Wisconsin gun deer hunting season could see more active deer

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Wisconsin gun deer hunting season starts Saturday, November 17th and hunters could see more active deer.

Department of Natural Resources spokesman Ed Culhane says this year's season is at its earliest possible date because it's tied to Thanksgiving, which is early. He says deer will still likely be mating and therefore more active and less cautious.

According to the DNR, there were nearly 376,000 licenses sold as of Tuesday. That's compared to nearly 403,000 last year at the same time. But Culhane says the Friday before the season is traditionally the busiest single day for sales.

This year, Gov. Scott Walker wanted to streamline Wisconsin's hunting season structure, after hunters complained. There was no October gun hunt for antlerless deer. There is also no Earn-A-Buck requirement for the first antlered deer.