2007 marks the second year of a two-year trial moratorium on October gun hunting outside of CWD zones requested by hunting groups.
The trial was designed to determine whether or not hunters could reach a 2-to-1 antlerless to buck harvest ratio in Herd Control units across the state over the two year span. The 2-to-1 ratio is necessary to pressure deer populations downward closer to established population goals.
Only one region (the Central Forest Region) of Wisconsin’s five deer management regions met the 2-to-1 goal in 2006. It is likely that October gun hunting will return to much of Wisconsin in 2008 say wildlife managers.
Nonetheless, deer and bear ecologist Warnke is optimistic hunters can get the herd close to unit population goals with several years of good effort.
“Hunters are making real progress at managing deer populations,” says Warnke. “Getting herd numbers to the goals is going to take time but with a sustained effort I believe it can be done. The key is for every hunter and every hunting camp to do their level best to harvest two does for every buck in all herd control and EAB units.
