All gun deer hunting seasons now closed
The last of Wisconsin’s gun deer hunting seasons closed on Jan.3, 2010.
A previous news story incorrectly stated that a late gun hunting season in the CWD Management Zone, known as the Holiday Hunt, extended through Jan. 11, 2010. The Holiday Hunt ran Dec. 24 – Jan. 3, 2010 and is now closed.
Archery deer hunting in metro herd control units runs through the close of hunting hours on Jan 31, 2010.
See the 2009 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations pamphlet for details
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Manwell (608) 264-9248
Source: Wisconsin DNR
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_Lookup.asp?id=204#art2
Showing posts with label gun hunting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gun hunting. Show all posts
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Monster Whitetail Shot With Muzzleloader in Wisconsin
Is this the muzzleloader recordd for the State of Wisconsin? Unnoficial score was 203"
Here is the story from a fellow hunter:
This was shot south of LaCrosse with a muzzleloader last Tuesday (12/1/09). It was bedded along the fence line as the guy was tilling up his fields. It never moved in two passes so he left the tractor idling and went and got his muzzleloader. He snuck withing 50 yards downwind and whistled to get the buck to stand up. When he did, he dropped him. The best part is (a friend)Eric hunted this farm for 4 straight days through the gun season only seeing does and small bucks. But his treestand was in the background of one of the pictures that Chris saw.
Chris was told that the state record with a muzzleloader is somewhere around 196" and the world is around 201". This buck was first scored around 203".
Here is the story from a fellow hunter:
This was shot south of LaCrosse with a muzzleloader last Tuesday (12/1/09). It was bedded along the fence line as the guy was tilling up his fields. It never moved in two passes so he left the tractor idling and went and got his muzzleloader. He snuck withing 50 yards downwind and whistled to get the buck to stand up. When he did, he dropped him. The best part is (a friend)Eric hunted this farm for 4 straight days through the gun season only seeing does and small bucks. But his treestand was in the background of one of the pictures that Chris saw.
Chris was told that the state record with a muzzleloader is somewhere around 196" and the world is around 201". This buck was first scored around 203".
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Lawmakers Call for Suspension of December Anterless Deer Hunt: Official Release
I came in contact with a copy of the official release submitted to the Wisconsin DNR to suspend this weeks Anterless deer hunt. Whether we agree to suspend or not its a good time to debate how the deer herd should be managed.
December 4, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Representative Scott Gunderson (608) 266-3363
Representative Dean Kaufert (608) 266-5719
MADISON… In a letter to the Natural Resources Board, state lawmakers, today, requested that the Board take immediate action to suspend the 2009 December antlerless deer hunt. During the 9-day deer gun season, hunters registered the fewest deer in 27 years and 29 % fewer deer than just last year.
“In light of the historic declines in deer harvest over the past two seasons and the overwhelming sentiment by the hunters of Wisconsin, a suspension of the 2009 December antlerless season is crucial to safeguard our deer herd,” said Representative Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford). “It is absolutely imperative that the Board takes swift action to protect Wisconsin’s deer heard from further harm that may take generations to recover from.”
Representative Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) continued, “We have heard from countless discouraged and frustrated hunters from all across Wisconsin who do not believe the Department’s deer herd estimate because they are not seeing deer out in the woods, especially antlerless deer. We need to listen to our hunters when they report fewer deer sightings; mild weather and areas of fog cannot explain the drastic reduction in the number of deer registered.”
While hunters across Wisconsin continuously report the lack of deer in the woods, there is significant evidence that their experiences in the woods are consistent with the actual number of deer. The number of deer carcasses removed by state contractors has plummeted for seven consecutive years, and is currently at the same levels as the late 1980’s. Predation by an underestimated bear population and an ever-growing wolf population has decimated the deer herd in vast areas of Wisconsin.
“The nine-day deer gun season is, not only steeped in tradition, but it also has an economic impact of over $1 billion for the state of Wisconsin,” stated Gunderson. “A 29% lower deer harvest this season is cause for concern, but on top of last season’s 26% total deer gun season harvest reduction; we have reached a critical crossroads for our deer herd in Wisconsin.”
“Because of deep tradition and the economic impact deer hunting has in Wisconsin, it is imperative that we act now before there are long-lasting and devastating effects on not only Wisconsin’s white-tail population, but also our economy,” concluded Kaufert.
# # #
December 4, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Representative Scott Gunderson (608) 266-3363
Representative Dean Kaufert (608) 266-5719
Lawmakers Call For Suspension of the December Antlerless Hunt
Action by Natural Resources Board Imperative to Protect Deer Herd
MADISON… In a letter to the Natural Resources Board, state lawmakers, today, requested that the Board take immediate action to suspend the 2009 December antlerless deer hunt. During the 9-day deer gun season, hunters registered the fewest deer in 27 years and 29 % fewer deer than just last year.
“In light of the historic declines in deer harvest over the past two seasons and the overwhelming sentiment by the hunters of Wisconsin, a suspension of the 2009 December antlerless season is crucial to safeguard our deer herd,” said Representative Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford). “It is absolutely imperative that the Board takes swift action to protect Wisconsin’s deer heard from further harm that may take generations to recover from.”
