Analyzing the numbers: Buck kill declines 34% over long term in 10 northern Wisconsin counties

As Wisconsin Outdoor News interviewed hunters, loggers, and business owners for the recent five-part series about the deer herd situation in northern Wisconsin, the message that came up repeatedly was that deer hunting has been especially frustrating during the last five years. So, as a series finale, WON decided to see if facts support their beliefs.
Articles in previous issues analyzed and reported deer harvest numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ online deer metrics page. Those articles looked at the last 45 deer seasons in the north, ranging from lean years starting in 1979 through the halcyon times of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and ended with what many found to be a season of disappointment in 2023.