CONCLUSION
Whether you are a meat hunter or trophy hunter, Wisconsin has deer hunting to meet your desires. Our Northern Forest Region has large wilderness areas for those who want to get away from the crowds. Our central regions have high deer populations, and the Herd-Control Units have unlimited tags available. In our Southern Farmland Region, you are never very far from the CWD Zone where extended seasons offer gun hunting opportunities available nowhere else.

If you are hunting in Wisconsin this fall, it's likely you already know where you will be going. But with the abundant antlerless tags available this year, it's also a good time to try out a new area or two.

The current season structure is on a trial basis. It will be up to deer hunters to bring in enough dead deer to convince the DNR to maintain this system in the years to come. Whether it is a success or failure depends on nothing more than hunters bagging two antlerless deer for each buck.

Deer hunters who end up with too much venison need only stop in at their local DNR Service Center and find out where they can donate the carcasses or processed meat. You can also visit www.huntforthehungry.com and find out information about the Hunt For The Hungry (HFTH) program of northeast Wisconsin, and other deer donations programs around the state, or call Lee Dudek at (920) 498-1522. Whole deer donations in the hide are accepted by HFTH so long as the deer has been properly field dressed, tagged and registered. If the temperature is above 40 degrees, please place one bag of ice in the chest cavity and one between the hindquarters to help preserve the venison before processing. There is no cost to make this donation of venison. Also, frozen packaged wild game from previous hunts will be accepted all year long if the meat is in good condition.

Now is the time to take advantage of the excellent deer hunting and abundant opportunities in our state. Mild winters have nearly eliminated winterkill in Wisconsin, but that could change in the future. You may as well enjoy "the good old days" right now!

Find more about Wisconsin fishing and hunting at: WisconsinSportsmanMag.com