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.  

Maybe you should take up a different hobby FNB. I thought the outdoors is supposed to be fun! For me it still is and I didn't shoot a deer last year. Maybe I should ask the DNR to refund my license fee because I deserve to get a deer!!! 

"JKB keep spouting off about places you’ve never stepped foot on or even driven through, how very Madison of you .  I don’t argue your point on your own land , that would be extremely foolish as iv never been there ."

FNB- isn't that exactly what you are doing when talking about the whole northern forest and entire state? Or are you that much of a traveler and hiker? 

"Pile on boys , did anyone care to answer regarding how that record 1.8 million deer population estimate could be true? That’s pushing well over the 33 deer per square mile statewide and by the time you subtract parking lots highways and city streets it’s closer to 40. "

No actually its a tad over 32.

https://dnr.wi.gov/wideermetrics/DeerStats.aspx?R=HarvestHistory 

"Id still like to hear exactly how anyone could possibly think there are record deer populations in this state when we could only harvest 75,000 bucks in the 2019 rifle season"

No you don't because you have been and it would interfere with your great conspiracy....on second thought it probably wouldn't. 

" The are two reasons that 1.8 million record deer herd number was put out there .  One was to try to possibly gin up hunter excitement and increase gun deer license sales as hunters we’re and are quitting in droves . The other was to try to influence CDACs to harvest more does to further lower the Wisconsin deer population after an exceptionally bad winter"

Like I said. 

"I would like a huntable population of deer in my neighborhood and to be able to see more than a single deer in an entire fall in the woods "

Curious as to when the last time you thought that was in your (Florence) county?

Well stated jkb!! I could never understand why one would hunt in an area where they see zero deer but still keep hunting there. I would MOVE to an area that has deer but hey thats just me. Things change! Adapt! When I was a kid we would catch Lake Michigan perch by the buckets- well guess what they aren't there anymore. And I don't fish for them thinking I will catch them like before. Maybe the state had a loss of deer do to EHD like Iowa did last year. The DNR isn't as perfect as you guys.....

"The only thing we’ve had the same for the last few decades is that 9 days of rifle buck harvest "

Exactly, you're looking at one factor in determining the deer herd. It's about total harvest and observations of hundreds if not thousands of people all over Wisconsin. You know, actual counts of live deer like the drone counts and Iowa surveys being talked about.

"OSD you do have to admit it’s a bit over the top on how you were lecturing residents about how last winter was really not that bad in the Northwoods when you dont live here"

No I don't think stating facts is ever over the top. You may think so when you can't see past your own observations (which I stated were very close to what the WSI stated) and exaggerations.  

"And OSD if you agree the deer population is much lower than 2002 why would KW tell us it’s at a record high in 2019". 

Because its a big state. I suggest you spend some time, if you haven't already, and really look over this link  https://dnr.wi.gov/wideermetrics/LaunchPage.aspx . While you wish to return to late 90's early 2000s deer numbers many don't. Some of those that don't have been talked about on here and not in a good light. I'd throw in farmlands as well. Do some research on the deer damage claims paid during that time.  What does that mean. The social carrying capacity in the north is not as high as the deer herd was at that time. If you're looking for those kind of numbers I'd say you'll have a long wait. Unless of course you can manage for yourself enough acreage to make a difference. The public land may come back some with the separation of public vs. private land tags. That's if they are used that way. While the north is reduced that's not necessarily the case in the southern 2/3 of the state.

"OSD glad you woke up ! Is it time for the Wisconsin  weather report from half a continent away? Is JKB allowed to send that directly to you or does it have to route through Madison for WDNR preapproval? I can tell you on the side that I shoveled almost 40” of snow off of my garage roof Sunday and had a nice little thaw the last few days . Colder temps this week should give the wolves a nice crust to run on now though ."

Its this kind of bull dung that completely makes anything you say absolutely unbelievable. 

