Wisconsin Deer Population:  The state estimated 1,669,100 deer post-hunt in 2022, up from 1,554,400 in 2021 and 1,611,00 deer in 2020.  An estimated 1.8 million deer pre-hunt in 2019 and 1,311,100 post hunt.   A post-hunt estimate of 1,510,400 in 2018, and 1,377,100 deer in 2017.  About the same in 2016 at 1,345,000.   Tough 2019-20 and 2017-18 winters reduced populations in parts of the north.  After three mild winters, the state increased the antlerless quota for 2017-18. An extremely mild winter in 2015-16 increased the population particularly in the west central agricultural regions.   The 2023 Wisconsin Deer Forecast. 


Wisconsin Deer News

Airguns for big game hunting are among six outdoors-related bills signed into Wisconsin law March 16, 2024 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... the major impact of Act 115 is to expand the use of airguns to include big game hunting in Wisconsin, including white-tailed deer, black bear and elk...


Wisconsin DNR nears end of 7-year deer study on CWD, predators March 6, 2024 Watertown Daily Times

... Wisconsin recorded a record 1,580 CWD cases in 2023, and so far 44 of the state’s 72 counties have documented at least one case in wild deer...  CWD boomed in Dane, Iowa, Sauk and Richland counties, with infection rates ranging from 17% in Dane to 29% in Iowa County ... CWD spreads faster and with higher infection rates in prime deer habitats ..,


Wolves and Wisconsin: Separating fact from fiction February 28, 2024 AOL

...In 1960, wolves were considered no longer present in Wisconsin... But in 1978, a breeding pack from Minnesota migrated in and the wheel of recovery slowly started to turn...Fast-forward to 2020, and we now have more than 1,000 wolves in Wisconsin...


Unlocking the Secrets of White-tailed Deer: A Wisconsin Study Blazes a Trail in Wildlife Research February 24, 2024 Wisconsin, BNN Breaking

... Each collar houses a GPS unit and a camera, offering unprecedented insights into the deer's interactions and movements. This technology is not just about tracking; it's a window into the lives of these creatures, helping researchers understand how diseases are transmitted among them...


Assembly OKs suspending doe hunting in northern Wisconsin February 23, 2024 Madison.com

... Hunters in northern Wisconsin would be barred from killing any does for four years under legislation the state Assembly approved Thursday... to help the northern herd replenish ..,


New Baiting And Feeding Ban For Ozaukee County Effective Feb. 15 February 12, 2024 Wisconsin DNR

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was recently notified by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) that a farm-raised deer on a deer farm in Sheboygan County tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). This positive result is within 10 miles of the Fond du Lac, Ozaukee and Washington county borders, resulting in a new baiting and feeding ban to go into effect in Ozaukee County on Feb. 15, 2024..,


Wisconsin DNR calls for tips to help solve illegal elk shootings February 10, 2024 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... All of the incidents took place in Jackson County.  The animals were part of a recovery program for the native species; they were wearing GPS collars ... blaze orange ...


Sheboygan County Deer Farm Confirmed with CWD January 25, 2024 Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

... a Sheboygan County deer farm has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD)  ... The positive result came from a 5-year-old buck. The premises is quarantined ..,


Wisconsin wildlife officials warn of $16M shortfall as fewer people get hunting licenses January 24, 2024 CBS News

... "The long-term trend is fewer licenses, fewer hunters and less revenue coming in and it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better," ...Sales of gun deer licenses have dropped 4% since 2018, from 577,576 licenses to 553,479 licenses this year... A gun deer license has cost $24 ...


Durkin: State lawmakers hear, follow bad advice on deer, CWD January 24, 2024 Wisconsin, Antigo Daily Journal

... Wild, free-range deer herds in 44 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties (61%) now carry chronic wasting disease, just two decades after most folks had never heard of CWD ... Lawmakers should have listened in 2002 to wildlife-disease experts at the DNR, the UW System, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center when the DNR first found CWD near Mount Horeb..,


Lawmakers introduce bill to suspend northern Wisconsin doe hunt in attempt to regrow herd January 18, 2024 Wisconsin, Fox 11 News

... Hunters killed 14.7% fewer bucks in the zone ... DNR wildlife officials have blamed a harsh 2022-23 winter for reduced deer numbers. Hunters maintain that wolves are decimating the region's deer herd..,


Wisconsin community remembers life of 15-year-old albino deer known as "The King" January 15, 2024 CBS News

... a local legend  ... "Around 2009 is the first time we saw him in the area. My dad actually saw him down the road a couple miles when he was a fawn," ...

   Wisconsin Neighbors Plan to Preserve Body of Albino Deer ‘The King’ Who Dropped Dead in Their Yard January 15, 2024 The Messenger on MSN

... The deer's full body mount will be on display at a restaurant or business so both locals and tourists can see him ... Albino deer are protected in Wisconsin, meaning the king was legally protected from being hunted...


As Wisconsin's elk herds continue to grow, more hunting is on the horizon January 7, 2024 Hosted on MSN

... Wisconsin's wild elk herds continued to grow in 2023, setting a modern record high with an estimated 515 animals in the state, according to the Department of Natural Resources.... Elk were native to Wisconsin but wiped out in the 1880s due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss... started an experimental elk reintroduction project in 1995  ..,


Dodge County Herd Depopulated Following CWD Detection December 20, 2023 Wisconsin, State of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection News

... The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms that a Dodge County deer farm that tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in May 2023 has been depopulated. Of the 172 animals depopulated, 23 tested positive for the disease. In total, there were 26 positive cases of CWD at this premises, as three cervids had died prior to depopulation..,


Wisconsin's deer-bait business thrives while CWD worsens December 19, 2023 Watertown Daily Times

... Baiting and feeding deer is illegal in 59 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties ... Given that all open-baiting counties are two- to five-hour drives from the state capital, Craven—a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison—couldn’t fathom why Madison retailers would stock and sell deer corn...


The 9-day gun deer season harvest was down this year, are wolves playing a role? December 18, 2023 Wisconsin, WXPR

... The nine-day gun deer season saw a 16 percent drop in harvest numbers statewide compared to the year before and was about 10 percent below the 5-year average... factors included the harsh winter last year, lack of snow on the ground for this year’s hunt, and reports of deer not moving ..,


Wisconsin's new age of deer hunting brings little joy December 12, 2023 Watertown Daily Times

... much of the Northwoods has held few deer since modern history’s harshest winter in 2013. We also note five Northern counties—Iron, Douglas, Bayfield, Sawyer and Ashland—suffered a harsh winter in 2022-23, which foretold 25 percent declines come deer season..,


Bills to Require Controversial Wolf Population Limit Advancing December 4, 2023 Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

... Agriculture and hunting and wildlife interests that support Assembly Bill 137 and Senate Bill 139 want the Department of Natural Resources to continue a 1999 plan that set a state wolf population goal of 350 animals.  Agriculture and pro-hunting interests have long sought a lower wolf population in Wisconsin ...


Minnesota DNR to hold December deer hunt to battle chronic wasting disease December 4, 2023 Fox 9

... The special hunt will take place Dec. 15-17 and permit areas open to the hunt are in southeast Minnesota ... The DNR expanded the CWD deer hunt to permit area 342, which is near Wabasha, after a case of the disease was confirmed in the area...


A lonely bull elk has traveled hundreds of miles across Wisconsin searching for love December 1, 2023 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

... Since mid-September, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has received tips through a wildlife observation database about this wandering member of the Black River State Forest elk herd ...  All in all, it amounts to hundreds of miles traveled...


DNR Confirms CWD In Wild Deer In Jackson County November 30, 2023 Wisconsin DNR News

... the first positive test result for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a wild deer in Jackson County. The deer was harvested in the town of Garfield and is within 10 miles of the Eau Claire and Trempealeau county borders... The deer was a hunter-harvested 2-year-old buck ..,


Understanding deer behaviors could help help prevent collisions with cars in Wisconsin November 30, 2023 YAHOO!News

... Deer are what ecologists call an “edge species,” ... Roads create those kinds of edges that deer are attracted to.  The middle of a forest has far less food for deer than an “edge.” ... In Wisconsin, at least 60 "wildlife accommodations" have been installed over the past 20 years ... The DOT “(does) not have any data to determine the success of these strategies,” ...


Wisconsin hunters register 17.6% fewer deer than in 2022 November 28, 2023 WLUK

... State deer program specialist Jeff Pritzl said ...  the biggest areas of decline were in the DNR's central farmland and northern forest regions.  A harsh winter, particularly in the northwestern part of the state, led to fewer deer being on the landscape..,


Wildlife advocacy group sues Wisconsin DNR over 2023 wolf management plan November 25, 2023 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... by the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance... the GLWA claims the DNR ignored science, violated Wisconsin's Open Meeting Law and Administrative Procedure Act and favored anti-wolf groups as it worked on revisions included in the 2023 wolf plan...


2023 deer hunters declined in Wisconsin compared to 2022 November 25, 2023  GMToday.com

... "The deer harvest has been relatively stable, so the remaining hunters are experiencing more success...  the herd has been slowly growing over time. In southeastern Wisconsin, the real issue is access to the deer. There is so much ‘sanctuary’ on the landscape.., [Jeff Pritzl, deer program specialist]


Amid hunting season, CWD spread, Wisconsin weighs deer policies  November 23, 2023 The Cap Times

... One proposal is designed to expand when deer baiting and feeding is allowable in Wisconsin, though some conservationists worry the measure could further spread the disease...


Car-deer accidents in Wisconsin in 2023 are expected to be similar to recent years November 23, 2023 Wisconsin Public Radio 

... Car-deer accidents in the state have been declining recently ...  "We’re still doing over 16,000 crashes over the last three years, and we’re on that same track right now for 2023." [ David Pabst, director of the Bureau of Transportation Safety for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation] ..,


Deer Hunt 2023: Preliminary weekend numbers show drop in hunter participation November 21, 2023 Wisconsin, Fox 11 News

... As of Sunday at midnight, the Department of Natural Resources had sold 774,369 licenses for gun, bow and crossbow hunting. Of those, 421,525 were for gun privileges only.  Sales for all deer licenses are down 0.61 percent compared to 2022. Of the total licenses sold, 65 percent were sold online, and 35 percent were sold in-person or at DNR service centers...


Wisconsin Democrats introduce slate of bills to fund CWD testing, deer carcass disposal sites November 21, 2023 Channel 3000

... The new bill package, dubbed "Healthy Herd, Healthy Hunt" seeks to fight CWD's spread by easing access to testing and giving hunters a place to safely dispose of deer carcasses...


Wisconsin 2023 Preliminary Gun Deer Harvest Totals  November 21, 2023 Wisconsin DNR

... In total, hunters registered 92,050 deer statewide during the opening weekend of the 2023 gun deer hunt, compared to 103,623 registered for the same period in 2022. This is a 16% decrease from 2022 and 10% below the 5-year average. A majority of the decrease was due to a decline in antlerless deer harvest, but that usually picks up over the second half of the season.  A total of 51,870 bucks were registered on opening weekend, compared to 56,638 in 2022. This is a 13% decrease over 2022...


DNR Celebrates Successful 2023 Elk Hunting Season November 20, 2023 Wisconsin DNR

... all four state licensed hunters filling their harvest authorizations... The four hunters who participated in this year’s hunt were selected at random from a pool of 21,312 Wisconsin resident applicants...


The state of hunting in Wisconsin as gun deer season begins November 17, 2023 WTMJ

... Pritzl said we’re looking at a similar number of deer but there have been some long-lasting effects of a bitterly cold winter up north ... “That does seem to be suppressing harvest opportunites [there] somewhat,” ...  Over half a million people are expected ... to try their hand at bagging a buck in 2023..,


Deer rescued after two days entangled in barbed wire November 16, 2023 Wisconsin, UPI

... Sheriff's deputies in Wisconsin used bolt cutters and a power saw to rescue a deer found with its antlers entangled in barbed wire around a tree...


