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Update shows higher Wisconsin deer harvest

Betsy Bloom Photo Deeper snow likely will have deer sticking to regular winter habitat.

FLORENCE, Wis. — Wisconsin hunters killed about 4,280 more deer during the nine-day gun season in 2016 than they did the previous year, updated data from the state’s Department of Natural Resources shows.

Updated figures released recently by the DNR show hunters statewide took 202,338 deer. Preliminary estimates after the season ended in November put the kill total at 196,785, down slightly from 198,057 in 2015.

When the gun season closed, DNR officials had said they expected the kill total would rise as some hunters would be late in registering their animals.

That proved true locally, especially in Florence County, where about 100 more antlerless deer were taken than initially reported.

The updated figures show a total harvest of 1,100 deer in Florence County, up from 774 in 2015. Florence County’s 2016 harvest included 824 antlered deer and 276 antlerless.

Forest County’s gun season harvest was 878 deer, up from 767 in 2015. It broke down as 844 antlered and 34 antlerless.

Marinette County’s harvest total was 2,461 deer, up from 2,394 in 2015. The take included 1,942 antlered deer and 519 antlerless.

The number of gun deer licenses sold in 2016 didn’t change from data the DNR released immediately after the nine-day season. Hunters bought 598,867 licenses, down from 612,377 in 2015.

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