WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin wildlife officials say hunters killed 20 percent fewer deer during the nine-day hunt than a year ago.

Department of Natural Resources deer expert Keith Warnke said Tuesday the count suggests deer populations may be moving closer to management goals.

The DNR says a preliminary count showed hunters registered 276,985 deer following the hunt that ended Sunday.

Adam Hickson of Northern Waters Angling and Archery near Conover says his store registered 207 deer this year compared with 441 last year.

He believes it's evidence there are far fewer deer in his area and says many hunters feel it was the worst hunt in memory.

The DNR had estimated the state's deer population at 1.7 million this fall, about 100,000 fewer than a year ago.

UNDATED (AP) -- A regional breakdown of the 276,985 whitetail deer that Wisconsin hunters registered with the Department of Natural Resources from the nine-day gun season that ended Sunday, according to a preliminary count released today:

--19-county west-central region: 103,411 (34,927 bucks, 68,927 antlerless), down 16 percent from a year ago.

--18-county northern region: 70,686 deer (28,520 bucks, 42,166 antlerless), down 30 percent from a year ago.

--15-county northeast region: 53,860 deer (20,253 bucks, 33,607 antlerless), down 24 percent from a year ago.

--11-county south-central region: 42,660 deer (13,597 bucks, 29,063 antlerless), up 3 percent from a year ago.

--8-county southeast region: 6,368 deer (1,986 bucks, 4,382 antlerless), down 5 percent from a year ago.

Wildlife officials say the number of antlerless deer is important because it includes does, and killing them is a way to reduce the growth of the herd in areas already overpopulated.

To see county by county numbers, click here.