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Editor's Advisory: A flooding alert posted on the DNR Web site

EDITOR'S ADVISORY: A flooding alert now posted on the DNR's home page links to a web page with the latest information to help people keep safe during the flooding and minimize damage to their property and the environment. Curent flood conditions, closures of roads, state parks and recreational trails are found on the web, as is information about assuring the safety of drinking water, preventing manure runoff during the flooding, and other tips.

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Cooperative study suggests Wisconsin’s black bear population is larger than thought

MADISON – Preliminary results of a two-year cooperative study of Wisconsin black bears suggest that the population may be two times or more larger than currently thought. Biologists stress that the new estimate comes from a half finished study and may change when data from the second year of the study are analyzed. Early results are encouraging, however, and indicate Wisconsin continues to provide quality habitat for large mammals like bears.

“This is good news,” said Keith Warnke, Department of Natural Resources deer and bear ecologist. “It means we have a healthy bear population, and we may be able to expand bear hunting opportunity. The other good news is that more people will have opportunities to see these great animals in the wild.”

The two-year, DNR-funded study was conducted by University of Wisconsin-Madison Wildlife Ecology graduate student Dave MacFarland under the guidance of Dr. Timothy Van Deelen.

“The preliminary results are comparable to bear densities in Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,” said Van Deelen. “Dave and I spent a good deal of time rechecking our calculations and we’re eager to see if the results hold when the second year of data are incorporated.”

In the bear study, some 3,500 baits marked with tetracycline were set out across the state’s bear range in 2006. Tetracycline, when ingested, is harmless to bears but leaves a telltale line in a bear’s bones. Successful bear hunters in 2006 and 2007 were asked to provide a section of a rib bone from bears they harvested for analysis. From those samples, the biologists were able to use a formula to calculate the estimated bear population.

Using tetracycline is a variation on a wildlife population estimating technique known as mark and recapture. Other examples of mark and recapture are banding of waterfowl and songbirds and radio collars or radio implants on other species. When hunters report harvesting a banded game bird or biologists recapture a banded songbird, that information is used in a model to estimate total populations.

Currently, biologists track black bear populations by placing a series of baits on routes in each county throughout the black bear’s range and record which are consumed by bears over a week long observation period. Biologists use these observations to help build a population model that also takes into account hunter harvest, hunter success rates, bear population data and historical harvest rates to generate a population estimate. This model estimates the current black bear population in Wisconsin to be at about 13,000.

“It is important to keep in mind that these models both provide information for us to consider when managing the bear population, and both are important to scientific bear management,” Warnke said. “We are always working to improve the science we have to manage wildlife populations. The department funded the research to improve our bear population estimate and expand the science base we have on this species. The Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association was a key collaborator on this study and many members participated in gathering data and contributing research supplies. I’d also like to thank Dave MacFarland for organizing and conducting this research and his help in enlisting cooperation from the bear hunters.”

In the tetracycline study, a much larger number of bait stations were used and the bait stations were constructed in a way that only bears could reach the bait. The new study also carefully adjusted the amount of bait so that a single bear would likely consume all of it in one visit, greatly reducing the possibility that one bait might mark two bears. By comparing the number of baits consumed in a season to the number of harvested bears showing the tetracycline marker in their bones, scientists were able to calculate the new population estimate.

Officials stress that these are preliminary findings and it is too early to draw conclusions or implement changes. The earliest possible changes that would impact bear hunting permit availability would be for the 2009 hunting season. Adjusting black bear population goals will necessitate changes to administrative rules and involve public meetings, and Natural Resources Board and legislative approval.

“When the final results are in we’ll be able to use this information to assess bear population goals and adapt our bear management program,” says Warnke. “Any changes to bear management policies will be done carefully, with public input and only after thorough analysis of potential impacts. The first priority is and always will be conservation of the resource.”

“Our bear population is expanding and one benefit of that is that people can expect to see bears in areas outside what is thought of as traditional range,” Warnke said. “Despite bears’ general shyness toward humans, people in the central and southwest areas of the state likely can expect to see more evidence of bears as they disperse, looking for new territories.”

