2019 Gun Deer Final Numbers

Just released, 2019 vs. 2018: Total buck kill down 28.6%, total harvest down 24.9%.  Northern Forest region was the worst: buck kill down 39.5%, total harvest down 38.2%.

Post opening weekend quote: "In 2018, we held the earliest possible deer season followed by the latest possible season in 2019. This occurred between the 2012-13 and 2007-08 seasons as well, and we saw similar declines in opening weekend registration totals," said DNR big game ecologist Kevin Wallenfang. 

2012 antlered harvest: 119,469

2013 antlered harvest: 102,221, drop of 14.5%

2007 antlered harvest: 133,107

2008 antlered harvest: 103,845, drop of 22%

Yes, there were decreases if you only look at the variable as stated by DNR above.  Total harvest of 75,236 bucks in 2019 tells another story.  Even in the worst years, the total buck kill was down 25% on top of the decrease "due to a late start to the season."  The buck kill was down 19% from the lowest buck kill numbers in the last 13 years.  We are on a continued and readily apparent trend downward.

As I posted in another thread, pick the year and you get the same excuses from DNR: standing crops, no snow, late start date to season, and the best of all "lack of hunter effort."

Most of us had record snowfalls late in the season which has never been seen before.  The Winter Severity Index does not properly account for deep snow or extreme cold.  -1 degree counts the same as -30 degrees, and 18" of snow counts the same as 40" of snow according to their system.  I feel a lot of deer died last winter/spring, but we were told we had a record population and a moderate winter even though hundreds of barn roofs collapsed from all the snow.

Since we as hunters failed, and did not do our part to reduce this out of control population as DNR has told us about, I suspect DNR will offer more doe tags, more seasons, more weapons, and longer seasons since we all obviously are failing at hunting.  

I am guessing the number of licenses sold next year will drop even faster with the winter we are already having.  

LOLOLOL

Thanks for posting the information about Senate bill 3140 to help get wolf management back under the appropriate State agencies.. I was happy to see that Senator Johnson was a co-sponsor and I would hope this gets a lot of support by the hunting/farming community in the state.. I have shared and passed along information to all my hunting buddies and local sportsman club and would hope other LL members do the same..  

You bet, thanks for the support Gents!

Excellent LUVtheOTDRS, been looking for info for the last week. Ron Johnson would be our state rep contact. I sent it to all my contacts.

This would make a significant difference in the north after a few years.

Thanks again for the info.

Done

JC (and everyone else!),

You mentioned the lack of info to support the Wolf Delisting bill. Go to hunternation.org and sign the petition please! I urge every last one of you on this thread to do the same! We’re SO close now! Every single signature could have an impact. 

That is exactly why I want an earlier gun season north of HWY 8. " The same buck several miles away." This is wham they move enough to have a chance at seeing one.  The rebuttal , " we will destroy the age structure" , " the older bucks will get slaughtered before the rut" . It wont, at least where I hunt, there is almost noone hunting them on the public lands anymore. On opening day, there is a car here and there and most of these guys are less than 200 yds from the road anyway.  I cant say for others that hunt way up north, but it is amazing how few hunters there are the last 5 yrs. I still get bucks, and some bruisers on the cam, but only from Oct. 31. to about Nov. 10. This is my experience and has been that way for 30 yrs. Before trail cams, the buck sightings went way down by gun season. 

"JC, the concept of having a 40 and retaining deer on it is the same whether you have an isolated woodlot or thousands of acres of forest.  If you don't want to have deer relocate elsewhere you cannot contaminate their bedding area with your scent or your disturbance."

Obviously you haven't spent a lot of time hunting mile upon mile of public land northwoods.  You will find, more often than not, deer will often bed in open mature forest, and often times along a hillside.  Reason being, they can see predators/wolves better.  During the rut you will get the same buck on cameras miles away - points to low deer density.  Areas of north central WI is devoid of concentrated food sources, especially during years of poor acorn crops.  Deer are browsing machines in this area and simply eat as they move along.  Deer do not bed in the same 10 acres in this country unless someone has a bait nearby, and those deer usually consist of a family group of antlerless deer with bucks from miles away occasionally running through.  

"If you are hunting a continuous forest,  move!"   

I agree, and would love to.  However, without being fortunate enough to own enough private land, I am forced to hunt vast areas of forest that is open to the public.  It is not easy to hunt large timber in the north without enough deer to hunt especially in areas without bait.  The deer travel miles to better food sources - ag country and food plots - private land areas.  Being a trophy hunter (trophy to me is simply a buck 3.5 years old or older regardless of rack size) it is the reason that I only shoot 2-4 deer a decade.

