Better chance of seeing deer this hunting season - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Eau Claire (WQOW) - There's a better chance deer hunters will see more deer this year according to a new report from the DNR.

The agency is out with its annual deer forecast.

Bowhunting for deer starts this weekend, and the gun hunt is in November. The DNR says in west central Wisconsin, two-thirds of deer management units are at least 20 percent over population goals.

Even with that many deer, they say hunters may have to change their tactics this year and do more pre-season scouting. That's because the dry summer affected vegetation, which then influences deer movement patterns. Jackson County is among those where deer may be affected.

In northern Wisconsin, wildlife biologists are expecting a good season for hunters. The mild winter and early spring green-up likely allowed more fawns to survive, and allowed bucks to grow good antlers. The deer herd has been below goal in northern Wisconsin over the past several years.   But this year most units are close to goal.

The state's deer herd is believed to be over 1 million animals strong.