DNR Conservation Warden Ben Herzfeldt says the winter was just too hard on the herds.
“So you’re not only having deer die in the winter, you’re having less fawns in the spring,” said Herzfeldt.
Herzfeldt says the hunting change will hopefully help the herds grow.
“With that in effect, the more deer that are out there, they’ll reproduce more and the herd will begin to build, theoretically,” said Herzfeldt.
But it’s not all changing. There will still be anterless deer hunts in the state’s central and the southern zones.
Shay Creek Sports store manager Justin Steinke in Rothschild says he thinks the change will attract more hunters to this area.
“Hunters are looking for the satisfaction of getting deer and they know it’s harder to do up north, so they’re going to go where the deer are,” said Steinke.
He says it will bring in more business.
“There’s plenty of opportunities around here for guys to get out and chase deer around here,” said Steinke.
Hunters say they remain hopeful for the northern herds.
“The deer are hurting,” said Steinke. “It’s good to see that some steps are put in place to help with the deer numbers.”
The four-day anterless hunt in the central region will take place in December.
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