It’s been up and down, over and under, around and through for where the DNR stands on opening up an early December deer hunt for Wisconsin. The concern has always been how to best manage the deer herds, especially in the areas north of U.S. Route 8.
There’s too many deer and management experts want to reduce numbers. The DNR originally proposed opening up an antlerless deer gun hunt in early December for northern Wisconsin. They met with a lot of opposition from the snowmobile clubs who said having a deer hunt that late in the season would hamper their efforts to prepare their trails for snowmobiling.
Evidently feeling the pressure, the DNR backed down and said the 2006 deer seasons would remain the same as 2005.
Now, the DNR has unanimously approved the early December hunt. It will be for 4 days, commencing on the second Thursday following Thanksgiving. This hunt has a sunset clause after one year. At the end of the hunt, officials will evaluate how it went and what overall effect it had on herd management, etc.
As part of the December hunt approval, the DNR ended the October antlerless deer hunt and ceased the Earn-a-Buck program for those zones troubled by chronic wasting disease.
Tom Remington
