BROWN COUNTY, WI (WLUK) — The nine-day gun deer hunt is still a couple months away, but some are getting ready to take to the woods this weekend, for the start of the archery and crossbow season.
It’s the second week of September, colors on the landscape are starting to change, and many are gearing up for bow season.
“It’s an exciting time of the year to be an outdoorsperson, and we’re certainly seeing a lot of people embrace the outdoors,” said Jeff Pritzl, DNR District Wildlife Supervisor.
Pritzl tells FOX 11, due in part to the pandemic, archery license sales are ahead of last year. He says there are plenty of deer in the farmland zones, but in parts of the Northwoods, the harvest will be “bucks only” this season.
Hunters can expect to see more red signs during Deer Hunt 2020. Northeast Wisconsin is part of a targeted chronic wasting disease sampling effort.
The deadly disease impacts the nervous systems of deer, elk and moose. Hunters are asked to drop off harvested deer heads at self-serve kiosks like the one at the DNR Office in Howard.
“We have had CWD kind of starting to creep in our border, and we want to get a real clear picture and a better picture of where the disease is, and isn’t in the state,” said Pritzl.
Pritzl says the DNR sampling runs through the gun season as well. Scientists hope to gather about 300 samples in each Northeast Wisconsin county. Meanwhile the hunting seasons and their traditions will soon be here.
“I think there’s plenty of reason for people to be optimistic and looking forward to this weekend, and what’s ahead for the rest of the fall.”
The season archery and crossbow season begins on Saturday, and runs through January 3, 2021.
