Learn to hunt with the DNR & Bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations available for purchase Monday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m.

Bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations available for purchase Monday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m.

Contact(s): Bob Nack, DNR big game section chief, 608-264-6137

Get ready for the fall season – make sure to get your bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations when they go on sale Aug. 19!Photo credit: DNR

MADISON, Wis. – The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that bonus antlerless harvest authorizations (formerly known as tags) will be available for purchase starting Monday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. through the Go Wild website and license sales locations. 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.

The first three days of bonus sales are management zone-specific and will be available as follows:

• Aug. 19, 10 a.m. – Northern and Central Forest (Zone 1);
• Aug. 20, 10 a.m.– Central Farmland (Zone 2);
• Aug. 21, 10 a.m.– Southern Farmland (Zone 2); and
• Aug. 22, 10 a.m. – 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 2019 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 [exit DNR] 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 a.m. will be added to the end of a “virtual” line in the order in which they arrive. All visitors to the site during this time period will experience the queuing system.

To make the online purchasing process easier, the department recommends customers log into their Go Wild account before Aug. 19 to be sure login details are current. Customers may also take this opportunity to purchase their deer hunting license in advance of the bonus antlerless harvest authorization sale, saving themselves time.

On the days of the bonus antlerless harvest authorization sale, customers can access the Go Wild site and follow the prompts to reach their personalized dashboard. To purchase a bonus antlerless harvest authorization, click the “Buy Licenses” button from the dashboard to open the sales catalog – from there, 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.

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Those interested in receiving occasional email reminders can sign up to receive messages about season dates, license and harvest authorization types, and other information. Visit dnr.wi.gov and click on the email icon near the bottom of the page for “subscribe for updates for DNR topics,” then follow the prompts and select a list of your choice.

For more information regarding deer hunting in Wisconsin, search keyword “deer.”

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Learn to hunt with the DNR

Contact(s): Emily Iehl (pronounced “eel”), R3 Coordinator, [email protected], 608-445-8168

Students learn basic gun safety, sportsmanship, ethics and about hunting rules and regulations in Learn to Hunt classes.Photo credit: DNR

MADISON, Wis. – Try your hand at hunting through the Department of Natural Resources Learn to Hunt program.

Learn to Hunt combines classroom and field instruction for beginners before pairing participants with an experienced hunter. Participants will learn hunting rules and regulations, sportsmanship and ethical hunter behavior, and basic gun safety.

“Providing opportunities like this for people who would not otherwise have the chance to explore hunting is key in preserving Wisconsin’s hunting heritage,” said Emily Iehl, DNR Learn to Hunt Coordinator. “As more people move to cities and suburbs, it’s important to share hunting as a way to remain connected with wild spaces and as a source of local, sustainably-raised protein.”

Help protect Wisconsin’s hunting heritage and enjoy the thrill of helping someone experience their first hunt by hosting a Learn to Hunt. The streamlined process makes it easy for your group to host these events. The DNR can help cover costs and assist you in finding insurance.

“Many organizations plan Learn to Hunt programs for kids,” Iehl said, “but adults and families are an often-overlooked group of people eager to learn a new way to appreciate nature,” said Warnke.

Those interested in hosting a Learn to Hunt should provide a completed authorization form and mentor list to a local wildlife biologist at least 30 days before the date of the hunt. To become a Learn to Hunt mentor, individuals must have at least five years of hunting experience and complete a background check. You can find appropriate forms and additional information on steps for hosting on our Learn to Hunt web page.

“Many adults and kids who do not come from hunting families are interested in hunting but don’t know how to get started,” Iehl said. “Our Learn to Hunt program is a great way to get started in a controlled environment with an experienced mentor.”

Upon completion of a Learn to Hunt program, hosting organizations may apply for the Learn to Hunt reimbursement program of up to $25 per student.

Visit the DNR website for more on the Learn to Hunt program.