Representative Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) continued, “We have heard from countless discouraged and frustrated hunters from all across Wisconsin who do not believe the Department’s deer herd estimate because they are not seeing deer out in the woods, especially antlerless deer. We need to listen to our hunters when they report fewer deer sightings; mild weather and areas of fog cannot explain the drastic reduction in the number of deer registered.”
While hunters across Wisconsin continuously report the lack of deer in the woods, there is significant evidence that their experiences in the woods are consistent with the actual number of deer. The number of deer carcasses removed by state contractors has plummeted for seven consecutive years, and is currently at the same levels as the late 1980’s. Predation by an underestimated bear population and an ever-growing wolf population has decimated the deer herd in vast areas of Wisconsin.
“The nine-day deer gun season is, not only steeped in tradition, but it also has an economic impact of over $1 billion for the state of Wisconsin,” stated Gunderson. “A 29% lower deer harvest this season is cause for concern, but on top of last season’s 26% total deer gun season harvest reduction; we have reached a critical crossroads for our deer herd in Wisconsin.”
“Because of deep tradition and the economic impact deer hunting has in Wisconsin, it is imperative that we act now before there are long-lasting and devastating effects on not only Wisconsin’s white-tail population, but also our economy,” concluded Kaufert.
# # #
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Hunters register 195,647 deer in November hunt
MADISON – A survey of Wisconsin deer registration stations conducted by the state Department of Natural Resources has yielded a preliminary tally of 195,647 for the just-ended, nine-day November gun deer hunt. This includes a buck tally of 86,251 and an antlerless tally of 109,396.
This number is preliminary and is expected change before a final report is published in late winter. It does not include harvest information from the archery, October antlerless gun deer hunt, muzzleloader, December antlerless deer gun hunt or late archery seasons. The preliminary harvest count in 2008 was 276,895.
“Deer populations are variable throughout the state,” said Keith Warnke, DNR’s big game biologist, “and we believe people when they say they did not see deer in their hunting area. We have also received reports from successful camps. As always, local populations make all the difference.
“Wildlife management and especially deer management is a process of continual adjustment. In response to hunter input we adjusted seasons this year to reflect lower populations across the north and central forests and suspended EAB in many areas.”
DNR wildlife officials anticipated the total harvest would be down due to changes in season structure that significantly reduced the antlerless deer harvest, lower fawn production and tough weather conditions for deer and hunters alike. In some northeastern units it was not possible to shoot an antlerless deer and in other northern region units the small supply of bonus antlerless deer tags did not meet demand. Careful adjustment of antlerless tag numbers is an important tool in managing deer numbers.
“There are still days to hunt in 2009 in herd control units where deer are above goal and in CWD units. The muzzleloader hunt is underway and the December antlerless hunt is around the corner.”
In February, DNR biologists will compare unit-level harvest numbers against overwinter population estimates and will adjust the recommended season structure for 2010 to address any significant trends.
“A pillar of Wisconsin deer management is the accurate harvest figures provided by hunters,” said DNR wildlife biologist Jeff Pritzl. “Periods of stable deer populations have always been relatively short-lived in Wisconsin. Mandatory deer registration allows us to respond quickly to changing population levels. We have annually adapted our harvest strategies, and will continue to do so in consideration of what the 2009 harvest tells us about the deer population.”
“This year, in response to hunter input, we moved 29 units from earn-a-buck to herd control status and 38 units from herd control to regular unit status. The total number of regular units grew from 21 in 2008 to 59 this year.” said Warnke. “The result was inevitably less antlerless opportunity and lower antlerless harvest numbers.”
A table of county by county (pdf; 39kb) harvest broken down by DNR region, with a comparison to the 2008 preliminary harvest is available on the DNR Web site.
Young hunters prove themselves safe and responsible
“What is really exciting, is the 9,907 mentored hunting licenses purchased by 10- and 11-year olds,” said Diane Brookbank, chief of DNR’s licensing and customer service unit. “These are the future hunters and conservationists that will step into the woods in place of the hunting ‘retirees’ as our population ages.”
Wardens reported no firearm incidents among these young hunters.
Hunt fourth safest in history
DNR hunter education administrator and conservation warden Tim Lawhern said there were seven hunting incidents during the nine-day gun hunt. A possible eighth incident remains under investigation.
"Our hearts go out to the families whose loved ones suffered injury during the hunting season,” said Lawhern. “Our goal is to eliminate all injury and loss of life while hunting. Every incident is investigated to learn what happened so we can work to prevent such incidents in the future.”
Self-inflicted gunshot injuries accounted for 57 percent (4 of 7) of this season’s incidents. Deer drives contributed to 25 percent of all incidents. Both categories and all firearm related incidents can be attributed to failure to observe one of the basic rules of firearm safety according to Lawhern.
Still, noted Lawhern, hunting remains a safe sport and has gotten safer over time as more and more hunters are graduates of hunter safety education courses. This is especially true in Wisconsin where the incident rate for hunters is well below the national average. The incident rate for 2009 in Wisconsin was 1.11 incidents per 100,000 hunters – the national average is 3 per 100,000.
“This was the fourth safest season ever and the fourth time in history that we’ve had a gun deer season with less than 10 incidents,” said Lawhern, “Nonetheless, our goal is zero incidents.”
