Wisconsin DNR
The first two days of the Wisconsin gun deer opener were productive in Douglas and Bayfield Counties.
In Douglas County 2,726 deer were registered, up 9 percent from last year. In Bayfield County 3,177 deer were registered, up 11 percent from last year.
For the state, a preliminary total of 171,584 deer were taken in the first two days of the hunt. Of those deer, 70,021 were bucks and 101,563 were antlerless deer. That total falls far short of the more than two-to-one buck-to-antlerless deer ratio needed by the end of the season to possibly prevent the return of the October antlerless gun hunt in 2008.
In Douglas County, more bucks than antlerless deer were actually taken, with 1,452 buck harvested and 1,274 antlerless deer taken.
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One hunting fatality was reported in Wisconsin's opening weekend.
"We've reduced hunting incidents by more than 90 percent since the days before hunter education," said Tim Lawhern, DNR hunter safety administrator, in a DNR press release. "This was the safest opening weekend ever, let's make it the safest deer hunt ever.
"The key is to keep practicing safety for the balance of the season."
To remain safe, the DNR encourages hunters to remember the acronym TAB-K:
Treat every firearm as if it's loaded.
Always point your muzzle in a safe direction.
Be certain of your target and what lies beyond.
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
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There was a light dusting of snow on the ground in Brule as of Wednesday. Before that, the ground had remained bare of snow.
The lack of snow has not only been difficult for deer hunters trying to track deer, but it has also been inconvenient for snowshoe hares and weasels, which now stick out very prominently with their white coats.
The Bois Brule River is flowing at 141 cubic feet per second (cfs). The 61 year average is 153 cfs.
