Deer license sales 2018

Does anyone know where to find the number of bow, crossbow and gun license sales so far in Wisconsin?

I think another aspect to this is the fact that big bucks are promoted more then ever.  Even on this site, it tends to get taken over by guys like that.  In reality, many don't have those opportunities.  You read this stuff every day and eventually you figure you can't compete.  That may sound dumb but there are enough people out there who really really care what strangers think of their deer.  You read it all the time, 'its little', 'its nothing special', etc.  Couple that with landowners locking up their properties or leasing, compared to verbal permission in the past and you have less areas to hunt for many guys.  More people, worse experience.

I have to assume the baby boomers are aging to the point that some are dropping out every year as well.  If other generations aren't as large, that's going to reduce it.

Those are my 2 additional ideas anyways.  I'd happily pay more for what I do.  Its pretty cheap to go hunting or fishing right now.  I usually buy the patrons license and don't even use half of it, and I'm fine with that money going where its needed.

“I know of guys who quit hunting Lincoln County because of it as they didn't feel (right or wrong) they would see deer without a bait, and wouldn't be able to get as many deer on camera without one.”

That’s a real bummer for them. My heart yearns at their plight.

Wisconsin does need to raise the price of NR deer licenses. It cost only a little more to hunt a buck in WI as it does to hunt pheasants in SD for 10 days. I'm a NR. A $250 license will not stop too many of us. 

Dropping the age was kind of dumb IMO.  More seasons is just plain ridiculous.  If you truly want more money,  you raise the price.  Pretty simple.

Making Xbows legal dropped gun sales.  There are many I believe that want a couple deer and if they can kill them being more sporty and hunt in warmer weather,  that's a plus. I know several that didn't buy a gun tag this year for that EXACT reason.

Not everyone goes gun hunting for the tradition and a 9 day drunk fest.  Most will tell you that's why they go but it's a lie.  a bunch of LOSERS at work like to have the smallest fawn contests and shooting deer in the head contests ( I hope they read this).  It's a time to pull the trigger w no respect for the animal. It's actually disturbing.

This is Wisconsin,  we can sit in a unheated garage in the winter and knock out 3 cases for no reason at all.  we don't need to buy a gun tag and stay at some roach motel in northern WI to drink.

So allowing more weapons and eliminating age did nothing?  Maybe the cause of the decrease isn't due to lack of hunting seasons.  Does the DNR ever wonder why record sales occurred at a time where few bow hunted and the only gun hunting opportunity was 9 days long?  

I know it.  I wish someone that cared (with balls) would step in and take control. 

I realize everything seems to be taxed and you can't turn anywhere w out paying a fee...but people don't realize where these fees go.  My neighbors complain about property taxes and town taxes,  then they complain how the roads don't get plowed earlier and the garbage is picked up too late.  Well....you voted,  when you voted you checked the wrong names....I can't control the fact that the city had to cut 12 people and now your services are lessened.  People don't think.  If you want good service,  you have to pay for it.  Nothing good is free and nothing free is really that good.  

Wisconsin needs to stop robbing Peter to pay Paul.  

NR license fees need to go up double.  Who cares if there are 100,000 NR's and half drop out,  you still have the same amount of money and the quality of hunting goes up.  I shoot at a min of 2-3 doe a year in WI,  it wouldn't bother me one bit if I had to pay $50 for a license.  I drive to Missouri,  south dakota and Illinois and buy their NR license to hunt for 3-4 days.  Big deal.  WI gives their resources away and we have one of the largest population that fishes and hunts.  I hope someone can figure this mess out.

I like that idea LB. I too would have no issue paying the extra since it would bring in a ton of revenue not tied to deer hunter numbers.

As noted though, there are a ton of outdoor resource users who don't contribute any cash to the coffers but utilize the resources largely funded by sportsmen. These people need to pay as well, but it will take some legislators with cajones to make that happen. Not holding my breath...

