HOWARD, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The nine-day gun deer hunt in Wisconsin is officially over. Preliminary season harvest totals are expected today.
At the same time, hunters are busy heading to meat processors to get their bucks and does made into venison.
Maplewood Meats in Howard was a busy place Monday.
“I didn’t expect a line, but I guess that should be expected, being the close of the season,” said Chris Joppe.
Joppe tells FOX 11 he really doesn’t mind waiting, after bagging a 10-point buck in Door County.
“It was a nice season. The snow on opening day was welcome, and we saw plenty of deer, and I shot a pretty decent buck.”
In the same line, Tom School and his 2-year-old grandson are waiting too. He says his hunting party bagged five bucks and three does.
“Oh, it was really nice this year. We did a lot better earlier than later. But it was a lot of fun this year.”
Maplewood Meats Plant manager Brad Van Hemelryk says it’s been busy since archery hunting started in September.
“We saw a lot come in from bow season — a record, in terms of the trim that we’ve taken in. We had great weather. We haven’t had a year like this in a while, starting from bow and going into gun. So, it’s shaping up to be a great year again.”.
Van Hemelryk says some popular processed items include sausage, brats and even venison bacon.
“We take those same recipes, same exact process and apply that to wild game,” he said.
Van Hemelryk says orders take two to three months to process.
School says his request is relatively simple.
“We’re going to get ring bologna, summer sausage and stuff like that.”
While the state’s most popular deer hunting season is over, hunters still have the opportunity to bag big bucks. Bowhunting continues through Jan. 8, with extended seasons in certain locations through Jan. 31. The muzzleloader season begins Monday and runs through Dec. 7. Antlerless-only hunts are held from Dec. 8-11 and Dec. 24-Jan. 1.
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