New Proposal Would Provide More Flexibility Regarding the Format of Wisconsin's Disabled Deer Hunt

Sunday, October 13th, 2024 -- 9:00 AM

(Paul Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) The format of Wisconsin's disabled deer hunt could allow more flexibility in coming years under a proposal being considered by the Department of Natural Resources.

According to Paul Smith with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the modification would allow hunters with appropriate disabled permits to pursue deer statewide on the same dates as the annual youth deer hunt.

Under current rules the disabled hunts are allowed over nine days in early October but only on properties registered with the program. Applications must be submitted months in advance and three hunters must be enrolled to hunt on each property.

In some cases the existing rules prevent a person with a disabled permit from hunting deer on their own land during the special season. The proposal being considered by the DNR would leave that format in place but make a significant addition to it, said Jeff Pritzl, DNR deer program specialist.

Pritzl outlined the idea at the Sept. 16 meeting of the DNR's Deer Advisory Committee. "This is one of the things we regularly get comments on, people with disabled permits who would like to hunt on their own property, or a property nearby, but those sites aren't designated in the program," Pritzl said. "So that cohort of the disabled hunting population feels like they can't get in on this."

The modification would allow hunters with Class A, B, C or D disability permits to hunt deer anywhere in the state hunting is allowed during the two-day youth deer hunt. This year the youth hunt dates are Oct. 5 and 6.

The disabled and youth hunts both have the blaze orange clothing requirement and allow the use of firearms. The proposed change would allow more flexibility and likely increase participation in the state's disabled hunt.

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