It’s October and that can only mean that hunting season is here. For experienced hunters, this is no surprise, but for the average Waukesha County resident, our first clue that it’s hunting season is the emergence of blaze orange attire in our midst. 

According to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the hunting and trapping seasons for different game that begin in October include: 

October 5: 

• Gun deer hunt for hunters with disabilities (selected properties only)
• Youth deer hunt

October 12: 

• Duck (open water zone)
• Elk

October 19:

• Bobcat (period 1, hunting and trapping)
• Bobwhite quail (opens at 9am)
• Cottontail rabbit (Southern Zone)
• Coyote (trapping only)
• Fisher (trapping only)
• Fox (hunting and trapping)
• Hungarian partridge (opens at 9am)
• Mink (Northern Zone, trapping only)
• Muskrat (Northern Zone, trapping only)
• Pheasant (resident, hunting and trapping)
• Ruffed grouse (Zone B)

October 26:

• Mink (Central Zone, trapping only)
• Muskrat (Central Zone, trapping only)

Of course, the gun deer hunting season, which is the biggest event of the year, doesn’t begin until November 23 – December 1. The deer bow hunting season began in September and runs through January 5, 2025. 

Download the complete 2024-2025 hunting schedule from the DNR below. 

All hunters are required to be licensed, and there are many regulations that must be followed. The DNR website includes everything you need to know about hunter education courses offered online or in the community.