Adult black bears typically weigh 250 to 500 pounds for males (boars) and 200 to 450 pounds for females (sows). Infant bears, called cubs, are born quite tiny but by the time they are 2 months old, they weigh about 6 pounds. Females give birth to two or three cubs in January or February when they are still in their winter sleep. When standing on all four paws, adult bears measure 2 to 3 feet tall at their shoulders.

Tips for living safely with black bears

Biologists offer the following advice for avoiding unwanted encounters with black bears:

• Never feed bears – the bear will not forget the feeding experience and will return, possibly becoming a nuisance.
• Make bird feeders inaccessible to bears by hanging them at least 10 feet off the ground and 5 feet away from tree trunks or on a limb that will not support a bear.
• Bring feeders in around mid-April when bears emerge hungry from their winter dens.
• Keep garbage cans indoors if possible.
• Bring in pet food at night.
• Do not keep food in your tent if you are camping.
• Store camp food and cooking utensils away from your campsite.
• Dispose of food scraps in closed containers away from the campsite – not in the fire.

If you encounter a black bear:

• Make noise – let the bear know you are there so you don’t surprise it.
• If you happen to surprise a black bear at close range, back away slowly or, if available, get into a vehicle or structure until the bear leaves the area.
• Leash your dogs in known bear country.
• Respect black bears as wild animals and enjoy them safely - from a distance.

Nuisance black bears

The agency responsible for nuisance black bears in Wisconsin is the U.S Department of Agriculture – Wildlife Services. Report nuisance bears to them at:

USDA-WS, Waupun district
1201 Storbeck Dr.
Waupun, WI 53963
1-800-433-0663*
920-324-4514

or

USDA-WS, Rhinelander district
PO Box 1064
Rhinelander, WI 54501
1-800-228-1368*
715-369-5221

More information on black bears in Wisconsin is available on the Wildlife Management pages of the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke, DNR - (608) 264-6023 or Timothy Van Deelen, UW, - (608) 265-3280

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June proclaimed ‘Great Outdoors Month’ in Wisconsin

MADISON – The month of June has been proclaimed “Great Outdoors Month” in Wisconsin by Gov. Jim Doyle to encourage families to get out and celebrate and experience the many outdoor activities the state has to offer both residents and visitors.

“Wisconsin’s vast natural and cultural resources provide citizens and visitors opportunities to hike, bike, fish, camp, swim, learn about nature and enjoy numerous other outdoor activities on public and private lands,” Doyle noted in the proclamation.

“Playing and exploring outdoors gives children and their families time to connect with nature, engage in exercise and healthy activities, and have fun,” adds Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank. “This, in turn, leads to a renewed commitment to conserving our air, water and land.”

To help encourage people to get out and enjoy Great Outdoors Month, Frank announced that the Department of Natural Resources is launching a new initiative called “Get Outdoors! Wisconsin,” which was developed in response to the national “No Child Left Inside” movement. The program will bring together new and existing partners such as organizations like the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, hospitals, schools, museums, and zoos. It will encourage Wisconsinites to enjoy unstructured time outdoors (nature free play), a vital component to healthy and active lifestyles. Upcoming activities will include fitness programs, educational materials for youth, nature games in the outdoors, and other “hooks” that engage each person with nature in a fun and free way.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Wisconsin State Parks - (608) 266-2181

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Walleye bag limits will increase on some northern lakes

MADISON – Daily walleye bag limits will increase June 13 on 258 lakes in the Wisconsin Ceded Territory to reflect spring spearing harvest by six Wisconsin bands of Chippewa Indians.

Illustration of Walleye by Virgil Beck.

A daily bag limit of two walleye will increase to three walleye per day on 93 lakes. In addition, 165 lakes will go from an initial bag limit of two or three walleyes per day to the state daily bag limit of five, according to Joe Hennessy, who coordinates the treaty fisheries management program for the Department of Natural Resources. Anglers should consult the 2008-09 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, signs at boat landings, and the 2008-2009 Revised Ceded Territory Walleye Bag Limits pamphlet for lake-specific information.

“This is good news for sport anglers and for local and state economies” said DNR Secretary Matthew Frank. “Increasing bag limits after the spring spearing season -- the time when Chippewa bands make most of their yearly harvest -- gives sport anglers more opportunities and more reasons to head north for a great day of fishing on Wisconsin waters while assuring that the tribes maintain their harvest rights.”

