EVAN BRUEMMER, 17, of Niagara, Wis, bagged this eight-point buck. (Submitted photo)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin deer hunters bagged fewer deer on the opening weekend of the gun season than they did a year ago, even though harvests were up significantly in most northern counties, wildlife officials said Tuesday.

The state Department of Natural Resources said hunters shot more than 85,800 deer, about 14,000 fewer than the traditional opener last year. That’s a decrease of 14% overall. Hunters shot 7% fewer bucks than a year ago.

The number of deer shot in the northern woods was up by 9%. Those gains were offset by lower numbers in other zones, particularly the southern farmland area, where registrations were down 24%.

Florence County showed 457 bucks taken on opening weekend, up from 336 a year ago. The weekend’s total harvest, which included 57 antlerless deer, was 514. That compares with 436 in 2020, an increase of 18%.

Hunters in Forest County took 30% more deer than a year ago. This year’s opening weekend harvest was 374 bucks and 60 antlerless deer for a total of 434. The 2020 comparison is 307 bucks and 28 antlerless deer for a total of 335.

It was the same in the northern forest zone of Marinette County, where 783 bucks were taken this year compared with 552 in 2020. The total weekend harvest, including 149 antlerless deer, was 932. That compares with 601 deer a year ago for an increase of 55%.

More hunters are opting for archery, crossbow and earlier seasons, said Jeff Pritzl, DNR deer program specialist. Overall hunters have registered more than 179,000 deer so far this year.

“We have seen more of a shift to earlier opportunities,” Pritzl said. “More people had already put a deer in the freezer.”

Pritzl said relatively cool, dry weather should make for favorable conditions for the remainder of the nine-day season.

“The season is still young,” he said. “Opportunities continue to abound.”