DEER HUNTING

ATTENTION:  FARMLAND  ANTLERLESS HARVEST AUTHORIZATIONS AVAILABLE NOW

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  Are there any reduced rate licenses for Deer hunting?

  The only reduced rate license for deer hunting is for hunters under the age of 18 (Junior Deer license).  A deer license can also be issued at a special price for new buyers which is $5.  Note:  There is no reduced rates for senior or disabled deer hunting. 

  Why is there no junior deer license for nonresident junior hunters?

  Nonresident Junior hunters (under age 18) should purchase a Nonresident Junior Sportsman license  which includes Gun Deer, Fishing, and Small Game.  If they wish to hunt both gun and archery seasons, they should purchase the Nonresident Junior Patron license. 

  Do hunters get farmland antlerless harvest authorizations with a deer license?
  Customers will receive a number of farmland harvest authorizations with each license type, depending on the Farmland county they choose to hunt.  NOTE:  Any counties located in the Forest Zones (Zone 1) will not appear on the availability list.

   Why doesn’t a certain county show up on the county list for the Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless harvest authorizations
   Two possible reasons:  The County you are looking for may not be in one of the Farmland (zone 2) areas, or the county may have zero antlerless harvest authorizations available.

  Can hunters select different counties in a single deer license?
  No.  All antlerless harvest authorizations issued on a single deer license must be for the same county.  For example, Sauk County offers two harvest authorizations, so they must take both for Sauk County.

  Can hunters select a different land type for each antlerless harvest authorization?
  Yes.  Every individual harvest authorization will have the option to select public land or private land.  Customers may select all public, all private, or they can “mix and match”.

  How does a hunter obtain their Farmland Antlerless harvest authorizations if they purchased their deer license before they were available?
  If a hunter did not receive their Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless harvest authorizations at the time of purchase, they may print them from their Go Wild account for free at home or at a DNR Service Center. They may also select and obtain them from a license agent for a $2 processing fee.  Learn how by selecting the link to the left for "Farmland Antlerless".

   Why are hunters charged a $2 fee to pick up their antlerless harvest authorizations at a Go Wild license agent after their deer license purchase?
  The $2 fee covers payments and commissions to agents and contractors, plus a transaction fee that is set in state statute.  Customers may select their Farmland Zone antlerless harvest authorizations and print themselves free of charge from their online Go Wild account.

  Which harvest authorizations are weapon-specific?
  Buck harvest authorizations must be used with the weapon specified. Antlerless harvest authorizations can be used with gun, archery, or crossbow, provided they have the corresponding license with them.

  Which harvest authorizations will junior deer hunters receive?
  Junior deer hunters will receive one buck harvest authorization valid statewide and one Junior antlerless harvest authorization valid statewide. 

 What license do disabled hunters purchase?
  Disabled hunters purchase a regular deer hunting license.  They may apply for seperate disabled permits from the DNR which allows them special priviliges for using their farmland antlerless tags in different units.  Have the customer contact the DNR for more information.

 What harvest authorizations will qualified U.S. Armed Forces members receive?
  Qualified U.S. Armed Forces members will purchase a regular deer hunting license and receive all the same harvest authorizations that everybody else does.  Their military status allows them certain privileges to use them in different ways.  Have the customer reference the Deer Hunting Regulations online at dnr.wi.gov and search “armed forces hunting privileges.”​

  What is the Nonresident Student Archery?

  This license is for nonresidents who are attending a Wisconsin university or college.  They can receive a deer license at resident rates by showing their student ID.  This license is only meant for university students, not for nonresident youth hunters.

Bonus Antlerless Harvest Authorizations

​ Do bonus harvest authorization prices differ between Management Zones?
 No. Bonus harvest authorizations are the same price, regardless of zone and DMU - $12 each for residents, $20 each for non-residents and $5 each for youth under 12 years old.

  Can a customer purchase a bonus harvest authorization for someone else? 

  No.  All customers must be present at the time of purchase.  The exception is that a parent or guardian may purchase for their own children under 18.

  How many bonus harvest authorizations can a customer purchase?

  They can be purchased at a rate of one per customer per day until the unit is sold out or the hunting season ends.  At purchase, the hunter will specify the zone, DMU and land type (public or private).

  The customer wants a bonus harvest authorization for a certain county, but it does not appear on the list.  Why not?

  That particular county may not have any bonus antlerless harvest authorizations available for sale. 

  The customer wants a bonus harvest authorization for a certain county.  I see the county on the list, but why is it “grayed out” and I cannot select it?
  That county once had bonus harvest authorizations available but has since been sold out. 

  Why are some units (counties) split between forest and farmland zones? 

  There are some counties that had to be "split" between zones due to differences in habitat type within the county.  Those counties will each have two selections available when choosing antlerles tags, and it is important for a customer to know where in the county they will be hunting.  Select the "Split DMU Info" button to the right for more information.

​ Are additional bonus antlerless harvest authorizations weapon-specific?
​ No.  Bonus harvest authorizations are NOT weapon-specific.  They may be used with a deer gun, bow, or crossbow license.  However, they are still zone, DMU and land type (public or private property) specific.

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