Wisconsin gun deer hunt forecast; what to expect this weekend November 15, 2023 YAHOO!News

... According to the Wisconsin DNR, post-hunt deer population 2022 estimates the total white-tailed deer population sits at nearly 1.7 million within a 95% confidence level.  Population numbers from the DNR, published in a paper by Donald Waller from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018, put the 1960 post-hunt deer population at just under 400,000..,


DNR Confirms Cougar Killed In Buffalo County November 15, 2023 Wisconsin DNR News

... The incident involved an archery deer hunter who encountered the cougar while hunting and felt their safety was at risk. The hunter shot the cougar and self-reported it shortly afterward to the DNR. The DNR collected the cougar carcass as part of the investigation...


Gun deer season helps boost Wisconsin economy November 12, 2023 Spectrum News

... According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, hunting is a $2.5 billion industry in the state and 88% of that economic impact comes from deer rifle season... 


Charges filed in Clark County after deer killed illegally; man accused of beating deer to death November 10, 2023 Wisconsin, WQOW

...  Hamm shot multiple deer with a bow and arrow from his vehicle ... the complaint said the doe didn't die. A video showed Hamm laughing as he kicked it while it was still standing and alive. He later told warden's he "Beat the f*** out of it with my fist." ...


Deer farm in Oneida County confirmed to have chronic wasting disease November 8, 2023 Wisconsin, WLUK Green Bay

...  the infected deer is a 4-year-old white-tailed buck. The farm is being quarantined while an epidemiological investigation is conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture ..,  


'Slow erosion' of state's hunting population continues as opening weekend approaches November 7, 2023 Wisconsin, WisBusiness

... the state’s overall deer population is around 2 million going into opening weekend, Pritz said, noting much of that growth is happening in the “deer factory” central farmland zone. That population total has been trending upward for about 30 years... [Department of Natural Resources Deer Program Specialist Jeff Pritzl]


Legislature sits indifferent as CWD infects 60% of counties November 6, 2023  Antigo Daily Journal

...  the Legislature ended the DNR’s statewide bait/feed ban in 2003, stonewalled mandatory testing, quashed targeted shooting in CWD hotspots, slashed research funding in 2007, outlawed earn-a-buck regulations in 2011, and OK’d ending or shortening various October, January and February antlerless gun seasons in 2011...


Bill would allow the use of airguns to hunt deer and other big game in Wisconsin November 5, 2023 AOL

... Senate Bill 586 would allow the use of airguns in any hunting season now open to firearms... Wisconsin would join 28 other states that allow airguns for big game hunting ...


Wisconsin DNR checks in with conditions, license numbers ahead of this year’s gun-deer season opener November 2, 2023 KSTP-TV

...  the DNR says license sales are trending down about 2% than at the end of October 2022, saying this has been the norm for the last few years due to the number of aging baby boomers who are no longer hunting...


DNR Confirms CWD In Wild Deer In Trempealeau County November 1, 2023 Wisconsin DNR - Wisconsin.gov

... The deer was harvested in the town of Hale... The deer was a hunter-harvested 3-year-old doe and is the first confirmed wild deer CWD-positive detected in Trempealeau County..,


DNR Confirms CWD In Wild Deer In Polk County November 1, 2023 Wisconsin DNR - Wisconsin.gov

...  The deer was harvested in the town of Apple River and is within 10 miles of the Barron County border... The deer was a hunter-harvested 3-year-old doe and is the first confirmed wild deer CWD-positive detected in Polk County..,


Predators load in the north October 16, 2023 Wisconsin, apg-wi.com

... a recent report a few years ago using the DNR’s gun season registration numbers, wolf population and the number of deer killed by them showed wolves killed more deer than hunters in some Northern Forest counties... In 2019, the estimated statewide bear population was 24,055 ... The DNR estimates the bobcat population in northern Wisconsin is currently 3,800 ..,


Farm-raised deer in Outagamie County diagnosed with chronic wasting October 12, 2023 Wisconsin, Advance-Titan

... a farm-raised deer on a deer farm in Outagamie County tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). This positive result is within 10 miles of the Calumet, Waupaca and Winnebago county borders, and will enact a new baiting and feeding ban to go into effect in Calumet County on Oct. 13, 2023..,


Wisconsin DNR invites deer hunters to take wildlife survey for research October 6, 2023 Fox 11 News

... The Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey provides hunters a way to report which animals they observe while deer hunting.

Data from these reports helps DNR researchers to better understand the relative abundance and distribution of mammals, birds and other species of wildlife across Wisconsin...


Hunters: Test Deer For CWD Before

Eating Venison September 28, 2023 Wisconsin DNR News

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters to test their deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD) before eating venison, as advised by human health organizations... especially in areas prevalent with CWD. To date, there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in humans...


Rock County Deer Farm Confirmed with CWD September 21, 2023 Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

...  a Rock County deer farm has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) .. The positive result came from a 4-year-old white-tailed buck. The farm has been placed under quarantine ...


Possible reason for CWD at local farm discussed September 20, 2023 Wisconsin,  apg-wi.com

... CWD prions have been found in the feces of crows, but disease transmission has not been documented. Similarly, CWD prions have been found in semen of infected bucks, but transmission via artificial insemination has not been proven. As a former certified cervid farm veterinarian, I would say the chances of a crow bringing CWD onto a deer farm, while theoretically possible, are extremely remote compared to other avenues of exposure ...


Video Below:  Wisconsin 2023 Deer Hunt. "The deer population after the 2022 season, so our over-winter population was estimated at seven percent larger than it has been in previous years at that time. So we're experiencing some population growth," said Jeff Pritzl, DNR State Deer Program Specialist. -  September 16, 2023

Drones aid hunters in deer recoveries, heighten law enforcement September 17, 2023 Wisconsin, Yahoo! Sports

... Demand for drone-assisted game recovery has at least doubled each year over the last four years, Wayerski said, and Marshfield Drones did 65 recoveries in 2022.  The practice is legal within a strict set of parameters...


You might never see one, but Wisconsin's bobcats are on the rise September 12, 2023 Wiscnews.com

... According to the state Department of Natural Resources, northern Wisconsin had about 1,500 bobcats in 1980. By 2016, that number was 3,500. Recent estimates are that, statewide, 46,500 bobcats make Wisconsin home. Nationally, there were about 1 million bobcats in 1981. By 2008, there were 3.5 million..,


Car Crashes A Leading Cause of Death For State’s Elk September 11, 2023 Wisconsin, Urban Milwaukee

...  in the Black River Elk Range in central Wisconsin, the leading cause of death for elk is vehicle crashes. Twenty-two elk died after getting hit by a car between 2015 and 2022... “A lot of our motorists drive towards that elk and think, ‘Oh, it’s gonna move out of the way, and they don’t,” ...


Committees look at deer hunting issues September 9, 2023 Wisconsin, Eau Claire Leader-Telegram

...A habitat-based deer management of units existed prior to 2014 when a county management system was put in place. The discussion is now about returning to habitat-based management in the northern forest deer management zone... A decade of harvest and deer population data highlight the limitations of relying solely on antlerless permits to achieve desired buck harvests without also considering the role of habitat in deer productivity,..


Wisconsin lawmakers question hunter input in state deer plan September 4, 2023 The Center Square

... Wisconsin used to allow counties to track and manage their own deer populations. That changed in the 1950s and 1960s when the state took over.  In 2014, the DNR changed again to a County Deer Advisory Council model that split the state into four hunting zones and managed the population in each differently...


Help The DNR Monitor Wisconsin’s Elk This Fall August 31, 2021 Wisconsin DNR News

... Once widespread across North America, elk were eliminated from Wisconsin in the 1880s due to unregulated hunting the DNR successfully reintroduced elk into the Northern Elk Range near Clam Lake in 1995 and the Central Elk Range near Black River Falls in 2015 and 2016, and subsequently supplemented the northern herd with elk from Kentucky in 2017 and 2019.    The Wisconsin elk population is estimated to reach 515 elk at the conclusion of the 2023 calving season, with 160 elk in the central herd and 355 in the northern herd...


Joint public hearing takes place in Park Falls to discuss various topics involving deer population August 31, 2023 Wisconsin, wjfw.com

... Some hunters told legislators that they're seeing fewer deer in their longtime hunting spots than in years past... Topics that were discussed included predator population affecting deer population ...


Wisconsin 2023 Deer Forecast August, 2023 Wisconsin DNR

... Much of the state experienced another mild to moderate 22-23 winter. However, some northwest counties received an extremely high amount of snowfall, pushing their Winter Severity Index into the Very Severe category. In response to the severe

winter, Iron County is not offering antlerless harvest authorizations this fall, but junior antlerless harvest authorizations will remain valid. Farmland Zone DMUs increased permit availability and harvest opportunities are an effort to control herd densities, reduce agricultural damage, improve forest regeneration and minimize deer-related

conflict..,


Washburn County Deer Farm Confirmed with CWD August 31, 2023 Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

... The positive result came from a 3-year-old doe. The 150-acre farm has been placed under quarantine, where it will remain while DATCP and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinarians and staff conduct the epidemiological investigation...


Wisconsin bowhunting seasons are approaching for archery and crossbow hunters August 13, 2023 Yahoo! Sports

... Coming off a winter rated as moderate by the DNR's annual Winter Severity Index, the statewide deer herd is predicted to be larger this fall, according to the DNR.  The DNR estimated Wisconsin had 1.51 to 1.84 million deer statewide after the 2022 hunting season..,


DNR Launches 'Operation Deer Watch' Citizen Science Survey August 3, 2023 Wisconsin, WJJQ

... Participants are asked to report all deer sightings via an easy-to-use online form... More information is available on the DNR website. ..


2023 Draft Wolf Management Plan Is Now Available August 2, 2023 Wisconsin DNR

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today released a revised draft of the 2023 Wolf Management Plan. The plan will go to the Natural Resource Board (NRB) during their meeting on Oct. 25, 2023...


Help Shape Deer Season For Your Community July 19, 2023 Wisconsin DNR

Wisconsin DNR - Wisconsin.gov

... Each County Deer Advisory Council includes representatives from the hunting community, as well as from a variety of stakeholder groups with interest in hunting and deer management. The application period for each county is open until Aug. 15, 2023... For more information about the councils and to find the application, visit the DNR’s CDAC webpage... 


Spatiotemporal epizootiology of chronic wasting disease in Wisconsin deer.  2023.  Ecosphere, 2023

... . The rate of prevalence increase over time is higher in more forested ecoregions and in males (0.48 vs. 0.43) but similar in females (0.43 vs. 0.37) and yearlings (0.44 vs. 0.39)... prevalence may be affected by deer management practices that favor higher deer abundance and more mature males... The trajectory of CWD dynamics in Wisconsin suggests rapid growth in regional prevalence following introduction and increased spread across the landscape...


Wisconsin Man Spots Entire Herd Of Extremely Rare Piebald Deer July 11, 2023 Whiskey Riff

...  Piebald ... have more white on them than normal  ... In Wisconsin, piebalds are born about 1 in every 20,000 births...  a very rare herd of Pied/Calico whitetail deer were once common in Northern range. Due to overhunting in 1800s most were killed off...


DNR Announces 2023 Elk Hunt Application Winners July 10, 2023 Wisconsin, DNR News

... the 1995 reintroduction effort, which began with 25 elk from Michigan. The northern elk herd population is projected to reach 355 animals this year. The central elk herd is estimated near 155 elk this year, bringing the statewide post-calving population above 500 elk..,


State budget increases fees for slew of non-resident hunting and fishing licenses July 9, 2023 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... The legislation increases the non-resident deer hunting license fee by $40, from $160 to $200... would bring in about $1.07 million more ...


Sauk County Deer Farm Confirmed with CWD May 30, 2023 Wisconsin, Urban Milwaukee

... The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms that a Sauk County deer farm has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD)...  a 10-year-old doe ...


