2009 gun deer hunt on the doorstep

MADISON – Hunters anxiously waiting for opening morning of the 2009 gun deer hunt won’t have to sit still much longer with the Nov. 21 opener just days away.

“Deer hunting is part of the bedrock of our traditions in Wisconsin and I’d like to wish hunters and their families the best of luck for a safe and successful hunt,” said Department of Natural
Resources Secretary Matt Frank.

Last minute reminders

Every deer season is a little different and 2009 is no exception. DNR wildlife managers and conservation wardens wish to remind hunters of some important changes for this year’s hunt.

• Most of the north and central forest region deer management units are designated as Regular Deer Management Units in 2009. Consequently, the free antlerless tags valid in Herd Control Units are not valid in these regular units. Hunters wishing to harvest an antlerless deer in these units must purchase a unit-specific antlerless deer carcass tag ($12 for residents, $20 for nonresidents).
  
• Unit-specific antlerless deer carcass tags are limited in number. There are no antlerless tags available in 13 northeastern Wisconsin units and some units with low numbers of tags have already sold out. Check the regulations and be sure you know the rules for your unit and have the right tags.
  
• The free antlerless deer carcass tag that comes with a gun deer license is good only in herd control units.
  
• Only CWD Management Zone units will have earn-a-buck in 2009.
  
• The venison pantry program is celebrating its 10th anniversary – a list of participating processors is available on the Deer Donation page of the DNR Web site. This program – made possible by hunters - has had a tremendous positive impact on thousands of families.
  More information on deer hunting in Wisconsin is available on the DNR Web site.
  

Safety
Safety should always be the number one priority as hunters head to the woods. Research shows that every firearms-related incident is a violation of one or more of the four basic rules of firearm safety.

“All four are common sense and should be part of every hunting activity you do,” said conservation warden and Hunter Education Administrator, Tim Lawhern, who is also president of the International Hunter Education Association.

• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded
• Always point the muzzle in a safe direction
• Be sure of your target and what is beyond it
• Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot

Youth Hunting
Remember when you were a kid, when your dad or mom or an uncle took you to deer camp or out on opening morning for the first time?

Think about sharing that experience and the wonder of the hunt with a youngster. Wisconsin’s new Mentored Hunting Law makes it possible for hunters as young as 10 years to hunt with a mentor.

The mentored hunter does not have to complete Hunter Safety Education to hunt under this program. The mentor does have to be a licensed hunter. There can be only one firearm between the mentor and mentored hunter, and they must remain within arm’s length of each other.

These common sense requirements make this the safest and best young-hunter program in the country. Mentored Hunting Law details are available on the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke - (608) 264-6023 or Bob Manwell - (608) 2649248

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources