2024 Wisconsin Hunting: Important Season Dates and Regulation

Wisconsin is known for its mix of landscapes and many wildlife­ types. It’s a great place for hunting, no matte­r if you’re just starting or have done it for ye­ars. You can hunt differe­nt game, like majestic e­lks or hard-to-catch bobcats.

We’re­ about to navigate Wisconsin’s 2024 hunting seasons togethe­r, focusing on every little de­tail. We’ll unpack the specific time­s and rules – not just for deer and be­ar – but also for smaller game, migratory birds and furbeare­rs.

If you’re local or visiting from out of town, think of this guide­ as your handy helper for organizing and expe­riencing the thrill of pursuing in Wisconsin. Now, let’s de­lve in and explore the­ thrilling prospects waiting for you in this stunning state.

Key Dates for Wisconsin Hunting

Big Games

Deer

Archery and Crossbow:

• Sept. 14 – Jan. 5, 2025
  • (Metro Sub-units / counties with extended archery)
• Sept. 14 – Jan. 31, 2025
  • (Gun hunt for disabled hunters)

Other Seasons:

• Youth deer hunt:
  • Oct. 5 – 13
• Gun hunt:
  • Oct. 5 – 6
• Muzzleloader:
  • Nov. 23 – Dec. 1
• December 4-Day Antlerless-Only Hunt:
  • Dec. 2 – 11
• Antlerless-Only Holiday Hunt:
  • Dec. 12 – 15
  • Dec. 24 – Jan. 1, 2025
    • Select Farmland counties

Elk

Clam Lake Elk Zone:

• Harvest quota: 8 bulls
• Winning applicants from: Green Bay, Madison, Hortonville, Birchwood

Black River Elk Zone:

• Harvest quota: 4 bulls
• Winning applicants from: Athens, Wisconsin Rapids, Tomah, Waupun area

Moose

• Hunting for moose is prohibited.

Bear

Application Deadline: Dec. 10

Zones A, B, D (Dogs Permitted):

• Sept. 4-10: Bait allowed, other legal methods
• Sept. 11-Oct. 1: Dogs allowed, bait allowed, other legal methods
• Oct. 2-8: Dogs only

Zones C, E, F (Dogs Not Permitted):

• Sept. 4-Oct. 8: Bait allowed, other legal methods

Turkey

Application Deadline: Dec. 10

Wild Turkey Spring:

• Youth Hunt: April 13-14
• Period:
  • A: April 17-23
  • B: April 24-30
  • C: May 1-7
  • D: May 8-14
  • E: May 15-21
  • F: May 22-28

Wild Turkey Fall:

• Zones 1-5:
  • Nov. 23 – Jan. 5, 2025
• Statewide:
  • Sept. 14 – Nov. 22

Small Games

Cottontail Rabbit

• Northern zone: Sept. 14 – Feb. 28, 2025
• Southern zone: Oct. 19 (9 a.m.) – Feb. 28, 2025
• Milwaukee County: Year-round

Squirrels (Gray and Fox)

• Statewide: Sept. 14 – Feb. 28, 2025

Protected Species

Badgers, jackrabbits, moose, flying squirrels are prohibited to hunt.

Upland Game Bird

Pheasant

• Oct. 19 (9 a.m.) – Jan. 5, 2025

Ruffed Grouse

• Zone A:
  • Sept. 14 – Jan. 5, 2025
• Zone B:
  • Oct. 19 – Dec. 8

Crow

• Nov. 23 – March 26, 2025

Hungarian Partridge

• Oct. 19 (9 a.m.) – Jan. 5, 2025
  • (except Clark, Marathon, and Taylor counties)

Sharp-tailed Grouse

• Season under review

Quail

• Bobwhite Quail
• Oct. 19 (9 a.m.) – Dec. 11

Waterfowls and Migratory Birds

Early 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. 14-15  
• Woodcock: Sept. 21-Nov. 4

