Wisconsin has a long history of hunting, where families can bond, create and grow traditions. This past weekend launched opening hunting season Saturday Nov. 21, which lasts nine days.

“It is my absolute favorite time of year,” freshman nursing student Mike Flattum said.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, about 15 percent of all adult Wisconsin residents hunt. In 2011, Wisconsin.gov stated the revenue from hunting reached $2.5 billion and supported more than 16,000 jobs.

Andrew Wolf, DNR customer service representative, said about 800,000 Wisconsin residents purchased tags to hunt this year. Hunters can register online for their tags or at one of the many DNR locations around the state. The DNR has made it more accessible for hunters to find land to go to with maps on its website.

Cold winters in the past have led to stunted fawn growth, but Wolf said last year’s warmer winter could lead to a better season.

“I haven’t heard a lot of complaints yet about the amount of deer out there. It is looking to be a good season,” Wolf said.

According to Fox News, there were a total of 3,830 registered deer by late Saturday afternoon, 2,449 of which were bucks.

Wisconsin is pushing hunting safety regulations with the acronym TABK, treat every firearm as if it is loaded. Safety regulations encourage hunters to always point the muzzle in a safe direction, be certain of the target and what’s beyond and keep fingers outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

Many students used opening weekend as a way to enjoy Wisconsin’s wildlife.

Freshman nursing student Emily Day said, “Hunting season is my favorite time of year because you get to reconnect with nature. You disconnect from electronics and reconnect with what really matters.”