Photo By Scott Sturkol | A whitetail deer is shown at a training area Feb. 6, 2017, on Fort McCoy’s North...... read more read more
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The regular archery/crossbow archery season began at Fort McCoy on Sept. 16, 2023, at the same time as the opening of the Wisconsin archery season.
The regular archery early season will go from Sept. 16 and run through Nov. 16. Late season will run from Nov. 27 and run through Jan. 31, 2024, said Wildlife Biologist Kevin Luepke with the Natural Resources Branch (NRB) of the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division in September.
“The cantonment archery season also had a start date of Sept. 16 and runs through Jan. 31, 2024,” Luepke said. “There are no closures for the gun-deer season, but hunters should be aware of blaze orange requirements during the gun-deer season (Nov. 18-26), and the youth gun-deer and gun-deer for disabled hunters’ seasons (Oct. 7-8) in certain training areas (D-10E and G-4W).
“The archery season is a non-quota season, so permits are available through iSportsman at https://mccoy.isportsman.net,” Luepke said. “The cantonment archery season is a quota hunt and applicants have been selected and notified. Cantonment archery is the urban deer management program, and I would like to remind hunters that it is a Earn-a-Buck program that requires the harvest of two (antlerless or spike bucks) deer before hunters are allowed to harvest a forked antler buck.”
A Fort McCoy archery permit and a Wisconsin bow or crossbow hunting license are required to hunt on Fort McCoy for regular archery/crossbow, NRB officials said. Harvest is limited to one deer (antlered or antlerless) with the appropriate deer harvest authorization supplied with the Fort McCoy archery permit. Fort McCoy archery permits can be purchased on iSportsman at https://mccoy.isportsman.net or at the Permit Sales Office during normal business hours.
Archery hunters also must remember that when hunting with both bow and crossbow, they must have the appropriate Wisconsin bow/crossbow license upgrade. The upgrade allows for use of either, otherwise hunters must choose between just using a bow or just using a crossbow.
Regular Wisconsin archery licenses are $24 for resident archery and $24 for resident crossbow. An upgrade is an additional $3. The Fort McCoy regular archery/crossbow permit is $17. Wisconsin hunting licenses are sold on the Wisconsin GoWild web site for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at https://gowild.wi.gov.
People who have more questions on appropriate licensing requirements for Fort McCoy can get answers by visiting the Fort McCoy iSportsman page at https://ftmccoy.isportsman.net or by calling the Permit Sales Office at 608-388-3337. For Wisconsin archery rules and regulations, visit https://widnr.widen.net/s/chhtkdmjsh/wm0685-2021_small.
NRB officials said annually approximately 800 archery permits are purchased for Fort McCoy, and hunters have had a success rate of about 15-20 percent. On average about 90-100 deer are harvested on post each year during archery season.
Archery hunters are reminded that use of any tree stands or blinds must be temporary and must be taken down each day. Also, if hunters succeed in harvesting a deer, that deer must be registered on Fort McCoy’s iSportsman website.
“Fort McCoy offers hunting, fishing, and trapping opportunities to military (active and retired) and their dependents, government employees, and the general public,” Luepke said. “Revenue generated from the sale of hunting, fishing, and trapping permits is used for the management of fish and wildlife habitat and populations on Fort McCoy.”
Luepke also said hunters should be aware of chronic wasting disease (CWD).
“There have been eight CWD positive test results in the county over the past two years,” Luepke said. “The CWD positive deer were harvested 7 to 10 miles to the southwest of the installation boundary. Fort McCoy will offer CWD testing during the gun-deer seasons while the deer data collection point is manned. Hunters should utilize other local CWD sampling kiosks in the area for the archery seasons.”
For information on local CWD sampling kiosks, deer carcass dumpsters, and deer donation locations, visit the Monroe County Land Conservation website at https://www.co.monroe.wi.us/departments/land-conservation.
“A dumpster will also be available across the road from the Hunter Information Point starting on Oct. 20 for deer carcasses,” Luepke said. “The Hunter Information Point is located at the intersection of South J Street and Highway 21.”
Overall, Luepke said he hopes all the hunters have a successful season.
“It should be a great season,” Luepke said. “We are seeing a lot of deer that made it through last winter. Fawn production has been good. There have been reports of a lot of does with twin fawns and a few with triplets. We are also receiving observations of some good bucks on the property as well. Acorn production has seemed to be good throughout the installation this year, as well. Good luck to everyone.”
For more information about the installation’s hunting, fishing, and other outdoor opportunities, go online to the Fort McCoy iSportsman page at https://mccoy.isportsman.net or call the Permit Sales Office at 608-388-3337.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
(Article prepared by the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office and the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch.)
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2023 16:29 |
| Story ID: | 453800 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WI, US |
| Web Views: | 801 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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