More than 638,000 gun deer licenses sold
DNR’s automated License Issuance System, known as ALIS, peaked at 200 transactions per minute at 5:30 p.m. on the Friday before gun season. The 638,040 gun licenses sold through the end of the season on Nov 29 represent a near identical number of hunters as in 2008 when 642,419 hunters hit the woods.
•Nearly one in five hunters age 15 and younger is female and women bought 8.6 percent of all gun licenses sold
•All 50 states are represented in license sales with the highest number of nonresident hunters coming from Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan.
•The most licenses were sold in Dane County.
•All ages participate with over 54,000 hunters age 65 and older buying licenses.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1511
News Release Published: December 1, 2009 by the Central Office
Contact(s): Keith Warnke (608) 264-6023
This number is preliminary and is expected change before a final report is published in late winter. It does not include harvest information from the archery, October antlerless gun deer hunt, muzzleloader, December antlerless deer gun hunt or late archery seasons. The preliminary harvest count in 2008 was 276,895.
“Deer populations are variable throughout the state,” said Keith Warnke, DNR’s big game biologist, “and we believe people when they say they did not see deer in their hunting area. We have also received reports from successful camps. As always, local populations make all the difference.
“Wildlife management and especially deer management is a process of continual adjustment. In response to hunter input we adjusted seasons this year to reflect lower populations across the north and central forests and suspended EAB in many areas.”
DNR wildlife officials anticipated the total harvest would be down due to changes in season structure that significantly reduced the antlerless deer harvest, lower fawn production and tough weather conditions for deer and hunters alike. In some northeastern units it was not possible to shoot an antlerless deer and in other northern region units the small supply of bonus antlerless deer tags did not meet demand. Careful adjustment of antlerless tag numbers is an important tool in managing deer numbers.
“There are still days to hunt in 2009 in herd control units where deer are above goal and in CWD units. The muzzleloader hunt is underway and the December antlerless hunt is around the corner.”
In February, DNR biologists will compare unit-level harvest numbers against overwinter population estimates and will adjust the recommended season structure for 2010 to address any significant trends.
“A pillar of Wisconsin deer management is the accurate harvest figures provided by hunters,” said DNR wildlife biologist Jeff Pritzl. “Periods of stable deer populations have always been relatively short-lived in Wisconsin. Mandatory deer registration allows us to respond quickly to changing population levels. We have annually adapted our harvest strategies, and will continue to do so in consideration of what the 2009 harvest tells us about the deer population.”
“This year, in response to hunter input, we moved 29 units from earn-a-buck to herd control status and 38 units from herd control to regular unit status. The total number of regular units grew from 21 in 2008 to 59 this year.” said Warnke. “The result was inevitably less antlerless opportunity and lower antlerless harvest numbers.”
A table of county by county (pdf; 39kb) harvest broken down by DNR region, with a comparison to the 2008 preliminary harvest is available on the DNR Web site.
Young hunters prove themselves safe and responsible
“What is really exciting, is the 9,907 mentored hunting licenses purchased by 10- and 11-year olds,” said Diane Brookbank, chief of DNR’s licensing and customer service unit. “These are the future hunters and conservationists that will step into the woods in place of the hunting ‘retirees’ as our population ages.”
Wardens reported no firearm incidents among these young hunters.
Hunt fourth safest in history
DNR hunter education administrator and conservation warden Tim Lawhern said there were seven hunting incidents during the nine-day gun hunt. A possible eighth incident remains under investigation.
"Our hearts go out to the families whose loved ones suffered injury during the hunting season,” said Lawhern. “Our goal is to eliminate all injury and loss of life while hunting. Every incident is investigated to learn what happened so we can work to prevent such incidents in the future.”
Self-inflicted gunshot injuries accounted for 57 percent (4 of 7) of this season’s incidents. Deer drives contributed to 25 percent of all incidents. Both categories and all firearm related incidents can be attributed to failure to observe one of the basic rules of firearm safety according to Lawhern.
Still, noted Lawhern, hunting remains a safe sport and has gotten safer over time as more and more hunters are graduates of hunter safety education courses. This is especially true in Wisconsin where the incident rate for hunters is well below the national average. The incident rate for 2009 in Wisconsin was 1.11 incidents per 100,000 hunters – the national average is 3 per 100,000.
“This was the fourth safest season ever and the fourth time in history that we’ve had a gun deer season with less than 10 incidents,” said Lawhern, “Nonetheless, our goal is zero incidents.”
More than 638,000 gun deer licenses sold
DNR’s automated License Issuance System, known as ALIS, peaked at 200 transactions per minute at 5:30 p.m. on the Friday before gun season. The 638,040 gun licenses sold through the end of the season on Nov 29 represent a near identical number of hunters as in 2008 when 642,419 hunters hit the woods.
•Nearly one in five hunters age 15 and younger is female and women bought 8.6 percent of all gun licenses sold
•All 50 states are represented in license sales with the highest number of nonresident hunters coming from Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan.
•The most licenses were sold in Dane County.
•All ages participate with over 54,000 hunters age 65 and older buying licenses.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1511
News Release Published: December 1, 2009 by the Central Office
Contact(s): Keith Warnke (608) 264-6023
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
DNR Board Sets December Agenda
December 8 & 9 , 2009 Natural Resources Board Agenda
For meeting at:
Room G09, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2)
101 South Webster Street
Madison, Wisconsin
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Natural Resources Board will convene at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, in Room G09, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), Madison, Wisconsin. The Board will act on items 1-3 as listed on the Agenda.
