Hunting and Trapping Season Dates

Season dates for all species are found on this page. Some species listed are protected and therefore do not have a season. Some seasons are subject to change before hunting and trapping regulations pamphlets are published. Consult the regulation pamphlets before going into the field.

Check the Outdoor Report for the most up to date hunting and outdoor news releases or the Hunting and Trapping Regulations for more details on hunting and trapping in Wisconsin.

Download the 2009 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping season dates for season dates extending into and ending in 2010. [PDF 803KB]

The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Regulations (Exit DNR)

2009 Season Dates

White-tailed Deer (non-CWD units and non-metro units)

• Bow - Sept. 12 - Nov. 19 and Nov. 30 - Jan. 3, 2010
• Gun - Nov. 21 - Nov. 29
• Muzzleloader - Nov. 30 - Dec. 9
• Youth Deer Hunt - Oct. 10 - 11
• Statewide Antlerless Hunt - Dec. 10 - Dec. 13
• Antlerless-only season in Herd Control units - October 15-18
• CWD Zones Season Dates

**See the 2009 Deer Hunting Regulations list of Herd Control and Earn-a-Buck units; and for CWD hunt dates.

Black Bear

Back to Top

Zone C where dogs are not permitted: - Sept. 9 - Oct. 13

All other zones where dogs are permitted:

Sept. 9 - Sept. 15

• with aid of dogs only

• with aid of dogs
• with aid of bait
• with other methods

• with aid of bait
• with other methods not utilizing dogs

Wild Turkey

Youth Turkey Hunt: April 11 - 12

2009 Spring Open Zones:

• Period A: Apr 15 - 19
• Period B: Apr 22 - 26
• Period C: Apr 29 - May 3
• Period D: May 6 - 10
• Period E: May 13 - 17
• Period F: May 20 - 24

Ring-necked Pheasant

Back to Top

Statewide - Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 31

Ruffed Grouse

• Zone A - Sept. 12 - Jan. 31, 2010
• Zone B - Oct. 17 - Dec. 8

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Oct. 17 - Nov. 8

Bobwhite Quail

Statewide - Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 9

Gray (Hungarian) Partridge

Back to Top

Statewide* - Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 31

*Closed in Clark, Marathon, and Taylor Counties

Crow

• Jan. 25 - March 20
• Sept. 12 - Nov. 19

Mourning Dove

Statewide - Sept. 1 – Nov. 9

Cottontail Rabbit

• Northern Zone - Sept. 12 - Feb. 28, 2010
• Southern Zone - Oct. 17 (noon) - Feb. 28, 2010

Gray and Fox Squirrels

Back to Top

Statewide - Sept. 12 - Jan. 31, 2010

Raccoon

• Resident Hunting/Trapping - Oct. 17 - Feb. 15, 2010
• Non-Resident Furbearer - Oct. 31 - Feb. 15, 2010

Fox (All Species)

• Northern Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 15, 2010
• Southern Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 15, 2010

Coyote

Hunting:
Continuous open season except closedin the northern Wisconsin wolf managementzone during the regular gun deer, Decemberantlerless only, and muzzleloader seasons.

Back to Top

Trapping:

• Northern Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 15, 2010
• Southern Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 15, 2010

Opossum, Skunk, Weasel, and Snowshoe Hare

No season limits, bag limits, size limits, or possession limits

Protected Species

Hunting Protected Species such as badger, woodchuck, wolf, elk, jackrabbit and flying squirrel is prohibited. See Small Game Regulations for more details.

Beaver

Trapping Only:

• Zone A (Northwest) - Nov. 7 - Apr. 30, 2010
• Zone B (Northeast) - Nov. 7 - Apr. 30, 2010
• Zone C (South) - Nov. 7 - Mar. 31, 2010
• Zone D (Mississippi River) - Day after duck season closes to March 15, 2010.

  Back to Top

Muskrat

• Northern Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 28, 2010
• South Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 28, 2010
• Winnebago - Oct. 31 - March 15, 2010
• Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes or thesecond Monday in November, whichever occursfirst and ends February 28, 2010.

Mink

• North Zone - Oct. 17 - Feb. 28, 2010
• South Zone - Oct. 31 - Feb. 28, 2010
• Winnebago - Oct. 31 - March 15, 2010
• Mississippi River - Begins the day after duck season closes orthe second Monday in November, whicheveroccurs first and ends on February 28, 2010.

Back to Top

Otter

Permits required

Trapping Only:

• Northern Zone - Nov. 7 - April 30, 2010
• Central Zone - Nov. 7 - Mar. 31, 2010
• South Zone - Nov. 7 - Mar. 31, 2010

Fisher

Permits required

Trapping Only:

• Various Zones - Oct. 17 - Dec. 31

Bobcat

Back to Top

Permits required

Hunting/Trapping:

• North of Hwy 64 - Oct. 17 - Dec. 31

Waterfowl

Early September Canada Goose Season

Dates: Sept. 1 - 15

Youth Waterfowl Hunt

Dates: September 19-20, 2009. The daily bag is the same as the regular seasons.

Ducks

Dates:

• Northern Zone: September 26 – November 24, 2009;
• Southern Zone: October 3 - 11, 2009, October 17 - December 6, 2009

Canada Geese

Year 3 of 5 year Mississippi Flyway stable Canada goose season.

Dates:
Bag: Daily Bag of two geese.

• Exterior Zone North: September 19 – December 12, 2009
• Exterior Zone South: September 19 – October 11 and October 17 - December 17, 2009
• Mississippi River Subzone: October 3 – 11 and October 17 – December 31, 2009

Horicon Zone:
Bag: Daily bag of two, six tags per hunter.

• H1: September 16 – November 1, 2009
• H2: November 2 – December 16, 2009

Collins Zone:
Bag: Daily bag of two, six tags per hunter

• C1: September 16 – October 3 (9am) and October 4, 2009
• C2: October 5 – 25, 2009
• C3: October 26 – November 20, 2009

Other Geese

Light geese (Snow, Blue and Ross) and Brant: Seasons are the same as for the Canada goose zones and subzones. Daily Bag Limit: 1 brant and 20 light geese.

White-fronted geese: Season is the same as for Canada geese in the Exterior and Collins zones. In the Horicon zone the season will be September 22 – December 16. Daily Bag Limit: 1 white-fronted goose.

Important Changes for 2009

• Canvasback season open with 60 days/1 bird bag
• Scaup 60 days/2 bird bag

Falconry

Ducks - Dates are all the days ducks are open to gun hunting in the respective zones.

Geese - Dates are the same as the statewide gun season.

Woodcock:

Sept. 19 - Nov. 2

Contact your local DNR office

Questions for Wildlife Management