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* |
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 |
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 |
|
| Sept 13 – Oct 3 |
|
| Sept 6 –12 |
|
| Zones C, E, F: where dogs are not permitted | |
| Sept 6 – Oct 10 |
|
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 | |
| 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. | |