Do I have to have a license in WI…

If I am a PUSHER during a deer drive and not carrying a firearm?

from page 30 of WI deer regs
30
Group deer hunting regulations continued…
tag a deer. It is legal to use electronic devices for reasons other than getting someone
to tag a deer.
4. The hunter for whom the deer is killed must possess a valid unused carcass tag for the
type (i.e., buck or antlerless) of deer killed.
5. The hunter killing the deer may not leave the deer unattended until after the deer is
tagged and the tag is validated according to the deer carcass tagging instructions (page
17). A hunter is attending a deer if the hunter can see the deer.
6. Convicted felons cannot participate in group deer hunting or allow use of their tag by
anyone else. Deer drivers are not required to possess firearms or hunting licenses.
7

But then on page 27, it states:

Group Deer Hunting Law
It is illegal to kill game for another person EXCEPT during a deer firearm season when
any member of a group deer hunting party may kill a deer for another member of the party.
Group hunting is not legal for persons hunting with archery equipment. All participants
must be licensed and each must possess a firearm, except that a mentor and a mentee
hunting under the Hunting Mentorship Program may share one firearm

I take that to mean, that if you are group hunting, as in if I shoot a deer for somebody else or they shoot one for me, we both need a license. If you don’t carry a firearm, you don’t need a license. Make sense?

I agree, that is my interpretation also.

Ok, thanks for the replies. Should I contact the WIDNR for a further explanation?

No you don’t need a license to push or drive deer if you are not carrying a gun. A lot of under age family members get there start that way. Make sure you are wearing blaze orange though.

Quote:

---

No you don’t need a license to push or drive deer if you are not carrying a gun. A lot of under age family members get there start that way. Make sure you are wearing blaze orange though.

---

I get that,, but what is underage? 11? The heck if I’m going to let my 10 or 11 year old walk through a woods with bullets flying. Not only can it be super dangerous I really don’t think that’s the way to introduce a young one to hunting. Just my opinion.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

No you don’t need a license to push or drive deer if you are not carrying a gun. A lot of under age family members get there start that way. Make sure you are wearing blaze orange though.

---

I get that,, but what is underage? 11? The heck if I’m going to let my 10 or 11 year old walk through a woods with bullets flying. Not only can it be super dangerous I really don’t think that’s the way to introduce a young one to hunting. Just my opinion.

---

I understand your reservations but for those brought up that way, you’re resisting experience via an opinion. This was once a very common practice and what it did was let a youngster find out about the hard work and conditions involved in deer hunting and decide if it’s something they like or not, as well as learning the areas they’ll be working in the future. It also preps the group for getting to know the upcoming addition to the group, in the interest of spotting any way they can help the youth develop as a hunter.

The “bullets flying” is really a derogatory thing to say. If you’re putting standers in a position to put drivers in harm’s way, you’re not doing it right! It also indicates a lack of trust in other party members to practice safe hunting methods. If this is a valid concern, find a new party! But there are “low possibility” positions to place someone if need be.

Lastly….. if “flying bullets” is really a valid concern, at what age are you going to feel good about your son getting shot? As a father, you wouldn’t care if he was 70 himself. You never want your son at risk. IMHO…… all hunting comes with some level of risk and that’s why we educate ourselves and practice, practice, practice that applied knowledge. Otherwise, the only truly safe alternative is to never let your child be in a huntable land tract.

I haven’t party hunted with drivers and standers in years but I grew up with it and not once do I recall anyone talking about limbs falling around them or any bark exploding. Yes, there’s times there’s a lot of shooting but it’s not AT a driver. It was also understood that if a stander sees orange anywhere, he can’t account for where everyone is and therefore, ends the shooting. If anyone continues, the voices start hollering “Cease Fire!”….. and it works!

The reason I left that party was not because of a lack of safety. They were great at that. BUT….. they were not great shots and wasted up a lot of deer putting them down. I just couldn’t take it anymore, nor could my dad, so we ventured off on our own.

I understand the concern….. but the risk is no different than being in any woods with other hunters.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

No you don’t need a license to push or drive deer if you are not carrying a gun. A lot of under age family members get there start that way. Make sure you are wearing blaze orange though.

---

I get that,, but what is underage? 11? The heck if I’m going to let my 10 or 11 year old walk through a woods with bullets flying. Not only can it be super dangerous I really don’t think that’s the way to introduce a young one to hunting. Just my opinion.

---

I agree completely! Taking children on a deer drive is completely irresponsible. Part of me says that driving should be illegal, but the other side says that people have the right to make bad decisions. Its a very rare occasion when someone is shot because of a deer drive if they weren’t already a part of it. Incidents (not accidents) happen, that’s an inevitability, but it’s our job as parents to protect our kids from harm. I won’t even, as much as my boy begs, allow him to drive the bedding area where we hunt, even by ourselves.

During the heat of the moment when the bullets fly (accurate description, not a derogatory term) incidents happen. Want to get the kids into hunting? Get a 2 man ladder stand and teach them patience and that scouting pays off, rather than pushing deer and inevitably making irresponsible shots at moving targets.

On the last weekend of the gun deer season last year, a group of almost 30 made a drive through my neighbors’ land. They pushed about 200 acres that was a quarter section wide. The view from my stand was like having a front row seat in a horror movie. For starters, pushing deer will have them usually running….then to have a half dozen people shooting that rarely shoot their rifle???? Just a matter of time when adrenaline replaces common sense and someone’s life is gone or changed forever. I was a 1/2 mile away and was still scared.

My Introduction to deer hunting is exactly as Stillakid2 describes. As a young hunter, whether driving or posting it was always emphasized what the drive was, where the posters were, how long to expect the drive will last, where to look for drivers/posters, etc. What it did do is give you an opportunity to learn the woods, work with the compass and learn to be aware of your surroundings. Obviously, there are potential safety issues but that goes with all hunting. Planning, coordination & safety are all essential parts to any drive hunting scenario. You encounter some of the same issues upland bird hunting or sitting in a waterfowl blind.