It would appear plenty of deer hunters turned out in Rock County for opening gun weekend.

DNR county Wildlife Biologist Jason Cotter says despite harvest numbers across the state being lower than 2022, Rock County saw a 10.4% increase in antlered harvest and a 19.8% in anterless harvest.

Cotter says it can be hard to pinpoint an exact reason why numbers went up, but his guess is that instead of heading north hunters stayed local and because of the warmer weather they were able to stay out longer.

Statewide data showed a 16% drop-off in the deer harvest from 2022 and 10% fewer than the five-year average for opening weekend.