Wisconsin hunters may have a larger than normal deer population to go after this fall.
DNR big game specialist Keith Warnke says there could be a booming deer population, with projections of up to 1.8 million in the state right now. If that's the case, Warnke says it's largely because of mild winter weather this past year. He says deer have a much better survival rate during mild years and they tend to produce more fawns if they don't have to endure long periods of cool weather.
However, the higher than average population doesn't mean hunters will find a deer behind every tree. Still, Warnke says the fall hunting season will likely be a big success for many people.