Order of Business
1.Organizational Matters
A.Calling the roll
B.Approval of agenda for December 8 & 9, 2009
2.Information Items
A.Air, Waste and Water//Enforcement
None
B.Land Management, Recreation, and Fisheries/Wildlife
- Report and preliminary results of the 2009 firearm deer season (Tom Hauge, Keith Warnke, Randy Stark, and Diane Brookbank, 60 minutes)
3.Action Items
A.Air, Waste and Water//Enforcement
None
B.Land Management, Recreation, and Fisheries/Wildlife
- Request Adoption of Board Order WM-20-09, related to establishment of the deer hunting season frameworks (Keith Warnke, 60 minutes)
Order of Business
1.Organizational Matters
A.Calling the roll
B.Approval of minutes from October 21, 2009
C.Approval of minutes from November 13, 2009
2.Ratification of Acts of the Department Secretary
A.Real Estate Transactions
3.Action Items
A.Air, Waste and Water//Enforcement
- Request Authorization for Public Hearing on Board Order WT-15-09, Watershed Management’s Housekeeping Rule Revisions to chs. 102, 103, 105, 106, 108, 110, 114, 200, 203, 205, 210, 241, 299, 328, and 341 (Tom Mugan, 10 minutes)
- Request Adoption of Board Order FH-23-09, to revise Ch. NR 25 relating to the total allowable commercial harvest of whitefish in Lake Michigan (William Horns, 15 minutes
- Request Adoption of Board Order LF-08-09, to revise NR 52 relating to the Public Use of Lands Acquired under the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (Pat Henderson and Doug Haag, 20 minutes)
- Land Acquisition - Statewide Natural Areas - Oneida & Vilas Counties (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Acquisition and Donation - Baraboo Hills Recreation Area - Sauk County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Acquisition - White River Fishery Area - Waushara County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Acquisition & Project Boundary Modification - Hartman Creek State Park - Portage County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
Land Acquisition & Project Boundary Modification - Brunet Island State Park - Chippewa County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)Deleted- Land Acquisition - Wildcat Mountain State Park - Vernon County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Donation - Statewide Wildlife Habitat Area - Pierce County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Donation - Paul Olson Wildlife Area - Wood County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Donation – Statewide Natural Area - Door County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Donation - C.D. Besadny Fish & Wildlife Area - Kewaunee County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Land Donation & Project Boundary Modification - Green Bay West Shores Wildlife Area - Oconto County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
- Easement Donation - Statewide Natural Areas - Marquette County (Richard Steffes, 5 minutes)
4.Citizen Participation
A.Citizen Recognition
- Rebecca Wallace Award
None
A.Approval of 2010 Meeting Locations
6.Special Committee Reports
None
A.Retirement Resolutions
B.Donations
- The Friends of Kohler-Andrae State Park, Inc. will donate a Kubota Utility Vehicle at a value of $13,000 to Kohler-Andrae State Park
- Whitetails Unlimited Inc. will donate $5,615.17 to Upper Chippewa Area Wildlife Management for habitat work
A.Air, Waste, and Water/Enforcement
B.Land Management, Recreation, and Fisheries/Wildlife
None
Laurie Ross, Natural Resources Board Liaison
Phone: 608.267.7420
Email: Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov
Public Participation at Natural Resources Board Meetings
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource
See website for updates at: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/nrboard/2009/December/12-09-NRB-Agenda.htm
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Early returns on deer stubs and hunter self-survey indicate hunters are “seeing deer”
MADISON – Hunters report seeing between one to three deer per hunting trip during the early hunting seasons.
The data come from a preliminary count of deer registration stubs and new Department of
Natural Resources online hunter observation reports through October 28.
“Every successful hunter must fill out a Deer Harvest Information stub when they register their kill,” said Keith Warnke, DNR big game ecologist. “This year, there are blanks on the stub asking whether or not the deer was killed on public or private land, the number of deer seen on the day of the kill, the numbers of hours hunted on the day of the kill and weather conditions.”
With only a portion of registration stubs entered and much hunting still to come, officials emphasize that these numbers will almost certainly change.
The early tally of successful hunters shows 31,470 trips reported and 95,229 hours hunted; 92,029 deer were seen for an average sighting of one deer per hour hunted and two-and-half to three deer seen per trip. Overall weather ratings were reported as six on a 10-point scale with one being worst and 10 best.
Hunters filing voluntary hunter observation reports logged 3,430 trips 12,904 hours hunted and one-and-a-half to two deer seen per trip. Information on the Wisconsin Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey is available on the DNR Web site.
The eastern and southern farmland areas [PDF 294KB] saw the most hunting trips (9,659 and 9,940 respectively) by successful hunters. The greatest number of hunter field observation reports also came from eastern farmland (1,056 reports filed) and southern farmland (932 reports filed).
In both categories, hunters in the western farmland saw the most deer with 3.47 deer observed per trip for successful hunters and 2.09 deer observed per trip in the field observation reports.
