Some state parks open for hunting

Hunters are counting down the days and hours until gun deer hunting season opens. Many will head to private properties for the weekend, but some will head to public land to do their hunting.

In Northeast Wisconsin, four state parks are open for the 9-day gun deer hunt: Newport State Park and Rock Island State Park in Door County, Point Beach State Park in Manitowoc County, and Hartman Creek State Park in Waupaca County.

Next year, however, two more will be added to the list. This fall, the state's Natural Resources Board decided Whitefish Dunes State Park and Potawatomi State Park should both be open to gun hunting as well.

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"People are pretty excited about hunting this park. It's never been opened of course. They're expecting a lot of deer. There's a lot of deer at this time," said Don McKinnon, the superintendent of Potawatomi State Park.

McKinnon said it's overpopulated with deer. When he took a FOX 11 crew around the park, we saw more than a dozen deer up close in just a matter of minutes.

So when the DNR mistakingly posted on its website that the park would be open this year, McKinnon says a number of hunters showed up hoping to scope out the good spots in advance.

He had to break the bad news -- they were a year early.

Park officials also have taken the extra step of putting up orange 'no hunting' signs around the property.

Some neighbors have complained to the state because they don't want the park to be open for hunting. But others, like Terry Jerabek, believe it provides more options.

"I think it's fine. People who don't own private land need a place to hunt, a lot of private land is closed to the average hunter," said Jerabek.

Next year hunters will have the chance to take aim at some deer that were once off limits.