MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that the 2026 gun deer season opens on Saturday, Nov. 21, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 29.
The nine-day hunting season is a great time of year to enjoy the outdoors, build memories and celebrate family traditions. For the third year in a row, much of the state experienced a mild winter, setting the stage for higher herd survival and reproductive rates. Additional factors that could help create better deer hunting conditions are timing the hunt to be as close to the rut as possible, ample preseason scouting, colder temperatures and hunting with snow cover.
Through Oct. 31, 2026, year-to-date sales for gun, bow, crossbow, sports and patron licenses reached 458,115. Of that total, 132,494 are for gun privileges only.
Deer Management Units Changed In 2025
Last year, updates were made to some of the Deer Management Units (DMUs). DMUs in the Northern and Central Forest Management Zones have been converted to habitat-based units, as opposed to county-based units. There were also boundary updates between the Central Farmland and Northern Forest Zones. Review the map of the new DMUs; hunters can also see a breakdown of the season structure by county and DMU.
Please note that Forest Zone DMUs are referred to by a number. Hunters will need to know their DMU name or number when requesting antlerless permits.
Register Your Harvest
All harvested deer must be registered electronically by 5 p.m. the day after the deer is recovered. Hunters will need the unique harvest authorization number associated with each permit. Proper registration provides accurate harvest data for DNR wildlife managers and Citizen Deer Advisory Councils for the management of Wisconsin’s deer herd.
The four options to register a deer are:
- Online via Go Wild (log into account with username/password – don’t need to know the tag/auth number)
- Online via GameReg (requires tag/authorization number)
- Phone: 844-GAME-REG (844-426-3734)
- In person: At an in-person deer registration location
Test Your Harvest For CWD
The DNR is especially interested in samples from the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) sampling priority areas, but hunters anywhere in Wisconsin can submit a sample from their deer for CWD testing. Testing through the DNR is free for deer harvested within the state.
The DNR offers hunters four ways to submit a sample from their harvested deer for CWD testing:
- We add self-service kiosk locations throughout the season, with many added ahead of the nine-day gun deer season. Hunters can drop off their deer’s head with 5 inches of neck attached for testing.
- Hunters can visit cooperating meat processors, taxidermists and other business owners for assistance in the sampling process.
- Hunters can extract the retropharyngeal lymph nodes themselves at home or in the field for CWD testing. Samples can then be dropped off at a CWD kiosk.
- Hunters can also arrange an appointment with DNR staff via the Wildlife Switchboard by emailing DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov or calling 608-267-0866.
Know Your Target
Elk sometimes move outside of the elk management zones, especially during the fall breeding season, so hunters are reminded to properly identify their target. Any elk taken without a tag may result in a fine and a revocation of your hunting license.
Although many hunters can tell the difference, it doesn’t hurt to freshen up your skills before you hunt. Use this comparison guide to test yourself on the differences between elk and white-tailed deer.
Hunt Safely
It’s important for all hunters to do their part and keep Wisconsin a safe place to hunt by following the four basic rules of firearm safety, TAB-K:
- T – Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
- A – Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- B – Be certain of your target, what’s before and beyond it.
- K – Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
Hunters must ensure that at least 50% of outer clothing above the waist is blaze orange or fluorescent pink. Hats or head coverings, if worn, must also be at least 50% blaze orange or fluorescent pink. Faded or stained clothing is unsafe and should be replaced.
Additionally, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1973, must have a hunter education certification to purchase a hunting license unless hunting under the Mentored Hunting Law. Learn more about safe hunting in Wisconsin and register to take a hunter education course on the DNR’s Firearm Safety webpage.
Where To Hunt
Wisconsin hunters can search for and discover new public hunting areas using the DNR’s mobile-friendly online public lands (PAL) mapping tools. These interactive tools provide detailed information on federal, county or state-owned properties, as well as private lands that are part of Managed Forest Law (MFL), Forest Crop Law (FCL) programs. For more information, visit the PALs website.
The public can also help the DNR improve the Public Access Lands mapping application by taking a short survey to provide feedback on the app.
Help Fellow Wisconsinites Experiencing Food Insecurity
The DNR encourages hunters to donate Wisconsin-harvested deer through the DNR’s Deer Donation Program. The program helps stock food pantries and supports residents in need throughout the state.
Mobile-Friendly Hunter Resources
The DNR’s Online Deer Camp is a one-stop shop for everything a hunter needs to know before heading out this season. It contains helpful links and information regarding purchasing a license, regulations, shooting hours, public land maps and more.