DNR Deer Advisory Councils seeking public input on 2025 deer hunting season through April 13

MADISON, Wis. – It’s not too late to submit input on the 2025 Deer Hunting Season. The survey link is available on the County Deer Advisory Council webpage through April 13.

Anyone interested in helping shape local deer herd management preferences should provide their thoughts during the online input period. This feedback will be considered by the local County Deer Advisory Councils (CDACs) as they develop their recommendations for the DNR.

For those who aren’t already familiar, each county in Wisconsin has a CDAC that meets annually to provide input and recommendations on local deer management, based on deer herd metrics, county management goals and the public feedback they receive. These recommendations are reviewed and set annually to allow for adjustments in response to the previous year’s deer harvest, winter severity and other factors.

This year, CDACs in the Northern and Central Forest deer management zones will make recommendations on new numbered deer management units. Boundaries in the Northern Forest Zone were recently changed from county lines to create habitat-based deer management units. Some CDACs will make multiple recommendations based on the number of units within a county’s borders.

Modifications have also occurred to metro subunits in the southeastern portion of the state. A map of the 2025 DMUs is available on the DNR’s Deer Management webpage.

In June, the DNR will bring its recommendations for the 2025 season to the Natural Resources Board for review.

You Can Also Participate In-Person

The public is also encouraged to attend their local County Deer Advisory Council meeting to join the discussion about local deer management. Meetings include a review and discussion of current county data on harvest trends, herd health, the deer hunter experience and deer/human conflict issues like crop and property damage.

County Deer Advisory Council meetings will take place across the state from April 21 through May 1. More details, including meeting locations and times, are available in the 2025 County Deer Advisory Committee Meeting Schedule.

Any questions about the County Deer Advisory Council process may be submitted to DNRCDACWebMail@wisconsin.gov. More information is available on the DNR’s County Deer Advisory Councils webpage.