Opening-day deer hunting success and conditions mixed across Wisconsin

Hunter success was as mixed as the weather Saturday for opening day of the 2017 Wisconsin nine-day gun deer season, according to reports from around the state.

Most of the state had moderate winds, temperatures above freezing and no precipitation, conditions that allowed hunters to more easily stay out in the field.

But a band of rain passed through southern Wisconsin on Saturday morning.

And deer were hard to detect in woods damp from recent rains and, except for a few patches in northern Wisconsin, without snow cover. 

SMITH:Camp camaraderie shines on deer hunting opener

OUTDOORS NOTES:DNR seeks applicants for inland trout advisory committee

"It was actually a better opener than was forecast," said John Huff, Department of Natural Resources area wildlife supervisor in Peshtigo.

Huff hunted in Marinette County on Saturday and said in contrast to cold and windy conditions for the 2016 opening day, this year's start to the nine-day gun season was relatively comfortable.

Huff said hunter effort and number of shots appeared average on the public land he hunted.

Hunters in northeastern Wisconsin reported seeing a fair amount of deer activity, including bucks following does.

In northern Wisconsin, DNR regional wildlife supervisor Mike Zeckmeister said recent rains had largely melted the snow cover. But hunters who stayed in the woods had success, including Zeckmeister who shot a buck at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The yearling's neck was swollen, an indication it was in the rut.

Dave Zeug and his son Kyle hunted in Washburn County and saw 11 deer before noon, including a 9-point buck that Kyle shot. It was more deer than they had seen all last season, Dave Zeug said.

In Richland County, shooting was light before noon as drizzle moved through the area. By afternoon, skies had cleared and conditions improved for hunters.

Two shooting incidents were reported opening day, according to DNR warden Jon King; both were self-inflicted.

In Brown County, a 49-year-old male was working on his gun at the base of his tree stand when the gun discharged, striking him on the right ankle. He was transported to a hospital for treatment.

And in Shawano County, a hunter was walking into the woods when he bent over and his holstered handgun discharged, striking him in the leg. No further details were available Saturday afternoon.

For the first year in decades, the DNR did not provide a preseason tally of gun deer license sales.

A gun deer harvest report covering opening weekend is scheduled to be available Tuesday.