Anticipated drop in harvest
As wildlife managers expected, preliminary registration returns entered through Nov. 5 show a decreased total archery harvest (about 31,000 in 2008 vs. about 22,000 in 2009).
“The archery antlerless harvest in this time period dropped by about 39 percent and the buck harvest climbed by about 7 percent,” said Warnke. “This was expected due mainly to fewer herd control units and no Earn a Buck outside of the CWD management zone.”
Antlerless registrations during the October antlerless gun hunt in herd control units were down also with about 11,000 deer registrations in the database in 2009 compared to about 26,000 by this date in 2008.
There are one-third fewer herd control units this year and no earn-a-buck requirements outside the CWD Zone thus, hunter opportunity to participate in the October gun hunt was more limited this year according to wildlife officials.
The registration numbers will most certainly change, say wildlife managers, as more stubs are entered.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke - (608) 264-6023 or Bob Manwell - (608) 2649248
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_Lookup.asp?id=195#art2
The data come from a preliminary count of deer registration stubs and new Department of
Natural Resources online hunter observation reports through October 28.
“Every successful hunter must fill out a Deer Harvest Information stub when they register their kill,” said Keith Warnke, DNR big game ecologist. “This year, there are blanks on the stub asking whether or not the deer was killed on public or private land, the number of deer seen on the day of the kill, the numbers of hours hunted on the day of the kill and weather conditions.”
With only a portion of registration stubs entered and much hunting still to come, officials emphasize that these numbers will almost certainly change.
The early tally of successful hunters shows 31,470 trips reported and 95,229 hours hunted; 92,029 deer were seen for an average sighting of one deer per hour hunted and two-and-half to three deer seen per trip. Overall weather ratings were reported as six on a 10-point scale with one being worst and 10 best.
Hunters filing voluntary hunter observation reports logged 3,430 trips 12,904 hours hunted and one-and-a-half to two deer seen per trip. Information on the Wisconsin Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey is available on the DNR Web site.
The eastern and southern farmland areas [PDF 294KB] saw the most hunting trips (9,659 and 9,940 respectively) by successful hunters. The greatest number of hunter field observation reports also came from eastern farmland (1,056 reports filed) and southern farmland (932 reports filed).
In both categories, hunters in the western farmland saw the most deer with 3.47 deer observed per trip for successful hunters and 2.09 deer observed per trip in the field observation reports.
Anticipated drop in harvest
As wildlife managers expected, preliminary registration returns entered through Nov. 5 show a decreased total archery harvest (about 31,000 in 2008 vs. about 22,000 in 2009).
“The archery antlerless harvest in this time period dropped by about 39 percent and the buck harvest climbed by about 7 percent,” said Warnke. “This was expected due mainly to fewer herd control units and no Earn a Buck outside of the CWD management zone.”
Antlerless registrations during the October antlerless gun hunt in herd control units were down also with about 11,000 deer registrations in the database in 2009 compared to about 26,000 by this date in 2008.
There are one-third fewer herd control units this year and no earn-a-buck requirements outside the CWD Zone thus, hunter opportunity to participate in the October gun hunt was more limited this year according to wildlife officials.
The registration numbers will most certainly change, say wildlife managers, as more stubs are entered.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke - (608) 264-6023 or Bob Manwell - (608) 2649248
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_Lookup.asp?id=195#art2
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Rut is Not Over: November 6th, 2009
Some of you dedicated readers have asked me if I am starting to see rut activity slow down in the last week. I hunt in both northern Wisconsin and the Midwest area of Wisconsin so I will give reports for both.
I want to let you know that I hunt the northern part of Wisconsin, about 10 miles north of Rice Lake, and as of this morning, I received a report that there was a 10 point buck pushing does around in an open hay field.
I also hunt in the Midwest portion Wisconsin, 8 miles east of Eau Claire, and as of this morning, the stand that had new scent dropped on it Monday night now has two new rubs, and one new scrape.
With the upcoming weekend being in the 60 degree area, we may see a little slow down. That actually is good news if you can get out Sunday night or Monday. With a small resting period we should see a spike in traffic this coming week.
Good luck and let me know if you have any reports from your area you would like to include.
I want to let you know that I hunt the northern part of Wisconsin, about 10 miles north of Rice Lake, and as of this morning, I received a report that there was a 10 point buck pushing does around in an open hay field.
I also hunt in the Midwest portion Wisconsin, 8 miles east of Eau Claire, and as of this morning, the stand that had new scent dropped on it Monday night now has two new rubs, and one new scrape.
With the upcoming weekend being in the 60 degree area, we may see a little slow down. That actually is good news if you can get out Sunday night or Monday. With a small resting period we should see a spike in traffic this coming week.
Good luck and let me know if you have any reports from your area you would like to include.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wisconsin DNR Open for Nominees for 13th Annual Ethical Hunter Award
EAU CLAIRE - With Wisconsin’s new mentored hunting law, youngsters 10 and 11 years old will be joining the upcoming gun deer hunt, carrying firearms under the close supervision of their mentors.
Each of these mentors has a big responsibility, and in a critical way so does every other gun hunter in the field this year, said warden supervisor Steve Dewald with the state Department of Natural Resources.
