MADISON (WRN) - Thousands of people let state officials know what they thought of a longer deer hunting season in Wisconsin. The DNR’s Keith Warnke said hunters generally don’t like starting the gun season a week earlier than normal – but there still seems to be more support if a week is added to what’s being done now. The DNR says it will review the public comments, before giving a recommendation to the Natural Resources Board in time for its December meeting. The agency held 11 public hearings to find out what people thought about extending the gun season from 9 days to 16, as an alternative for keeping the state’s deer herd under control. Hunters were fed up with the old Earn-a-Buck program – which forced hunters to take antlerless deer before shooting bucks. Over 1,600 people attended the public hearings. And more than 6,000 others wrote letters, e-mails, and online comments about the proposed change. This year’s 9 day season begins Saturday. It always ends on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.