DNR reminds hunters to review updated deer management map

Gun deer hunting season is coming up later this month. It starts Nov. 22 and runs through Nov. 30. 

The Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to take a look at the changes to this year’s deer management map before buying a deer hunting license.

 Deer management units are divided into four zones.  Two zones — the Northern Forest and Central Forest — have changes, including  the counties bordering them. 

The DNR made changes based on suggestions made during the Citizen Deer Advisory Councils (CDAC) meetings and legislative hearings. DNR Deer Specialist Jeff Pritzl addressed these changes at a briefing on Tuesday. 

“It’s a year that it’s important for people to check the map, check the regulations. We have multiple resources on our website. Versions of the map to help people interpret what deer management unit people are hunting this year,” said Pritzl.

Pritzl says that the changes are important to know when purchasing antlerless harvest permits, especially with hunters buying permits the week before the season who may have not noticed the changes made in February. Hunters need to know their management zone, or unit number, when purchasing a bonus antlerless authorization or registering their deer harvest.

Here in the Northern Forest Zone, the boundaries have been tweaked to be based on habitat type rather than county borders. Other changes include reducing the size of the Central Forest Zone (especially in Wood, Adams, Juneau and Monroe counties) and adjusting Metropolitan sub-units around the state.