“We obviously want these youth to have a positive experience in their meetings with other hunters,” Dewald said. “These kids are at an impressionable age and what they see this year they will long remember. Our fondest hope is that these young people will be made to feel welcome in the community of hunters.”
And so everyone who hunts becomes a mentor. It has always been this way. And while a few violators will attract attention, thousands of hunter conservationists will quietly pursue their passion for wildlife this fall, following not only the rules but strict, personal codes of safety and responsibility.
To celebrate and honor these hunter conservationists, the state Department of Natural Resources and the La Crosse Tribune proudly announce the opening of nominations for the 13th annual Ethical Hunter Award.
“We are asking hunters to acknowledge ethical behavior in other hunters when they see it,” Dewald said.
Dewald, outdoor writer Jerry Davis and La Crosse Tribune outdoor editor Bob Lamb created the award in 1997 in an effort to bring attention to the positive contributions made by Wisconsin’s safe and ethical hunters.
“This is a statewide award, and every year we get nominations from all across Wisconsin,” Dewald said. “That’s a good sign.”
The award signifies the qualities of “hunters helping others rather than pursuing personal gain” and “hunters engaged in behavior that positively reflects on the tradition of hunting.”
Dewald encourages people who have nominated hunters in the past to consider whether the person they nominated would still qualify and to consider nominating that person again. There have been persons nominated in the past who would have won the award if nominated in a different year.
These stories that come in the mail illustrate what wildlife and law enforcement professionals already know – that positive and often admirable behavior is common among the majority of hunters, Dewald said.
The following are requirements to be eligible to receive the Ethical Hunter Award:
The nominee must be a licensed Wisconsin hunter.
The ethical hunting act must have taken place in Wisconsin during the 2009 calendar year.
Written nominations should contain the name, address and telephone number of the witness or witnesses to the behavior that led to the nomination.
Written nominations should be sent to Warden Supervisor Steve Dewald at the Department of Natural Resources, 3550 Mormon Coulee Road, La Crosse, WI 54601 by Jan. 15, 2010.
An 18-year-old Rhinelander hunter received the award last year for helping a young woman hunter whom he met out in the field to trail, field dress and retrieve a 17-point buck that she had shot but was unable to find.
Other award recipients in previous years have been recognized for:
- assisting a conservation warden who was dealing with a dangerous subject
- restoring wildlife habitat
- making private lands available to new hunters
- providing opportunities for disabled hunters
- rendering aid to a citizen at a serious car accident
- Special youth awards are also given to youngsters who hunt ethically.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Dewald, warden supervisor – (608) 785-9970 or Ed Culhane, a DNR communications specialist, at (715) 839-3715
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/DNRNews_Lookup.asp?id=194#art1
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Back to Basics Deer Tactics
Back to Basics Deer Tactics
By Scott Loomans
Wisconsin DNR 2009 Fall Hunting Forecast
Though once an important part of the deer hunter’s craft, still hunting has given way to waiting from a stationary position, or stand hunting, as the most popular way to hunt deer. Consider giving still hunting a try. If you’re successful, and even if you aren’t, you could be amazed at just how exciting is.
Still hunting is not just the punch line to an old joke about what a deer hunting widow’s spouse has been doing for the last nine days. Still hunting is the active pursuit of a deer with the goal of seeing it and having a shooting opportunity before the deer sees the hunter. The hunter and the quarry are on the ground together pitting their skills against each other.
As described by the late Wisconsinite George Mattis in his famous 1969 book, Whitetails, Fundamentals and Fine Points, the hunter’s movements are slow and measured, requiring even more patience than stand hunting. In getting started you can use an old logging road or deer trail, frozen waterway, or grassy field edge to cover ground silently. You’d be surprised by how often you can move quietly through freshly fallen leaves by waiting until just that hour when morning frost softens and dampens the ground cover. In the ridge-and-river country of Western Wisconsin, a still hunt can almost become more of a spot and- stalk type of pursuit.
Always be looking ahead and looking for more than just the deer. Parts of the deer like an ear, antler, the horizontal line of their back, or the white belly of a bedded animal are more often seen first.
Sometimes people miss out on the opportunity to still hunt because they are afraid to scare deer off of a property. If you are worried about that, consider doing your still hunting during the week or during the middle of the day while others are at lunch.
Post a stander along known escape routes. Consider just not worrying about it so that you can enjoy this style of hunting.
Sneaking up on a deer that doesn’t know you are after it is challenging but it is also one of the most exciting ways to hunt – and it may not be as difficult as you think. When I was younger I marveled at Mattis’ success stories but didn’t quite believe it was still possible to do in Wisconsin. Since then I have proven myself wrong a number of times hunting on both private and public land.
If you are looking for a hunt that will totally engross your senses, engage all of your hunting skills, and that will quite possibly be the most exciting hunt you can have, give still hunting a shot.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Trail Camera pictures posted by other hunters
Trail Camera pictures posted by other hunters
Ben Halverson
I recently requested whitetail trail cam photos from my twitter followers and I was graciously sent these great pics from http://twitter.com/laxfromdundalk. Check them out, follow him on Twitter and enjoy.
