The deadline for applying for bear and spring wild turkey permits is Sunday (Dec. 10).
If you purchased a patron license this year, you probably applied already when you bought your license. It’s easy to check, just go to gowild.wi.gov to check your status.
If you did buy a patron license but didn’t apply for bear or spring wild turkey permits at that time, you can still apply by the Sunday deadline at Go Wild or at any hunting license sales outlet.
The state’s black bear population is very healthy and Wisconsin hunters bagged more than 4,150 bears this year, according to preliminary Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources figures. It takes many years of application points to get a bear permit, so don’t forget that you must apply at least once during any period of three consecutive years to retain your points or you will lose them.
If you select a bear management zone when applying and you are successful in the February drawing, your points return to zero, whether you purchase the permit or not. Successful applicants are notified by mail and can buy their permits in March.
Season dates are: Zone C (no dogs permitted), Sept. 5 to Oct. 9, using bait or other legal methods; all other zones, Sept. 5-11, using bait or other legal methods (no dogs); Sept. 12 to Oct. 2, all legal methods, including bait and dogs; and Oct. 3-9, aid of dogs only (bait may be used to locate bear to hunt with the aid of dogs).
Spring 2018 turkey seasons are: Youth hunt (ages 15 and younger), April 14-15; period A, April 18-24; period B, April 25 to May 1; period C, May 2-8; period D, May 9-15; period E, May 16-22; and period F, May 23-29.
Those disabled hunters applying for a special disabled turkey hunting permit also must apply using DNR forms 2300-271 and 2300-271A by Sunday.
Did you get your deer yet? There are a few more opportunities for venison if you have been skunked so far (like me) or just need a bit more for the larder. This weekend is the finale of the statewide four-day antlerless-only season. You can only shoot does or bucks that do not have at least one antler that is 3 inches long or longer.
Waupaca, Waushara, Oconto, Brown, Door, Kewaunee and part of Marinette counties in our region of the state will have a holiday antlerless deer hunt Dec. 24 through Jan. 1. The archery deer season (bow and crossbow) resumes Dec. 11 and ends Jan. 7.
Hunting can be a bit colder and snowier this time of year (as I’m writing this, a snowstorm is moving south), but there’s nothing quite like hunting deer in the snow. The visibility is enhanced with the white background, tracking is easier and the sled to drag your deer out of the woods slides smoother than over dry timber.
DNR deer totals so far include a nine-day gun season total of 195,738 deer, which is one of the lowest totals in 35 years. This is due in part to fewer hunters registered to hunt and a rainy, windy opening weekend.
In 2016, the total was 197,262 deer. Shawano County gun hunters shot 3,106 bucks and 3,628 antlerless deer for a total of 6,734 deer, while Waupaca County gun hunters bagged 2,801 bucks and 3,576 antlerless deer for a total of 6,377 deer.
Bowhunters through Dec. 4 have taken 41,513 deer while for the first time in state history, the crossbow hunters took more: 42,579 animals. Shawano County bowhunters shot 701 bucks and 665 does (1,366 total) while Waupaca County bowhunters took home 779 bucks and 686 does (antlerless) for a total of 1,465 animals.
Shawano County crossbow hunters arrowed 741 bucks and 711 antlerless deer (1,452 total) while Waupaca County crossbow hunters shot 862 bucks and 740 does for a total of 1,602 deer.
Muzzleloader hunters have shot 4,209 deer so far, including 1,556 bucks and 2,653 antlerless deer. Shawano County smokepole hunters dropped 42 bucks and 110 does (152 total) while Waupaca County blackpowder hunters shot 65 bucks and 147 antlerless (212 total).
Youth hunters killed 6,983 deer during the youth deer season.
I hope you add your deer to the statewide totals very soon. Stay warm.