Sampling shows more deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease last year May 25, 2023 Wisconsin, WPR 

... In 2022, the agency sampled 17,187 deer for chronic wasting disease, which was first detected in the state near Mt. Horeb in 2002. The results showed 1,492 deer tested positive for the disease... the agency found 1,327 deer tested positive for CWD out of 17,147 deer sampled in 2021..,


Wisconsin DNR estimates state's elk herds have grown to around 500 animals May 22, 2023  Madison.com

... officials estimate the number of elk in the state will grow to more than 500 animals by July..,


White deer seen in Oconomowoc May 18, 2023 Wisconsin, GMToday.com

...  two white deer crossing Summit Avenue on Saturday evening. They stopped traffic ... They could be albino, but it’s more likely they are leucistic ...


Wisconsin DNR confirms CWD in 2nd wild deer in Wood County May 15, 2023 Wisconsin DNR News

... it confirmed a wild deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease in Wood County in the Town of Rudolph...  the deer was a 3-year-old doe, reported sick and dispatched by local department staff... the second confirmed CWD-positive wild deer detected in Wood County..,


CWD Confirmed in Dodge County Deer Herd​​ May 12, 2023 Wisconsin, EIN Presswire

...  The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms that a Dodge County deer farm has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD)... The positive sample was taken from a 9-year-old doe. The 8-acre farm has been placed under quarantine ..,


Final report for the Winter Severity Index May 6, 2023 Wisconsin, apg-wi.com

... Normally after a winter like this, I expect to see a 20% decline in the buck kill this fall.” ... this winter would be classified as severe to very severe in the northern tier of counties. The majority of the state below a line running west from Vilas County through Price and Rusk counties to the Minnesota border experienced what’s classified as a mild winter..,


Volunteers Needed For Elk Calf Surveys This Spring April 24, 2023 Wisconsin DNR News

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking volunteers to help collar elk calves between May 19 and June 18. This unique collaring experience is part of a multi-year study of Wisconsin's Jackson County area elk herd. The resulting data helps deepen the DNR's understanding of elk movement, breeding and survival in Wisconsin... Those interested should sign up using this survey link...


Watertown Daily Times Online

Wisconsin deer herd faces mounting challenges April 19, 2023 

...  it was clear scant few hunters glanced at the DNR data. And unless a county council recommended the “nuclear option” — antlerless-only hunts throughout fall — few hunters quibbled with their plans...


DNR Encourages Public To Attend Their Local County Deer Advisory Council Meeting April 18, 2023 Wisconsin DNR - Wisconsin.gov

... The public is encouraged to attend their local county meeting. Meetings can be attended in person or virtually across the state and will take place April 24-May 4. Check the 2023 meeting schedule for details on location and Zoom access....


Winnebago County confirms first positive case of CWD in wild deer April 17, 2023 Wisconsin, WLUK Green Bay

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the positive test came from a three-year-old doe in the town of Nepeuskun.., [read the news release]


Republicans introduce bill setting specific wolf population number April 17, 2023 Wisconsin, Wisconsin Examiner

... In the draft wolf management plan released last year, the agency moved to an “adaptive management” method which drops a specific target number for Wisconsin’s wolf population and instead breaks the state into regions in which the population will be annually assessed to determine if it needs to be allowed to grow, kept the same or reduced. The DNR already uses the adaptive management system for the state’s bear and deer populations...


Survival and cause-specific mortality of coyotes in Wisconsin - Journal of Mammalogy, 2023

... we detected weak correlation between survival probability and proportion of human-induced mortality, suggesting coyote harvest may be compensatory. Although our findings indicate that the Wisconsin coyote population had relatively higher human-induced mortality than populations in other regions, these mortality rates appear to be sustainable for this population under current landscape and habitat conditions...


DNR Encourages Public To Submit Feedback For The 2023 Deer Season April 5, 2023  Wisconsin DNR

...  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comments for the 2023 deer season, including harvest quotas and other key parts of deer management as part of the annual County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) process. The public comment period is open April 8-16... Information on each county’s harvest and population metrics can be found on the Wisconsin Deer Metrics System...


DNR Asks Public To Avoid Feeding Deer As Cold Weather Continues March 21, 2023 Wisconsin DNR News

... Deer are well-adapted to survive in winter conditions, with a slower metabolism in cold months and adjustments in their gut microbiomes to adapt to winter food sources. Corn, alfalfa and other feed are not part of their natural winter diet and can cause severe digestive issues and even death. Even a single feeding can cause rumen acidosis, which can cause death in otherwise healthy deer..,


Deer not always to blame for suppressing tree growth March 20, 2023 Wisconsin, The Wildlife Society

... a study ... “We expected there to be a strong, measurable effect,” Jones said.  But that wasn’t what they found... Areas that weren’t fenced did show more evidence of deer browsing, but that declined over time. What seemed to give seedlings of both species [sugar maples and ash].  a higher chance of survival was being in transition zones between gaps and dense canopy ...


Wisconsin’s 2022 deer harvest numbers presented to Natural Resources Board February 17, 2023 Outdoor News

... The total preliminary deer harvest for Wisconsin during all seasons in 2022 is 339,620, up from 308,429 in 2021... 


DNR confirms CWD In 2 additional wild deer harvested In Marathon County February 15, 2023 Wisconsin, WSAW-TV

... These two CWD positive test results are from a 2-year-old hunter-harvested doe ... in the Town of Ringle, and a 4/5-year-old hunter-harvested doe ... in the Town of Elderon.  The first CWD-positive wild deer in Marathon County was detected in 2019..,


DNR Confirms CWD In Wild Deer Harvested In Langlade County February 8, 2023 Wisconsin, DNR News

... This positive is also within 10 miles of the Menominee Reservation, Menominee County and Oconto County borders.  The deer was a hunter-harvested 1-year-old buck and is the first confirmed wild deer CWD-positive detected in Langlade County.  As required by state law, the DNR enacts three-year baiting and feeding bans in counties where CWD has been detected ..,


Vernon County herd depopulated following CWD detection February 3, 2023 Wisconsin, La Crosse Tribune

... a Vernon County deer farm that tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in September 2022 has been depopulated. Of the 32 animals depopulated, four tested positive for the disease... The farm owner will receive indemnity ...


DNR confirms CWD in second wild deer harvested in Sheboygan County February 2, 2023 Wisconsin, WBAY

... The deer was a hunter-harvested 4-5 year-old doe taken during the 2022 gun deer season... This recent CWD positive reinstates a three-year baiting and feeding ban in the county, effective Feb. 1, 2023 ..,


DNR Confirms First CWD Detection In Wild Deer Harvested In Waupaca County

Baiting And Feeding Ban Renewed, Public Meeting Set January 26, 2023 Wisconsin DNR News

... As required by state law, the DNR enacts three-year baiting and feeding bans in counties where CWD has been detected and two-year bans in adjoining counties that lie within 10 miles of a CWD detection. Deer baiting and feeding have been banned in Waupaca County since 2014, initially due to CWD detections in farm-raised deer in Marathon County within 10 miles of the county border..,


CWD detected in wild deer in Waupaca County for first time January 26, 2023 Wisconsin, Madison.com

...  a hunter harvested a 2-year-old doe in the town of Harrison east of Rosholt and within 10 miles of the Shawano, Marathon and Portage County borders.  As required by state law, the DNR enacts three-year baiting and feeding bans ..,


Retired UW wildlife professor ponders CWD’s impact on deer hunting January 23, 2023  Wisconsin, antigojournal

... 19% of 7,325 deer tested in Wisconsin’s southern farmlands this past autumn carried CWD. That’s up from 12% of 8,635 tested in that region in 2018, and 3% of 7,097 tested in 2010... a deer camp that was viable for decades ... disappeared because of CWD..,


Wisconsin wildlife pictures captured on trail cameras by DNR program January 20, 2023, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... Thousands of trail cameras sit in Wisconsin's forests, plains and pastures, silently waiting to capture an image of a passing elk, a curious bobcat or a pack of galloping otters.  And millions of those images have been compiled for all to see thanks to the Snapshot Wisconsin program ...


Finance committee blocks $15.5m conservation purchase January 6, 2023, Wisconsin, wqow.com

... The purchase would have been the largest land conservation effort in state history, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. The DNR's policy board signed off on the deal in October, agreeing to spend about $10.8 million in federal forest legacy dollars ... 


CWD detected in Buffalo County, the nation's trophy deer leader January 5, 2022 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on MSN

... Will the disease finding lead more hunters to shoot does in 2023?  It's not likely in Buffalo County, where the hunting outfitting industry - focused on making profits on big-antlered bucks - plays an outsized role. "It's hard to get hunters to shoot does," said Tom Indebro of Bluff Country Outfitters. "They pay to come here for a chance at a buck ...


DNR confirms CWD In wild deer harvested In Buffalo County December 29, 2022 Wisconsin, La Crosse Tribune

...  a wild deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Buffalo County in the town of Lincoln.  The deer was a hunter harvested 2-year-old doe and is the first confirmed wild deer CWD-positive detection in Buffalo County...


Wisconsin gun season endlessly repeats 2009 results December 14, 2022 wdtimes.com

... the November 2022 deer hunt produced 204,881deer, with 99,042 bucks and 105,839 antlerless deer. That’s only 2,887 more deer than 2009’s “worst-ever” season. And this year’s buck kill marks the first time since 2018 that it exceeded the 2009 total... the Department of Natural Resources has documented 10,376 CWD cases since its discovery in Wisconsin 21 years ago, including a record 1,327 cases in 2021. ..,


DNR Confirms CWD in Second Wild Deer Harvested in Shawano County December 9, 2022 Wisconsin DNR News

... a wild deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in southwestern Shawano County in the town of Germania. The deer was a 4-5-year-old hunter-harvested buck taken during the 2022 archery deer season. This is the second confirmed wild deer CWD-positive case in Shawano County...


Chronic Wasting Disease, New Baiting and Feeding Ban in Effect in Lincoln County December 8, 2022 Wisconsin DNR News

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was recently notified by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) that a farm-raised deer on a deer farm in Lincoln County tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). As a result of this new detection, a baiting and feeding ban will go into effect starting Dec. 12, 2022...


Minnesota confirms CWD in wild buck, with possible link to illegal dump site December 2, 2022 Wisconsin, CIDRAP

... The adult male deer was found roughly 40 miles from a farm where CWD was found in deer carcasses illegally dumped in 2021. This is the first CWD detection in wild deer in Beltrami County, which is in north central Minnesota...


DNR investigating the illegal shooting of well-known buck in Menasha December 2, 2022 Wisconsin, WFRV

... This wasn’t a regular buck, it had become a bit of a local celebrity, especially among regulars at the Heckrodt Wetland Reserve. Some called him ‘The King,’ ... white markings on his neck in the shape of a bow tie to his huge antlers ...


Wisconsin hunters harvest more deer than in 2021 despite fewer hunters November 30, 2022 WKBT

... Hunters killed 203,295 deer ... 8% above the 5-year average.  The number of hunting licenses was down 1.6%.  DNR officials say the high kill count is thanks to snow on the ground and good weather.  “Overall, the hunting conditions were good,” ..,


Hunters register 14% more deer in gun season November 29, 2022 Wisconsin, Yahoo! Sports

... an increase of 14% from the previous year and 8% above the five-year average ... Pritzl cited snow cover that persisted across most of the state, an earlier opener to the season, good progress on corn harvest statewide and a mild winter in 2021-22 as contributing factors to the higher deer kill..,


2022 Preliminary Gun Deer Harvest Totals And

License Sales Now Available November 22,2022 Wisconsin

... As of midnight Sunday, Nov. 20, sales for gun, bow, crossbow, sports and patron licenses reached 779,123. Of that total, 421,474 were for gun privileges only. The year-to-date sales for all deer licenses are down 2% from the same time last year... In total, 103,623 deer were registered statewide during the opening weekend of the 2022 gun deer hunt, compared to the 90,023 registered for the same period in 2021. This is a 15.1% increase over 2021 and is on par with the average opening weekend harvest..,


Wisconsin firearms deer season forecast: About same as last year November 20, 2022 Journal Times

... Douglas County saw deer harvests as high as 11,241 as recently as 2007. But a string of harsh winters since then and an accompanying decline in antlerless permits have combined to push the harvest down, as low as 2,396 in 2014. The harvest has rebounded some to 3,897 in 2020 and 3,491 last season..,


PARTICIPATE IN CITIZEN SCIENCE WHILE YOU'RE HUNTING November 19, 2022 Wisconsin DNR

Tell us about what you see while you're in the field the season and contribute to wildlife management in Wisconsin.  The Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey is a great opportunity to contribute to this long-term database of wildlife observations. New this year, we've made it even easier to let us know what you see right from our new phone app. 


