As Wisconsin bowhunters returned to the woods Sept. 12 for the 2026-27 opener, let’s review the 2025 hunts, which toppled 113,620 whitetails, the state’s third highest archery kill on record.
Crossbow hunters registered a record 71,387 (63%) of those deer, a 10.6% increase from 64,555 deer in 2024. The previous crossbow record was 65,731 in 2020. The 2025 kill was also the first time crossbow hunters shot more than 70,000 deer since crossbows were legalized for all bowhunters in 2014.
Home » Home Page News » Patrick Durkin: Crossbows help Wisconsin set third highest arrow kill last deer season
Patrick Durkin: Crossbows help Wisconsin set third highest arrow kill last deer season
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