Wis. opening weekend deer harvest up from 2011

DNR says total numbes up 19 percent from last year

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the statewide deer harvest during opening weekend was up more than 19 percent from last year.

Hunters harvested and registered 134,772 deer during opening weekend of Wisconsin’s nine-day deer gun season. That tally is based on preliminary call-in numbers collected from registration tables by DNR staff.

DNR wildlife management program director Tom Hauge said the final opening weekend tally will likely be larger, after all the registration stubs are entered into the database over the next couple of months.

The DNR said registration increased in all regions. Because of warm weather, some hunters likely registered their deer immediately instead of letting the deer hang at camp, which probably bumped up the numbers.

Some hunters did report low deer sightings, primarily in northern counties.