Shawano, Waupaca in top three
Two area counties were among the state harvest leaders for opening weekend of the state’s gun deer season.
According to preliminary figures from the state Department of Natural Resources, hunters in Shawano County registered 1,404 bucks and 1,617 antlerless deer on the first two days of the season, which began Nov. 23 and wrapped up Dec. 1.
That total of 3,021 deer is the highest of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.
Waupaca County was third at 2,939 registered deer, including 1,420 bucks and 1,519 antlerless deer.
Rounding out the top five are Marathon County, second (2,985); Polk County, fourth (2,808); and Grant County, fifth (2,588).
The statewide opening weekend harvest of 90,286 is down from last year’s total of 123,090. Hunters registered 46,866 bucks this year, compared to 67,636 in 2018.
Deer activity reports varied around the state and within regions. Some hunters reported excellent activity, while others reported very little, including in areas where deer abundance is known to be high.
Reports of rutting activity were far less common compared to last year, which was expected with the latest possible date for the season opener.
“In 2018, we held the earliest possible deer season followed by the latest possible season in 2019,” DNR big game ecologist Kevin Wallenfang said. “This occurred between the 2012-13 and 2007-08 seasons as well and we saw similar declines in opening weekend registration totals.”