When looking at population numbers, it is important to remember a few things. First, deer don't need much land to hide. If there are 20 deer per square mile, each animal would get 32 acres, which is plenty of room to hide. Second, the does and fawns will often travel in a herd, so a group of four deer could be roaming an area of 128 acres. You could be in your tree stand for hours, yet the herd you are after is grazing in a neighbor's field a few acres away! And third, you won't see any deer if they aren't moving. High wind, rain or snow can keep deer in their bedding areas for days. Most bowhunters know that to be successful, you have to put in your time. There is no substitute for good scouting and many hours sitting in your tree stand. Eventually, the deer will come your way.

CONCLUSION
Regardless of where you stand on the political and scientific debate about CWD, herd control, EAB and even baiting, there is one undeniable fact: Wisconsin bowhunters killed 113,884 deer last year.

Some people argue that the DNR herd estimates are wrong. Bowhunters hunt day in and day out and never see a deer, and they can't imagine why the DNR has herd-control regulations. I even know of some hunters who have gone to other states to hunt deer because they are so disappointed with Wisconsin's hunting. While that may be true for some hunters, the fact remains that 113,884 deer were arrowed in 2006. We could not kill these deer if they weren't on the landscape.

As you read through all of the area reports in this article, you saw a repeated theme: The same units and the same counties produce great numbers of deer year after year after year. One would think that the county producing the most deer is an overharvested county that year. But if this were true, then in the following year we should see the harvest number drop, because fewer deer survive to have fewer young. Yet, we don't see that. Counties like Waupaca and Marathon have been Wisconsin's leaders for several years.

Some people have argued that these are the "good old days" when it comes to Wisconsin's deer hunting tradition. Never have we recorded such high harvest numbers. The deer population is getting so high that some people worry about their impact on the land. Things like crop damage and low tree regeneration are discussed in hunting lodges and deer camps. But too much of a good thing is, well, too much of a good thing.

To keep the deer population strong, we need to thin the herd. So, this year, hunt early and hunt often. Enjoy the high numbers of deer, and be sure to take venison home. Wisconsin bowhunters want quality, not just quantity, and by taking a few extra deer, you can ensure just that!