Ben Halverson
I recently requested whitetail trail cam photos from my twitter followers and I was graciously sent these great pics from http://twitter.com/laxfromdundalk. Check them out, follow him on Twitter and enjoy.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Practice is key to successful bow hunting
Practice is key to successful bow hunting
Weekly News Article Published: July 7, 2009 by the Central Office
MADISON -- When it comes to bow hunting, a state hunter safety specialist says practice is a must – but all practice is not equal.
“Not too long ago, archery practice meant a couple of bales of straw with a paper plate or pie tin attached,” said Tim Lawhern, hunter education administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “The quality of targets has improved, but the routine remains the same.”
The pie tin practice session remains effective to train the muscles, but fails to replicate what bow hunters face in real conditions. “Only when we can use these real life variables in our practice can we truly prepare for that shot-of-a-lifetime moment,” Lawhern said, adding practice sessions in your hunting clothes while using your gear makes the most sense.
Real-life variables to work into practice sessions address distance, shot angles, body position and obstructions.
Distance
More opportunities are blown because hunters fail to correctly judge distance, Lawhern says. “Many of today’s better-equipped hunters have addressed this issue with the purchase of a laser rangefinder,” he said. With a touch of a button on the laser rangefinder, the hunter can know within a yard the range of the target.
But, Lawhern advises, using a rangefinder is not a replacement for the ability to judge yardage on your own – and there are ways to practice. “Try tossing an object in the yard and take a guess how far away it is, then step off the distance to judge your guess,” Lawhern said. “You can do this walking in a park or in your yard working. Practice in both wooded and open areas. Perception is different in these areas.”
Shot angles
When it comes to bow hunting, there are two kinds of shot angles: vertical and horizontal.
The vertical angle is the one formed by the hunter being either above or below the deer, Lawhern says. “These angles are most associated with tree stands,” he said. “However, steep terrain can also play a factor in vertical angle.”
A good way to practice for this is to shoot from either a tree stand or a deck. If it's not possible to do this in your own yard, try the local sportsman’s or rod and gun club. Many will allow you to shoot for a nominal fee. Use the available terrain to practice as many different shot angles and distances.
Horizontal angle is the angle at which the deer is turned in relation to the hunter. “Most of the time, we refer to it as quartering away, or quartering toward,” Lawhern said. “The best way to practice for these types of shots is with one of the many 3-D animal targets available.”
Some companies make models with scoring rings or quartering shots, or ones with anatomically correct vitals painted on the side of the animal. If you are unable to get such a target, the standard version is fine.
“Just remember when shooting at an animal that is quartering, it is crucial that you keep in mind the location of the internal organs, and plan a shot that will angle through both lungs, regardless of where the scoring rings are located.”
Body position
Working various body positions into your practice routine is not difficult and doesn't require anything special. It is a matter of alternating shots from your normal stance with any other possible body positions that could occur during an actual hunt.
“These include planting your feet at various angles in relation to the target, as well as squatting, kneeling, or even sitting comfortably in your tree stand seat,” Lawhern said. “Try to imagine as many scenarios as possible and work them into your practice routine.”
Obstructions
Veteran hunters often will recall missing a target because the arrow collided first with a tree or branch.
Using any obstacle at hand, place your 3-D target in as many real-life-hunting situations as possible. “This may cost you an arrow or two, but the practice will be invaluable,” he said. "Further, make sure your shooting area is safe if you suspect you could have an arrow ricochet."
There is no way to prepare for every situation, Lawhern says. “But being able to judge distance, how and where to aim and make the shot regardless of your body position will boost your chances for success.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Lawhern - (608) 266-1317 or Joanne Haas (608) 267-0798
View all articles in this issue or check our previous Weekly News Issues.
Monday, June 8, 2009
2008 Gun Hunting Season: Who Were the Hunters?
2008 Gun Hunting Season: Who Were the Hunters?
Source: WI DNR
Of the 642,419 hunters this gun deer season: 94.3% were Wisconsin residents, 73,400 or 11.4% were youth (under the age of 18); 53,617 or 8.4% were Senior Citizens (65 years of age and older).
The number of female hunters continues to increase, representing 8.2% of the total number of deer hunters. A total of 52,497 females purchased a patron, sports or gun deer license (number includes residents and nonresidents) which is up from the 51,287 in 2007. Over 48% of the female hunters are under the age of 30 years.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Leave young wildlife in the wild
Leave young wildlife in the wild
Wisconsin DNR
Wisconsin DNR
Young animals rarely abandoned; sick animals may be able to transmit disease
MADISON – White-tailed deer fawns are starting to be seen in Wisconsin, and state wildlife officials and conservation wardens are starting to be inundated with calls from people who are concerned about an “abandoned” fawn.
“Fawns left alone in the woods are not abandoned,” says Keith Warnke, deer and bear ecologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “When fawns are born they have very little scent to them, and does intentionally leave them alone as a way of protecting them from predators. The mother is almost always nearby and keeping an eye on the fawn. She returns to the fawn to nurse when she feels it is safe. The best thing people can do if they come across a fawn in the woods is to go away and leave it alone.”
State wildlife and health officials say the same is true for almost all young wildlife seen in the wild. Most wildlife species will leave their young unattended for periods of time so they can go feed or find food to bring back.
“Closely approaching or contacting wild animals presents a risk of injury to humans and the animal. For that reason, the best and safest policy for people and animals is to leave them alone,” Warnke said.