The sad things is that the funding issue is a problem with many easy, viable solutions. What we lack are politicians willing to drive changes forward.

madforlabs - like the Iowa DNR,  you pay $12 for an extra line.  Your line limit on any lake is 1.  I'd LOVE to see this is WI.  Do you know how many people would have to spend an extra $24 to troll for their walleye's and trout/salmon?  

There are so many ways I think we are just beating a dead horse.

I'd pay it w o thinking.  $50 to fish for the year,  no big deal.  In turn,  it would make the meat hounds even more greedy tho.  This is WI,  catch, kill,  fill the freezer,  give to 20 neighbors.

DNR got what they wanted years ago with the full on slaughter of the deer herd. Many hunters don't want to waste the money or time on hunting anymore to maybe see a deer opening day. Now they cant understand why sales are decreasing. You need deer to keep people interested.  I can sit in the woods for free and see the same number of deer. They're trying to upsell a product they don't have much of and people are wising up. Just another example of how they mismanaged our resource. Don't hear much panic from other states having major decrease in hunter numbers.

I agree Madforlabs. The problem is the non hunters have had it free for so long they think they are entitled to free range walks with their dogs, berry picking, bird watching, photographers  ETC on land bought from hunting/fishing licenses. On NPR one night an interview was given to a man that suggested putting a small tax on bird feed. He was quickly bombarded by callers , the subject was ridiculed and he got other insults on the program. This is how engrained the non hunters are when it comes to walking on public land for free. We need to take hunting/fishing licenses and use them only for hunting and fishing. I would love to see a list of expenditures on exactly where our money goes including the 10% tax on guns, fishing poles, hunting clothes ETC. . Where does that money go? Likely a lot goes to the non hunting use too. Trails in the state forests? ATV trails? I am not sure. I do know that Price co. ATV trails came out of the gas tax. That is right, the Price co. forester told me so. It never should come from there. It should come from ATV licenses. I'm sure our license money goes to many places it shouldn't.

The issue coming to the forefront with diminishing hunter numbers is that Wisconsin is overly reliant upon deer license revenues to fund the DNR and many of its critcal programs. The Natural Resources Board and Conservation Congress among others have endorsed raising license fees to offset these losses and in recognition of the fact that fee adjustments haven't come close to keeping pace with inflation. The state legislature has refused to endorse license increases for fear that it would be interpreted as a tax increase.

Bottom line;  license fees (particularly the cash cow deer licenses) need to see a significant increase. I endorse this as in order to expect a quality product (fish, game, natural resource preservation and law enforcement) we as users need to pony up accordingly.

That being said, it should be noted that our states over reliance to fund outdoor recreation with license revenue is NOT the norm across the country where other monies and user fees contribute to management budgets. How we move our state in that direction is the tough issue but one that certainly needs more attention from our legislators.

Overall deer license sales are down over 50000 since last year . That includes bow , gun, and crossbow . The DNR has a website that provides this information . They hide it well, but you can find the information .Interesting figures are given . I don't hunt deer anymore do to a lack of deer and CWD .

don't worry the dnr will let dead people buy licenses next year in their next ploy to increase sales

Yes JC, I remember that post of yours. Also, it is down another 19,000 gun sales. That sure is a lot of lost gun tags. In 2 yrs Wisconsin lost about 30,000 gun hunters. If ya figure there was a time when there were 700K gun tags sold in about 70 counties in Wisconsin. Now, that means there is equal to three counties that did not get hunted at all. Even though it would never happen, just think if every gun hunter left three counties unhunted. Truly unreal. Next year there will be less hunters yet. It will likely be even colder next year cause it starts on Nov. 23, the latest it can start. The bucks will be all but done rutting and will be resting as much as they can by Nov. 23. Many on Deer Hunters Roundup called in and said they didn't hunt the morning cause it was cold.  It was .4 below by me and one called and said they had 5 below. 

105,280 licenses sold yesterday.