Gun Deer Harvest Numbers Up Significantly

By Adam Roberts – 12/3/2020

Though I sadly had to sit on the sidelines once again this year for the nine-day gun deer season, the good vibes I was sending out to all the hunters in the woods/cornfields/marshlands clearly paid off, with 2020 a banner year for whitetail deer harvesting.

According to the Wisconsin DNR, harvest numbers are up 15.8 percent statewide, with 188,712 deer gunned down this year. This could be correlated with an uptick in overall licenses sold this year, with over 820,000 distributed for the hunt (up 3.5 percent from 2019).

The rise in hunters this year could likely be attributed to many seeking an outlet for COVID related stress and anxiety with an activity that not only is pretty easy to do socially distanced, but also can be a truly therapeutic experience and a chance to slow down the hectic pace of everyday life.

Another encouraging statistic was the rise in female hunters this year, with over 92,000 taking to tree stands and deer blinds across Wisconsin.

Congratulations to everyone who harvested a deer this year! And if you have more meat than you think you will consume, consider donating it to a local food pantry this year.