Hunters gear up for gun-deer season

GREEN BAY - With the 2012 Wisconsin gun deer season less than a week away, hunters across Northeast Wisconsin are getting ready with gear, and to improve their own arsenal of big buck stories.

“It's bragging rights for everybody,” said Sobieski’s Brett Jensen.

As nice as a trophy on the wall might be, those bragging rights may be just as good.

“My rotten little son got a 20-pointer a couple years ago, so I'm always looking to top him on that,” joked Richard Marquardt, from Green Bay.

Any buck tales from the 2012 season might include an addition challenge: weather. A lack of snow so far, and a clear forecast ahead, may present challenges for hunters.

“It is tougher: the white does help to see the deer,” said Jensen. “It makes a big difference."

Wisconsin DNR wildlife biologist John Huff says snow keeps hunters engaged, since seeing tracks proves to hunters the deer are out there, even if they’re tough to find. The DNR does have some encouraging news: the season may coincide with the deer rut, or mating season.

“Early season gets you right at the tail-end of that activity,” said Huff. “Quite often you see a little more daytime activity of deer, folks have more of an opportunity to see deer, maybe some more success.”

The Wisconsin gun deer season starts Saturday, November 17th and runs through Sunday the 25th. If you have a “Buck Tale” to submit, use the “ReportIt” feature on fox11online.com to share your story.