The 2022 Wisconsin Deer Forecast, Wisconsin DNR

... The winter of 2021-22 was rated severe for deer in Iron County, moderate for most of the northern

tier counties and mild for the rest of the state... well-positioned and prepared hunters this fall. Although spring was slow to start, comfortable temperatures and adequate rainfall has resulted in a vigorous

spring green-up that should provide ample cover and high-quality food for does that are nursing fawns and bucks during antler development...


DNR offers final precautions before gun deer season kicks off Saturday November 18, 2022 Wisconsin, NBC15

... DNR said that as of Friday, it has issued over 650,000 firearm, crossbow, sports and patron licenses to hunters across the state and that 310,000 are just for firearms...


Conditions shaping up nicely for 2022 gun deer hunting season November 17, 2022 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... Wisconsin's deer population has benefitted from a series of mild winters in recent years. The ample state of the deer herd is underscored by recommendations by all County Deer Advisory Councils to offer antlerless deer permits for sale this season.  That is a given in farmland counties. But in the northern forest it's rare..,


Wisconsin DATCP confirms deer tested positive for CWD November 18, 2022 WEAU

... a Lincoln County deer farm has tested positive for chronic wasting disease... The positive result came from a 5-year-old white-tailed buck. The f ...arm has been placed under quarantine ...


Proposed 2022 Wolf Management Plan Available Now November 10, 2022 Wisconsin DNR

... The DNR is holding a 60-day public review and comment period, during which the public can offer feedback on the draft plan. The 60-day period starts today and ends on Jan. 10, 2023. The draft plan and instructions for giving feedback can be found on the DNR’s Wolf Management Plan webpage... 


New Wisconsin wolf plan eliminates state population goal November 11, 2022 WUWM

... The draft plan the DNR released Thursday strips hunters of that argument by eliminating a statewide population goal. Instead it recommends the DNR with the help of advisory committee monitor local populations within the state's six wolf hunting zones and decide whether to reduce the local population, keep it stable or allow it to grow...


DNR Celebrates Successful 2022 Elk Hunting Season November 8, 2022 Wisconsin DNR News

... Wisconsin’s annual elk hunt takes place in the Clam Lake Elk Range, home of Wisconsin’s longest tenured elk population since reintroduction efforts started in 1995. In 2022, the estimated population of the Clam Lake elk herd is 336 elk. Bulls have been harvested across this range each year since the hunt started in 2018..,


Guest Column: Bring Back More Hunting Oversight  November 2, 2022 Wisconsin, Door County Pulse

...  It’s been six years since deer tagging and in-person deer registration were eliminated in Wisconsin. Today, 37 other states require physical tagging of deer, so Wisconsin hunters were surprised when the state discontinued tagging and physical carcass registrations...


Northern hardwoods seedlings respond to a complex of environmental factors when deer herbivory is limited - 2023, Wisconsin, Forest Ecology and Management

... Deer had only minor impact on growth and survival of sugar maple and ash seedlings.  Seedlings responded primarily to light availability, soil N, and initial size.  Measures of root collar diameter:height detected some effect of deer herbivory...


Agricultural land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) - Movement Ecology, 2022

... Dispersal predominantly occurred in juvenile males, of which 64.2% dispersed, with dispersal events uncommon in other sex and age classes. Juvenile male dispersal probability was positively associated with the proportion of the natal range that was classified as agricultural land use, but only during the spring. Dispersal distances were typically short (median 5.77 km, range: 1.3–68.3 km), especially in the fall...


Wild Things: Updated Wolf Plan Expected Soon October 19, 2022 Wisconsin,  Door County Pulse

...  the DNR recently released its 2021-22 overwinter wolf-population estimate. The computer model – based on winter monitoring surveys covering more than 16,700 miles and involving DNR staff, tribal members and volunteers – estimated that there were likely somewhere between 812 and 1,193 wolves in 243 to 352 packs. A best estimate, according to the DNR, is that there were at least 972 wolves in 288 packs...


Don't Accidentally Shoot Elk Or Moose This Hunting Season October 14, 2022  OnFocus

...  elk were reintroduced within the state in 1995. Through DNR efforts to reestablish the species ... Currently, there are two herds containing a total of more than 450 elk in Wisconsin reintroduction areas: one in the north including Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Rusk and Sawyer counties, and one in the area surrounding Jackson County.., 


Anderson: Wolves survived Wisconsin’s hunt, which is a lesson to Minnesota October 7, 2022 Wisconsin, Minneapolis Star Tribune 

... wolves returned to Wisconsin in the mid-1970s, they were listed as a state endangered species... By 1999 the Wisconsin wolf population was 197, and a state management plan that year set a goal of 350 wolves.  Before last year's hunt, the Wisconsin DNR estimated the state held 1,100 wolves ...


Deer herd status ahead of gun season: Wisconsin DNR gives report October 6, 2022 WEAREGREENBAY

...“The deer population is pretty stable to growing. That’s probably driven by the fact the winters have been pretty mild the past couple of years. That allows for pretty good reproduction during the spring,” said Jeff Pritzl, WI DNR State Deer Program Specialist..,


Deer at Vernon County deer farm tests positive for CWD October 5, 2022 Wisconsin, La Crosse-Eau Claire WEAU 

... a buck tested positive for CWD ... The single-acre farm has been placed under quarantine, meaning no live animals or whole carcasses can leave the property ...


DNR: Wisconsin wolf population likely now 972 animals September 30, 2022 wxow.com

... Department of Natural Resources officials released their latest population estimates at the agency's board meeting on Wednesday. They said they estimate between 812 and 1,193 wolves currently roam the state, with 972 likely the best estimate... Wisconsin's current wolf management plan, which dates back to 1999, calls for capping the population at 350 wolves..,


Hunters: Follow Baiting And Feeding Bans; Properly Dispose Of Carcasses September 19, 2022 Wisconsin , DNR News

... to help prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD)   ... Placing bait to hunt deer or feeding deer for viewing is banned by state law in certain counties due to the presence of CWD. In counties where CWD has not been found, hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts can still choose not to bait or feed deer and help reduce the risk of CWD transmission. You can easily check county baiting and feeding bans on the DNR website ...


Operation Deer Watch tracks white-tailed population across state September 6, 2022  WLUK - Fox 11

...  During a two-month window, people are asked to help by looking for bucks, does and fawns and sharing the information online with the department.  "The fawn-to-doe ratios are what they're collecting with this Operation Deer Watch...


Taylor County Deer Farm Depopulated After CWD Detection August 25, 2022  State of Wisconsin, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

... The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms that a Taylor County deer farm that tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD​) has been depopulated. Of the 238 animals tested as a result of the depopulation, 61 were positive for the disease.  In 2021, a 6-year-old white-tailed doe tested positive for CWD at the 22-acre farm..,


Deer Czar fails to assess impacts of his 2012 report  August 17, 2022 Wisconsin, Watertown Daily Times

... Page 56 in the Wisconsin Deer Trustee and Review Committee’s final report of June 2012. It reads: “We believe it is time to consider a more passive approach to CWD. … We feel that time is NOW!”  But yes, the report also recommended the DNR try to contain CWD by attacking each “spark” as if it’s a wildfire...


Waukesha Co. Deer Farm Depopulated After CWD August 16, 2022 Wisconsin, 715Newsroom.com

... The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms that a Waukesha County deer farm that tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) earlier this year has been depopulated. Of the 20 animals depopulated, eight tested positive for the disease...


No, Not Every Big Buck is Poached or a "High-Fence" Deer August 2, 2022 Wide Open Spaces

... It's bad enough escapees from these operations often spread diseases to the wild deer population. Wisconsin is now so inundated with CWD that I doubt it'll ever fully recover, all because of a few careless high fence ranches...


Maple Hill Farms deer herd depopulated due to chronic wasting disease  August 4, 2022 Wisconsin, Yahoo

... The herd of 301 white-tailed deer was eliminated last week at a northern Wisconsin farm where chronic wasting disease had been detected ... would not receive compensation for the fawns...many of the adult deer would be valued at less than $1,000 each...


Help benefit Wisconsin wildlife by completing citizen-science surveys for deer & birds August 2, 2022 WisPolitics.com

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking the public’s help in collecting crucial deer and game bird management data.  Starting Aug. 1, the DNR will begin conducting the Operation Deer Watch Survey ...


More than 300 deer will be killed at a Wisconsin farm found to have chronic wasting disease July 23, 2022 YAHOO!News

... The largest depopulation of a deer farm in Wisconsin history is scheduled to take place this month at a Taylor County facility ... chronic wasting disease was discovered at the facility, Maple Hill Farms near Gilman, in August 2021..,


Wisconsin limits doe tags in northern counties as hunters raise fears of overharvesting on public lands June 23, 2022 Wisconsin Public Radio 

... Several hunters told the board Bayfield County has been issuing excessive tags on public land over fears that deer are causing too much damage to the forest... In the last five years, state data show the deer herd appears to be trending downward from a high of 33,100 in 2018 to 26,700 deer last year...


Langlade County deer farm depopulated after contracting deadly disease June 17, 2022 Wisconsin, We Are Green Bay

... The 6-acre farm had been under quarantine since CWD was detected in August of 2021, meaning no animals or carcasses were permitted off of the property... None of the remaining 47 deer at the property have tested positive ...


Antigo deer farm depopulated due to CWD; large Taylor County facility could be next May 27, 2022 Wisconsin, YAHOO!News

... Chronic wasting disease was discovered Aug. 13, 2021, at the facility when a 1-year-old doe tested positive for the fatal neurological disease. The farm had previously been placed under quarantine because it received a shipment of deer from a CWD-positive facility.  Indemnity payment to Van Ooyen will be made from federal funds ..,


White-tailed deer at Walworth County farm tests positive for chronic waste disease May 19, 2022 Wisconin, Chippewa.com

... The farm and its herd are under quarantine ...


Learning How Chronic Wasting Disease is Affecting Deer in Wisconsin April 29, 2022 Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study

...  staff evaluated 433 deer mortalities, and 141 deer were sent to the lab for a full necropsy ... Of all deer necropsied, 42% were CWD-positive ...  those with end-stage CWD infections. “You could see their bones jut out, especially around the ribs and hip. They lost muscle too ..,


CWD affecting more animals within the state April 13, 2022 Wisconsin,  Williston Herald

... In Wisconsin, CWD infects about 25-30% of the deer in its core management zone. In other areas, percentages of infected animals range from 0-30% in deer and wild elk. The number of animals diagnosed with CWD has steadily increased in recent years. It has also been found in numerous new locations where the disease was not previously detected...


Help Shape Deer Hunting In Wisconsin April 7, 2022, DNR News

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comments on the county-level antlerless harvest quotas and other key parts of the 2022 deer hunt.  The DNR welcomes comments from anyone interested in helping shape local deer herd management preferences during the online comment period April 9-15... More information is available on the DNR’s County Deer Advisory Councils webpage...


Virtual Wisconsin spring conservation hearings run from April 11-14  April 2, 2022 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

.... Over the last decade the Department of Trade, Agriculture and Consumer Protection has allowed most CWD-positive deer farms in the state to stay open and in business.  .. A 2014 public attitudes survey conducted by the DNR found most Wisconsinites supported maintaining the population of wolves in the state at the time, about 700 wolves... 


Disturbing discovery of deer with arrow through head at Whitnall Park April 2, 2022 Wisconsin, CBS 5

... the Department of Natural Resources ... say the arrow came from a crossbow. They are aware of the specific doe and are monitoring the situation. They also confirm they've received reports of illegal hunting activity in Whitnall Park ...