As part of a 1983 Federal Appellate Court decision affirming Chippewa off-reservation hunting, fishing, and gathering rights, the six bands of Wisconsin Chippewa set annual harvest quotas for off-reservation lakes in the Wisconsin Ceded Territory. To assure the combined tribal and recreational angler harvest does not exceed a sustainable level, the state sets recreational bag limits in lakes declared for harvest by the Chippewa bands.

An administrative rule passed by the state Natural Resources Board in 1998 allows the department to adjust initial bag limits annually to reflect actual spring spearing harvests and projected summer harvests.

Of the 152 lakes with bag limits less than five, one lake will have a bag limit of one walleye per day, 66 lakes will have a bag limit of two walleye per day, and 85 lakes will have a daily bag of three walleye per day. The six Chippewa tribes together declared a harvest of 51,683 walleye for 2008 and had harvested 27,856 as of May 19, 2008.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Hennessy - (608) 267-9427

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Ruffed Grouse populations continue slow rise

MADISON – Each year since 1964, state biologists, foresters, wardens, federal foresters and members of the Ruffed Grouse Society have driven survey routes stopping to listen at predetermined locations for the unmistakable sound of drumming ruffed grouse. These drumming counts and observational data on breeding success are used to estimate grouse population changes and season outlooks

“Statewide the ruffed grouse population increased about 7 percent between 2007 and 2008,” said Scott Hull, upland game biologist with the Department of Natural Resources.

“The northern and southeast regions showed the greatest increase in drumming activity over last year, with 12 percent and 33 percent increases, respectively,” says Hull. “The central region showed a slight decrease of 3 percent and the southwest region showed a decline of 20 percent fewer drums than in 2007.”

Ruffed grouse drumming surveys are divided into four regions around the state. A map of the regions can viewed on the ruffed grouse page of the DNR Web site.

Biologists note that while the 7 percent statewide increase over last year supports the idea that the population is growing, the change is statistically not significant and may be due to random chance.

“These are great survey results and I’m very optimistic that we’ll have a great grouse season in 2008,” said Hull.

More birds generally lead to more hunting days in the field and higher success rates, say wildlife managers. During the 2007-08 grouse season, about 101,000 hunters reported spending 826,000 days in the field hunting grouse.

“Hunters reported harvesting roughly 482,000 grouse in 2007,” said Hull. “At the time of the last population peak, back in 1999, they reported taking about 768,000.”

“For reasons not well understood, grouse populations fluctuate on a roughly 8- to 10-year cycle. Wisconsin’s population has been on the upswing for about the past three or four seasons, and that is welcome news for grouse hunters and folks who enjoy hearing the drumming in the woods.”

Ruffed grouse are one of Wisconsin’s most popular upland game birds. The characteristic ‘drumming’ noise is readily recognized and is produced by males during the spring breeding season. The male grouse will stand on drumming logs and rapidly beat their wings with the intention of attracting a female grouse.

Dates for the 2008 Ruffed Grouse hunting seasons are: Zone A – Sept. 13 – Jan. 31, 2009 and Zone B – Oct. 18 – Dec. 8. Additional information is on the ruffed grouse page of the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Hull - (608) 267-7861

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Wisconsin lake sturgeon star in IMAX film opening in Milwaukee

“Mysteries of the Great Lakes” run starts June 13

MADISON -- Wisconsin’s lake sturgeon and the people dedicated to sustaining this gigantic, prehistoric fish star in a $6 million IMAX film opening June 13 at the Milwaukee Public Museum.

“Wisconsin is essentially the star of the film,” says David Lickley, director and producer of “Mysteries of the Great Lakes,” a production of Science North science center in Sudbury, Ontario. “We jokingly said at one point we could have called it “Mysteries of Wisconsin.”

There’s a huge amount of Wisconsin content, which Lickley attributed to the story they were able to develop around the lake sturgeon and around Ron Bruch, a Department of Natural Resources fisheries supervisor who has become internationally known for leading the Lake Winnebago sturgeon management program.

“Ron Bruch is one of those characters you run across rarely on our film format,” Lickley says. “I worked with Jane Goodall on a film a few years back and she was the epitome of a scientific character to put in a film because she’s so articulate, compassionate, just the perfect sort of character. And when we found Ron, he was the fish equivalent of Jane Goodall.”

