A Hiking Window?

Wisconsin’s Gun Deer season has ended as of November 29th, so hikers who are concerned about hunting can feel free to get back out on Wisconsin’s State Park trails… Well, sorta…

Muzzleloader

So, while the major gun deer season has ended, Wisconsin’s “muzzleloader” season has begun and runs through December 9th. Now, it’s fair to say there’s not a lot of muzzleloader hunters out there, but you may still hear the occasional pop off in the distance. And keep in mind, all seasons are not allowed in all state parks or all areas of each state park, so you’ll want to check your hunting zone maps for the park you plan to visit.

Here are the maps for our area.

Still More…

Looking ahead, Wisconsin’s 4-day antlerless hunt runs from Dec 10th to the 13th. AND that’s not it, then in some parts of the state which I’m told includes our area, there is an Antlerless-Only Holiday Hunt from December 24th to Jan 1st. – DNR Season Dates Webpage.

When CAN I Hike?

So how do hikers, runners, cyclists, birdwatchers, and other park users keep this all straight? Good question. For many folks, it means sticking to the short trails right near the park’s day-use area from mid-November through Jan first. For others, it means no hiking in Wisconsin State Parks until the new year. Certainly, we encourage you to do whatever feels safe and if you do go out, continuing to wearing blaze orange is a good idea. (And putting blaze on your pups as well!)

So with that in mind, the biggest season of the year is over and for some of us, the trails are open again.