunters to improve the state’s deer hunt. Balancing the trial moratorium on October gun hunting is a statewide four-day antlerless only gun hunt December 7-10. Wildlife managers say hunters need to meet an overall harvest ratio of two antlerless deer for every buck to control herd size and avoid possible reinstatement of the October gun season.
“If we work together to have hunters harvest two antlerless deer for every antlered buck, we should be successful in keeping the herd in check,” said Warnke.
Wisconsin deer hunting regulations and a map of the Deer Management Unit Structure in Effect for 2006 are available on the DNR Web site
Regular Units
Deer populations are at or near goal in these units. For the 2006 season, regular units will have a limited number of Unit Specific Antlerless Deer Carcass Tags. The number of additional antlerless tags available for these units should result in an antlerless harvest sufficient to manage the unit’s deer population. In regular units harvesting a limited number of antlerless deer maintains a deer management unit (DMU) population near established post season goals.
Hunters can purchase unit specific Antlerless Deer Carcass Tags on a first-come, first-served basis until sold out at any license vendor beginning at noon on August 26. Tags and be purchased by phone (1-877-945-4236) or at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Online Licensing Center. Fees are $12 each for resident and $20 each for non-resident. Hunters must possess a 2006 Wisconsin deer hunting license to apply for the additional tags.
Herd Control Units
Formerly known as Zone-T Units, Herd Control Units are designated when a deer population is well over goal and increased antlerless deer harvest is required to bring populations toward goal. This year, as part of the trial deer season structure, there will be unlimited Antlerless Deer Carcass Tags available for use in herd control units. Hunters will receive one free Antlerless Deer Carcass Tag for each license purchased and additional tags can be purchased for $2 each at any license sales location or at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Online Licensing Center.
Earn-a-Buck Units
Twenty one of Wisconsin’s 130 deer management units will have Earn-a-Buck requirements for the 2006 archery and firearm deer hunting seasons. Earn-a-Buck (EAB) requires hunters to first tag an antlerless deer before they can legally tag a buck.
Deer management units 46, 51A, 51B, 54B, 59B, 59C, 59M, 60M, 61, 62A, 62B, 63A, 63B, 64M, 65B, 66, 67A, 67B, 68A, 74A and 80B will have EAB regulations for 2006.
First used in 1996, EAB is prescribed if a DMU has been a Herd Control Unit for two consecutive years, and unlimited antlerless tags along with antlerless only hunts failed to reduce the population to near goal. EAB is a more restrictive season structure, but it is also a more effective method of population control. EAB units offer unlimited Antlerless Deer Carcass Tags, one free with each license purchased, and additional tags can be purchased at $2 each.
NOTE: It is illegal to use a car-killed deer to obtain a buck authorization sticker or as authorization to register a buck.
2007 Earn-a-Buck Prequalification
A new EAB prequalification system was put in place during last year’s deer hunting season and will be in effect again in 2006 and future seasons.
It works like this: Hunters registering an antlerless deer in any deer management unit this season that is designated EAB in 2007, will get a buck authorization sticker that is good on either an either-sex archery deer carcass tag or a gun buck deer carcass tag. In other words, a buck authorization sticker is not weapon specific. Hunters can harvest an antlerless deer with a bow and use the sticker with their archery license or their gun license.
Hunters looking ahead to the 2007 seasons can get an idea of which units might be in Earn-a-Buck by looking at the EAB “watch list” described below.
More than 70,000 hunters took advantage of this prequalification option last year and will hit the woods with a buck authorization sticker allowing them the option of taking a buck right away if the opportunity presents itself.
Hunters who registered an antlerless deer last season in any unit that is Earn-a-Buck this season, and who think they have pre-qualified for a buck sticker, should have their DNR costumer number available and visit the Earn-a-Buck Prequalification Status page of the DNR Web site.
The EAB “watch list”
Based on population trends, deer management unit history and harvest history, deer managers have created an EAB “watch list.” These are deer management units that could potentially be designated as EAB in 2007. Hunters harvesting and registering an antlerless deer in these units in 2006 will pre-qualify for a Buck Authorization sticker if the unit is designated as EAB in 2007.
The department’s new deer registration database can track individual hunter harvest, including where and what the hunter registered. Because harvest information is taken directly off the deer registration stub, hunters are reminded to completely and legibly fill out the registration stub if they want to receive their “Buck Authorization” sticker in 2007. Buck stickers will be mailed to prequalifying hunters during the summer once 2007 EAB units are finalized.
The following units are on the “watch list” for 2007: 22A, 23, 24, 25, 27, 46, 47, 51A, 51B, 54B, 54C, 57, 57B, 59B, 59C, 59M, 60M, 61, 62A, 62B, 63A, 63B, 64, 64M, 65B, 66, 67A, 67B, 68A, 68B, 74A, 77C, 77M, 80A, 80B and 81.
