WI DNR ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY 2025 DEER HARVEST TOTALS

[My Northern Wisconsin]

   
Photo Credit:  Wisconsin DNR

WI DNR ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY 2025 DEER HARVEST TOTALS

The regular gun deer season was held from November 22 through November 30, 2025.

According to the Wisconsin DNR, "Preliminary figures indicate the number of deer hunters in Wisconsin slightly decreased compared to 2024.  As of 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30, sales for deer hunting privileges (which include gun, archery, crossbow, conservation patron, and sports licenses) reached 790,044, down 0.12% from the same time last year.  Of those, 550,611 were for gun privileges only (which include gun, conservation patron, and sports licenses).

"Preliminary figures show hunters registered 182,084 deer during the 2025-gun deer season, including 86,068 antlered and 96,016 antlerless deer.  Compared to 2024, the gun season harvest total is down 0.8% statewide, with the antlered harvest down 2.6% and the antlerless harvest up 0.9%.

"Since the opening of the bow and crossbow seasons, Wisconsin hunters have registered 294,757 deer.  This harvest is 1.1% ahead of the same time last year."

Price County is part of the Northern Forest Zone.  However, rather than the deer harvest totals being reported by county as was done in previous years, some counties, including Price, are now part of DMUs, which are Deer Management Units.  Portions of Price County are in six units, including DMU-112, DMU-113, DMU-115, DMU-116, DMU-117, and DMU-119.  Portions of other counties are included in those DMUs and they are as follows:

DMU-112: Portions of Price, Rusk, and Sawyer Counties
DMU-113: Portions of Ashland, Bayfield, Price, and Sawyer Counties
DMU-115: Portions of Price, Rusk, Sawyer, and Taylor Counties
DMU-116: Portions of Lincoln, Oneida, Price, and Vilas Counties
DMU-117: Portions of Ashland, Iron, Oneida, Price, and Vilas Counties
DMU-119: Portions of Langlade, Lincoln, Price, Oneida, and Taylor Counties

Marquette County led the Central Farmland Zone and the entire state, registering 7.9 deer per square mile.  Vernon County led the Southern Farmland Zone with 6.5 deer registered per square mile.  DMU 201 (primarily in Eau Claire County) led the Central Forest Zone with 3.8 deer per square mile.  DMU 108 (portions of Burnett, Polk, and Washburn Counties) led the Northern Forest Zone with 2.7 deer registered per square mile.

State totals can be found by clicking this link:  
  Wisconsin Deer Harvest Summary for 2025 9 Day Hunt.pdf (Size: 449.58 KB / Downloads: 34)

The DNR reported two hunting incidents.  On the first day of hunting, a 57-year-old man was walking to a field to go hunting.  He received a gunshot wound in his buttock.  His injury was treated at a hospital.  The investigation is pending.  Also on the first day, in the evening hours, a 24-year-old man in Fond du Lac County was found as a victim of a self-inflicted, but unintentional, gunshot to his chest.  He was found hours later by family members on private property.  According to the WI DNR, "Preliminary investigation reflects the victim was in a tree, gun deer hunting from a saddle stand, when the unintentional discharge of their firearm occurred.  Investigation pending."  Comparatively, during the 2024-gun deer season, one firearm-involved hunting incident occurred resulting in an injury.  (Keep reading; the article continues after the ad.)


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The DNR added, "For the past 10 nine-day gun deer seasons (2016-2025), the incident trend reflects an average of five hunting incidents per year.  In addition, Wisconsin has had six fatality-free seasons, and all 10 years reflect single digit incidents."

The DNR stressed that hunters should follow the four rules of firearm safety, known as TAB-K:

T - Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
A - Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
B - Be certain of your target, what’s before it and what’s beyond it.
K - Keep your finger outside your trigger guard until you are safe to shoot.

Learn more about safe hunting in Wisconsin and register to take a hunter education course on the DNR’s Hunting Safety webpage.

DNR VIOLATION HOTLINE:  Anyone with information regarding natural resource violations may confidentially report by calling or texting 1-800-TIP-WDNR or 1-800-847-9367.  The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Trained staff relay the information to conservation wardens.  You can also file a report online.