Skip to main content

Season dates and application deadlines

View and print 2023 season dates and application deadlines [PDF].

Deer

2023 Seasons

Archery and Crossbow*

*No bucks may be harvested during the antlerless-only hunts identified below.

Sept 16 – Jan 7, 2024

Archery and Crossbow *Metro Sub-units and counties with extended archery seasons*
See the map for counties with extended archery seasons.

Sept 16 – Jan 31, 2024
Gun hunt for hunters with disabilities: This is not a statewide season. Learn more... Oct. 7 – 15, 2023
Youth deer hunt Oct 7 – 8, 2023
Gun Nov 18 – 26, 2023
Muzzleloader Nov 27 – Dec 6, 2023
December 4-Day Antlerless-Only Hunt Dec 7 – 10, 2023

Antlerless-Only Holiday Hunt
*Open only in select Farmland (Zone 2) counties. Please see page 12 of combined hunting regulations for valid counties.

Dec 24, 2023 – Jan 1, 2024*
All dates are subject to change through rulemaking or a legislative process. Please check the Wisconsin Hunting Regulations for the complete dates and unit designations.

Bear

The application deadline for bear permits is always December 10, the year before the season.

2023 Seasons
Note: Bear Management Zones
Zones A, B, D: where dogs are permitted
Oct 4 – 10
  • with the aid of bait
  • with all other legal methods not using dogs
Sept 13 – Oct 3
  • with the assistance of dogs
  • with the help of bait
  • with all other legal methods
Sept 6 –12
  • with the help of dogs, only
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

Migratory Birds

2023 Seasons
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
Woodcock 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, 2024
Mississippi River Goose Zone Sept 16 – Oct 8, Oct. 14 – Dec 3, Dec 16 – Jan 2, 2024

Falconry

2023 Seasons
Rail (Virginia, Sora), Snipe, Common Gallinule & Woodcock Half an hour before sunrise to sunset Sept 1 – Dec 4
Early Teal Sunrise to Sunset Sept 1 – 9
Ducks, mergansers & coots Half an hour before sunrise to sunset All Zones Sept 17 – 18, Jan 13 – Feb 17
South Zone

Sept 30 – Oct 8, Oct 14 – Dec 3

Open Water Zone Oct 14 – Dec 12
North Zone Sept 23 – Nov 21
Geese Half an hour before sunrise to sunset *Same as the regular goose season dates; it depends on the zone
The total daily bag limit for migratory game birds is 3, 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

Wild Turkey

The application deadline for spring turkey harvest authorizations is always December 10.

2023-24 Seasons
2024 Spring Turkey Youth Hunt April 13 – 14
Spring 2024
Period A April 17 – 23
Period B April 24 – 30
Period C May 1 – 7
Period D May 8–14
Period E May 15– 21
Period F May 22 – 28
Fall 2023
Zones 1 - 5 Sept 16 – Jan 7, 2024

Zones 6 - 7

Sept 16 – Nov 17

Small Mammals

2023 Seasons
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
Hunting protected species like badger, jackrabbit, moose, and flying squirrel are prohibited.
Check the small game hunting regulations for a complete set of rules.

Other Game Birds

2023 Seasons
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
Sharp-tailed grouse The season is under review.  
Bobwhite quail Statewide Oct 14 (9 a.m.) – Dec 6
Check the regulations for a complete set of rules.

Furbearers

The application deadline for bobcat and fisher permits is always August 1. An otter application is no longer required for the season.

Wolf
Hunting Oct 15 – Feb 29, 2016*
Hunting with the aid of dogs used for tracking and trailing Nov 30 – Feb. 29, 2016*
Trapping See wolf trapping seasons.
2023 Seasons
Coyote
Hunting Year-round
Trapping Oct 14 – Feb 15, 2024
Fox (red and gray)
Hunting Oct 14 – Feb 15. 2024
Trapping See fox trapping seasons.
Beaver See beaver trapping seasons.
Mink See mink trapping seasons.
Muskrat See muskrat trapping seasons.
Bobcat
Hunting
Period 1: Oct 14 – Dec 25
Period 2: Dec 26 – Jan 31, 2024
Trapping See bobcat trapping seasons.
Fisher See fisher trapping seasons.
Otter See otter trapping seasons.
Raccoon
Resident Oct 14 – Feb 15, 2024
Non-resident Oct 28 – Feb 15, 2024
Trapping See raccoon trapping seasons.