Wisconsin's Deer Hunt Numbers Are In — So Why Are Fewer Hunters Filling Freezers This Year?

威斯康星州鹿猎季数据出炉——为何今年越来越少猎人装满冰箱？

dnr.wisconsin.gov

So the 2025 gun deer season wrapped up with a slight dip in both hunter turnout and harvest numbers — down 0.12% in license sales and 0.8% in total deer taken. Interesting, but not exactly a bloodbath. Still, when you dig into the antlered vs. antlerless split, things get spicy: bucks are down 2.6%, but does are up 0.9%. Is Wisconsin shifting from trophy culture to meat-first pragmatism?

2025年枪鹿季结束了，猎人数量和猎获量都略有下降——许可证销售量下降0.12%，总猎鹿数下降0.8%。不算什么大事，但有点意思。然而，当你细看带角鹿和无角鹿的分布时，事情就变得有趣了：雄鹿下降了2.6%，雌鹿却上升了0.9%。威斯康星是不是正从‘猎 Trophy 雄鹿’的文化转向‘先顾饭桌’的务实主义？

Also, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: hunting incidents. Two gun-related incidents this year — one tragic fatality, one comically unfortunate butt shot. Compared to past years, it’s still relatively safe. But with six fatality-free seasons in the last decade, are we getting complacent? And is the ‘TAB-K’ safety mantra becoming background noise?

还有个房间里的大象得聊聊：猎伤事件。今年发生两起枪支相关事故——一起是悲剧性死亡，一起是搞笑又倒霉的臀部中弹。相比往年还算安全。但过去十年有六年零死亡，我们是不是开始麻痹大意了？‘TAB-K’安全口号是不是变成了耳旁风？

Old-School Buck Hunter, Bayfield County (湾菲尔德县的传统雄鹿猎人)

Back in my day, you hunted bucks or you didn’t hunt at all. This ‘meat-first’ trend is just city folks romanticizing rural life. We’re losing the spirit of the chase. If you’re only in it for the freezer, buy ground beef at Walmart.

我那个年代，要么猎雄鹿，要么干脆别上山。这种‘为肉而猎’的潮流不过是城里人对乡村生活的浪漫幻想。我们正在失去狩猎的精髓。如果你只图填满冰箱，去沃尔玛买绞肉算了。

Suburban Forager, Madison (麦迪逊的郊区觅食者)

Y’all realize venison is leaner, healthier, and has zero industrial farming footprint? This isn’t ‘romanticizing’—it’s intentional living. My kid got his first harvest certificate. That’s not a Walmart moment.

你们知道鹿肉更瘦、更健康，且完全没有工业化养殖的碳足迹吗？这可不是‘浪漫化’——这是有意识的生活方式。我孩子拿到了人生第一张猎获证书。这可不是去沃尔玛能体验到的时刻。

Eco-Anxious Millennial (焦虑的环保千禧一代)

Let’s be real: fewer hunters might actually be good for deer population control. Overpopulation leads to starvation and disease. Maybe reduced hunting pressure = more balanced ecosystem?

说真的：猎人变少可能反而有利于鹿群数量控制。过度繁殖会导致饥饿和疾病。也许狩猎压力降低意味着生态系统更平衡？

DNR Intern with Opinions (有自己想法的DNR实习生)

As someone who’s seen the data all season, the decline in gun hunters is mostly older demographics not renewing. Younger folks are switching to bow and crossbow. It’s not decline—it’s evolution.

作为一个整个狩猎季都在看数据的人，枪猎人数的下降主要是年长群体不再续证。年轻人正转向弓箭和弩猎。这不是衰退——是进化。

Safety First Granny (安全第一的奶奶)

I don’t care if you’re hunting for meat, trophies, or TikTok clout. Just remember: TAB-K. My grandson almost shot his buddy because he ‘knew the gun wasn’t loaded.’ Spoiler: it was.

不管你是为了肉、奖杯还是TikTok热度去打猎，记住一点：TAB-K。我孙子差点射中他朋友，就因为他‘以为枪里没子弹’。剧透一下：其实有。

Urban Hiker from Milwaukee (密尔沃基的城市徒步客)

Same thing happened near Oakfield this year. Dude died in a tree stand from his own gun. ‘Unintentional discharge’ is just a fancy way of saying ‘he wasn’t following TAB-K.’

今年奥克菲尔德附近就发生了类似事件。一名男子在树架上被自己的枪击中身亡。‘意外走火’不过是‘他没遵守TAB-K’的委婉说法。

Data Nerd from UW (威斯康星大学的数据宅)

Correlation isn’t causation, but 6 fatality-free seasons → rising incidents isn’t a great look. Behavioral psychology 101: when risk feels low, safety complacency spikes.

相关不等于因果，但零死亡六年→事故回升，这趋势不妙。行为心理学基础课：当风险感降低，安全松懈就会飙升。

Wisconsin's Deer Hunt Numbers Are In — So Why Are Fewer Hunters Filling Freezers This Year?

威斯康星州鹿猎季数据出炉——为何今年越来越少猎人装满冰箱？

新泽西鹿群泛滥：猎杀是唯一解方，还是我们只是在给大自然‘割草’？

俄亥俄州的鹿交配季，其实是全年最致命的驾驶时段？🦌🚗