I live in Illinois and may have an opportunity to hunt in central WI. Anyone else have this opportunity? Any suggestions, or anything I need to pay particular attention to when traveling in and out of WI?

First of all I would study and read the regulations. That seems obvious, but it is amazing, those that do not, and claim ignorance at time of violation.......

Check your own state regs, when returning home, you may have to have your meat all deboned, I do not know. MI has those rules.

If you're fortunate enough to tag a deer, you don't have to bring it out in one piece, which makes the job much easier. You're allowed to cut it into "up to five pieces", so using a pack frame is an asset. We can't de-bone it, like many do out West, but if your in a difficult spot, cutting it down may be your best option. Good luck!

Good luck finding one on public land, save your $ and go to Mo.

I've found deer on public land less than 200 yards from the parking lot. They watched the more spirited hunters walk back and forth all day long. I guarantee I could take you to fresh deer tracks on beautiful public land right now. I've never seen another hunter there. Wisconsin has good public land opportunities.

WI at one time had some great hunting on the large tracts of public land. Now, the past 5 years it has dropped considerably in the large County/State/Federal lands. The impacts of Wolves, overshooting, and to me the full inclusion of the xgun has made the herds on these lands not able to rebound. I've hunted these lands in WI and will continue, but it is not what it was for sure. The Clark county forest in central WI had some good bowhunting with a lot of room to hunt. Now, as I found last year, it is like the 9 day gun season here during the end of Oct till after gun season end of Nov. This being said, if your here you may as well hunt, you may luck into a spot that has no one around and some good animals.

jjsX2 .... mo. tag = 2 deer -2 turkey as far as i know. used to hunt rebels cove every year and had a great time there in the 1980-1990s. and we did take several deer and turkeys there.

At the kill site, if you have cell service, and if you get thru and call in the registration, you will get a confirmation number. Once you have that, you can do what you want, and yes you can debone, if its registered.

Lots of deer in southern and central Wisconsin, but there's a good chance you'll be in a CWD area. I assume you're lined up to hunt private land. Not a lot of public land in central Wisconsin. Much more of it as you move into north central and northern part of the state. Last week of October is a good time to hunt the central part of the state. Pre rut, but a lot of bucks seem to be out and cruising then. Of course, the rut is also good during the first three weeks of November. Good luck.

Thanks for the input! I got an invitation, now I just have to accept and fulfill the requirements for being out of state.

I travel to St. Louis around the holidays and I now head to Lake Carlyle. I have seen deer there on public land, I just have be aware of the people that stroll through the place I hunt.

Yes if your hunting private land then go for it, public, it' can be tough. Is it still 160/180 for a tag?

Hunting public land in Wisconsin can be funny. Nothing like being all dressed in camo with a longbow in your hands when you run into a nice lady out for a nature walk. Last time I found a lost couple with no map and no clue, I drove them to her Mercedes about 1.5 miles away. The deer, turkey and squirrels don't mind the people at all.

My son-in-law lives south of Madison and hunts public land an has had had good success one thing is he’s not afraid of a good hike I keep telling him to hunt close to the parking lot were no one hunts

You say, " got an invitation". I assume this means you got an invitation to hunt private land. Some really good deer numbers on private land in Central Wisconsin. I would strongly consider the last few days of October and early November when the bucks are really out cruising and not paired up with a doe yet. Watch the weather and if we have cold weather at this time go. If it is warm I would delay a few days until warm weather passes. If you are on public land this time frame will also see a few less hunters out and about. Once November hits everybody is in the woods; bowhunters hunting the peak of the rut and gun hunters poking around or getting stands ready for gun season.

I hunted in a 60,000 acre public area near Black River Falls many years ago. Managed to tag a buck and only saw one other hunter in 5 days. I did make sure I used my compass when getting into the timber off from the fire lanes. Got turned around in the timber one day and after that I always used my compass to check the direction I needed to head back to. The terrain was pretty much all timber and fairly flat.

I'm pretty sure that if this is your first time ever hunting Wisconsin as a non resident you get reduced license fee.

I contacted the WI DNR and asked about deboning in the field as groundhunter50 mentioned. Not legal, even after it's called in. Five individual pieces, max, and the head has to remain attached to one of the pieces. I don't want anyone to get in trouble over incorrect advice so I went straight to the horse's mouth. Good luck on your hunt!

Thanks again for all the info!

Hey Gary/ Knobby. Can't wrap my head around this no more then five individual pieces max rule. Sounds like a stupid rule but it probably some CWD attempt. Does anyone know?

The biologists are trying to contain the spread of CWD as much as possible, and I find their advice pretty reliable as opposed to keyboard experts. We live with the CWD here in Pa., and it is what it is and we hope it stays contained, at least as much as it can be. The issue is in the bone marrow and spinal fluid so the those things need disposed of properly. The CWD will stay in them and work into the soil if they are left in the woods.

We've had the issue here now for years, but it seems to be sparse at best and that's a good thing. I'll follow the experts advise.

I think your spot on George. Are you allowed to bring your kill out in parts in PA? How many pieces? Thanks.

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