GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released preliminary numbers for the 2025 nine-day gun deer hunt, showing hunters registered 182,084 deer — slightly fewer than last year’s total.
This year’s harvest included 86,068 antlered deer and 96,016 antlerless deer, representing a 0.8% decrease in total harvest statewide compared to the 2024 gun deer season. Antlered deer registrations fell 2.6%, while antlerless harvests rose 0.9%.
License Sales Down Slightly
Deer hunting privileges — which include gun, archery, crossbow, and combination licenses — reached 790,044 sold, down 0.12% from 2024. Of those, 550,611 were for gun hunting privileges only.
County Standouts
- Central Farmland Zone: Marquette County led the state with 7.9 deer per square mile.
- Southern Farmland Zone: Vernon County followed with 6.5 deer per square mile.
- Central Forest Zone: DMU 201 posted 3.8 deer per square mile.
- Northern Forest Zone: DMU 108 registered 2.7 deer per square mile.
Since the start of bow and crossbow seasons earlier this fall, hunters have registered 294,757 deer statewide — 1.1% ahead of the same time last year.
Hunting Incidents
The 2025 gun deer season saw two firearm-related hunting incidents:
- Grant County – A 57-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the buttock while walking to a field. He was hospitalized and treated.
- Fond du Lac County – A 24-year-old man was found deceased after a self-inflicted gunshot while hunting from a saddle stand in a tree.
Last year’s season saw one nonfatal firearm-related incident. Over the last 10 gun seasons, Wisconsin has averaged five incidents per year, with six fatality-free seasons.
Safety Reminder
The DNR urges hunters to follow the TAB-K firearm safety rules:
- Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Be certain of your target and what’s beyond it.
- Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.
Season Continues
While the nine-day gun season closed Nov. 30, hunters can still participate in:
- Muzzleloader season: Dec. 1–10
- Statewide antlerless-only four-day hunt: Dec. 11–14
- Antlerless-only holiday hunt (select counties): Dec. 24–Jan. 1, 2026
More details, including county-by-county harvest numbers, are available on the Wisconsin DNR Deer Harvest Summary.
🎯 Wisconsin 2025 Gun Deer Season Nov. 22 – Nov. 30, 2025
SECTION 1 – Total Harvest
🦌 Total Registered
182,084 deer
- 86,068 antlered
- 96,016 antlerless
📊 Year-over-Year: ↓ 0.8% overall
(Antlered ↓ 2.6%, Antlerless ↑ 0.9%)
SECTION 2 – License Sales
🎫 Total Licenses Sold
790,044 hunting privileges
- 550,611 gun deer licenses
📊 Year-over-Year: ↓ 0.12%
SECTION 3 – County Leaders
📍 Top Harvest Density
- Marquette Co. — 7.9/sq. mile
- Vernon Co. — 6.5/sq. mile
- DMU 201 — 3.8/sq. mile
- DMU 108 — 2.7/sq. mile
SECTION 4 – Safety & Incidents
⚠ Firearm-Related Incidents
- 2 total — 1 injury, 1 fatality
📊 Past decade avg: 5/year
🛡 Safety Rules (TAB-K)
T — Treat every firearm as loaded
A — Always point muzzle safely
B — Be sure of target & beyond
K — Keep finger outside trigger guard
📎 Source: Wisconsin DNR | Link to: DNR Deer Harvest Summary