Chronic Wasting Disease
Deer management units, including state park units, located in the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Disease Eradication Zones (DEZ) and the Herd Reduction Zone (HRZ) will again have special regulations for the 2006 season.
The following DMUs will have an unlimited either-sex season structure for the entire length of the 2006 season: 54B CWD, 70 CWD, 70A CWD, 70B CWD, 70C CWD, 70D CWD, 70E CWD, 70F CWD, 70G CWD, 71 CWD, 73B CWD, 73E CWD, 75A CWD, 75B CWD, 75C CWD, 75D CWD, 76 CWD, 76A CWD, 76M CWD, 77A CWD, 77B CWD and 77C CWD.
Hunters planning on hunting one of the CWD Zones should review the 2006 Chronic Wasting Disease Zone Deer Hunting Regulations pamphlet supplement, available in early September in hard copy and online, for specific details on hunting dates, rules, and zone boundaries.
Statewide December Antlerless Deer Hunt
Based on input from several hunters’ groups, a four-day December antlerless deer hunt will be held Dec. 7 – 10, 2006 in DMUs statewide, except State Park units, non-quota units and those portions of units west of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad that are posted closed to hunting.
There will be no four day October (Zone-T) antlerless-only gun deer hunt this year. But, if the December statewide antlerless hunt is not effective enough from a herd management perspective, the October hunt may be reinstated in the future.
Youth Hunt
The fourth annual Youth Gun Deer Hunt will be Saturday Oct. 7 - 8, 2006. New for 2006 is the Youth Gun Deer Hunt will be two days instead of just one day, it will be earlier in October and youth participants will not be restricted to shooting antlerless deer. This special hunt was established to provide more youth deer hunting opportunity. The hunt will be held in all DMUs statewide, except State Park units, non-quota units and those portions of units west of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad which are posted closed to hunting.
Youth hunters ages 12 to 15 who have successfully completed a hunter education program and possess a gun deer hunting license may participate in this hunt. Qualified hunters may harvest one buck deer on their gun buck deer carcass tag and additional antlerless deer with the appropriate carcass tag.
All deer, bear and small game hunters, with the exception of waterfowl hunters, are required to meet blaze orange requirements on these two days. For more information on the youth hunt, check the 2006 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations pamphlet.
NOTE: Earn-a-Buck restrictions do apply in EAB units.
State Park Units
State Park units 23A, 52A, 57D, 61A, 69C, 72A, 73A, 77D, 77E and 80C allow deer hunting during one or more deer hunting seasons. Hunters wishing to hunt in these State Parks must purchase a $3 State Park Access Permit online or at any DNR license location for the State Park of their choice. Permits are available beginning Saturday August 26 at noon on a first-come, first served basis until sold out. A State Park sticker or pass is required for all vehicles in a State Park. Special season dates, hours and area restrictions may apply within the parks; this information will be mailed to successful applicants.
Metro Deer Management Units
Metro units 59M, 60M and 64M are designated as EAB units, while 1M and 77M remain as Herd Control units in 2006. These metro units also have special deer hunting season dates. Hunters should review the 2006 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations pamphlet, available in hard copy and online in August, for season dates in these units and for other deer hunting regulations. Check local ordinances on firearm and bow use before hunting because many areas within the borders of the Metro Units do not allow firearm discharge and some may not allow the discharge of a bow or crossbow.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Sayer Larson (608) 261-7588 or visit the Deer Hunting in Wisconsin page of the DNR Web site.
Season Dates
Archery:
Sept. 16 – Nov. 16
Nov. 27 – Jan. 7, 2007
NOTE: Archery harvests in all units are restricted to antlerless only Dec. 7 – 10.
Gun:
Regular gun: Nov. 18 – 26
Muzzleloader: Nov. 27 – Dec. 6
Herd Control Hunt T: Dec. 7 - 10 (statewide antlerless deer only)
Youth Hunt: Oct. 7 - 8
Disabled Hunt: Oct. 7 – 15
Chronic Wasting Disease units
Disease Eradication Zone:
Archery: Sept. 16 – Jan. 7
Early Gun: Oct. 14 – 22
Late Gun: Nov. 18 – Dec. 10
Herd Reduction Zone:
Archery: Sept. 16 – Jan. 7
Early Gun: Oct. 19 – 22
Late Gun: Nov. 18 – Dec. 10
NOTE: All CWD units are unlimited either-sex for the length of the season.
NOTE: Hunters are reminded that coyote hunting is closed in approximately the northern third of the state during the gun deer seasons from Nov. 18 through Dec. 10, 2006. See page 51 of the 2006 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations for the southern boundary of this special closed area. **CORRECTION: The coyote hunting season is open during the two-day youth hunt on Oct. 7 and 8.** As with all hunting seasons, hunters are reminded to be absolutely sure of their target before they shoot. Mistakes in identification can be very costly.
NOTE: Archery hunters are required to meet blaze orange requirements during all gun deer hunting seasons.
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