Every fall, there is great interest in the number of deer that are harvested during the archery and firearm deer seasons. Wisconsin (WI), from 1953 until 2014, required that all hunter-harvested deer be registered by in-person checking.
WI feels that this count was near the actual harvest. When registration began in 1953, deer were scarce. Peer pressure ensured high compliance with the new requirement. It then became a cultural expectation and an accepted tradition by hunters. Check stations became like tailgate parties as even unsuccessful hunters often gathered there.
Accurate harvest counts along with sex, age, and location-of-kill data meant that population size, gains and losses could be enumerated.
The annual registration averaged 487,000 from 2000 to 2004. This count was a clear indication that there were many deer during this period despite allegations to the contrary. It was popularly said “Dead deer don’t lie.” Meaning that there had to be at least that many in the woods prior to the hunt!
Obviously, far more deer must be in the woods to sustain annual harvests of this magnitude. Hunter harvest will be the major cause of mortality
