PLAIN — There was frost, clear sky and little wind.
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Ed Schwark Jr., 15, and his dad, Ed Schwark Sr., of Wisconsin Dells, fill out paperwork as they drop off Ed Jr.'s first buck, an eight-pointer, at Straka Meats in Plain. The Schwarks were hunting near Wisconsin Dells where Schwark Jr. used a shot from 180 yards away to drop the deer.
Brian Farrell, of Middleton, tells the story of how he shot an eight-point buck Saturday morning near Plain.
Cousins Ryan Farrell, left, and Andrew Farrell use a measuring stick to get the width of the rack of an eight-point buck shot by Ryan's father, Brian Farrell, of Middleton. The trio were hunting just south of Plain Saturday morning and were entering the deer into the I-Diehl Tap's big buck contest.
A deer hunter appears to be napping shortly before noon Saturday on the edge of a field with southern exposure along Highway B in rural Sauk County. More deer hunters were expected to take part in this year's nine-day gun deer season as license sales are 9.5% over 2019. Near-perfect weather also allowed for comfort while hunting and for those who chose to snooze.
The blaze orange of a deer hunter stands out through the window of this elevated deer blind along Highway B just west of Highway 60 between Sauk City and Plain.
An oak tree helps frame a deer blind in a farm field in 2020 along Rustic Road 110 in the town of West Point between Lodi and Prairie du Sac.
Paul Merline prepares to unload an 11-point buck from his UTV Saturday at his home in rural Columbia County.
Marty Prem, co-owner of Prem Meats in Spring Green, works on processing one of the many deer that were dropped off Saturday at the Spring Green meat market.
Zane Natzke, a self-described "deer valet" at Prem Meats in Spring Green, helps ready a deer shot by Brandon Miess, 14, right, of Avoca. Brandon was with his mother, Kelly Miess, left.
Photos: The 2020 Wisconsin deer season opener
Deer season opener 2020
A deer hunter appears to be napping shortly before noon Saturday on the edge of a field with southern exposure along Highway B in rural Sauk County. More deer hunters were expected to take part in this year's nine-day gun deer season as license sales are 9.5% over 2019. Near-perfect weather also allowed for comfort while hunting and for those who chose to snooze.
Deer season opener 2020
Zane Natzke of Prem Meats in Spring Green prepares a deer Saturday to be offloaded from a truck and into the meat market's processing area.
Deer season opener 2020
Deer harvested on opening day of the 2020 gun deer season wait to be processed Saturday at Prem Meats in Spring Green.
Deer season opener 2020
Zane Natzke, a self-described "deer valet" at Prem Meats in Spring Green, helps ready a deer shot by Brandon Miess, 14, right, of Avoca. Brandon was with his mother, Kelly Miess, left.
Deer season opener 2020
Zane Natzke drags a deer from a pickup truck as Kelly Miess of Avoca looks on. Her son, Brandon Miess, 14, shot the eight point buck Saturday morning.
Deer season opener 2020
Mike Watt of Dodgeville shot an eight point buck Saturday and brought it to Prem Meats in Spring green to be processed.
Deer season opener 2020
Marty Prem, co-owner of Prem Meats in Spring Green, works on processing one of the many deer that were dropped off Saturday at the Spring Green meat market.
Rustic Roads
An oak tree helps frame a deer blind in a farm field in 2020 along Rustic Road 110 in the town of West Point between Lodi and Prairie du Sac.
Deer season opener 2020
A hunter dressed in blaze orange is visible walking on the edge of a farm field along Highway 60 in Columbia County Saturday morning.
Deer season opener 2020
A deer hunter walks along the edge of a field along Highway 60 between Lodi and Prairie du Sac on the opening morning of the nine-day gun deer season.
Deer season opener 2020
An elevated deer stand is situated on the edge of a corn field in rural Sauk County.
Deer season opener 2020
The blaze orange of a deer hunter stands out through the window of this elevated deer blind along Highway B just west of Highway 60 between Sauk City and Plain.
Deer season opener 2020
A deer hunter appears to be napping Saturday on the edge of a field along Highway B in Sauk County.
Deer season opener 2020
A utility terrain vehicle loaded with an 11 point buck makes its way along Van Ness Road from the woods of rural Columbia County to the home of Paul Merline, who shot the deer shortly after 7 a.m. Saturday.
Deer season opener 2020
Paul Merline prepares to unload an 11-point buck from his UTV Saturday at his home in rural Columbia County.
Deer season opener 2020
Paul Merline shot this dear near his rural Columbia County home on Saturday. He hung it in his storage shed to prepare it for processing.
Deer season opener 2020
Paul Merline, right, bagged an 11-point buck on opening day of the nine-day gun deer season on Saturday. He was hunting on land near his town of West Point home in rural Columbia County with his brother-in-law, Bob Lee, a retired warden with the state Department of Natural Resources. Merline and Lee hung the deer in Merline's garage as they prepared to process the animal.
Deer season opener 2020
Paul Merline, right, looks over his deer and speaks with his neighbor, Tyler Miller, who lives on a 700 acre farm but did not see a deer Saturday morning.
Deer season opener 2020
Ed Schwark Jr, left, and his father Ed Schwark Sr., drag a deer to the processing door at Straka Meats in Plain.
Deer season opener 2020
Ed Schwark Jr., 15, and his dad, Ed Schwark Sr., of Wisconsin Dells, fill out paperwork as they drop off Ed Jr.'s first buck, an eight-pointer, at Straka Meats in Plain. The Schwarks were hunting near Wisconsin Dells where Schwark Jr. used a shot from 180 yards away to drop the deer.
Deer season opener 2020
Andrew Farrell, left, and his father, Brian Farrell, look on as Ryan Farrell gets the readout on the weight of an eight point buck shot by Brian Farrell. The deer weighed in at 140 pounds with a 16 inch wide rack.
Deer season opener 2020
Brian Farrell, of Middleton, tells the story of how he shot an eight-point buck Saturday morning near Plain.
Deer season opener 2020
Cousins Ryan Farrell, left, and Andrew Farrell use a measuring stick to get the width of the rack of an eight-point buck shot by Ryan's father, Brian Farrell, of Middleton. The trio were hunting just south of Plain Saturday morning and were entering the deer into the I-Diehl Tap's big buck contest.
Barry Adams covers regional news for the Wisconsin State Journal. Send him ideas for On Wisconsin at 608-252-6148 or by email at badams@madison.com.