People should avoid contact with all wild animals, but especially those acting abnormally, whether they appear sick or unusually friendly. While unlikely, it is possible for sick wild animals to transmit some illnesses, including rabies, to humans.
State wildlife health officials say skunks and bats are the most likely species to carry rabies in Wisconsin, although dogs, cats, raccoons, foxes and even livestock have been infected. People should keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for dogs, cats, and ferrets.
If a person is bitten by a bat, woodchuck, skunk, raccoon, fox or coyote, all of which can carry rabies, it's important to safely capture or kill the animal without injuring the brain. Brain tissue can be analyzed to determine whether or not the animal had rabies. Most domestic animals can simply be observed by a veterinarian and do not need to be tested in order to rule out rabies. Treatment for a rabies exposure can prevent the disease if initiated before symptoms occur.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke – - (608) 264-6023
Monday, May 25, 2009
2008 Gun Hunting Related Shooting Incidents
2008 Hunting Related Shooting Incidents
On the statewide historical scale, the 2008 Nine-Day Gun Deer Season was the third safest on
record. Our hearts go out to the families who suffered tragic loss of a family member or suffered
injury during the season. Our goal is to eliminate all injury and loss of life while hunting. We
conduct thorough investigations to learn what happened in these incidents so we can work to
prevent such incidents in the future.
There were a total of nine incidents, of which one was fatal (Outagamie County). Shooting at moving deer during deer drives contributed to 56% (5) of all of the incidents during the season, including the fatality. Self inflicted injuries were involved in 44% (4) this season. This was the third time in history that we’ve had a gun deer season with less than 10 incidents. The first season was in 2004 with only 5 incidents reported. Below is a graph depicting the incidents for the gun deer season since 1984, which clearly shows hunting is safe and getting safer.
Source: Wisconsin DNR 2008 Deer Hunting Season Report
View Entire Report at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/deer/summary.pdf
On the statewide historical scale, the 2008 Nine-Day Gun Deer Season was the third safest on
record. Our hearts go out to the families who suffered tragic loss of a family member or suffered
injury during the season. Our goal is to eliminate all injury and loss of life while hunting. We
conduct thorough investigations to learn what happened in these incidents so we can work to
prevent such incidents in the future.
There were a total of nine incidents, of which one was fatal (Outagamie County). Shooting at moving deer during deer drives contributed to 56% (5) of all of the incidents during the season, including the fatality. Self inflicted injuries were involved in 44% (4) this season. This was the third time in history that we’ve had a gun deer season with less than 10 incidents. The first season was in 2004 with only 5 incidents reported. Below is a graph depicting the incidents for the gun deer season since 1984, which clearly shows hunting is safe and getting safer.
Source: Wisconsin DNR 2008 Deer Hunting Season Report
View Entire Report at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/deer/summary.pdf
Saturday, April 25, 2009
DNR Official Resoponse to Earn-A-Buck
After all the talk, all the meetings, and all the voting, the DNR has released its official reponse to all the noise surrounding the earn-a-buck rule.
Below is the official release which can be found on the Wisconsin DNR website.
DNR Indefinitely Suspends Earn-a-Buck: Will work with hunters, farmers, foresters to develop alternative
News Release Published: April 23, 2009 by the Central Office
Contact(s): Adam Collins (608) 358-3629
MADISON – The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (the Board) today adopted the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) recommended fall season structure for the 2009 deer hunt, which includes no Earn-a-Buck units outside of the CWD management zone and 40 fewer deer management units with the October antlerless hunt. Overall, the number of units set to have a regular deer season has increased by 180 percent from 2008. Earn-a-Buck will continue within the CWD management zone during the 2009 season.
The Board also passed a resolution indefinitely suspending Earn-a-Buck and directing the DNR to begin a new process to develop effective, hunter supported alternatives to the program. Units within the CWD zone, where disease management efforts are ongoing, will continue to have Earn-a-Buck until those herds are at goal or effective alternative management strategies are developed. The Board also reaffirmed the importance of achieving a good balance to support Wisconsin’s strong deer hunting tradition and a quality hunt while maintaining a healthy, sustainable deer herd and protecting agriculture, forestry and ecosystems.
DNR Secretary Matt Frank issued the following statement about the action of the Natural Resources Board:
“DNR and the Natural Resources Board hear hunter concerns regarding the 2008 fall deer hunt, DNR deer population estimates, state deer population goals, and Earn-a-Buck regulations. We are not only listening, we are taking action by indefinitely suspending Earn-a-Buck. Concerns have been raised in extensive hearings conducted by the DNR and the legislature throughout the state, as well as by the Conservation Congress and numerous conservation organizations. While we should not underestimate the challenge we face in developing effective alternatives to Earn-a-Buck that will control the deer population where it is over goal, the DNR is strongly committed to working with hunters, landowners and the public to do just that.”
“Beyond finding an alternative to Earn-A-Buck, we will be taking important additional action over the next year. We will review and revise the state’s deer population goals covering the next three years. Strong public input will be critical to that process. We will also review and make necessary improvements to our system for estimating the deer population, including how we measure the impact of winter severity, natural predators, and other factors.”
“We look forward to working with the Natural Resources Board, the Legislature, the Conservation Congress, hunters, landowners, conservation organizations on these important issues.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)