Wis.’s Archery Deer Season Is Coming, Are You Ready ?

Wisconsin’s archery deer hunting season is just over a month away – we’ve got all the tools you’ll need to get ready for your hunt!

Wild Wisconsin season 2 is almost here!

Wild Wisconsin is back for its second year! We know hunters like to get their information on the go, and we’ve created a web series to help you get ready for your deer hunt. This year, we brought along the guys from The Hunting Public to host the show and hop on some podcasts! We’re going to give you everything you need, from public land hunting strategies to wild game cooking tips!

The show is set to launch in early September, but why wait ‘til then? You can find our podcasts on our website, our YouTube page, and on iTunes (Stitcher is coming soon for all you Android users). Click the photo below and dive in!

Bonus Antlerless Harvest Authorization go on sale starting Monday, Aug. 13!

Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations (formerly known as tags) will be available for purchase starting Monday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. through the Go Wild website and license sales locations.

The first three days of bonus sales are management zone-specific – each will begin at 10:00 a.m. CT:

  • Monday, Aug. 13 – Northern and Central Forest (Zone 1);
  • Tuesday, Aug. 14 – Central Farmland (Zone 2);
  • Wednesday, Aug. 15 – Southern Farmland (Zone 2); and
  • Thursday, Aug. 16 – remaining bonus harvest authorizations (all zones).

Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations will be sold at a rate of one per person per day until sold out or until the 2018 deer hunting season ends. The cost is $12 each for Wisconsin residents, $20 each for non-residents and $5 each for youth ages 11 and under.

For a list of units with bonus antlerless harvest authorizations available for purchase, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords “bonus availability.” These and all other deer hunting licenses and harvest authorizations are available online through the Go Wild website, GoWild.WI.gov or at any of more than 1,000 Go Wild license sales locations.

To prepare for the sale, each day at 9:45 a.m., an online queuing system will be put in place to manage volume in the Go Wild system. At 10 a.m. all online users that are on the site will be randomly assigned a number and staged into a “virtual” line regardless of the actual time you entered into the system. There is no advantage for customers who enter the site before 9:45 a.m. Please note that customers who enter the site after the randomization that occurs at 10:00 will be added to the end of “virtual” line in the order in which they arrive. All visitors to the site during this time period will experience the queuing system.

When you access the Go Wild site, follow the prompts until you reach your personalized dashboard. To purchase a bonus antlerless harvest authorization, click the “Buy Licenses” button from the dashboard to open the sales catalog – from there, you will find the Bonus Antlerless Harvest Authorization at the very top of the list. If you haven’t had the chance to get your license in advance, Go Wild can help you purchase one after you select the Bonus Antlerless Harvest Authorization.
Hunters will need to know the deer management zone, unit, and determine whether they will hunt on public or private land in order to make their purchase.

 

As a reminder, Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless harvest authorizations are now available for distribution. A Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless harvest authorization is included with the purchase of each deer hunting license in units that offer them. Some units will offer more than one with each deer license.  Refer to the following map for details.

New DMZs, DMUs, and metro sub-units

As a result of last fall’s review of deer management boundaries that influence deer harvest authorization use throughout the state, several changes have been made, and you need to be aware of them.  Knowing the zone and unit where you hunt is important for using your harvest authorizations, transporting your deer, and proper registration.  To review the boundaries where you hunt, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword “deer.”

Deer baiting and feeding bans continue to change with new CWD detections

Deer baiting/feeding bans continue to evolve as new detections of Chronic Wasting Disease are detected.  Be sure you know the rules where you hunt – for more information, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords “baiting and feeding.”

Wisconsin deer metrics system places important data at your fingertips

A new deer metrics system provides for a unique opportunity to take a detailed look at how County Deer Advisory Councils and the Department of Natural Resources work closely with the public to manage Wisconsin’s deer herd.

Metrics provided in the system include deer harvest figures, population trends, deer impacts on agriculture and forest resources, herd history, deer herd health, deer hunter  surveys and more for the area you hunt! To check out this new webpage and learn more about Wisconsin’s deer herd, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords “deer metrics.”

This deer metrics system is unlike any other in the country and will provide anyone interested in deer management the opportunity to be better informed on their local deer herd. Users are encouraged to get more involved in local deer management through participation in County Deer Advisory Councils or the Deer Management Assistance Program.

Be sure to follow DNR on FacebookInstagram and YouTube for more updates! And, check out our podcast series! Click the photo below and check it out!