The Wisconsin DNR is wrapping up the 2025 nine-day gun deer hunt, reporting stable participation and slightly lower harvest totals compared to last year.
Preliminary numbers show 790,044 deer hunting licenses sold — down just 0.12 percent from 2024 — with about 550,000 of those for gun hunting.
Hunters registered 182,084 deer during the gun season, a 0.8 percent drop from last year. The antlered harvest was down 2.6 percent, while antlerless registrations rose slightly. Since bow and crossbow seasons opened, Wisconsin hunters have registered nearly 295,000 deer, tracking just over one percent ahead of last year.
Marquette County led the state in deer density with 7.9 deer per square mile, followed by strong numbers in Vernon County and several forest zones.
The DNR also reports two firearm-related hunting incidents this season — one injury in Grant County and one fatal, self-inflicted incident in Fond du Lac County. Last year, there was one reported incident statewide. Over the past decade, Wisconsin has averaged five incidents per season.
The DNR reminds hunters to follow the four rules of firearm safety — Treat every firearm as loaded, Always point the muzzle in a safe direction, Be certain of your target and what’s beyond, and Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
Remaining seasons include the muzzleloader hunt through Dec. 10, the statewide antlerless hunt Dec. 11 through 14, and the holiday antlerless hunt in select counties through Jan. 1.
More information is available on the Wisconsin Deer Harvest Summary webpage.
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