DNR announces county deer advisory effort March 15, 2022 Wisconsin, HNG News

...  the first round of County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) public meetings will take place March 21-31...


A Waukesha County deer farm is the latest facility to test positive, continuing a frightening trend in Wisconsin  February 19, 2022 Wisconsin, Yahoo! Sports

... Two ... 3-year-old bucks ... The facility ... has 11 whitetails and five elk on its 9-acre property... Wisconsin has 301 registered deer farms and 37 are CWD-positive ... Wisconsin has 301 registered deer farms and 37 are CWD-positive ..,


Minnesota DNR wants tighter regs on deer farms to combat CWD February 11, 2022 Markets

...  Recommendations are:  Faster fence repair, Tighter accounting, No imported deer, Faster detection, Faster depopulation of CWD herds ... In its first joint chronic wasting disease report to state lawmakers ...


Turn Your Property Into A Deer Destination February 7, 2022 Wisconsin, DNR News

... Attend DNR Virtual Open House Feb. 16 To Learn About The Deer Management Assistance Program, Apply By March 1 ... Join DNR staff and current Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) members via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Be sure to pre-register to reserve your spot... DMAP is a cooperative effort between the DNR, landowners and hunters to provide habitat and deer herd management assistance to those interested in managing their property for wildlife...


Deer built to survive winter months February 2, 2022 Wisconsin, Winona Daily News

... “The most critical month is March. If it has been a winter that has been severe, they (deer) are going to have used up their body reserves (to get that far),” Pritzl said. “Deer have the ability to reduce their metabolism and rely on fat reserves. They will work off of their fat reserves as needed. Every time we get a cold snap it dips into that reserve a little bit.” ...


Wisconsin DNR paid more than $1 million for wildlife damage to crops January 27, 2022 baldwin-bulletin.com

... The majority of the claims, more than $760,000, were attributed to deer....  Most claims are requests from farmers for a reimbursement of damages to crops...


CWD, Wisconsin Lawmakers should end their frolic with 'Hunter Nation' January 19, 2022 Watertown Daily Times

... As of Jan.15, Wisconsin has confirmed 9,450 CWD cases since discovering the disease in three deer shot west of Madison in November 2001. The DNR has documented 1,283 cases statewide so far this year after testing 16,165 samples. That’s 8% of all tests, which is similar to 2020’s rate...


Wisconsin Elk January 12, 2022 DNR News

     Once eliminated from the state through overhunting, Wisconsin now boasts a healthy, growing elk population thanks to two restoration efforts that began in 1995 and concluded in 2019... From 2017-2019, 91 elk from Kentucky were released to bolster the Clam Lake elk herd population, which has grown to an estimated 330 animals. Additionally, 73 elk were reintroduced to the 252-square-mile Black River Elk Range from 2015-2016, and the population today is estimated at 115 animals, bringing the statewide total population estimate to 445 elk..,


DNR Confirms CWD In Wild Deer Harvested In Oconto County January 11, 2022 Wisconsin, DNR News

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirms a wild deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the Town of Underhill in Oconto County. The deer was a one-year-old hunter-harvested buck taken during the 2021 gun deer season. This is the first confirmed wild positive case of CWD in Oconto County..,


Other states found success with wildlife bridges, so where are Wisconsin’s? December 31, 2021 Hometown News Group News

... Deer cause more than 16,000 car crashes in Wisconsin every year, leading to millions of dollars in damage, and even a few lives lost. Yet the state has no wildlife crossing structures big enough for deer, which are effective in other states...


Fond du Lac family saves deer trapped on icy pond December 27, 2021 Wisconsin, WBAY

... A young deer that was stuck on the ice for so long it could barely walk made it back to the woods ...


CWD found for first time in Vilas County wild deer December 17, 2021 Wisconsin, WDIO

... Chronic wasting disease has been found in a wild deer in Vilas County, Wisconsin, for the first time...  a deer in the Town of Lincoln...


Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Portage County deer farm tests positive for CWD December 17, 2021 Wisconsin,  Wispolitics.com

...The 200-acre farm and its herd of approximately 370 deer are under quarantine ...


Local deer hunt numbers down, number of hunters continues to decline December 14, 2021 Wisconsin, riverfallsjournal.com

... year-to-date sales for all deer licenses are down 1.5% from the same time last year... the deer herd population, according to the DNR’s post hunt research, remains relatively consistent locally...


Wisconsin DNR bans feeding deer in Eau Claire, Jackson, Clark counties December 14, 2021 News8000.com

...  a deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease in Eau Claire County.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources notified the public that a farm-raised deer in the Town of Fairchild in Eau Claire County within 10 miles of the borders with Clark and Jackson counties had the disease...


Wisconsin's fall wolf hunt is on hold. Several lawsuits could affect whether it moves forward. December 6, 2021 Wisconsin Public Radio 

... on hold since a Dane County judge issued a temporary injunction in October ... a coalition of wildlife advocacy and animal protection groups filed a lawsuit ...  the population had grown to around 1,100 wolves prior to the February hunt ..,


Wisconsin's nine-day gun deer harvest is down 8% from last year  November 30, 2021 YAHOO!News

...Hunters registered 175,667 white-tailed deer during the 2021 Wisconsin nine-day gun deer season, a decrease of 8% from the previous year and 9% below the five-year average ...


Experts researching solutions for disposal of CWD-infected deer November 28, 2021 Wisconsin,  Stevens Point News

... Currently, incineration or landfills are the preferred disposal of infected deer, but ... is not efficient or economical... “If successful, this composting method captures the infection, destroys it and reduces the large volume of biomass that needs to be treated.” ...


Watch now: No bucks but woods were alive on the opener of Wisconsin's traditional gun-deer season November 21, 2021 Madison.com

... “There’s still a lot of deer up north, but it’s not what it used to be in the good old days. And that mostly relates to the general age of the forest. The forest had been logged off heavily and as that forest was regrowing, the young forests supported a lot of deer,” Pritzl said...


Northwestern Wisconsin deer forecast holds steady November 18, 2021, Duluth News Tribune

... Northwestern Wisconsin’s whitetail deer population should be about the same as last year, or maybe even a little larger ... Greg Kessler, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist stationed in Brule, said a mild winter allowed more deer to thrive, including more does that had more fawns...


Deer numbers up ahead of Wisconsin’s gun deer season November 18, 2021 MSN.com 

... After a three-percent bump in license sales last year, attributed to the pandemic, Pritzl says sales this year are about one-percent off that pace...  our deer numbers coming out of last year are trending upward due to the mild winter we had last year across the state and our harvest figures last year indicated population growth ...


As studies show SARS-CoV-2 in deer, Wisconsin plans to start testing by winter November 14, 2021 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... in work posted online Nov. 5, 36% of 360 wild deer in an Ohio study were positive for the virus ... There is no evidence animals, including deer, are playing a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people, according to APHIS officials...


Signs point to positive forecast for Wisconsin's gun deer hunting season November 14, 2021 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... In 2020, 876,000 people took part in deer hunting ... The agency estimates deer populations have increased over the last year in each of the state's geographical regions... the County Deer Advisory Councils throughout Wisconsin voted to allow antlerless deer permits in all counties...


Deer Farm tests positive for CWD in Eau Claire County November 9, 2021 Wisconsin, WFRV Local 5

... The 3-year-old white-tailed deer came from an Eau Claire County hunt ranch. The herd of about 15 deer is currently under quarantine ...


CWD, ‘It’s an emotional issue’: Inside the fight over deer farming and Northland hunting  Wisconsin, November 2, 2021   KBJR 6

... "Deer farmers across the board are so sick and tired of hearing about CWD," ... "I'll usually show the hunter a trail camera pic of the deer," said Holst. "The best looking, biggest deer has the highest price tag, and we start at $3,000 and go up to $10,000."...


CWD in Fond du Lac County deer, DNR confirms   October 29, 2021 FOX6 News Milwaukee

...  a wild deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the town of Eldorado in north-central Fond du Lac County, within 10 miles of the Winnebago County border...


Conservation Fund to preserve 70,000 acres of northern Wisconsin forest October 20, 2021 Wisconsin, Madison.com

... A land conservancy organization has purchased about 70,000 acres of northern Wisconsin forestland in hopes of preserving it for public use and logging... provides habitat for species including the American marten and spruce grouse, as well as black bear, wolves, deer, bald eagles ...


Kind, Thompson Introduce Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act October 20, 2021 Wisconsin, Chippewa Herald

... The Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act will support state and tribal efforts to develop and implement management strategies as well as fund research into methods to better detect and prevent CWD...

 

Wisconsin deer fall victim to epizootic hemorrhagic disease October 18, 2021 Wisconsin, Madison.com

... The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported Oct. 11 that confirmed cases were discovered in Houston and Winona counties. Later in the week, Wisconsin DNR confirmed a case in Juneau County and a third La Crosse County case in the town of Medary....


CWD review committee's work will go for naught October 7, 2021 Wisconsin wdtimes.com

...  the DNR has found CWD in wild deer in 34 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. In 2020 alone the DNR found CWD in 1,578 of 18,892 (8%) deer tested, including 1,579 of 9,375 (17%) samples from Wisconsin’s southern farmlands... No other state or Canadian province has documented similarly dismal data...


 Understanding environmental patterns of canid predation on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)  Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2021

...  We studied where gray wolves ... and coyotes ... killed white-tailed deer ... in northern Wisconsin... We found no evidence that vegetative cover or human development affected predation risk; however, we did find that increasing snow depth resulted in increased relative predation risk. This finding is consistent with existing research on the influence of snow cover on white-tailed deer survival...


Hundreds of deer, wildlife could be killed at Sandhill Wildlife Area October 1, 2021 Wisconsin, La Crosse-Eau Claire WEAU

 ...“If CWD were to be found inside Sandhill now, we just know that it would change significantly the way that the public would be able to come in, the way we would be able to manage it,” Johansen explained.  This means that all of the wildlife will have to be killed or removed ...


Vilas County farm-raised deer tests positive for CWD  September 29, 2021 Wisconsin, Upper on MSN

... DATCP has quarantined the approximately 250 white-tailed deer at the 600-acre farm...


EHD, La Crosse County Deer Positive For Fatal Disease September 29, 2021 Wisconsin, Patch

... One deer tested positive for a fatal virus Tuesday after a landowner found eight dead deer ... epizootic hemorrhagic disease ...


La Crosse County deer tests positive for epizootic hemorrhagic disease September 28, 2021 Wisconsin, News 8000

... The DNR collected tissue samples after a landowner reported eight dead deer on a 200-acre property ...


Agriculture officials grappling with fate of CWD-positive deer farm in Taylor County September 25, 2021 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... The detection at Maple Hill Farms near Gilman, which sent hundreds of deer to 40 facilities in seven states in the last five years, has sent shock waves through the deer farming industry and agricultural agencies...


Farm-raised deer tests positive for CWD, baiting & feeding ban in effect for 2 N.E. WI counties beginning Oct. 1 September 25, Wisconsin, We Are Green Bay

... A new baiting and feeding ban is in effect for Outagamie and Calumet Counties beginning October 1, after a farm-raised deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD)...


Follow up: DNR establishes CWD testing plan for Green Lake County September 7, 2021 Wisconsin, Ripon Commonwealth Press

... “Within a 10 mile radius of that positive case, we're going to try and collect 300 samples,” DNR Wildlife Biologist James Christopoulos said. “That should give us a 95% confidence interval of detecting the disease if it's present in at least 1% of deer.” ...


Outagamie Co. deer farm tests positive for CWD September 2, 2021 Wisconsin, We Are Green Bay

... The herd consisting of around 30 deer will remain under quarantine while an epidemiological investigation is conducted...


Langlade County deer farm tests positive for CWD September 1, 2021 Wisconsin, WSAW

... a 1-year-old doe was confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. All 57 deer at the 6-acre farm were already under quarantine after receiving animals from a CWD affected farm...  


