Gun Deer Hunting Registration Numbers Down Significantly This Season

A Few Clouds

Temp: 6.0 F (-14.4 C)

Wind Chill: -10 F (-23 C)

More Weather

Wausau Downtown Airport, WI

Back to HomePage
Updated: 10:56 PM Dec 1, 2008 Gun Deer Hunting Registration Numbers Down Significantly This Season Hunters don't need the Department of Natural Resources to tell them registration numbers are down for this season. Posted: 6:42 PM Dec 1, 2008 Reporter: Julia Fello Email Address: jfello@wsaw.com Many Factors Contributed to Deer Registration Numbers Being Down

Font Size:

Hunters don't need the Department of Natural Resources to tell them registration numbers are down for this season.

But the final numbers from the Gun Deer Hunting Season fell significantly compared to last year. Many hunters say it's because there may not have been as many deer to hunt as previously thought.

The DNR harvested 8,000 deer in Marathon County, down from more than 10,000 last season.

The wildlife biologist says the main reason for the decrease was because of the weather. "We had a very cold winter morning so there were probably less hunters out even though we had better conditions later in the week, and of course the cold weather may have also played a factor in people registering deer," said Courtney Schaefer, DNR Wildlife Biologist.

Marathon and Portage Counties were down the most, which was more than 25 percent.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Kale Stewart Location: nekoosa on Dec 2, 2008 at 12:53 PM

IT WAS NOT THE WEATHER!!!!! i think the DNR should stop giving out 2 dollar TAGS!!!!

Posted by: Ben Location: Weston on Dec 2, 2008 at 10:09 AM

WEATHER?!?! How about the DNR come out and say that there is not 1.7 million deer like they thought.

Posted by: Mark Location: Kronenwetter on Dec 2, 2008 at 10:09 AM

Courtney Schaefer doesn't have a clue! Cold weather, give me a break. Talk to anyone who hunts and they will tell you the number of deer the DNR thinks are there is not even close. Ask them to show you their data on how they come up with 1.7 million and it will fall on deaf ears. The DNR to many outdoorsmen and women is a joke when it comes to managing wildlife. Bears, wolves, deer you name it.

Click here to post or read all 3 comments.