Wisconsin’s hunting heritage runs deep. If you’re passionate about deer hunting and management in the state, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources invites hunters, farmers, foresters and anyone interested in deer management to get involved by attending the first-round of County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) meetings being held March 30 through April 6.

Every county in Wisconsin has a County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC). Councils give the people of Wisconsin greater input into local deer management. These meetings are important for shaping the 2020 deer hunting seasons and annual antlerless harvest quotas.

Additionally, County Deer Advisory Councils provide input and recommendations to the DNR on deer management within their county. Councils work with local DNR staff to:

Schedule meetings;

Provide community outreach and an opportunity for public input;

Review population data and deer impacts on forests and agriculture;

Develop three-year recommendations on county population objectives; and

Create annual antlerless harvest quotas.

Council members will review the 2019 deer season results and develop recommendations for the 2020 deer season to help each county reach its deer population objective of increasing, decreasing or maintaining the population. Options under discussion include the antlerless deer harvest quota and various season framework options such as offering the Holiday Hunt or extended archery/crossbow seasons.

The Lincoln County CDA is set to meet on April 9 at the Lincoln County Sports Club on Schultz Spur Rd. in Merrill at 7 p.m. Oneida County’s CDAC is scheduled to meet April 1 at the Woodruff Town Hall, 1418 1st Ave. in Woodruff at 6 p.m. and the Price County CDAC will hold its first meeting March 30 at the Price County Boardroom in Phillips at 6 p.m.

Anyone wishing to provide feedback for their county but unable to attend a council meeting can review and comment on preliminary recommendations through an online survey. The survey will be available on the DNR website at dnr.wi.gov from April 16-28.

The second-round of meetings will take place in May, during which council members will review public comment and make final recommendations for the 2020 deer season.

All council meetings are open to the public and include an opportunity to provide feedback as each council develops its preliminary recommendations. The DNR’s staff will review County Deer Advisory Council recommendations following the May meetings and provide recommendations to the Natural Resources Board for approval in June. Following Natural Resources Board approval, final recommendations will be in effect for the 2020 deer seasons.