As of Tuesday, some 103,623 deer have been harvested during the 2022 regular gun deer season, according to information released by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Of that number, 56,638 were bucks. The regular gun deer season remains open through Sunday, Nov. 27.
Additionally, the department reported six firearm-involved hunting incidents, with one, in Green Lake County, resulting in the death of an 11-year-old boy.
Harvest update
Preliminary data indicate that the number of deer hunters in Wisconsin decreased as compared to last year, information on the DNR website states.
As reported within the release: “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. The number of conservation patron licenses sold to date in 2022 is 2.2% higher than all conservation patron licenses sold in 2021. Of the total licenses sold, 62% were sold online, and 38% were sold in-person by DNR license agents and DNR service centers, which includes private businesses across the state.
“Final license sales figures will be available in January, at which time DNR staff will perform a thorough analysis and interpretation.”
Additionally, the department reported: “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.
“A total of 56,638 bucks were registered on opening weekend, compared to 49,721 in 2021. This is a 13.9% increase over 2021 and is 2% above the 5-year average.”
The regular gun season is followed by the statewide muzzleloader season, which opens Nov. 28 and runs through Dec. 7, information on the DNR website notes.
According to a news release from the DNR, “Wisconsin continues to be a destination location for hunting white-tailed deer. People of all backgrounds search out the great public and private land hunting opportunities across the state to pursue deer, make memories and put a sustainable protein source on their table.”
Opening weekend gun-related hunting incidents, including one fatality
Among incidents reported by the department, which occurred during the season’s opening weekend, between Saturday, Nov. 19, and Sunday, Nov. 20, six individuals sustained gun-related wounds. The incidents occurred in Sauk, Marquette, Oneida, Iowa and Forest counties, along with the fatality reported in Green Lake County.
According to information reported by the department, gun-related incidents were as follow:
• Sauk County, Woodland Township: On Nov. 19, at approximately 11:10 a.m., a 22-year-old male was the victim of a gunshot wound to the thigh. During a deer drive, a 20-year-old male shooter, who was a driver in the hunting party, shot at a running deer, striking the victim, who was a stander in the hunting party. The victim was transported to the hospital and treated.
• Marquette County, Mecan Township: On Nov. 19, at approximately noon, while in a ground blind in a field, a 69-year-old female was the victim of a gunshot wound to the thigh. A 16-year-old male shooter was hunting from his ground blind in an open field, separated by a pond from the victim, when he shot at a deer, striking the victim. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and treated. The shooter and victim were members of the same hunting party.
• Oneida County, Little Rice Township: On Nov. 19, at approximately 1:30 p.m., a 24-year-old male suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot. The victim was repairing his rifle sling when his hand froze to the firearm. As he pulled his hand off the firearm, he hit the trigger, causing an unwanted discharge. The victim received medical treatment for his injury.
• Iowa County, Mifflin Township: On Nov. 19, at the close of hunting hours, a 15-year-old male suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot. The victim was unloading his firearm while sitting in the passenger seat of a truck when the firearm discharged. The victim was transported to a local hospital and treated.
• Green Lake County, Seneca Township: On Nov. 20, shortly after 9 a.m., an 11-year-old male was the victim of a gunshot wound to the chest. A 41-year-old male shooter attempted to unload his firearm while the firearm was placed in the backseat of a vehicle. The firearm discharged, striking the victim. The victim was flown via Med Flight to a hospital where he died. The shooter and victim were members of the same hunting party.
• Forest County, Town of Hiles: On Nov. 20, in the afternoon hours, a 33-year-old male suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his little finger. The victim was manipulating his handgun when it discharged. The victim was treated for the injury.
According to the department’s website, “Wisconsin’s 10-year average is approximately six hunting incidents for the gun deer hunt.”
The release described a “decline in incidents,” further stated that such decline was a “direct result of hunter safety education given by Wisconsin’s volunteer instructors and conservation wardens.”
The release stated that wardens remind all hunters to always use the four firearm safety rules as a cornerstone for safe and successful outings. They are:
• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
• Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
• Be certain of your target, what’s before it and what’s beyond it.
• Keep your finger outside your trigger guard until you are safe to shoot.
Deer registration
According to information provided by the DNR, hunters are required to register their deer by 5 p.m. the day after recovery through GameReg, the game registration system. Harvested deer may be registered in one of three ways:
• Online: gamereg.wi.gov (fastest and easiest method).
• By phone: 1-844-426-3734. When prompted, use your phone keypad to spell the first three letters of the county. For example, a registrant in Adams County would spell A-D-A by pressing “232.”
• In Person: Find a station that offers a phone or computer for registration through the online hunting resources stations portal.
Reminder: When registering, hunters will need their unique harvest authorization number to begin the process.
A herd of white-tailed deer stands near a field. Photo credit: iStock/arlutz73/provided courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
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