Wisconsin Whitetail Rut report 11.19.10Wisconsin?s regular nine-day gun deer hunting season opens this Saturday, Nov. 20 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 28. State wildlife officials say that conditions look very good, with the white-tailed breeding season, or rut, still near peak across much of the state this week. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the corn harvest in Wisconsin is nearly complete, with 93 percent of corn harvested as of last week.
The season is structured this year to have a more conservative antlerless deer harvest in much of the state. Nearly half of the state is under a ?regular? season structure, where hunters may only shoot an antlered deer, unless they purchase an additional unit-specific antlerless permit if they are available for the unit. Areas of far northeastern Wisconsin are under a buck-only season structure, where no antlerless permits were available. Roughly the other half of the state remains under a herd-control structure because the population of those units is estimated to be 20 percent or more over established population goals. In herd control units, hunters may shoot an antlered deer with their deer hunting license and may shoot an antlerless deer with the free herd-control antlerless permit that comes with their license.
Preliminary test results on a deer removed in October from a game farm southwest of Ashland indicated possible presence of chronic wasting disease, so hunters in Ashland and Bayfield counties will be asked to help with surveillance efforts to see if the disease may be present in free-ranging, wild deer the area. There will be eight registration stations where hunters will be able to bring deer for disease testing on opening weekend.
A storm last week dropped 4 to 8 inches of wet snow along a small portion of northwestern Wisconsin, with lesser amounts in north central areas. Some of that snow was still on the ground as of mid week, and there is a possibility of additional snowfall late this week and early next in some northern areas.
Council Grounds State Park -
The 2010 Gun Deer Season begins on Nov. 20 and runs through Nov. 28. There is hunting at the park by permit only. All visitors are advised to wear blaze orange during their visit to the park. There will be muzzleloader hunting in the park Nov. 29 through Dec. 8, and bow hunting from Nov. 29 to Jan. 9. All hunting permits for the 2010 season have already been purchased. The campgrounds are closed for the season. The docks at the boat landing have been removed for the season.
Governor Thompson State Park -
The park will be open for the nine-day deer gun season in Nov. and is part of management unit 49A. There were no antlerless permits available for this area. Hunting maps are available by contacting the park office. The park will not be participating in any early or late season antlerless only deer hunts, herd control, or youth hunts.
Harrington Beach State Park -
Harrington Beach is open to hunting during the Regular Deer Season (Nov. 20-28) as well as the Muzzleloader Season (Nov. 29-Dec.
to hunters with a valid park permit and with a muzzleloader only. It is also open for the Late Archery Season (Nov. 29- Jan. 9) to hunters with a valid park permit.
Dane County ?
The deer rut is in full swing. Archery deer hunting has been busy with many hunters on state land bow hunting throughout the day. Hunters report seeing numerous bucks and many large bucks have been harvested in the last week. People have been shining in the normal areas.
Columbia County -
Bucks can been seen roaming the countryside all day long, the rut is on. Please be careful when driving area highways.
Information compiled from the WDNR Outdoor report and private sources