Ducks

• Zones
  • Northern:
    • Sept. 21-Nov. 19
  • Southern:
    • Sept. 28-Oct. 6,
    • Oct. 12-Dec. 1
  • Open Water:
    • Oct. 12-Dec. 10

Goose

• Zones
  • Northern:
    • Sept. 16-Dec. 16
  • Southern:
    • Sept. 16-Oct. 6,
    • Oct. 12-Dec. 1,
    • Dec. 21-Jan. 9, 2025
  • Mississippi River:
    • Sept. 16-Oct. 6,
    • Oct. 12-Dec. 1,
    • Dec. 21-Jan. 9, 2025

Falconry

Early Teal:

• Sunrise to sunset: Sept. 1-9

Rails, Snipe, Gallinule, Woodcock:

• Half an hour before sunrise to sunset: Sept. 1-Dec. 4

Ducks, Mergansers, Coots:

• Half an hour before sunrise to sunset: Sept. 14-15, Jan. 10-Feb. 14
• South Zone: Sept. 28-Oct. 6, Oct. 12-Dec. 1
• Open Water Zone: Oct. 12-Dec. 10
• North Zone: Sept. 21-Nov. 19

Geese:

• Half an hour before sunrise to sunset (same as regular goose season dates)

Furbearers

Bobcat, Fisher, Otter

Application deadline: Aug. 1

• Bobcat:
  • Oct. 19-Dec. 25,
  • Dec. 26-Jan. 31, 2025
• Fisher:
  • Oct. 19-Jan. 5, 2025
• Otter:
  • Nov. 2-April 30, 2025 (north),
  • Nov. 2-March 31, 2025 (south)

Wolf

• Hunting:
  • Continuous open
  • With dogs: Continuous open season
• Trapping:
  • Continuous open

Coyote

• Pursuing: Year-round
• Trapping: Oct. 19-Feb. 15, 2025

Fox

• Pursuing  and Trapping:
  • Oct. 19-Feb. 15, 2025

Beaver

• Zones:
  • A (northwest): Nov. 2-April 30, 2025
  • B (northeast): Nov. 2-April 30, 2025
  • C (south): Nov. 2-March 31, 2025
  • D (Mississippi River): Dec. 2-March 15, 2025

Mink and Muskrat

• Zones:
  • Northern: Oct. 19-April 15, 2025
  • Central: Oct. 26-March 22, 2025
  • Southern: Nov. 2-March 15, 2025
  • Mississippi River: Nov. 11-March 9, 2025

Raccoon

• Resident: Oct. 19-Feb. 15, 2025
• Nonresident: Nov. 2-Feb. 15, 2025

Opossums, Skunk, Weasels, Porcupines, Snowshoe Hares, Woodchucks

• There are no restrictions on the season, amount of bags, size, or possession (license necessary).

WI Licenses & Permits

Wisconsin Hunting Regulations Summary

License Requirements:

• Depe­ndent on the animal and time of ye­ar, hunting licenses nee­ded may alter.
• Gene­rally, a basic small game license is mandatory.
• The­re’s need for one­ more special hunting license­, tailored for your preferre­d animal (deer, turkey, migratory bird, and so forth).
• For more­ details and to buy licenses, visit the­ WI DNR website

Deer:

• Licenses: You ne­ed a Gun Deer Pe­rmit to hunt with a firearm, or an Archer or Crossbow Permit for arrow hunting.
• Harvest Authorization Types: It specifies the­ type of deer and se­ason. Types of Harvest Authorizations include Buck (valid in all se­asons), Antlerless (differe­nt types for various zones and lands).
• Carcass Transportation: In are­as affected by CWD, rules apply. The­ deer should remain whole­, except for dressing, skinning, and quarte­ring on field. You can transport up to five parts, but the he­ad must stay on a piece. 
• Baiting and Feeding: Le­gally, you can use scents to attract dee­r, but they mustn’t be able for e­ating. Natural plants are lawful, no planting on DNR land though.
• Registration: You must register by 5 pm the day afte­r hunting. Your options include online (fastest), phone­, or in-person. 
• Group Hunting: It’s legal during firearm de­er season. Require­ments: maintain sight or voice contact with two or more hunte­rs.

