Youth Deer Hunt 2026: Share Your Photos and First-Buck Stories with the Free Press

Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

By Joe Morey

Free Press Editor/Publisher

The 2026 Wisconsin youth deer hunt has wrapped up, and we’d like to hear how it went for young hunters in Barron County.

Did your child get a first buck? Was it a memorable day in the woods with a parent, grandparent, mentor or other family member? Maybe the best part was simply seeing deer, learning something new or spending time together outdoors. The Barron County Free Press invites families to share photos and stories from the weekend.

Send your submission to Joe at joerezlife@gmail.com. Please include the young hunter’s name, hometown or community, age and details of the hunt, along with the photo. The print deadline is 5 p.m. Monday. Selected photos and stories will appear in the print edition and online.

The youth hunt ran Saturday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 11. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not posted harvest numbers yet, so we’re turning to local families to help tell the story of the weekend.

Share a first buck, or another hunt-day memory

A first deer is a milestone, but there’s no requirement that a young hunter bring home a harvest to have a story worth sharing. A photo with a mentor, a favorite moment from the morning or a lesson learned on the hunt can all make for a meaningful account.

When you email us, tell us a little about the day. Was this the youth hunter’s first hunt or first buck? Who went along? What was the most exciting, funny or memorable part? A few details help readers connect with the experience and help us prepare a caption or short story.

Please identify everyone pictured and make sure you have permission to share the photo. A clear, original image is best. If you can, send the photo as an attachment rather than a screenshot or a compressed social media copy. For everyone’s privacy and safety, avoid including addresses or other personal information beyond the hometown or community.

A promising fall, with local conditions to consider

In its fall outlook, the DNR described encouraging conditions for deer, including a relatively mild winter that supported overwinter survival. The agency also noted a strong acorn crop in some areas. Acorn production can vary from one place to another, though, so conditions in an individual stand may differ from the broader outlook. You can read the DNR’s fall hunting forecasts and its youth hunt announcement.

For families across Rice Lake, Barron, Turtle Lake, Chetek, Cameron and Cumberland, the weekend was also a chance to pass along knowledge and spend time outdoors together. Those local moments are what we hope to share with readers looking for Barron County news and Rice Lake WI news that reflect life in their own communities.

Illustrative image.

Safety and mentorship matter

The youth hunt was open to hunters 15 and younger, with or without hunter education certification, when hunting under the required mentor supervision. DNR rules vary by the young hunter’s age and hunter education status. In general, a mentor must be at least 18. For hunters younger than 11, and hunters ages 12 to 15 who have not completed hunter education, the mentor must be a hunter education graduate, hold a current hunting license and remain within arm’s reach. For hunters ages 12 to 15 who have completed hunter education, the mentor must remain in both visual and voice contact. One mentor may accompany no more than two youth hunters at a time.

Families should check the DNR’s youth hunt page for full rules and details. The page is also a useful reference for anyone introducing a young person to hunting or planning ahead for another season.

The DNR also reminds hunters to wear at least 50% blaze orange or fluorescent pink clothing above the waist during a firearm deer season, including the youth hunt. That requirement applies to archery hunters and small-game hunters as well, with an exemption for waterfowl hunters.

For firearm safety, the DNR encourages families to practice TAB-K:

• T: Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

• A: Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.

• B: Be certain of your target and what is before and beyond it.

• K: Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

Illustrative image.

A certificate for a first harvest

Young hunters who harvested their first deer can also request a Wisconsin DNR First Harvest Certificate. The DNR’s certificate page lets hunters submit information about the experience and upload a photo. The agency also offers a certificate to recognize a hunting or trapping experience, even when there was no harvest.

Whether the weekend brought a first buck or a new outdoor skill, we’d like to help recognize the young people and families who took part. Send your photo and story to Joe at joerezlife@gmail.com. Include the youth’s name, hometown or community, age and hunt details, plus the photo. Submissions for print are due by 5 p.m. Monday. Selected submissions will appear in the Free Press print edition and online.