Deer population goalsSince 1960 , biologists have used hunter harvest and population modeling techniques to estimate herd size . Population goals were first established in 1962 . Deer Management Unit population goals are determined by a variety of factors associated with biological and social carrying capacity . Approximately every 3 years deer population goals are reviewed through a collaborative process between stakeholders , public input and the DNR . Biological carrying capacity ( K ) is the maximum number of deer the landscape can support over a prolonged period of time . A deer herd managed at " K " will result in heavy competition between deer , overbrowsing , and a high percentage of winter mortality . Generally , population goals in forested units are set about 60 - 65 % of K . A deer population managed at these levels has shown to result in a long - term sustainable harvest and a healthy deer herd . In units that are more agricultural or urbanized , social carrying capacity is usually a bigger factor in determining deer goals . The social carrying capacity is the number of deer that is less likely to cause excessive property damage , while still providing good recreational opportunities for hunting and viewing deer . Generally these units have more nutritional resources which creates a higher K . However , if these units were managed at 60 - 65 % of K , controlling the herd would be very difficult and the level of damage caused would be intolerable to many property owners . The goals in these units are set significantly below K to maintain this balance . The original over winter ( post hunting season ) goal for the Wisconsin deer herd was 441 , 900 deer . As deer range expanded and hunting interest increased , the post - hunt goal has grown until today it stands at approximately 794 , 000 , an increase of approximately 80 % from the original goal . Between 1962 and 1984 , the post - hunt estimate averaged 1 % over goal . Between 1985 and 1994 , the post - hunt estimate averaged 16 % above goal , and between 1995 and 2009 the average was 47 % over goal . The post - hunt estimate indicates that the statewide deer herd has been at or within 5 % of goal only once in the last 20 years . The population goals that we are currently utilizing to gauge population goals had been last changed in some units in 2010 [ PDF ] to reflect local interest in either increase or decrease levels . Overall , Wisconsin ' s estimated post - hunt deer population is above goal again this year in many farmland deer management units . However , at the end of the 2011 deer season , statewide harvest data suggests progress toward goal in some northern forest units that had been below goal and had been buck only units for several seasons . In 2012 we will still have buck only designation in six northern forest units to allow the herd to rebuilt . The northern forest units with antlerless quotas have been set at moderate levels to still allow for herd growth . Population goals established in 2010 [ PDF ] were raised by 10 - 67 % in 43 deer management units , and lowered 17 - 20 % in 2 deer management units around the state . The cumulative statewide overwinter deer population goal has been raised to 796 , 000 , an 8 % increase from the 2009 - 2010 overwinter population goal . The new goals were considered in the department ' s recommendations for 2010 deer hunting season structures and quotas . In some cases for units that have an increase in population goal , a herd control season structure is no longer needed for the upcoming season . For units that have an increased goal with a Regular season structure recommendation , the antlerless quota and permit level recommendations are reduced . Deer population goals may be expressed in terms of abundance or density . Density goals are shown as the average number of deer per square mile of " deer range " in the post - hunt population . Deer range in Wisconsin is defined as all permanent cover -- forest , woodlot , brush - covered land or marsh -- at least ten acres or more in size . Agriculture and grass fields within 5 chains ( 100 m ) of permanent cover are also included as deer range . Areas of permanent cover smaller than 10 acres can be included as deer range if they are known to be commonly occupied by deer . In farmland management units , the proportion of deer range to total area is generally much less compared to heavily forested units . This means the contrast in deer numbers expressed in terms of square mile of " deer range " is much greater than the average number of deer per square mile of " total area " in a farmland unit . From http : / / dnr . wi . gov / topic / hunt / popgoal . html .