It’s been six years since “deer tagging” and “in-person” deer registration were eliminated in Wisconsin. Today 37 other states require physical tagging of deer. Wisconsin hunters were surprised when the state discontinued “tagging” and physical carcass registrations. Why? Wisconsin seemed to have one of the best deer hunting management programs in the country. Let’s look at the history of Wisconsin deer management to try to understand.

• 1851 – First closed season for deer, Feb.

1 – June 30.

• 1920 – Legislation was passed to make it mandatory to lock metal tags immediately on harvested deer.

• 1928 – Deer hunters were required to wear conservation buttons while hunting.

• 1933 – The Conservation Congress, an advisory group representing public opinion, began assisting the Conservation Committee in setting deer management policy.

• 1934 – The first official archery hunting season was held.

• 1942 – Hunter back tags were required while hunting.

• 1945 – “Shotgun only” counties were set.

Also, red clothing was required while hunting.

• 1953 – Hunters were required to register deer in-person at check-in stations.

• 1967 – The Hunter Safety Education program began.

• 1980 – Blaze orange clothing was required during the gun deer season. Wisconsin deer hunting flourished with trending higher deer harvests and hunter numbers.

In 2016 “tagging” was eliminated – no back tags, no carcass tags, no paper licenses, no in-person registration. Why? The old adage “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” wasn’t heeded in this case. Instead the state’s deer management system was broken when “tagging” was eliminated and replaced by electronic and call-in reporting. The state explained that it was a budget cost-cutting measure. Fifty cents per license sale was saved. And about the same amount was saved when mandatory “in-person” registration or check-in stations were eliminated.

Hunters who camped and/or hunted in rural areas couldn’t report their kills because there was no internet or cellular service. They felt that it didn’t matter because the state didn’t really care anymore. They just want the high deer population killed. Commercial meat processors no longer checked for carcass tags to make sure that deer were registered. They said it wasn’t their responsibility. The monitoring of chronic wasting disease (CWD) was severely hampered when deer couldn’t be inspected at authorized registration checkin stations because there weren’t any. It was tougher to report trespassing or to see if hunters had licenses because there were no hunter back tags.

Hunters wondered why there were no back tags. It was part of the hunting heritage. They remember how proud they felt when they were 12 years old pinning on their first red, yellow or green back tag on the back of their hunting coat. It was like getting the red badge of courage – a sign of their adulthood.

Hunters grumbled that perhaps as high as 30% of harvested deer weren’t reported. The problems grew bigger when people thought why bother buying licenses or antlerless tags or even registering deer. Deer were often butchered in camps, eaten and/or put in coolers without being registered – because there weren’t any tags or internet or cell phone service. And no one really cares.

Hunters missed seeing other deer kills at check-in stations. It was part of the lore. It was part of the community. There were no local deer kill head counts. No talk of big bucks being taken.

Finally, license and tag sales declined. The state lost revenue. Were fewer people hunting or were fewer people buying hunting licenses and tags? The WDNR reported that 849,778 deer hunting licenses (archery and gun) were sold in 2015 and only 824,475 in 2017. That’s 24,303 fewer licenses since tagging and check-in registrations were eliminated.

Wisconsin’s deer hunting management system is indeed broken, but it can be fixed. Wisconsin can join the 37 other states that require “tagging.” The Wisconsin Conservation Congress voted this spring in favor of returning “tagging” and “in-person carcass registration.”

Responsible hunting and effective deer management can be restored very economically in the 2023 season. In fact, the state will probably realize higher license/tag sales revenue. Tags can be issued as licenses, back tags and deer tags as an all-in-one piece of paper. Mandatory tagging of deer immediately after being killed can be enforced; deer can be checked in verifying the proper kill and physically inspected for age, health and CWD at authorized registration stations. Even commercial meat processors can ensure that deer are legally taken by observing harvest tags attached to an antler or ear. There will be no longer be fuzzy numbers of the deer kill, but good hard data that the WDNR can use to manage the herd.

If you care, here’s what must happen. Please call or write (or email) your local state legislator to tell them that you want the state to “bring back tagging” and mandatory “in-person” deer registration for the 2023 deer hunting season. Please take another step and call Sen. Rob Stafsholt (Head of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Committee) at 608-2667745 or email him at [email protected] gov to “bring back tagging” and in-person deer registration. Also, please call Rep. Trieg Pronschinske (Chairman of the Assembly Sporting Heritage Committee) at 608-2667015 or email him at [email protected] wi.gov to ask him to “bring back tagging” and “in-person” deer registration.

Let’s return Wisconsin to the number one deer hunting state with the best management program. Let’s eliminate CWD. Let’s all join together to continue our rich deer hunting heritage.

J.B. Sensenbrenner is a lifelong writer and an avid traveler, outdoorsman and environmentalist who divides his time among New Orleans, Appleton and the lakefront home south of Sturgeon Bay where he and his family have lived for more than 50 years. His published works include” Cracked Sidewalks: A Novel, Dogging It in New Orleans”, “ The Love of Hunting” and “ The Love of Hunting Log.”