Hunters take 171,000 deer in 2 days
First weekend sees record-low 1 accidental fatality
By MEG JONES
mjones@journalsentinel.com
Hunters registered more deer on opening weekend this year than they did a year ago, which officials attributed to fairly decent weather throughout much of the state and a boost in the number of deer management units where hunters had to shoot an antlerless deer before they could bag a buck.
Hunters brought in 70,021 bucks and 101,563 antlerless deer Saturday and Sunday.
Wildlife officials say the number of antlerless deer is important because it includes does, and killing them is a way to reduce the herd growth in overpopulated areas.
With one firearms-related fatality among 630,000 hunters in the woods, it was the safest opening weekend in Wisconsin history.
A total of 171,584 deer were registered in the first two days of the nine-day firearms season - 4,011 more than in 2006, according to figures released Monday by the state Department of Natural Resources. Hunters brought in 70,021 bucks and 101,563 antlerless deer Saturday and Sunday.
For all of last year, hunters registered 509,000 deer, including 393,306 during the gun season.
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