DNR To Host Public Meeting On Green Lake County CWD Response Plan August 21, 2021 Wisconsin, DNR News

... in June, a 2-year-old buck tested positive for CWD in Brooklyn Township. To better understand the frequency and distribution of the disease in Green Lake County, the DNR will be sampling additional deer in the area ...


Manitowoc looks at results of 15 years of city deer hunting August 19, 2021 Wisconsin, WBAY

... “We average 45 to 50 a year in the city. That’s pretty consistent from year to year, and that was pre-bow hunt and after the bow hunt.” Lt. Schroeder, who oversees the city hunt, says ... accidents involving deer have remained stable ...


The Michael Phelps of deer: 12-point buck spotted swimming miles between Apostle Islands in Lake Superior August 18, 2021 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... estimated to be a 12-point buck was swimming hundreds of yard offshore, making its way to Michigan Island more than three miles away...  a couple people were sitting on a dock.    “They said, “Oh yeah, the animals do this all the time,’ ” ...


Snapshot Wisconsin: networking community scientists and remote sensing to improve ecological monitoring and management  2021.  Ecological Applications

... Biological data collection is entering a new era. Community science, satellite remote sensing (SRS), and local forms of remote sensing (e.g., camera traps and acoustic recordings), have enabled biological data to be collected at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales and resolution. There is growing interest in developing observation ... Snapshot Wisconsin demonstrates that expansive observation networks can be tractably managed by agencies to support decision making ...


 Chronic Wasting Disease found in deer at Sauk, Taylor Co. farms August 11, 2021 Wisconsin, NBC15 

...The Sauk Co. case was traced back to a single-acre fenced farm, while the other deer had lived among 200 other deer at a 22-acre farm in Taylor Co.,.. 


The 2020 Data Are Now Available on the Data Dashboard July 8, 2021 Wisconsin DNR

... Snapshot’s Data Dashboard is a data visualization tool that lets the public interact with the data collected from over 2,000 trail cameras spread across the state. The Data Dashboard first was made available to the public in October 2020 and showcased the data of 18 species ...


Study says hunting, poaching reduce Wisconsin wolf numbers July 6, 2021 Wisconsin, Madison.com

... Based on population models ... environmental scientists ...  say the deaths reduced the statewide wolf total to between 695 and 751, down from at least 1,034 in spring 2020... an associate professor of wildlife ecology at Utah State University, questioned the methods ..,


 Incredible moment hero deer saves rabbit from being torn apart by hawk before stamping bird to death July 7, 2021 Wisconsin, The Sun

... caught on CCTV of the exact moment that the bird of prey swooped down on the bunny... A deer then suddenly appears and runs straight at the hawk, kicking at it with its hooves. ...


Evers' DNR destroying young deer in name of COVID July 2, 2021 Wisconsin, Empower Wisconsin

...The Department of Natural Resources rolled out stringent protocols for wildlife rehabilitation centers just days before the late spring birthing season. That left most rehab facilities unable to meet the COVID-19 biohazard requirements in time to take in injured and orphaned fawn. So, many young deer have had to be destroyed...


Policy board repeats its Wisconsin deer quota fiasco July 1, 2021 Wisconsin, Watertown Daily Times

.. Kazmierski again accused the CDACs of caving into foresters’ complaints of deer overabundance in many areas ... Secretary Cole angrily asked Kazmierski: “How many times do we need to explain as an organization that unless you put a fence around it and keep deer out, you will have browsing? ...


Know What To Do If You Find A Fawn This Summer June 29, 2021 Wisconsin, DNR News

... Holding any wild animal, including a fawn, for more than 24 hours is illegal in Wisconsin and can result in a citation with a monetary fine. The 24-hour grace period is allowed for transporting an injured or sick animal to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator without delay...


Wolf Harvest Advisory Committee Meeting June 22, June 21, 2021 Wisconsin DNR

... Using the scaled occupancy model, the DNR estimates the overwinter pre-hunt 2020-21 wolf abundance to be 1,136 wolves. There is a 95% chance that the population falls in the range of 944 to 1,377 animals, with the most likely population in the middle of that range. The results from this winter’s wolf survey and monitoring efforts indicate the population remained generally stable from the previous year..,


DNR confirms CWD in Green Lake County deer, new ban in effect June 19, 2021, Wisconsin, NBC15

... This is the first wild deer that has tested positive in the county, and its location is within ten miles of Fond du Lac, Winnebago and Waushara counties, according to the DNR.  State law requires the DNR to enact a ban on feeding and baiting ...

     CWD positive deer in Green Lake Co., Winnebago Co. under a feeding & baiting ban June 18, 2021 Wisconsin, We Are Green Bay

... The deer was found in the Town of Brooklyn in early May 2021 and is the first deer to test positive for CWD in Green Lake County ... 


2020 Wisconsin CWD numbers June 5, 2021 Osceola Sun

... Almost 19,000 deer were tested for CWD in Wisconsin over the course of 2020. There were 1,578 CWD positive results. The southern farmland zone made up almost half of the sample size, with over 9,000 deer tested. But, they made up 98 percent of positive cases. Of the 1,578 CWD positive deer tested, 1,549 were from the southern farmland zone..,


White-tailed deer and rare newborn triplet fawns captured on video in Milwaukee by Urban Ecology Center May 14, 2021 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

...Researchers in a white-tailed deer reproduction study in northern Illinois ... Of the adult does that were pregnant, 77% had twins, 12% had singles, 9% had triplets and 1% had quadruplets. One case (less than 1%) of quintuplets was also observed...



Some wildlife rehabilitation centers struggle to meet new DNR biosecurity requirements May 11, 2021 Wisconsin, WBAY

... a study in a laboratory setting found deer can get COVID and spread it from one another, hence the new changes... Some of the requirements include needing respirators or multi-mask systems for rehabbers .... simply can’t accommodate or afford...


Killing white deer approved in DNR Spring Hearings April 20, 2021 Pennsylvania, WXOW

...  in the DNR Spring Hearings ... Participants voted overwhelmingly to allow hunters to harvest white deer ...


Vote this week to protect Wisconsin's white deer April 14, 2021 Madison.com

... From April 12 at 7 p.m. until April 15 at 7 p.m., any person, any age, in Wisconsin or anywhere in the world can vote on Wisconsin wildlife issues, including a white deer hunt. It is question #14 on the Conservation Congress section of this questionnaire...


Former judge can avoid conviction for illegal deer shining, but gives up rifle, this year's hunting privileges and $544.50 April 13, 2021 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... a circuit judge until his retirement last week, had been challenging how a DNR warden gathered evidence in the case, which also led to a pair of citations in addition to the misdemeanor shining charge...

Should white deer be hunted? Mercer author and photographer say no April 12, 2021 Wisconsin,  WJFW

...Ghosts of the Forest." That's the title of the book ... "The usual notion is that albino deer has to have pink eyes," said Bates." "But that's not the case."  The albino deer on the front of the book has bluish-grey eyes...


Help Shape Deer Hunting In Wisconsin April 7, 2021 Wisconsin, DNR News

... Anyone interested in helping shape local deer herd management preferences can submit comments online April 12-25. The online input tool for public comment will be available on April 12 on the DNR's CDAC webpage...


Wisconsin deer councils to draft recommendations March 20, 2021 Iron Mountain Daily News

... County Deer Advisory Councils in Wisconsin will meet virtually beginning Monday to discuss the upcoming deer seasons.  Every county in Wisconsin has its own CDAC ...


Burnett County Deer Herd depopulated due to CWD March 18, 2021 Wisconsin, 

Osceola Sun

... a white-tail deer herd at a Burnett County breeding farm that tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in 2020 was depopulated on March 3, 2021. None of the remaining 14 deer tested positive for the disease...


  Madison, McFarland fire departments rescue deer that fell through ice on Lake Waubesa March 15, 2021 Wisconsin, Madison.com

...  saw four deer trotting along the ice, but two of them broke through. One of them was able to get back up, but the other was stuck ... tied the deer’s front hooves together and back hooves together ... People were just elated...


How have the deer been impacted this winter? DNR uses metric to help track population March 19 2021 Wisconsin, We Are Green Bay

... “We do expect the deer out there to generally be in good shape.” ... all signs pointing to this winter finishing in the mild category. A mild winter doesn’t bring much over winter mortality..,


Jeff Pritzl Named DNR's New Deer Program Specialist March 5, 2021 Wisconsin, Door County Pulse

...  If we focus less on statistics and more on story, Wisconsin deer hunters still have a lot to look forward to in 2021.”  Pritzl said that without a doubt, the two biggest changes have been hunters shifting to more stationary hunting strategies and spreading their hunting effort out over a broader part of the calendar...


Wisconsin hunters kill over 200 wolves in less than 3 days after removal from Endangered Species Act  March 3, 2021 Wisconsin, Chicago Tribune

... At least 216 wolves were killed in less than 60 hours, exceeding the state quota of 119 ... “These animals were killed using packs of dogs, snares and leg-hold traps,” ..,


Wolves in the UP February 27, 2021 Wisconsin, Escanaba Daily Press

... Wisconsin’s data shows that wolves are responsible for more than 31% of deer killed in 17 northern counties. Also, they kill more than gun-deer hunters in the four-county area of Iron, Ashlund, Douglas and Forest...


Improve Habitat For Wildlife By Enrolling In DMAP Today February 25, 2021 Wisconsin DNR

... Landowners interested in wildlife management, whether for deer or other wildlife, can apply to join the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) to receive resources, participate in workshops and gain access to a community of like-minded landowners around the state. Visit the DNR website to learn more about DMAP...


Wisconsin wolf harvest 82% higher than goal February 26, 2021 YAHOO!News

... That total harvest during the court-ordered wolf season means hunters and trappers killed nearly 20% of the state's estimated total wolf population of 1,100 in less than 72 hours..,


Landowners: Enroll In DMAP By March 1 February 20, 2021 Wisconsin

... Landowners who enroll in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) receive a wealth of resources to improve habitat for deer and other wildlife on their properties...


Judge orders Wisconsin DNR to hold immediate wolf hunt February 12, 2021 Wisconsin Winona Daily News

... U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service removed gray wolves from the endangered species ... DNR’s policy board voted 4-3 last month against opening the season in February amid concerns that the department had not consulted tribal nations as required by treaties and did not have time to set quotas...


Wisconsin's wolf woes pale compared to deer dramas February 11, 2021 Wisconsin,

Watertown Daily Times

... Kroll wrote his recommendations for Wisconsin deer hunting in 2012, but Kaz then ignored public input for implementing Kroll’s plan, and installed his own do-little or do-nothing tactics. And since implementing the Kaz Plan in 2014, Kaz and his NRB accomplices have blocked all efforts to manage the herd and stymie chronic wasting disease...


Chronic Wasting Disease in tri-state deer populations on the rise February 8, 2021 Wisconcin, KFGO News

... In the southern part of Wisconsin, 50% of Bucks and 30% of does have the disease.  Imagine looking at a field of 30 deer and half of them are sick ...


DNR Reconsiders, Suggests Split of Door Deer-Management Units February 5, 2021 Wisconsin, Door County Pulse

... Wisconsin Conservation Congress Door County Chair David Tupa ... believes a rapid decline in the Northern Door deer population began with too many years of earn-a-buck hunts between 2004 and 2008 and continued after the local CDAC voted to give more free antlerless tags than anywhere else in the state ...


Virtual program explores how to turn property into deer destination February 3, 2021 Wisconsin, Ashland Daily Press

... Participants can join DNR staff and current Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) members at the virtual open house on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. via Zoom...


Researchers use car collisions with deer to study mysterious animal-population phenomena January 27, 2021 Wisconsin, Science Daily

... The researchers found weather patterns driven by El Nino influenced predictable fluctuations in deer populations across the state as well as synchrony between different deer populations...  three-to-seven-year weather fluctuation directly influenced synchronous population cycles in the state's deer...


DNR Bans Deer Baiting and Feeding in Juneau and Adams Due to CWD January 26, 2021 Wisconsin, HNGnews.com

... The positive test came from an adult buck that was shot in southern Wood County during the 2020 gun deer season ... 


