Rhinelander renews annual bow hunt

The City of Rhinelander has announced it will again allow bow hunting for deer within the city limits. This year’s hunt will run from Sept. 13 through Jan. 4, 2026, city officials said in a press release. The Common Council formally approved the hunt during its Aug. 11 meeting. Before the vote, police chief Lloyd Gauthier told the alderpersons the annual hunt remains popular. According to the release, the hunt will continue through Wisconsin’s nine-day gun season, muzzleloader season and the antlerless-only hunt, provided bow hunters wear blaze orange during those periods. Bow hunting will be suspended only on Halloween, Oct. 31. The mayor and police chief may also halt the hunt in emergencies, with hunters notified by phone, the release notes. Applications for both hunters and city landowners willing to open their property are available at the City Clerk’s Office, 135 S. Stevens St., weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or online at www.rhinelandercityhall.org. The deadline to apply is noon Sept. 12. Hunters and hunting properties that were authorized in past years are not automatically re-registered and those interested in participating have to complete a new application for this year’s hunting season. Hunters must agree to a short waiting period after submitting an application to allow the Rhinelander Police Department to perform a criminal background check. Upon approval, hunters will be admitted to the program. Hunters must have a valid Wisconsin bow license, provide a carcass tag at the time of application and hunt from a stand at least six feet off the ground. The city has been issued state antlerless deer permits, meaning its tags are valid only for antlerless deer. Hunters may pursue antlered deer only with a Wisconsin DNR-issued buck tag.