MADISON – The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board has approved deer harvest quotas for 2015 designed to manage deer towards population objectives established for each deer management unit.

In 2015, 13 management units will not have an antlerless quota, while the rest of Wisconsin will have a quota of 224,735 antlerless deer. The issuance of bonus deer hunting permits, in addition to free farmland zone tags, will include 18,450 tags valid on public access lands and 125,375 valid on private lands.

These recommendations represent the next step in a new era of Wisconsin deer management and mark the first year in which County Deer Advisory Councils played a major role in establishing deer harvest quotas and permit level recommendations. In February, the Natural Resources Board approved each council’s recommendations for three-year deer population objectives.

Deer management units will primarily follow county boundaries, with each larger unit divided into public and private land-types to address differences in deer distribution and help provide for an increase in deer numbers on public hunting lands.

As a reminder, 2015 bonus antlerless tags will go on sale in August.

To receive email updates and other information regarding deer hunting and season structure in Wisconsin, visit dnr.wi.gov and click on the email icon near the bottom of the page for “subscribe for updates for DNR topics.” Follow the prompts and select “white-tailed deer” within the “hunting” list.

To learn more about CDAC population objective recommendations, agendas and membership, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword “CDAC,” or email [email protected] with any additional questions. For more information regarding deer hunting in Wisconsin, search keyword “deer.”