A lake sturgeon makes its journey up the Wolf River on a sunny, April day.

Downloadable files featuring a longer interview with Lickley and Bruch are available online on a special “Mysteries of the Great Lakes” Web page that also features the movie’s trailer, photographs taken during filming, and other information about the IMAX film and Wisconsin’s lake sturgeon management efforts.

Lake sturgeon are one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, able to grow up to 300 pounds and live 150 years or more. While other sturgeon populations around the globe dwindle, Wisconsin’s century-old sturgeon management program and citizen commitment have enabled the Lake Winnebago System to sustain the world’s largest lake sturgeon population and to continue to offer a unique sturgeon spearing opportunity. The population has provided eggs, and DNR staff have provided experience and knowledge in dealing with this large fish, for other states and nations trying to restore their own lake sturgeon populations.

“Mysteries of the Great Lakes” tells this story, and lets audiences “dive” underwater with a 200-pound sturgeon making her spawning run up the Wolf River as crowds cheer her on and protect her from poachers. It takes audiences to the stream-side rearing pens the DNR is operating with help from volunteers to raise sturgeon for release in Lake Michigan tributary streams.

The film tells the story of the recovery of the bald eagle and concerns over mercury contamination of chicks that eat sea lampreys. Filming for those sequences was set on the Bad River Indian Reservation and featured Tribal biologists.

“Mysteries of the Great Lakes” takes the audience on trip through spectacular scenery, exploring along the way the unusual biological adaptations of the woodland caribou on Slate Islands, the Presque Island wildlife preserve, and the shipwrecks that litter the Great Lakes.

“They did a very good job of telling the story,” says Bruch, who participated in the film’s premiere in Sudbury Ontario in early May. “It was a very positive experience.”

He has high hopes that the film and an accompanying curriculum will raise awareness about Wisconsin’s sturgeon, the region’s spectacular natural resources, and the challenges they face.

“Wherever this film shows, people will realize what kind of sturgeon population Wisconsin has and recognize what Wisconsin has done to have the populations we have. Knowing what impact the film should have on helping people understand the issues the Great Lakes face and how we can perhaps over time really have meaningful solutions to these problems – to be a part of that is really rewarding.”

Many of the volunteers who have been so critical to the strength of Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago lake sturgeon population and efforts to restore the species to Lake Michigan are being treated to a sneak peak of the film on June 11. The DNR, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute, the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, and the Milwaukee Public Museum are sponsoring the event.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Bruch, DNR – (920) 424-3059 or David Lickley, Science North - (705) 523-4629 ext. 254

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June is Invasive Species Awareness Month in Wisconsin

Many events provide opportunities to learn about, help control invasive species

MADISON – June has been declared Invasive Species Awareness Month in Wisconsin, with dozens of events scheduled across the state to help Wisconsin residents and visitors gain a better understanding of the impact of invasive species on the state’s waters, wild lands and agricultural lands.

“Invasive Species Awareness Month is a great way to reach out to the community and provide information about some of the invasive species issues that face Wisconsin today,” said plant conservation manager Kelly Kearns, of the Bureau of Endangered Resources. “These events allow us to share information on how invasives are affecting our environment, and share ways to prevent the spread of invasives in our communities and prevent the introduction of new invasive species.”

In 2008, the focus is on aquatic invasives, but educational and hands-on events planned throughout the month will touch on all the invasive species issues Wisconsin faces. Included will be field trips, lectures, boat trips, hikes and work parties. Most events are open to all ages and experience levels, and happen on different days throughout the month of June.

Some examples include: work parties at various locations around the state to remove invasive species, such as garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a Eurasian biennial that rapidly spreads in forests and, although found primarily in the southern and eastern counties, is moving into the rest of the state; an invasive species identification bike ride through Ozaukee County; and workshops hosted by Clean Boats, Clean Waters on how to avoid spreading aquatic invasives.

Aquatic invasive species are a critical issue, given that Wisconsin is bordered by the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, and has a network of 15,000 lakes and countless streams within its borders. Invasive Species Awareness Month provides an opportunity to help citizens become part of the solution by stopping the introduction, transport and spread of invasive species.