DNR Confirms CWD In Wood County Wild Deer; Renews Baiting And Feeding Bans January 21, 2021 Wisconsin, DNR News

... the first wild deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in southern Wood County in the Town of Port Edwards, within ten miles of Juneau and Adams counties. As required by state law, the DNR will renew the baiting and feeding bans in Wood, Juneau and Adams counties..,


DNR Confirms CWD Detected In Shawano County January 12, 2021 Wisconsin, DNR

... The CWD-positive deer was an adult doe harvested during the 2020 gun deer season and was tested as part of the department's disease surveillance efforts. This is the first wild deer detection in Shawano County..,

     For first time, CWD detected in Wisconsin’s Shawano County January 12, 2021 Outdoor News

...  a wild deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the Town of Germania in southwestern Shawano County ... The CWD-positive deer was an adult doe harvested during the 2020 gun deer season ...


Take Five Minutes To Make Your Voice Heard On The Future Of Deer Hunting In Wisconsin January 5, 2021 DNR News

... Every three years, Wisconsinites like you have the chance to weigh in on what the future of deer hunting will look like in your county. Between now and Jan. 13, let us know your thoughts on proposed herd-size objectives in your county... Provide feedback on the DNR webpage here.


Elk Management Plan Open For Public Comment January 5, 2021 DNR News

... Once widespread here and across North America, elk were eliminated from Wisconsin in the 1880s due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss... From a population of 25 elk reintroduced in 1995, and with the help of a second reintroduction effort that started in 2015, the state's total elk population is quickly approaching 400 animals providing significant viewing and hunting interest in the state..,


Comment now on proposed Douglas County deer unit split January 5, 2021,

Duluth News Tribune

... A proposal to split Douglas County from one deer management unit into three units ... Comments will be accepted until Jan. 13. Go to dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Hunt/cdac and click on Douglas County to comment...


'Maintain' Sawyer deer population, committee advises December 27, 2020, Wisconsin, Ashland Daily Press

   ... concerned about deer numbers in the forested areas of the county ... “The habitat up here has changed so dramatically in the last 50 years, where food coming in after timber cuts or burns is not good deer food. New species taking over the heavily-browsed areas are ironwood and blue beech, which don’t have a lot of nutrients for deer. We’re losing our shoots of maple and popple to these invasives.” ...


  Daring deer rescue: a hands on solution saves deer stranded on icy reservoir December 23, 2020 Wisconsin, Madison WMTV

... “I just kind of put my hands on her and started pushing her,” he said. “I could slide her across the ice and just kept going, and got to the shore and she took off.” ...


Chronic wasting disease has racked up another sad milestone in December, December 17, 2020 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel 

... So far this year 17% of the samples submitted from the southern farmland district have been positive, up from 14% in 2019 and 12% in 2018 and 11% in 2017... increases of CWD-prevalence in all age classes and both genders of deer in specific study areas...


Baiting/feeding ban enacted after wild deer confirmed with chronic wasting disease December 15, 2020 Wisconsin, TMJ4

... Per state law, the DNR will now enact a two-year ban on baiting and feeding in nearby Ozaukee County effective Jan. 5, 2021 and renew a three-year baiting and feeding ban in Washington County...


Where are Wisconsin's Wildlife Overpasses? December 14, 2020 WXPR

... Other states like Florida, Colorado, California, and Wyoming are all reducing damage, injury and loss by investing in infrastructure to give wildlife safe passage across the highways we put there. So why not Wisconsin? I can only guess that it comes down to money...


What Happened to Wisconsin's Wolves? December 9, 2020 WXPR

... Wolves have been living in Wisconsin since the last Ice Age ... When Americans first started settling in Wisconsin there were anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 wolves in the region... in 1865 the legislature passed a bounty ... five dollars for each wolf killed. By 1900, no wolves remained in the southern part of the state ..,


Help Shape Deer Management In Wisconsin December 2, 2020 Urban Milwaukee

... Wisconsinites have two upcoming opportunities to weigh in on deer hunting across the state. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host virtual public meetings in each county to discuss deer management Dec. 7-18 and a separate virtual public hearing Dec. 9 on the current white-tailed deer hunting season...


DNR: Nine-Day Deer Hunt Harvest Totals And License Sales Now Available December 1, 2020 Wisconsin, Wispolitics.com

... The year-to-date sales for all deer licenses are up 3.5% from the same time last year... Current deer harvest totals have surpassed the total deer harvested in 2019, but harvest trends lag behind 2018 ... A number of units in the northern forest zone ... experienced another year of declining buck harvest ...


Bullet hits Fond Du Lac County home after hunter fired at deer November 28, 2020 Wisconsin, Fox11online.com

... Sheriff's deputies and the Wisconsin DNR arrived to the area and came across a group of hunters that were actively hunting on state-owned public land which bordered the Springvale home...


Almost 100,000 deer harvested on opening weekend of gun-deer season November 24, 2020 Wisconsin, Green Bay-Appleton WBAY-TV

... The number of deer hunters grew from last year. Through midnight Saturday, 810,233 gun, bow, crossbow, sports and patron licenses were sold -- 3.2% more than last year. There were 559,591 licenses specifically for gun privileges..,


  Albino buck spotted in snowy Wisconsin backyard November 20, 2020 7News Miami

...  the creature is part of a protected class, and hunters are prohibited from shooting “albino and white deer ...


Help Shape Deer Season for Your Community November 17, 2020 Wisconsin, DNR News

... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites hunters, farmers, foresters and anyone interested in the Wisconsin deer herd to attend upcoming County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) meetings held virtually across the state Dec. 7-18.  Councils will meet via teleconference to review deer herd metrics and harvest data from the last three years and to provide a preliminary recommendation on the herd size objective for the next three years...

Wisconsin DNR Urges Hunters to Get Deer Tested for Chronic Wasting Disease November 6, 2020 WXPR

... The DNR needs more samples of deer to figure out prevalent the disease is in the Northwoods... also wants samples from around Three Lakes where a deer farm has had some positive cases... also wants to get up to 300 samples each in Forest, Langlade and Iron...


Deer: Conservation's Longtime 'Problem Child' November 5, 2020 Wisconsin,

Watertown Daily Times

...  U.S. Forest Service called on the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936 to determine the deer kill in the state’s national forests, and to census the forests’ deer populations. The census included 12 deer drives by CCC members, who stomped through a combined 8,290 acres of northwestern Wisconsin forests to count 446 deer, or 34 per square mile before the 1936 hunt...,


A bull elk showed up on a trail cam near Holy Hill – maybe the first one there in 150 years October 29, 2020 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... the first wild member of its species to walk freely in the region [Washington county] for more than 150 years.  The footage shows a bull elk walking down a trail ...


Snapshot Wisconsin’s Data Dashboard Now Open To The Public October 6, 2020 Wisconsin DNR News

     Snapshot Wisconsin, one of the Department of Natural Resources’ largest citizen science projects, opened its new data visualization tool to the public today. data dashboard is a new tool that lets the public interact with data collected from approximately 2,000 cameras spread across the state to monitor wildlife...

CWD found on Burnett County deer farm October 6, 2020 Wisconsin, Superior Telegram

... The five acre farm, which houses 19 deer, has been quarantined... According to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, there are 311 registered deer farms or ranches in Wisconsin. Of those, 28 have had a positive CWD test since 2001 and 18 herds have been depopulated ..,


DNR Confirms EHD In Buffalo County Deer October 2, 2020 Wisconsin DNR News

...  State wildlife officials have confirmed that a tissue sample collected from a deer in Buffalo County has tested positive for the virus that causes epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD. This occurrence of the disease was identified after several landowners in Buffalo County contacted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with recent observations totaling 30-35 dead deer ..,


DNR Aims To Collect 24K Samples For Chronic Wasting Disease Testing September 21, 2020 Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Radio News

... The disease has been detected in at least one wild deer in 29 counties, said Erin Larson, the agency's CWD data coordinator. The agency has been conducting enhanced surveillance in recent years as the disease has spread, detecting CWD in 1,338 out of 19,348 deer sampled statewide last year..,


EHD, Oconto County deer tests positive for virus that can cause potentially fatal disease September 17, 2020 Wisconsin, We Are Green Bay

... a tissue sample collected from a deer tested positive for the virus that causes epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD... an Oconto County landowner found discovered seven dead deer on a 40-acre property north of Oconto Falls...


DNR surveys deer hunters to understand buck selection September 16, 2020 Wisconsin, Madison.com

... plans to invite more than 130,000 licensed hunters to keep online diaries to record the number of hours they spend in the woods, the deer they see and observations about the size and age of the bucks they don’t take...


Wisconsin 2020 Deer Fall Forecast  September 1, 2020 DNR News

... Despite some far northern areas with prolonged deep snow over the past winter, average cold season temperatures across the state were warmer than normal, resulting in moderate conditions in most northern counties. While some winter losses are experienced every year, they were not known to be significant this past winter... The farmland areas of the state saw a relatively mild winter overall despite short periods of snow and cold, and the effects of winter are not expected to negatively impact the herd..,


Wisconsin DNR asks for public’s help in tracking deer population August 11, 2020 We Are Green Bay

... Operation Deer Watch – it’s an annual citizen-science survey that collects information on Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer and gives residents an opportunity to assist with deer herd management efforts... Participants are invited to report their deer sightings through an online form...


  Bystander helps wardens save injured deer in lake August 6, 2019 Wisconsin, Kenosha News

... a deer was stuck in the lake near Conference Point and was unable to get to shore because of the property’s steep slope... After meeting the deer about 75 yards off shore, Spiezia was able to position himself to direct the frightened animal back toward shore...


The NRB may reconsider its controversial decision on deer permits. Here's how to get involved  July 25, 2020 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

... The Natural Resources Board has called a special meeting to revisit its controversial decision last month to override recommendations from 11 County Deer Advisory Councils... Although some people supported the move to reduce antlerless tags, comments critical of the action far outnumbered those who approved ...


DNR board will reconsider deer hunt amid meeting allegations July 24, 2020, Wisconsin, StarTribune

... alleging some board members shared the amendment among themselves the day before the meeting in a walking quorum, a violation of Wisconsin's open meetings law...


Decision To Reduce Doe Tags In Northern Counties Draws Mixed Reaction July 1, 2020 Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Radio News

... Several CDAC chairs voiced frustration with the decision, including Wayne Norling, chair of the Burnett County CDAC. The county was among those who will see a 50 percent cut in the number of permits they recommended for people to hunt on public lands.   “We're charged with suggesting how to manage the deer in this county via the CDACS, and they're choosing to manage from Madison anyway,” ...


Antlerless deer harvest to be reduced in Northwoods June 25, 2020 Wisconsin, WSAY

... Public land in several Northwoods counties will see a reduction in the number of antlerless deer taken during the fall deer hunts... "For decades we've had an over harvest on public land which (has) in my opinion decimated the population...


Four Wisconsin Hunters Drawn For State’s Third Managed Elk Hunt June 17, 2020 DNR News

... Just shy of 28,000 Wisconsin residents entered the drawing for one of four once-in-a-lifetime elk tags...  For each $10 application fee, $7 is earmarked for elk management, habitat and research in Wisconsin. Almost $11,000 in donations were also received ...


2 Trempealeau County deer test positive for CWD June 10, 2020 Wisconsin, La Crosse Tribune

... two 3½-year-old whitetail bucks... at a Trempealeau County hunting ranch have tested positive for chronic wasting disease...


More Wild Deer Test Positive For Chronic Wasting Disease In Wisconsin June 1, 2020 Wisconsin Public Radio News

... From April 1, 2019, through March 31 of this year, the DNR collected 19,386 samples, an increase of roughly 2,100 samples from the year before. Of the majority analyzed, there were 1,334 deer that tested positive for CWD in the last year — up from 1,061 deer during the 2018 sampling season...



