Enthusiasm For Hunting Remains High
MADISON, WI –-(AmmoLand.com)- DNR Secretary Matt Frank visited several registration stations along the I-39, Saturday morning.
“At the stations I visited it was really gratifying seeing our next generation of hunters taking their place,” said Frank. “I especially enjoyed the chance to visit with the youngsters who brought in their first deer. Congratulations to all hunters for keeping our heritage strong. I wish them all success and an enjoyable and safe hunting experience during the remainder of the seasons.”
The department’s license sales office reported 626,404 hunters hit the woods with a license to participate in the 2009 nine-day gun deer season. The number of gun hunting licenses included a new category this year, 9,592 10- and 11-year-old hunters who for the first time were able to participate as mentored hunters under Wisconsin’s new Mentored Hunting Law.
Deer license and tag sales will continue through the hunting seasons.
The long custom of buying a license on the way to deer camp is also intact. Over 43 percent – nearly half – of all deer hunters purchased a license in the eight days preceding the gun deer opener; 82,463 licenses were sold on Friday.
At peak, which occurred at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the DNR’s online licensing system – known as ALIS – was processing 212 transactions per minute
Nearly 270,000 licenses were issued in the eight days preceding the season opener.
Of the hunters hitting the woods on Saturday:
- 592,287 (95 percent) were residents and 34,117 were nonresidents;
- More than 79,000 youth hunters under 18 years old participated in this year’s hunt, representing 13 percent of the total number of deer hunters;
- More than 54,000 hunters were age 65 or older, and over 191,000 (31 percent) are under 30-years-old;
- Females represent 8.5 percent of the total hunters, and 20 percent of new 10- and 11-year-old hunters;
- Hunters throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries purchased a Wisconsin gun deer license. The highest number of nonresident hunters came from Minnesota (16,413),
- Illinois (8,568), Michigan (1,078), and Florida (898);
- The most deer licenses were sold in Dane County (29,024), with Brown, Washington,
- Marathon and Waukesha counties following;
- More than 170,000 antlerless deer tags have been sold this year.
Wisconsin Conservation Congress delegates also shared their experiences over the weekend.
Scott McCauley, Conservation Congress delegate from Wood County was hunting in Waupaca County and noted that for his party opening day was off to a promising start.
“Last year we had our best season ever taking nine deer. This year is looking even better with five people taking three deer and the season is just starting,” said McCauley.
Mike Riggle, Conservation Congress delegate from Taylor County called in, “Seven in camp now, including 11-year-old Austin Riggle hunting for his first time as a mentored hunter. Austin didn’t see anything but enjoyed being in camp and will be out again having a good time.”