Season dates
DPAs open to the early antlerless season
Details
Hunters must hunt in one of the 23 open deer permit areas listed above and your deer license must match the weapon you plan to use during the season. Hunters are not required to obtain an early-antlerless permit to participate if you use:
- Firearms Firearm deer license
- Archery equipment Archery deer license
- Muzzleloader Muzzleloader deer license
- Crossbow Firearm or archery deer license
The bag limit is three antlerless deer, which is in addition to the statewide bag limit and the deer permit area bag limit. You may need to purchase additional licenses if you plan to harvest more than one antlerless deer or if you want to save your parent license to tag a legal buck during a later season.
The following may be used to fill the bag limit:
- Early antlerless permits ($8.50 for residents) can only be used during the early‑antlerless season or late CWD hunt.
- Bonus permits ($18 for residents) are valid during all other seasons if not filled during early antlerless season.
- Disease management permits ($2.50) can only be used in the 600-series permit areas. They can be used during other seasons if not filled during early antlerless season.
- Any combination of permits can be used. For example, you can purchase your firearms deer license + one early antlerless permit + one bonus permit and tag all three antlerless deer with those licenses/permits.
The Whitewater State Game Refuge in Winona County and the surrounding deer permit area (DPA 644) are not open during the early-antlerless season this year. The refuge is open only to youth participating in the Youth Deer Season.
A venison donation program is available for hunters that wish to donate harvested deer.