Invasive Species Awareness Month is a project of the Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species. More information and a list of Invasive Species Awareness Month events (exit DNR) are available on the council’s Invasive Species Awareness Month Web site [exit DNR].

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Kearns - (608) 266-5066

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Using several methods provides best control of gypsy moths

MADISON – Aerial spraying to control gypsy moth in Wisconsin has been completed for this year, but state forestry officials say the end of aerial spraying doesn’t mean the end of options for controlling this tree-defoliating pest.

Gypsy moth caterpillar

“Gypsy moth outbreaks are best controlled using a combination of management tools,” says Andrea Diss-Torrance, Suppression Program Coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources.

Diss-Torrance says aerial spraying of insecticide typically kills 85 to 95 percent of the population, and that alone is usually enough to prevent defoliation and even nuisance problems. However, if the population is very high it may be necessary for people who want to protect their tree to supplement the spray with other management tools to get good control.

“The weather last summer was very favorable for gypsy moth and we started this year with a bumper crop of eggs in some areas,” Diss-Torrance says. “Even if you kill 95 percent of a very high population with a spray, you may still be left with too many caterpillars and need to consider using additional management tools to get the control you want.”

People should check trees now for egg masses from this spring. Pictures of egg masses can be found on the state’s gypsy moth control program Web site [exit DNR].

Egg masses will be torn up and pale beige by early June, and any caterpillars that could have hatched this spring will have done so. Undersides of large branches of oaks are a favorite spot for gypsy moths to lay their eggs. If there are more than 100 egg masses on a tree, it indicates there was a very high starting population of caterpillars this spring.

Even in areas that were sprayed, landowners may want to consider having a certified arborist check trees to see if a second spray of individual trees may be necessary to get the necessary control. People can search for a certified arborist for hire through the Wisconsin Arborists Association Web site [exit DNR].

For homeowners with gypsy moths, putting sticky barrier bands up on trees and collecting caterpillars under burlap bands can help reduce the population of the pest on yard trees. Directions for how to use these controls are on the gypsy moth Web site under the Management Options for Yard Trees link.

In July, if homeowners see the brown pupae or white female moths on trees or siding, they can be knocked down with a broom or hose and then crushed.

“Avoid crushing the female moths with your hands or feet or her scent will get on you and male gypsy moths will be attracted to you in high numbers, “ warns Diss-Torrance. “While the males are harmless, this can be a nuisance.”

Later this month, watch for caterpillars hanging on the trunk of trees that have been killed by the fungal disease Entomophaga maimaiga or the viral disease NPV.

“The wet weather we have had this spring is favorable for Entomophaga,” Diss-Torrance says. “We are hoping that this introduced, specific fungus will cause an epidemic among the gypsy moth and cause the outbreak to collapse like it did in 2004 in the Milwaukee area.”

People who would like their property or neighborhood included in the 2009 Suppression Program spraying should contact county and local officials in July to report gypsy moth infestation and request that the county participate in the Suppression Program.

Contact information is also available on the Gypsy Moth [exit DNR] Web site by clicking on a blue or red county on the map. Choose “contacts” from the left side menu on the next page that appears. Call the community contact for residential areas or the county contact for rural woodlots. If there is no community contact listed, call the county and your local public works department, community forester, or town clerk.

For properties with too many trees to make a ground-based spray affordable or physical control feasible, private aerial sprays can be arranged for 10 or more acres. A guide for doing this is also available online.

Gypsy moths seldom kill trees on their own. Mature, healthy trees can generally withstand two to three consecutive years of heavy defoliation. Instead, trees can be killed by the combination of stresses caused by defoliation, drought, soil compaction, other insects, and much more. If drought conditions occur this summer, you can help your trees stay healthy by watering them for one to two hours each week, during weeks with no rain. Do not fertilize this year or next if trees are defoliated. This can cause them to overextend themselves by producing too much foliage, too fast, with limited energy reserves.

For publication requests or questions, or to report gypsy moth infestations to the DNR call 1-800-642-6684 and choose menu option # 2 anytime 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days per week.

