DNR Seeking Public Comments for the 2023 Deer Season

Thursday, April 6th, 2023 -- 8:00 AM

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comments for the 2023 deer season, including harvest quotas and other key parts of deer management as part of the annual County Deer Advisory Council process.

The public comment period is open April 8-16. Annually, each county's CDAC meets to provide input and recommendations to the DNR on deer management within their area, based on deer herd metrics, county deer population objectives and the public feedback they receive.

Information on each county’s harvest and population metrics can be found on the Wisconsin Deer Metrics System. These recommendations are reviewed and set annually so they can be adjusted as needed in response to the previous year’s deer harvest, winter severity and other factors and put into effect for the upcoming deer hunting season.

Following the CDAC process, the DNR will bring its recommendations for the 2023 season to the Natural Resources Board for review on June 21. The DNR welcomes comments from anyone interested in helping shape local deer herd management preferences during the online comment period.

The received comments will be considered by the local CDACs in the creation of their recommendations for the DNR. The survey link will be available on the County Deer Advisory Council webpage when the comment period opens on April 8.

The public is also encouraged to attend their local CDAC meeting to join the discussion about local deer management and provide input on deer season details. Councils review current county data on fawn to doe ratios; harvest trends; herd health; deer impacts on agriculture, forest health, economics and vehicular collisions; and the deer hunter experience.

CDAC meetings will take place April 24-May 4 and can be attended in-person or virtually. Check the meeting schedule and location for details on your CDAC meeting. The public can submit questions about the process to [email protected].

More information is available on the DNR’s County Deer Advisory Councils webpage.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.