2026 Wisconsin gun deer hunt; 9-day season runs Nov. 21-29

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Published November 11, 2026 8:25 AM CST

Credit: Wisconsin DNR

The Brief

    • Wisconsin’s 2026 nine-day gun deer season opens on Nov. 21.
    • Hunters must ensure that at least 50% of outer clothing above the waist is blaze orange or fluorescent pink. 
    • All harvested deer must be registered electronically by 5 p.m. the day after the deer is recovered. 

MILWAUKEE - The 2026 Wisconsin gun deer season opens on Saturday, Nov. 21, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 29.  

Register Your Harvest 

The Details:

Make sure to register your harvested deer electronically by 5:00 p.m. the day after you recover it. To complete the process, you'll need the unique harvest authorization number for each permit.

Proper registration ensures DNR wildlife managers and Citizen Deer Advisory Councils have accurate harvest data to effectively manage Wisconsin’s deer herd.

The four options to register a deer are: 

  1. Online via Go Wild (log into account with username/password – don’t need to know the tag/auth number)
  2. Online via GameReg (requires tag/authorization number)
  3. Phone: 844-GAME-REG (844-426-3734)
  4. In person: At an in-person deer registration location

Hunt Safely

What you can do:

It’s important for all hunters to do their part and keep Wisconsin a safe place to hunt by following the four basic rules of firearm safety, TAB-K: 

  • T – Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
  • A – Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
  • B – Be certain of your target, what's before and beyond it.
  • K – Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.

According to the DNR, hunters must ensure that at least 50% of their outer clothing above the waist is blaze orange or fluorescent pink. Any hats or head coverings worn must also meet this 50% visibility requirement. Faded or stained garments compromise safety and should be replaced.

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Anyone born on or after January 1, 1973, must possess a hunter education certification to purchase a hunting license, unless they are hunting under the Mentored Hunting Law.

Learn more about safe hunting in Wisconsin and register to take a hunter education course on the DNR’s Firearm Safety webpage.

Test Your Harvest For CWD

What you can do:

The DNR offers hunters four ways to submit a sample from their harvested deer for CWD testing:

  1. We add self-service kiosk locations throughout the season, with many added ahead of the nine-day gun deer season. Hunters can drop off their deer’s head with 5 inches of neck attached for testing.
  2. Hunters can visit cooperating meat processors, taxidermists and other business owners for assistance in the sampling process.
  3. Hunters can extract the retropharyngeal lymph nodes themselves at home or in the field for CWD testing. Samples can then be dropped off at a CWD kiosk.
  4. Hunters can also arrange an appointment with DNR staff via the Wildlife Switchboard by emailing DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov or calling 608-267-0866.

Mobile-Friendly Hunter Resources

What you can do:

The DNR’s Online Deer Camp is a one-stop shop for everything a hunter needs to know before heading out this season. It contains helpful links and information regarding purchasing a license, regulations, shooting hours, public land maps and more.

The Source: Information in this post was provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 

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