CONTACTS: Andrea Diss-Torrance, Suppression Program Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 608-264-9247

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Workshops offered on permits needed for increasing livestock operations

MADISON - People interested in increasing the size of their livestock operations in Wisconsin can attend workshops and Web conferences that will be held around the state in June and July on how to secure permits to operate Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).

Participants will hear from a featured livestock producer experienced in the permitting process, and will have one-on-one access to state agency representatives who can provide applications and materials for necessary water quality permits. The Departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the University of Wisconsin – Extension and the Dairy Business Association will also provide information.

In Wisconsin, any livestock operation planning to grow beyond 700 dairy cows, 1,000 beef cattle or 2,500 hogs must apply for a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit.

Large-scale livestock operators, consultants, engineers and other related parties will get an in-depth look at the latest regulations and permit requirements and learn how to avoid costly mistakes and inefficiencies in the permit process. The workshops and Web conferences will target current WPDES permit holders as well as livestock operators planning to apply for a state water quality permit.

“We want to work with producers and get them the information they need to have successful operations and to head off potential problems,” says Gordon Stevenson, director of the DNR Runoff Management Section.

The agenda for the current permit holders will cover nutrient management planning, plans and specifications submittal for manure storage and runoff control and monitoring and reporting requirements. DNR staff will also provide information on revisions to WPDES requirements effective as of July 2007.

The sessions for growing operations will cover calculating the number of animals onsite to determine whether a permit is needed, what information must be submitted as part of a permit application and presentations on the DNR permitting process and requirements.

Face-to-face workshops will run from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., and they will be held at the following dates and locations: Green Bay, June 23; Johnson Creek, June 24; Eau Claire, July 8; Richland Center, July 9.

The Web conferences are three-hour sessions to be held at several locations around the state on the following dates and will cover these topics: Livestock Siting, July 18; Applying for a WPDES Permit, July 25; Submittal of Plans and Specs, July 30; CAFO Nutrient Management Plans, July 31.

The cost to attend the workshops is $30, which includes access to the Web conferences. For more information or to register, visit [Conservation Professional Training Program [exit DNR] and click on “CAFO.” Or contact Kevin Erb at (920) 391-4652 or kevin.erb@ces.uwex.edu.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Gordon Stevenson, DNR - (608) 267-2759

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2007 Wisconsin Big Game Hunting Summary available

MADISON – Summaries of the 2007 deer, black bear and turkey hunting seasons along with breakdowns of firearm related incidents, tribal harvests, CWD zone harvests and turkey harvest by county and zone are now available in the 2007 edition of the Wisconsin Big Game Hunting Summary.

The complete 90-page summary for these species is available in hard copy at most Department of Natural Resources service centers and by request from Jason Fleener, DNR Wildlife Management, WM/6, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 (608)261-7589 or by e-mail at [jason.fleener@wisconsin.gov]. Reports are also available on the Wisconsin Wildlife surveys page of the DNR Web site.

“It was another great year for hunting in Wisconsin,” said Keith Warnke, DNR’s big game ecologist.

Overall, deer hunters had a top notch year posting the second best total deer harvest at 520,416 deer registered (only 2000 is higher at 618,274) and archers posted their best ever season, registering 116,010 deer.

Hunters will have additional opportunity to harvest antlerless deer and continue progress toward deer population goals during the October antlerless only gun season (Oct. 16-19), which is set to resume after a trial two year moratorium in Herd Control units statewide, except in the Central Forest Deer Management Units (DMUs 53, 54A, 55, 56, and 58), according to Warnke.

“Bear hunters also had great success and deer hunters, with expanded opportunity and a huge herd, did very well,” he said.

Black bear hunters registered 2,797 bears, down slightly from the previous year’s harvest of 3,068 in 2006. The four leading counties for bear harvest were Bayfield (255), Price (233), Sawyer (199) and Rusk (193). The report also tallies the number of nuisance bears captured (756) and relocated.

Hunters experienced a good spring wild turkey season in 2007 registering 52,428 birds for a 25.5 percent success ratio. This was up nearly 6,000 over 2006 (46,662 and 23.2 percent).

Fall Wild turkey harvest was down slightly over 2006. Hunters registered 12,010 turkeys in 2007 for an overall success rate of 14.9 percent compared to 12,108 in 2006 and 15.4 percent.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Fleener - (608) 261-7589