Check out their antlered harvest.


Final Deer Hunt Numbers Released for 2004-05
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/16/2005

Hunters registered a total of 518,630 deer in 2004-2005 Wisconsin deer hunting seasons, the second highest total harvest in state history and the fourth largest deer season harvest in national history. According to the Department of Natural Resources, a record harvest of 72,336 deer was set in the October 27-30 Zone-T season. Archers also set a new record of 93,426 during the September 17 - November 17 early archery season and a total archery season record of 103,571. Muzzleloader hunters also set a new mark of 7,074.
"Considering the adverse weather conditions during parts of the hunting season, this is good news for conservation and herd management in Wisconsin," said Keith Warnke, DNR big game ecologist.

Overall, the number of antlered deer harvested decreased by 30.6 percent, while the number of antlerless deer harvested increased 52.0 percent and the total harvest increased by 19.9 percent over 2003 according to wildlife officials. On average, the harvest ratio increased from 1.5 antlerless deer to 1 antlered deer when the units were designated as Zone T units up to 3.4 antlerless to 1 antlered when they were designated Earn-A-Buck units.

Deer are considered antlerless if they have either no antlers or antlers less than three-inches in length. Aging data from 2004 indicate that 22 percent of the antlerless deer harvested were buck fawns, 20 percent were doe fawns, and 58 percent were adult does.

The near record harvest still leaves many of Wisconsin's 132 deer management units above population goals but has brought many units closer to their established levels.