Preliminary deer harvest numbers available

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has preliminary deer season numbers available on their website through Oct. 29. So far, in the Northern Forest Zone, the DNR website shows 6,680 deer had been registered. Of those, 3,998 were antlered deer and 2,682 were antlerless. Three hundred and seventy-five deer had been registered in Oneida County through Oct. 29, of which 254 were antlered. In Vilas County, a total of 265 deer had been registered with almost an even split of antlered to antlerless harvests, at 131 and 134, respectively. Iron County reported by far the fewest harvests through that date, with only 47 antlered deer harvests and five antlerless harvests. 

Taylor County had by far the highest number of deer registrations up through Oct. 29. The DNR website showed 826 deer had been registered in the county. Of those 447 were antlered deer and 382 were antlerless.

Burnett County, with 549, had the second highest number of deer harvested through Oct. 29 and Lincoln County reported strong harvest number as well, with 506 deer registered, 307 of which were antlered deer. These totals all included archery, crossbow, youth and disabled hunter harvests.

The total crossbow harvest in the Northern Zone was more than twice that of traditional archery deer harvests. Crossbow harvests accounted for 3,996 registered deer and archery 1,539.

In Oneida County, 248 deer were harvested and registered by crossbow hunters. Eighty-one deer were registered as having been harvested with traditional archery equipment. 

Vilas County crossbow hunters registered 195 deer with an almost even split of antlered to antlerless deer with 98 and 97, respectively. For traditional archers, 57 deer were registered with slightly more antlerless deer taken, at 31 versus 26 antlered deer.

Iron County saw only minimal harvest with 47 deer overall taken in either category. Only 10 of those were harvested with traditional archery equipment. Thirty seven were taken with a crossbow. Only one antlerless deer was taken with each method.

As to be expected with the overall totals, Taylor County saw the most deer taken with a crossbow, at 476. Of those, 269 were antlered and 207 were antlerless. 

Burnett County saw more deer taken with archery equipment than any other county in the Northern Forest. One hundred and seventy six deer were harvested this way with 110 of them being antlered deer. Taylor County was not far behind with 157 deer registered as being harvested with traditional archery equipment. Antlered deer accounted for 82 of those, with 75 being antlerless deer.

Up to Oct. 29, 29,010 deer had been registered in the Central Farmland Zone. Antlered deer accounted for 14,335 of those. Antlerless harvest numbers were slightly higher at 14,675.

In the Central Forest Zone, 1,604 harvests were recorded. Nine hundred and forty-six of those were antlered deer. Antlerless deer accounted for the other 658.

In the Southern Farmland Zone, 9,119 total harvests were recoded by October 29. Of those, 4,525 were antlered deer and 4,594 were antlerless. 

This brought the state total harvest to 46,413. Of those, 22,586 were harvested with a crossbow and 15,155 with traditional archery equipment.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].