MADISON (AP) — State wildlife officials say hunters killed dramatically fewer deer during the opening weekend of Wisconsin’s traditional gun deer season than last year.
The Department of Natural Resources says hunters took about 100,000 deer, down about 25 percent from 133,800 last year. They killed about 49,500 bucks, down about 3,000, and 50,400 antlerless deer, down 31,000 from last year.
DNR officials caution the numbers are preliminary. But they say they anticipated a smaller harvest this year.
They say the deer population has decreased in some areas. They also point to the suspension of the earn-a-buck program, which required hunters to take an antlerless deer before a buck as a means of controlling a burgeoning deer herd.
They also noted opening day this year was foggy until midday, making hunting difficult.
In Dodge County, there was nearly a 44 percent decrease in the number of deer killed. A total of 452 buck and 487 antlerless deer were taken in 2009 compared to 530 bucks and 1,143 antlerless deer taken in 2008.
Surrounding counties reported similar drops.