" All jokes aside , I butt up to a few hundred acres . Quite a lot of which I have hunting access to also . It should be the best of the best deer hunting ground in the Midwest and historically always was in the past . "

Well, several hundred acres should be more than enough acreage to talk to your neighbors about a small scale qdm and eliminate doe harvest on your properties for the next several years. Sounds more like you should have done that about 15 years ago. I went through similar on my land back in the early 2000's with doe tags, and t-zones. My fellow landowner next door gave a friend permission to hunt his 40. Unknown to him until after the fact he brought several more people and they proceeded to shot 4 does off his property. I also butted up to large amounts of MFL open paper land and could hunt a full 2 miles to the next road. In the late 90's I ran into some hunters just north of my place who complained loudly about how few deer they were seeing. In talking to them, I learned that their group had shot 11 deer the previous gun hunting including 1 buck ...1 buck. While I agree that the population is much lower than pre 2002 it was by design. In contrast, my cousins, (7 miles away) whose family has lived on the property since the early 1900s control about 320 acres and began a program on their own around 1970.  Yep, pre Feather, pre Drury, pre Monster Bucks they took it on themselves to manage the deer on their properties. In 2018 they filled all 7 gun tags including a large 10 pointer shot by one of their daughters. My point being, if you and your neighbors think the DNR is doing a crappy job do something on your own. Some people are and maybe just maybe that's where the majority of Wisconsin's deer are.

"It’s pretty easy Mad. Do what you can where you can"

You know like the wisdom this guy put out there. 

Lol.  Round and round and round we go!

I hunt northern WI (Barron Co) and southern WI (Iowa, Sauk, Richland). During early bow in southern, I saw on average 2 deer/hr!!!!  So, if we're making assumptions on the statewide deer population estimate from our own 40 acres (and some surrounding acreage), then I'd say there sure were 1.8 million out there.

Predator control, we used to have a bounty on predators, if we can pay for wolf predation why can’t we have a bounty.

Bears, used to by a tag over the counter, last tag I had took 10 years, now it’s up to 12. So in a perfect situation you could get 6 tags in a lifetime.

Bobcats, just got a tag this last fall, took 13 years.

Coyotes, I find them very hard to kill in my area, I do get a few a year, but no where enough. Hard to hunt in big woods.

 Fawns are targeted hard by predators in the first month, I find several every spring. Not many deer are killed by humans in are area, but the deer population still struggles to maintain.

That's not predator management FNB. C'mon, you've been railing for the DNR to do PREDATOR management. What is your plan?

FNB- Wondering how much acreage you are talking about with your 40 and the privately owned land mix around you?

Curious as to what a "predator control program" would look like?

Wolves off the table due to federal protection.

Bears ARE managed intensively as a big game species. Drastically decreasing population wont happen as bear hunters are entitled to a reasonable, huntable population.

Bobcats ARE managed. I guess we could argue about further decreasing the population but their impact statewide on deer populations is not that significant.

That leaves us with coyotes. No doubt they impact deer numbers to some degree. Question is, how to decrease the population? No way is a bounty system going to fly in this state. Not sure how effective it would be anyway. Coyotes are survivors and very adaptable. My property is full of them. I'm lucky to kill one or two per year. I should add they co-exist reasonably well with deer in central WI where I am.

So, exactly HOW do you propose managing predators? Seems to me options are extremely limited.

Sounds like we need earn a deer, you must turn in two predator carcasses (non-human only) each year to get a deer tag.

Well mad,  I can only speak about the area I hunt in northwest Vilas co. I don’t think opening the season earlier will help. More hunters would help move some deer, but without more deer you won’t see more hunters.

 Opening was near perfect here, maybe 6” of snow, light winds. Zero deer moving, heard 5 shots opening weekend. No shooting after, about 20” snow on Wednesday followed by 12” on Saturday. Did see some wolves, saw 1 deer. Not sure about all of Vilas co. but by me the numbers are down, should be no doe tags. Also we need to control the predators.

went to try to check some cameras today, some were under the snow, the fawn recruitment will be low this year.