Wisconsin Hunting Regulations, Fall 2026-Spring 2027

Youth And Disabled Gun Deer Hunt

• Open only to people 15 years of age and younger who possess a gun deer license or persons who hold a valid Class A, B (issued for more than one year), C or D disabled permit. 
• This hunt occurs statewide in all areas open for hunting.
• Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult parent or guardian, even if the youth is 14 or 15 years old and holds a hunter education certificate. One adult may not accompany more than two youth hunters at the same time.
• All other hunting regulations apply, including highly visible clothing requirements for all hunters except waterfowl hunters.
• Hunting mentorship rules apply to all youth age 11 and under and to any youth who has not completed hunter education. 

Gun Deer Hunt For Hunters With Disabilities

Special gun deer hunting opportunities on sponsored properties are available to hunters with disabilities who hold a Class A, C or D disabled permit or holders of a Class B permit that is issued for longer than one year and that authorizes hunting or shooting from a stationary vehicle. A gun deer license and a sponsor are required.

• Special rules apply to Class A and C disability permit holders. Please visit the DNR's Deer Hunting for Hunters with Disabilities webpage to learn more.
• Disabled hunters who wish to participate must contact a hunt sponsor before Sept. 15. Visit the DNR's Deer Hunting for Hunters with Disabilities webpage after Aug. 1 for sponsor contact information.
• The valid authorizations for the gun hunt for hunters with disabilities are as follows:
  • Gun buck deer harvest authorization
  • Bonus antlerless deer harvest authorization
    • Farmland antlerless deer harvest authorizations
      • Note: Anyone participating in this hunt may use one Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless deer harvest authorization to take an antlerless deer in any unit statewide. Additionally, if the disabled hunter has also purchased an archery/crossbow license, they may take one additional antlerless deer during this hunt.
• During this special hunt on sponsored properties, the hunter may use the Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless deer harvest authorization on either land type regardless of the land type designated on the authorization. If the hunter does not fill the authorization during this hunt, they must use the authorization to harvest an antlerless deer during the other deer seasons only on the land type specified.

Youth Turkey Hunt Rules And Regulations

• Open to residents and nonresidents who are 15 years of age and younger and possess a spring turkey license, stamp and valid harvest authorization for spring 2026. Youth ages 11 and under and youth without hunter education must hunt under the Hunting Mentorship Program.
• Harvest authorizations issued for any spring 2026 turkey hunting time period may be used during the youth hunt. A youth may fill a single harvest authorization valid for the zone in which they are hunting during the youth hunt, regardless of which time period the authorization is also valid for.
• A youth who does not harvest a turkey during the youth hunt may use their unfilled harvest authorization during the time period and in the zone for which it was issued.
• Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older during the two-day youth hunt.

Special Turkey Hunts For Disabled Hunters

Hunters with a Class A or C permit or with a Class B permit issued for more than one year and which authorizes hunting from a stationary vehicle are eligible to participate in a special disabled spring turkey hunt on private land. Interested hunters are required to obtain permission from a landowner willing to sponsor a hunt and meet all application requirements. 

Note: A hunter who applies for a disabled turkey hunt on private lands may not apply for a harvest authorization through the regular spring turkey drawing. For information or special hunt applications (Forms 2300-271 and 2300-271A), please visit the DNR's Spring Turkey Hunting Opportunities For The Disabled webpage or contact the DNR Call Center at 888-936-7463 or the game bird ecologist at 608-212-7923.

Learn To Hunt Turkey

Hunters interested in learning more about turkey hunting are encouraged to participate in one of the Learn to Hunt Turkey events held statewide just prior to the opening of the spring turkey season. To learn more, visit the DNR's Learn to Hunt webpage.

Youth Waterfowl Season

• Only persons age 15 and younger may participate in the youth waterfowl hunt.
• Youth participants may harvest any lawful species of waterfowl, including geese.
• All hunters must be accompanied by an adult mentor aged 18 years or older.
• The adult mentor may not accompany more than 1 youth hunter, except that an adult may accompany 2 youth hunters if at least one of the youth hunters is age 12–15 and has completed a hunter education safety course.
• The mentor may only harvest geese during this season as long as the goose season is open and they possess a Canada Goose Permit appropriate for the season being hunted.
• Registration through the Harvest Information Program (HIP) is required.
• All license and stamp requirements are waived for eligible youth waterfowl hunters.
• All other regulations including shooting hours, blind and ammunition restrictions, daily bag limits and hunting mentorship rules will apply.