What hunting is in season in Wisconsin? A guide to deer, bow, grouse, wolf hunting and more (2024)

Drew DawsonMilwaukee Journal Sentinel

As fall approaches, so do many of the annual Wisconsin hunting and trapping seasons.

When is deer hunting season in Wisconsin?

Archery & Crossbow: Sept. 16-Jan. 7, 2024
Youth Deer Hunt: Oct. 7-8
Gun Deer Hunt For Hunters with Disabilities: Oct. 7-15 (NOT a statewide season)
Gun: Nov. 18-26
Muzzleloader: Nov. 27-Dec. 6
December Four-Day Antlerless-Only Hunt: Dec. 7-10

You can hunt bears in Wisconsin — with a permit

Bear hunting season is scheduled by zone, bait usage allowance and dogs usage allowance. Most of the state does not allow the usage of dogs for bear hunting. You can find the map of zones on the Wisconsin DNR website. The application deadline for permits is Dec. 10. the year before the season.

Zones A, B, D: where dogs are permitted:
- Sept. 6-12
  - with the help of dogs, only
- Sept. 13-Oct. 3
  - with the assistance of dogs
  - with the help of bait
  - with all other legal methods
- Oct. 4-10
  - with the aid of bait
  - with all other legal methods not using dogs
Zones C, E, F: where dogs are not permitted:
- Sept 6-Oct 10
  - with the help of bait
  - with all other legal methods not using dogs

More: DNR increases number of licenses, kill quota for fall bear hunting season

Here's when you can hunt migratory birds in Wisconsin

Early Teal: Sept. 1-9
Early Goose: Sept. 1-15
Rail (Virginia, Sora): Sept. 1-Nov. 9
Snipe: Sept. 1-Nov. 9
Common Gallinule: Sept. 1-Nov. 9
Mourning Dove: Sept. 1-Nov. 29
Youth Waterfowl: Sept. 16-17
Woodco*ck Sept. 23-Nov. 6
Northern Duck Zone: Sept. 23-Nov. 21
Southern Duck Zone: Sept. 30-Oct. 8; Oct. 14-Dec. 3
Open Water Duck Zone: Oct. 14-Dec. 12
Coot: *Same as duck season for each zone
Northern Goose Zone: Sept. 16-Dec. 16
Southern Goose Zone: Sept. 16-Oct. 8; Oct. 14-Dec. 3; Dec. 16-Jan. 2
Mississippi River Goose Zone: Sept. 16-Oct. 8; Oct. 14-Dec. 3; Dec. 16-Jan. 2

You can find the bag limits and other season frameworks on the Wisconsin DNR website.

More: Natural Resources Board approves favorable 2023 waterfowl hunting regulations

Falconry in Wisconsin

According to the Wisconsin DNR, "The total bag limit for migratory birds is three, singly or in the aggregate, to include not more than the legal limit for Canada geese in the zone/season you are hunting. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit."

Here are the dates for the 2023 season:

Rail (Virginia, Sora), Snipe, Common Gallinule & Woodco*ck: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset Sept. 1-Dec. 4
Early Teal: Sunrise to Sunset Sept. 1-9
Ducks, mergansers & coots:
- All Zones: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset from Sept. 17-18; Jan. 13-Feb. 17
- South Zone: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset from Sept 30-Oct. 8; Oct. 14-Dec. 3
- Open Water Zone: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset from Oct. 14-Dec. 12
- North Zone: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset from Sept. 23-Nov. 21
Geese:
- Northern Goose Zone: Sept. 16-Dec. 16
- Southern Goose Zone: Sept. 16-Oct. 8; Oct. 14-Dec. 3; Dec. 16-Jan. 2
- Mississippi River Goose Zone: Sept. 16-Oct. 8; Oct. 14-Dec. 3; Dec. 16-Jan. 2

This is Wisconsin's 2023 wild turkey season

The fall turkey schedule is:

Statewide: Sept. 16-Nov. 17
Zones 1 - 5: Nov. 18-Jan. 7, 2024

You can find the map of turkey zones on the Wisconsin DNR website.