Wisconsin Deer News and Information Archive by Topic:    Population and Management, Deer in the News, Disease, Suburban, Transportation 

Wisconsin's CWD Response Plan

Wisconsin Deer:  The 2022-23 severe winter in the north reduced deer populations, but better weather in the south is expected to have allowed for an overall increase or about stable.  Numbers in 2024 are lower in the north with 14.7% fewer bucks taken in the 2023 hunt.  According to the 2023 Deer Forecast, "the state experienced another mild to moderate 22-23 winter. However, some northwest counties received an extremely high amount of snowfall, pushing their Winter Severity Index into the Very Severe category."   A survey during the 2022-23 winter showed a seven percent increase in the population.


Data for Graph Below

In 2023 Wisconsin is reported to have twice as many deer pre-hunt as Minnesota, but Minnesota is 1.5 times larger than Wisconsin.   In 2022, Wisconsin hunters took about 17 percent of the pre-hunt population.  In 2022, Minnesota hunters took about 18 percent of the deer population.


The post-hunt 2022 deer population was estimated at 1,669,100 deer.  Mild winters into 2022 benefited deer survival while good hunting conditions contributed to the increased deer kill.  The 2022 Forecast.  Although 


The state deer metrics page shows an estimated 1,544,400 deer post hunt in 2021 down 0.85 percent from the estimated 1,611,000 deer post-hunt in 2020  The 2021 Wisconsin Deer Forecast.  A stable to growing population in 2022.  A pre-hunt population estimate of 1.8 million in 2019 with a post-hunt population of 1,311,000. See the table below for the post-hunt population. The number of deer hunters increased by about 3.2 percent in 2020.  The 2020 forecast.   A mild 2020-21 winter reduced deer mortality, but the 2019-20 winter was severe in some northern most counties, reducing fawn survival, moderate to mild in much of the rest of the north.  


The decline in the 2019 deer harvest was partially attributed to a  late hunt start date, past the peak of the rut.  2019 Deer Forecast.  The 2019 license sales were down about 1.5% from 2018. The 2018-19 winter started mild then ended hard, but most of the northern deer survived. 


The deer population was estimated at 1,510,400 post-hunt in 2018 and 1,343,500 deer in 2016 [PDF] post-hunt.   About the same in 2017, up from the estimated 1,181,400, deer in 2015 post-hunt, up 8 percent from the 2014 population of 1,094,100.  The 2018-19 winter started mild then ended hard, but most of the northern deer survived.   2018 Deer Forecast.  License sales dropped by about 2.5% in 2018.  For 2018, most deer advisory councils asked for stable to increasing deer populations.  A tough late winter for 2017-18 likely reduced deer populations in parts of the north, but generally good conditions in the state for 2018.  


For the 2016 gun season, the deer kill was the lowest in 34 years and license sales the lowest in 40 years. An average of 25 deer per square mile, ranging from 3 to 58 per square mile.  In 2014 an estimated 1,182,000 white-tailed deer.  After three mild winters, the state increased the antlerless quota for 2017-18.  An enormous mast crop in 2017 also benefited the deer.  Deer hunting licenses fell by 5.8% from 1999 to 20172017 Hunting Forecast.  An extremely mild winter in 2015-16 and a mild 2014-15 winter allowed a population increase, particularly in the west central agricultural regions and northwest. 


The number of deer killed during the 2016 gun season was the lowest in 34 years, the numbers of licenses sold the lowest in 40 years.   In 2016 the number of antlerless tags increased by 14%, reflecting some recovery for the herd, but buck-only hunts for 10 northern counties.   2016 Forecast and 2015-17 population recommendations.  


Only 38.2 percent of the 2015 deer hunt were does, a low ratio designed to encourage deer growth.  The herd still recovering in the central forest.   For 2015 WDNR eliminated anterless tags in 12 units to increase the population. Although 2014-15 winter was mild, populations had not rebounded. In Sawyer County, 40% percent of deer tracked for a study died.  A total 612,377 licenses sold in 2015, up from 608,711 in 2014.  Only about 13 percent of the deer taken in 2015 were on public land.  


To help rebuild herds 19 counties, about the northern third of the state,  had no doe hunting in 2014.  The largest "no doe" zone in 20 years.  Fawn mortality was estimated at 43 percent.  Populations in the Central Forest and the Central and Southern Farm areas fared better.  Deer harvest down about 15.5 percent in 2014. The 2013-14 winter was the harshest since 1960.  State population estimates are based on the Sex-Age-Kill model.  


A pre-hunt deer deer population estimated at about 1.4 million in 2013, about 1.5 million in 2012  Long lasting winters in 2012-13 and 2013-14, the worst since 1960,  reduced populations.   A pre-hunt population estimate of 


An estimated 1.15 million deer after the 2011 hunting season and 1.16 million deer after 2010 hunting season.   An estimated 990,000 deer in January 2010, down significantly since 2000 based on legislated deer goals. Deer hunting was estimated to have $1.3 billion in economic impact on the state.  The 2009 pre-hunt population was estimated at 1.37 deer, with an over-winter population of 990,000. A pre-hunt population of 1.5 million in 2008.


An estimated 1.6 million deer in 2002.  Hunter success in 2000 was 76 percent, about 37 percent from 1966 to 2009; 40 percent in 2013, 31 percent in 2014.    A timeline history.


Deer management was reorganized along county boundaries in 2014, each county formed a County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) of six to eight members.  The state instituted an earn-a-buck policy designed to increase the doe kill, but it was abolished in 2011 by the Legislature after a poor hunt in 2009.


There were 311 registered deer farms in 2020.  In 2019 about 384 deer farms.  In 2018 about 380, in early 2017 about 387 deer farms. In 2015 an estimated 458 deer farms.  


Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was first discovered in 2001 in the Town of Vermont in Dane County.  In 2002 the first case in a deer farm was reported in Walworth county and more than 40,000 deer were tested in the state.  In March of 2002 a deer was found in the wild that had escaped from an infected game farm.


Over 4,000 cases CWD cases reported through 2017.  In 2017, 60 deer from hunting ranches tested positive.  The first case of CWD in wild deer in Lincoln county was reported in January, 2018.  The first case in Eau Claire County in April, 2018.  About 50 percent of bucks were CWD-positive in parts of Iowa County.  One hundred deer suspected of having CWD were euthanized at a deer farm in 2018, more at other farms.  From 2013 to 2018, records show that 181 deer escaped from deer farms.  About 17,000 deer were tested in 2018, with 1,063 positives while the state debates responses.


In 2019, CWD was detected in  1,338 out of 19,348 deer sampled and an elk in a breeding farm.  That year the DNR shifted its focus from restrictions to research.  In 2019 the first wild deer tests positive for CWD in Sheboygan County.  Little progress in the legislature on CWD bills. In 2020, there are 311 registered deer farms or ranches in Wisconsin with 28 testing positive for CWD since 2001 and 405 case in the previous decade.  In 2020 the first case of CWD of a wild deer in Marathon County, a total of 1,578 positive cases out of about 19,000 tested.  By early 2021 in parts of southern Wisconsin 50% of bucks and 30% of does have the disease.  More cases in 2021.  As of Jan.15, 2022, Wisconsin confirmed 9,450 CWD cases in total.  By February, 2022, Wisconsin had 301 registered deer farms and 37 were CWD-positive.  In 2022, 300 deer were "depopulated" from one CWD-positive deer farm.  In fall 2022, 19% of 7,325 deer tested postive for CWD in Wisconsin’s southern farmlands with a total for the state of 1,492 positives out of 17,187 tested.  In 2023 there were 1,580 CWD cases with 44 of the state’s 72 counties having at least one positive case  More in 2024.


Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD)  A mild outbreak in 2019, another in 2021. Outbreaks in 2017 and 2012.


History:  In 1851, the state restricted deer hunting from Feb 1. to June 30, but Indians could hunt anytime.  In 1876, hunting with dogs was prohibited and in 1892 it was declared lawful to kill any dog running deer.  The first bag limit, two per season, was established in 1897.  In 1907, 36 southern counties were closed to deer hunting.  By 1910, deer populations had dropped to record low numbers.  In 1900 through 1942, only bucks were hunted.  To further protect the herd in 1925, the legislature closing deer seasons in alternate years, enforced through 1935.  A 1929 survey put the deer population at below 30,000.  A 1936 count found 34 deer per square mile in northwestern Wisconsin forests. 


The 1937 season was only three days.  The Conservation Commission closed deer season from 1938-1943, beginning a restocking effort with deer from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and relocating some deer within the state.  Aldo Leopold estimated the deer population at 500,000 in 1943, more history  A post-hunt population estimate of just under 400,000 in 1960.


Graph Below:  Deer Population and Harvests Estimates (1960 to 2010).  Source Wisconsin DNR

By 1962 the deer population was estimated to be more than 400,000. About 750,000 deer in 1970.  In 1989, the pre-hunt population was about 1.15 million.  About 1.3 million deer pre-hunt in 1990, down to 1 million in 1993.  License sales peaked at 699,275 in 1990.  The population rose to an estimated 1.6 million in 1996.  The nine-day gun season buck kill peaked at 171,891 in 1995.  The population peaked around the year 2000 when gun hunters took 442,581 deer,  more than any other state in a nine-day season, total kill of 528,494. Population and Ecology 1960 to 2003. Deer Hunting History.  A 2019 explanation of the rise and fall of deer in northern Wisconsin.


Wisconsin's first human inhabitants, more than 12,000 years ago, hunted large game such as mammoths and mastodons and when those died out adapted to a world rich in deer, nuts and berries.


Moose  Recent peak population of about 8,840 animals in 2006, falling to 2,760 in 2013.  A 2015 aerial survey estimate of 3,450.  A 2016 estimate of 4,020.


Elk  Elk were hunted to extinction in the 1880's.   The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point brought in 25 Michigan elk in 1995.  More elk were recently relocated from Kentucky.  About 180 elk in 2017 and 160 elk in 2014, near Clam Lake in Ashland County.  The first elk hunt in 2018.   About 300 after calving in 2019.  A  2022 estimate of 445 in January and more than 450 prior to hunting.   Estimated to be 500 elk in mid-2023 and 550 by the end of calving season with car crashes a leading cause of death for elk.  At 515 after the hunting season in 2023.


Wolf   An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 wolves in Minnesota before setters arrived.  In 1865 the legislature passed a bounty of five dollars for each wolf killed.  By 1900,  wolves were gone from the southern part of the state.  By 1955 there were fewer than 50 wolves in the state.  In 1957 wolves were listed as an invasive species.  No wolves thought to be present in 1960, but in 1978 a breeding pack from Minnesota migrated in, starting a recovery. About 700 wolves in 2014.  An estimated 972 in 2022


About 1,100 wolves in 2021 prior to the hunt.  Surveys in the 2018-19 winter reveal an overwinter minimum wolf count of 914-978 wolves.  The 2017 population estimated at 925.  The 2016 over winter population estimate at between 866 - 897, up from 746 - 771 in 2015.  The 2014 over winter wolf population estimated at 660 - 689 in 197 packs.  Approximately 800 wolves in 2013 (809 to 834), 600 to 700 in 2014, down from about 1,000 wolves in 2011.    Wisconsin DNR wolf monitoring page.  

 

Coyote  From 40,000 to 50,000 coyotes, many of which contain wolf DNA. 

    

Bear   In 2019, the estimated statewide bear population was 24,055.

    

Bobcats  DNR estimates the bobcat population in northern Wisconsin for 2023 3,800.  About 2,500 in the northern zone in 2015.  A Wisconsin total of about 46,500 around the year 2023 with a national total of about 3.5 million by 2008.

    

Cougar  Disappeared from the state around the year 1900, a sighting in 2008 near Milaton.  No breeding population is thought to exist in the state.  Sightings in 2017 are thought to be from a population dispersing from the western U.S.  A trail came photo in 2018.

 

- To report a sick deer observation please call the DNR call center toll free at 1-888-WDNR- INFo (1-888-936-7463), email DNRInfo@Wisconsin.gov, or use the chat feature on the DNR website.

- To report poaching, call the DNR at 1-800-847-9367


"Estimating the number of deer you have is the La Brea Tar Pit of deer managment"  Dr. James Kroll