LOOKY HERE. If you've seen any deer – in person, trail cams don't count! – the DNR wants to know about it. (Photo via Unsplash)

Seen any deer recently? The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants to know if you have! From now through Sept. 30, reports of deer sightings are being accepted through the Survey123 app, contributing to what the DNR calls “Operation Deer Watch.”

The DNR monitors deer reproduction as part of its deer management program (state tracking began in the early 1900s). Submitted data – from hunters, the general public, etc. – helps determine total deer population estimates and more granular information.

Operation Deer Watch Survey Guidelines

• Report for August and September.
• Record deer observed from dawn to dusk (when headlights are not used for driving).
• Record ALL deer you see, not just does with fawns.
• Do NOT include multiple observations if you are sure the same deer are being seen repeatedly.
• Do not include trail camera counts in your observations.

View participation guidelines and what info submissions should include online.

Statewide, deer population estimates (post-hunting season) have trended upwards over the past two decades. Since 2022, population has only gone up, with the estimated 2025 total sitting around 1.8 million.

Zooming in on the Chippewa Valley – which Volume One considers the wider Chippewa, Eau Claire and Dunn County stretch – there’s been more ebb and flow than the statewide trends.

In Chippewa County, a 20-year low was recorded around 2014 – about 13,000 deer – though its population estimate shot up to about 22,000 by 2017. In 2025, that estimate hit nearly 30,000.

In Eau Claire County, deer population estimates have almost exclusively trended upwards since 2015, when that number sat at 6,800. As of 2025, that number had more than doubled to almost 20,000.

Dunn County has seen the most consistent upward growth over the 20-year period, with its lowest estimate being 12,500 in 2008. Its population has seemingly never gone under 20,000 since 2015, with 2025’s estimated population just over 41,000.

Registration is not required to submit your deer sightings. Reports from the public should include the following: in-person sighting location and date, number of deer seen from dawn to dusk during the summer, as well as deer age and sex if known.

“Wherever you are in Wisconsin, you can get involved and collect data in your area,” said Paul Frater, surveys coordinator for the Wisconsin DNR. “The more data that is collected, the better our understanding of game species abundance and distribution in Wisconsin.”

View the DNR's public dashboard of Wisconsin Deer Metrics online at apps.dnr.wi.gov/deermetrics. In-person deer sightings can be submitted to Operation Deer Watch now through Sept. 30, 2026.