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The number of deer registered by Wisconsin hunters during opening weekend of the nine-day gun season was down about 12 percent from the 2016 season opener.
Preliminary figures released by the Department of Natural Resource show hunters registered just under 102,903 deer during opening weekend – down from the 116,615 registered during last year’s opener. The number of bucks registered was also down, from 64,828 in 2016 to 59,142 this year.
While hunters seemed to have a second year of success in the northern half of the state, the DNR says wind and rain in southern Wisconsin likely played a role in lower numbers for that region of the state compared to last year.