More: Practice safety rules to ensure a successful turkey hunting season

Wisconsin hunting season for cottontail rabbits, gray and fox squirrels

The small mammal category only includes cottontail rabbits and gray and fox squirrels. Other mammals that are protected species like badger, jackrabbit, moose and flying squirrel are prohibited from hunting. You can find a complete list of rules for small game hunting on the Wisconsin DNR website:

Cottontail rabbit:
- Northern zone: Sept. 16-Feb. 29, 2024
- Southern zone: Oct. 14 (9 a.m.)-Feb. 29, 2024
- Milwaukee County: Year-round
Squirrels (gray and fox):
- Statewide: Sept. 16-Feb. 29, 2024

Other game birds

Pheasant
- Statewide: Oct. 14 (9 a.m.)-Jan. 7, 2024
Ruffed grouse
- Zone A: Sept. 16-Jan. 7, 2024
- Zone B: Oct. 14-Dec. 8
Crow
- Statewide: Sept. 16-Nov. 16; Jan 19-Mar 20, 2024
Hungarian partridge
- Statewide (closed in Clark, Marathon, and Taylor counties) Oct. 14 (9 a.m.)-Jan. 7, 2024
Bobwhite quail
- Statewide: Oct. 14 (9 a.m.)-Dec. 6

Sharp-tailed grouse season is not included on the list because the season is under review by the DNR because of habitat loss.

More: Smith: Thanks to the DNR's late-season pheasant rooster stocking program, there are more holiday hunting opportunities in Wisconsin

Here's when you can hunt wolves, coyotes, foxes, beavers and other 'furbearers'

Wolf
- The DNR is working to update Wisconsin wolf hunting and trapping rules, including a shorter time period for registering kills. The rules are expected to be presented to the NRB in October.
Coyote
- Hunting: Year-round
- Trapping: Oct. 14-Feb. 15, 2024
  - Find trapping regulations here.
Fox (red and gray)
- Hunting: Oct. 14-Feb. 15, 2024
- Trapping: Oct. 14-Feb. 15, 2024
  - Find trapping regulations here.
Beaver Trapping
- Zone A (northwest): Nov. 4-April 30, 2024
- Zone B (northeast): Nov. 4-April 30, 2024
- Zone C (south): Nov. 4-March 31, 2024
- Zone D (Mississippi River): Day after the duck season closes to March 15, 2024
- Find trapping regulations here.
Mink and Muskrat Trapping
- Northern Zone: Oct. 21-April 15, 2024
- Central Zone: Oct. 28-March 22, 2024
- Southern Zone: Nov. 4-March 15, 2024
- Mississippi River zone: Nov. 13-March 10, 2024
- Find trapping regulations here.
Fisher (The application deadline for fisher permits is Aug. 1.)
- North and South Zones: Oct. 14-Jan. 7, 2024
- Find trapping regulations here.

More: Which animals can I hunt in my backyard in Wisconsin?

Bobcat (The application deadline for bobcat permits is Aug. 1.)
- Hunting
  - Period 1: Oct. 14-Dec. 25
  - Period 2: Dec. 26-Jan. 31, 2024
- Trapping
  - North and south zones: Oct. 14-Dec. 25
  - North and south zones: Dec. 26-Jan. 31, 2024
  - Find trapping regulations here.
Otter Trapping
- North zone: Nov. 4-April 30, 2024
- South zone: Nov. 4-March 31, 2024
- Find trapping regulations here.
Raccoon
- Hunting
  - Resident: Oct. 14-Feb. 15, 2024
  - Non-resident: Oct. 28-Feb. 15, 2024
- Trapping
  - Resident: Oct. 14-Feb. 15, 2024
  - Non-resident: Oct. 28-Feb. 15, 2024
  - Find trapping regulations here.
Opossum, skunk, weasel, porcupine, snowshoe hare and woodchucks
- No season limits, bag limits, size limits or possession limits, but a license is required.

Drew Dawson can be reached at ddawson@jrn.com or 262-289-1324.

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