"Deer like edges,  more variety of food and cover is available."

Sure.  Agree.  This advice doesn't help us out much up here.  I own a small amount of timber in a farmland area and the chances of seeing deer are 1000% greater than hunting large areas of northern forest public land.  There are not many deer, and that is the core of the problem.

Regarding small woodlots: The northwoods has few of these, and frankly it is much easier to hunt farmland/small woodlot deer than it is in the northwoods.  I hunt both, and they are night and day.  It is very difficult to hunt vast public land areas in the northwoods due to lack of concentrated food sources, natural funnels, and high wolf populations/low deer numbers.  That is why people who hunt the northwoods use bait more commonly than those with "natural" food sources - ag fields, food plots, etc.

Wolves...I think the final decision to delist is somewhere around March 20th.  I have not heard anything on this since last summer which is a bit concerning for getting them removed this Spring.

SamFox, Unfortunately the DNR does not manage the wolves in this state so I'm not drinking any koolaid. The federal government has control over the wolves. We would have as season but anti-hunter lawsuits and candy-assed judges continue to block our efforts. Perhaps the SSS method would be best.... As far as kids hunting, I'll agree that its tough to keep them interested and it isn't just because they didn't see a deer or not. Lots of pressure on them to do all kinds of things in todays world. But some kids are born hunters and they will always be IMHO

Well then LL perhaps we should converse more via messenger and we can discuss both our observed weaknesses in the SAK methods and what would be needed to correct them. You might even be able to answer a few questions I have with it.

Swamp buck , clearly you’re right about the wolves, the DNR aren’t at fault, they did just what they said they would do. Limit the population to 350. So what flavor is that cool aid.

"Maybe JKB you along with OSD and Swanpbuck can show me where all these deer are that don't exist where I hunt". 

I wouldn't have any idea how many deer are by you LL. If you care to give the county you hunt I could give you figures the DNR thinks are there and how many have been harvested. I wouldn't have any idea how many deer are in the area FNB hunts as I haven't been on the properties. I could give him figures the DNR thinks are there and harvest data.  Some seem to think I feel the SAK is gospel yet I've pointed out several areas I think its weak. Some cant get past the fact I don't think what they say is gospel. A couple of ideas to support or correct the SAK have been put forth and when I ask for specifics on its viability I'm immediately considered against it. If they are good they will stand on their merit. If not maybe an adjustment will make it better. The Iowa survey has been refined many times. It may work in Iowa, it may or may not in Wisconsin. I don't know all the ins and outs of the SAK but I'm willing to ask about the specifics to better learn its limitations and strengths even if I don't think its perfect. As for those who won't answer questions or put forth anything but 1.8 million and the sky is falling I'm done with you. Spew away your conspiracy theories. You really aren't interested in listening to anybody anyways. Just find yourself a nice soapbox and have at it.

Wow, this blew up fast.  Did the DNR screw up?  Yes.  Have they been screwing up for 20 years?  Yes.  Are they trying to screw up?  No.  Is the SAK useful?  Yes.  Is the SAK accurate? No.  

For those who do not hunt north of HWY29/64 near public land areas, there is little that can be done outside of predator control and stopping the shooting of deer.  I agree that finding new places to hunt works, but for those who have land it sucks if the land is devoid of deer.  For those that want to hunt after work in the Fall and need to find a new spot, it sucks because who wants to hunt after work if you have to drive 2 hours and make it before closing time.  There are vast areas where there are few deer.  For those of you who have good deer hunting in the north you are obviously the minority.

Are bad winters the DNR's fault? No. Is EHD the DNR's fault? No. Is CWD the DNR's fault? No. Are greedy hunters the DNR's fault? No. Are wolves the DNR's fault? No. Are mountain lions the DNR's fault? No. Are road kills the DNR's fault? No. But according to you guys its always their fault. There are alot of factors guesstimating the population of the deer herd that change constantly. And you expect them to know where every deer on every square mile is and how many? Good grief. Maybe we should send out census forms for the deer to fill out! If they (DNR) would have said the population is low would you be less upset? Your mad because they SAID we have a large population. Geez get over it. You go in the woods but you don't see any deer or sign of deer but you still hunt there? Why? Try somewhere else. My cousin lives near Winter and he has all kinds of deer by him but he works hard on habitat and predator control. I think maybe I'll start hunting elephants in the north. I don't see any and I don't see any sign but I'm sure they're there....