Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Wisconsin opener this Saturday, the 18th

Last spring, when I purchased my hunting and fishing licenses for the 23 - 24 seasons, I didn't look into deer tags at all. Figured I'd do that when the time came. Don't think about does either while bow hunting, just too much impressive buck sign on my property! Well... looked into it yesterday for the upcoming firearms season that opens this Saturday. Seems WI wants a lot of dead does, at least in my area of SW Door Co! Along with my archery and firearms buck tag, there's 8 antlerless tags available, for free! Not sayin I'll shoot that many deer, not even close, but just the fact that 8 doe tags are available for free really tells me about the deer density around me there. I know there's a lot of deer, just need to drive around at sunset to confirm that, but still! Anyway, have the 722, in 300 Savage, all warmed up and ready to go and good luck to all headed out in the Badger state this Saturday. Be safe and enjoy!

First I've heard of it.

Truck will be headed north 0730 tomorrow morning. We have 2 blinds we have to put up because some dick-head stole my buddy's and his son's blind. That's not going to dampen our spirits though. We're ready to rock.

Not much for antlerless tags in our area of NW WI but I do have one. I think there was only like 500 to lottery. I don't really plan on taking one but ya never know. So, I snagged one. Plenty of buck sign, but I don't really thing there are a lot of deer.

Dean, give me a holler if you need help dragging.

Good luck to ya!

Does this mean roundoak has his orange clothing hanging on the front porch?

He's freshening up his boots in cow pies at this very moment.

Lol! Could be! Lol!

Maybe rolling in them too! Lol!

Thanks Scott! I'll be on the 40 by myself, if you want some different woods to look at, give me a holler.

There's a lot of orange hanging, no doubt! You boys stay safe. Aim small-miss small.

Good luck to all.

Lots of deer in southwest WI, I received 3 free doe tags with license.

Also increasing numbers of bobcats and more sightings of cougar including one killed by a bowhunter a few days ago.
Will make napping in the blind a bit more exciting.



https://www.jsonline.com/story/spor...in-buffalo-county-wisconsin/71594394007/

Door County is a sleeper for big bucks because there is lots of private property over there or deep pocketed IL noisers over that way that won't let you get near their property. My buddy owned a bar over that way once and even he couldn't get an in to hunt there. Not only that, but Door County is part of the Niagara Escarpment with limestone soil that grows big buck antlers way better than the bucks up north or the central sand counties. Too much snow up north last winter to think that we'll see much up that way this year. And yes on the SW WI. for big bucks. My two stepsons both scored mountable bucks (again) already this year with their crossbows.

HAHA! Yes to this exchange!

I already knew I liked your taste in rifles, but this confirms it.

Good luck to you!

FC

That's mighty kind – I'll drop ya a line, I can run up for a visit if nothing else.

Thanks FC! And congrats to you again on your outing!

I'm not sure I agree with you there. I've had nearly 100% success in getting permission to chase coyotes at night up that way. And more than once have been offered access to deer hunt because of it (I didn't even inquire - never do). Tis all in the approach.

BTW - Dean is one of those deep-pocketed fellers from IL you're referring to above, so tread lightly.

As deep pocketed as a retired construction worker can be! Lol!

Hunted for years up by Iron River Wi. Sure miss those times

Yes Scott, but you are probably nicer than my buddy was. Well, there goes my invite too! "Out of my way Cheesehead, we're here for recreation" seems to be a common theme over that way. We have some of those IL. folks that built next door to the cottage and they brought their Chicago attitude with them. They have managed to alienate everyone within miles. Enough of this, I'm getting packed and going hunting. Good luck to you all, even the 'Noisers.

By yourself ya say?

Where you hunting? IL?

Lol!

Give me a holler!

I'm just giving you shiit. I'll be over in NW WI, dodging deer drive bullets.

Figured... but the offer still stands!

The 722 in 300 Savage with a Leupold Vari-X IIc 2-7... I did add a new sling to it...



And have my grandpa's 30's vintage Western scalpel sharp!

Awesome deer getter!

We are near Stevens Point and the deer numbers are crazy high by us. The number of yearlings is surprising.
I have taken two does already and passed 12 small bucks I can't get anything decent close so hopefully Saturday is different. The rut is pretty far along and with warm weather everything will be sitting tight I imagine.

You don’t get much more classic than that!! Awesome set up Dean.

Great Rifle!

I think round oak lives on. I see a new guy posting and it’s all too familiar.

The DNR loves to give out tags for doe to private land owners. Too bad most do t shoot doe. We take 2 a year off of 200 acres and I haven’t seen an increase in doe numbers. I think all the baiting that goes on around us plays a part but we’ve also had an increase in bear and bobcat. Winter was awfully mild so it will be interesting to see how many doe are really around once they start getting bumped.

Heading out this morning Dean. I'll be in SW WI near Reedsburg, in the Driftless area.

My son and I will be hunting the 95 acres I bought 2 years ago. We put up a couple Redneck blinds this spring, so we're hunting in comfort. I as actually hoping for some snow and colder weather, so we could test the insulation

Got two free doe tags, but with all the nice bucks we have on trail cam I doubt we'll use them.

Good luck to you all, and be safe out there.

BTW Dean, I scored big on an auction the other day, and have another 257Wby on the way. Don't really need this one either

Very cool rifle Dean!

Hope you have good luck but above all, have a great time!

I have jealous!!! LOL

Bill

Thanks all guys! Good luck, be safe, and enjoy!

260madman, no problem killin a doe. In fact, I'll do my best for at least 1 of the 8 tags. I'm down to 1 pound of ground and a couple steaks from last year.

Sweet rifle Dean, I love the old 300 Savage. 👍

Good luck to you all tomorrow!

So far... no deer have been harmed in this hunt! Lol!

Love that rifle and knife. Very cool. Now for the dead stuff pics. Good luck

Well... 3 little dinks showed up end of day that got a pass. Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings!

Daughter [bleep] a small 8pt. She did not shoot the 8pt that had about a 17” spread with 9” tines. She was lost in space on that one for some reason. Still shaking my head. She used her AR in 5.56 with a 77 TMK at a bit more than 150 yards. Lungs were trashed and on the exit side there was a chunk of lung hanging out the hole. Easy and short blood trail to follow.

Opening weekend resulted in no deer, only saw 3 little dinks. Too warm? Not enough pressure around me to move deer around? Who knows. But it was nice being out there. Stand is in a cluster of bigger cedar trees, built a platform and put a school bus seat up in it, so, it's called the bus seat stand! Real original, I know! Lol! The meadow it overlooks, typically, has a lot of deer going through it and there's a few shooting lanes going through the cedars behind it. To the East and South, there's big ag, to the North, there's some really thick scrub that the deer love. To the West, is thick cedars. A Bald Eagle did show up and brought a murder of crows and ravens with it. The crows and ravens were SO loud, pretty much couldn't hear anything else for a while. It also didn't take me long to go through the PBJ samiches I brought along either! But I was out there from well before sunrise to after the Leupold Vari-X IIc couldn't see anymore. But I'm confident I'll end up with a doe in the freezer, just too many deer out there, just need to put in my time and be patient. Be safe and enjoy!