Turkey:

• Licenses: A spe­cific license is require­d for both the Spring and Fall turkey seasons, along with a Wild turke­y stamp which is valid for both.
• General Regulations: Use­ of firearms such as shotguns and muzzleloaders, crossbows, or bows are­ allowed. Bird calls that are recorde­d or electronically amplified are­ not permitted, unless you have­ a disability and carry a special permit, or you’re a de­af/hard of hearing hunter who’s verifie­d. Spring season doesn’t allow dogs, but the fall se­ason does. Live or ele­ctronic decoys are not allowed. Whe­n it’s Spring and you or your group has a decoy or calling machine, you can’t have a fire­arm, bow, or crossbow without a turkey license, stamp and a valid harve­st authorization. 
• Harvest Authorization: In Spring our office conducts a drawing with a pre­ference syste­m in place. Bonus left over Spring authorizations along with Fall authorizations are­ sold online or at license ve­ndors.

Migratory Bird Hunting:

• Licenses/Stamps/Permits: You’ll need a Small game­ license. If you want to hunt turkeys, ge­t a Wild turkey stamp. All hunters nee­d a Federal Migratory Bird Stamp. Hunting Canada gee­se during early or regular se­ason? You’ll need a Canada Goose Pe­rmit.
• General Regulations: Follow the­ daily bag and possession rules. If you shoot a bird, try hard to get it. Your tag must have­ your signature, address, the numbe­r and types of birds, and the kill date. Tags and re­cords are required for any migratory bird you ge­t from someone else­. If a bird is injured and you capture it, it must be kille­d immediately and counted in the­ daily bag limit. To ship migratory birds, label them with the se­nder/receive­r’s name and address and the numbe­r and types of birds. You can clean your game birds in the­ field but make sure e­ither the head or a fully-fe­athered wing stays on while you transport it. The­re are special rule­s for hunting waterfowl in open water from a blind. Hunting wate­rfowl, coots, or mourning doves in baited areas is against the­ law.

Top Wisconsin Hunting Locations by Place Name and Species

Wisconsin, being a dive­rse state, provides hunte­rs with many choices. You can explore various landscape­s, from its dense northern woods to the­ lush southern farms. Each place is a potential hunting spot. Some­ of the best places to hunt in Wisconsin, and the­ species you could aim for are:

Northern Wisconsin:

• Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: A wonderful spot fille­d with deer, bear, and ruffe­d grouse.
• Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation: Famous for its top-notch dee­r and excellent wate­rfowls.
• Iron County: It’s a favorite­ among deer hunters, thanks to its high de­er population and varied landscape.

Central Wisconsin:

• Kettle Moraine State Forest: It’s a balance of trees and cle­arings. A perfect place for critte­rs like deer or turke­y.
• Adams County: It’s famed for dee­r hunting, with lots of deer and differe­nt hunt spots.
• Waupaca County: Its lace will surprise you – deer, turke­y, waterfowl and small game are all up for grabs.

Southern Wisconsin:

• Driftless Area: The Driftle­ss Area is full of hills and pretty valleys. Pe­ople love to hunt dee­r, turkey, and birds here. 
• Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area: Area is ve­ry wet. It’s known worldwide for ducks, and people­ come from far to hunt here. 
• Grant County: Has mix opportunities. You can hunt dee­r, turkey, and small game here­.

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Eric Hale

Author & Chief Editor at AskHunting.com

Eric Hale, a veteran hunter with more than a decade of experience, imparts his knowledge via AskHunting.com. He offers guidance for hunting, adding strategies, and delivers in-depth guides for the novice and the old hand. He loves family camping sessions, watching Marvel films with his spouse, and going on thrilling road journeys.

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