Still waiting on the final 9 day harvest numbers but it is interesting to compare opening weekend from this year to last year. Overall harvest is up 2.3% from 2019, but 2019 harvest was down 25% from 2018 so not much of an improvement. A disturbing trend in my opinion. Makes me sick to see how many doe tags are still available for purchase.
https://widnr.widen.net/s/2llfwzxjnk
The troubling and continuing trend of bucks getting shot before rifle season is increasing as crossbow/archery kills were up in most counties. More deer don't even make it to rifle season to begin with.
Why is this trend troubling? Stringed weapon northern forest buck harvest, with several weeks to go, is up almost 26% from last years total. I’d bet when it’s all said and done northern forest total buck harvest will be up 10-15% from last year.
I see no problem with hunting pressure being more spread out (archery licenses up over 8%). I don’t think comparing nine day gun season harvests from 5-10 years ago is even really valid anymore with so much hunting effort being transferred to archery seasons (and even muzzleloader too). It’s hard to blame the average Joe Public with no access to private land for wanting to hunt in October (or December) vs the nine day rat race of a gun season. The times are changing, the nine day gun season is no longer the be all end all of Wisconsin hunting seasons. I don’t see that as troubling at all in light of the 20+ year overall downward trend in participation. Unless of course you think Joe Public isn’t worthy of being in the woods in early November....
Sure, if you trust the numbers. Poaching was rampant back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Every crew shot illegal deer back then, and often out of season.
Don't forget also, slight uptick in the harvest numbers for opening weekend. Also don't forget, 3.2% license sales increase this year - more people in the woods should result in more deer registered. I will also wait for the final numbers before chiming in much, but not looking good again for at least the Northern Forest region. The troubling and continuing trend of bucks getting shot before rifle season is increasing as crossbow/archery kills were up in most counties. More deer don't even make it to rifle season to begin with.
Depends what you are comparing it to, look at the 60's and 70's.
https://dnr.wi.gov/wideermetrics/DeerStats.aspx?R=HarvestHistory
That's the thing with statistics, you can pick and choose what you look at to prove basically any point. Could say its much better than 60 years ago, or could say its terrible compared to 10 years ago.
I wish they could capture the deer in certain areas that are heavily populated with deer and place them in areas that the populations are lower. Some areas of the state you can shoot as many does as you want then a county or two away the populations are way lower. With CWD is so many counties and probably expenses I doubt the DNR will ever do that.
