Gun deer season preliminary harvest totals and license sales released

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Preliminary totals for the 2024 gun deer season show increased license sales, and a higher harvest compared to 2023, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

As of Sunday, Dec. 1, 791,023 deer hunting licenses were sold, including 553,652 gun-specific licenses. Harvest registrations reached 189,622 deer, up 5.2% statewide.

Adams County recorded the highest density with 12.4 deer registered per square mile in the Central Farmland Zone. Statewide, antlered harvests rose 3.6% and antlerless harvests increased 6.6%.

The regular gun season ran Nov. 23 through Dec. 1, with additional seasons continuing through Jan. 2025.

Hunters can access additional data, including county-level statistics, on the DNR’s Wisconsin Deer Harvest Summary webpage.