Stats show area counties in line with numbers across the state
Not only were the numbers for the total preliminary sales of gun, bow, crossbow, sports and conservation patron licenses down this past deer hunt season - which ran from Nov. 18 through Nov. 26 - but so were statewide and area county deer harvest numbers.
Not only were those numbers down, but they were down significantly.
Those purchasing licenses statewide registered 173,942 deer during the 2023 gun deer season, including 85,390 antlered and 88,552 antlerless deer.
Compared to 2022, the total firearm deer harvest was down 17.6% statewide, with the antlered harvest down 14.7% and the antlerless harvest down 20.3%.
Since the opening of the bow and crossbow seasons, hunters have registered 266,132 statewide so far this year.
In Polk, St. Croix, and Burnett counties, the preliminary harvest numbers reflect what’s happening across the state:
Polk County
Polk County is in the Central Farmland Zone and the number of deer harvested in 2023 is compared with 2022:
Antlered - 3,188 in 2023, compared to 3,874 in 2022
Antlerless - 3,508 in 2023 compared to 5,155 in 2022
2023 Total - 6,696
2022 Total - 9,029
St. Croix County
St. Croix County is in the Central Farmland Zone and the number of deer harvested in 2023 is compared with 2022:
Antlered – 1,681 in 2023 compared to 2,051 in 2022
Antlerless – 1,859 in 2023 compared to 2,604 in 2022
2023 Total – 3,540
2022 Total - 4,655
Burnett County
Burnett is in the Northern Forest Zone and the number of deer harvested in 2023 is compared with 2022:
Antlered – 1,832 in 2023 compared to 2,590 in 2022
Antlerless – 1,330 in 2023 compared to 2,449 in 2022
2023 Total – 3,162
2022 Total - 5,039
In the Central Farmland Zone, which includes St. Croix and Polk counties, there were 44,587 antlered deer (5-year average down 5.2%), while 533,696 antlerless were harvested (5-year average down 14.7%).
In the Northern Forest Zone, which includes Burnett County, there were 17,715 antlered (5-year average down 14%) and 10,305 antlerless deer harvested (5-year average down 27%)
Adams County in the Central Farmland Zone led the state with 9.7 deer registered per square mile. Adams County also led the Central Forest Zone with 3.5 deer per square mile. Vernon County led the Southern Farmland Zone with 6.7 deer registered per square mile. Taylor County registered the most deer per square mile, 2.7, in the Northern Forest Zone.
According to the DNR, “Generally, the southern half of the (Polk County) unit receives more opening day hunting pressure than the northern half with an average hunter density of 20 hunters per-square-mile of deer range. One-third of bucks harvested in the unit are 2-½ years or older and the average adult antlered harvest is 5 bucks per-square-mile of deer range. However, harvests vary depending on habitat type. The unit is usually in the top 10 of units for deer harvest in the state.”
In St. Croix County, the DNR states, “Hunter densities on opening day of the 9-day gun deer season average 19 hunters per-square-mile of deer range with an average harvest of 14 deer harvested per-square-mile of deer range. The general deer population trend in the county has been increasing.”
In Burnett County, the DNR states, “Hunter density on the opening day of the 9-day gun deer season over the last 10 years has ranged from 9-22 hunters per-square-mile. Because of differences in habitat type, deer are not evenly distributed throughout the unit with deer densities varying from sandy, forested portions to areas with heavier soils and a mix of forest and agriculture. Buck harvest rates have varied from 2-4 bucks per-square-mile of deer range over the past 10 years.”
Hunting incidents
There were no firearm-involved hunting incidents in Burnett, Polk, or St. Croix counties in 2023, but there were three incidents around the state:
Forest County, Argonne Township: On Nov. 18, 2023, in the morning hours, a 53-year-old male suffered a self-inflicted gunshot to the foot. The victim was walking to his tree stand on public property and adjusted his rifle sling when he accidentally pulled the trigger. The victim was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Adams County, Big Flatts Township: On Nov. 19, 2023, in the morning hours, a 62-year-old male shot once at a dog, which he believed was an antlerless deer, on private property. A 47-year-old female victim was walking that dog and was shot in her thigh. The victim was taken to the hospital via MedFlight for her injuries.
Taylor County, Rib Lake Township: On Nov. 24, 2023, near midday, a 30-year-old male was the victim of a gunshot to his upper thigh. During the end of a deer drive, a 35-year-old male shooter shot at a deer, striking the victim. The victim received medical treatment at a hospital.
Comparatively, during the 2022 gun deer season, the DNR reported eight firearm-involved hunting incidents. Of those incidents, four were self-inflicted gunshots.
The average hunting incidents per-year for the last 10 gun deer seasons (2014-23) is 5.9. In addition, there were no fatalities in six of those 10 years.
The regular gun deer season is followed by the statewide muzzleloader season (Nov. 27-Dec. 6), the statewide antlerless-only four-day hunt (Dec. 7-Dec. 10) and the antlerless-only holiday hunt in select farmland zone counties (Dec. 24-Jan. 1, 2024).
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