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One week remaining to file applications for clean water stimulus funds

MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank today announced municipalities have one week left to file an application for stimulus funds through the Wisconsin Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund. Governor Jim Doyle previously announced $106 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for clean water revolving fund in Wisconsin, providing grants to municipalities for water infrastructure projects.

“I strongly encourage all eligible municipalities to submit their applications for these important stimulus funds by June 30,” Secretary Frank said. “The clean water stimulus funds will put people to work on important water construction projects in communities throughout Wisconsin.”

Twenty percent of the recovery funds will be used for projects to address water or energy efficiency goals, mitigate storm water runoff, or encourage environmentally sensitive project planning, design, and construction. Priority will be given to projects ready to proceed to construction in 12 months and quick-start projects.

The recovery funds for clean water revolving programs will be distributed to municipalities by the Department of Natural Resources through competitive grants. The state has worked closely with municipalities to ensure applications are received in time to be considered.

More information on the Wisconsin Clean Water Revolving Fund and how to apply for environmental loans is available on the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Collins, (608) 266-2243

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52,581 turkeys registered in Wisconsin’s 2009 Spring turkey season

Fall season permit applications due August 1

MADISON – Wisconsin hunters registered a near record 52,581 turkeys during the 2009 spring turkey season coming up just 233 birds shy of 2008’s record harvest of 52,814 birds.

“We were very pleased about the harvest totals this year,” says Scott Hull, DNR upland game ecologist. “Despite some more intense weather events the past couple years and concerns about increased mortality, Wisconsin’s turkey population has once again proved that it is strong, stable and resilient.”

A total of 218,133 permits were issued for the spring hunt according to licensing officials. This was an increase of more than 9,161 permits sold compared to 2008.

Hunter success rates continued to be quite good. As in past years, success rates generally were highest during the early and middle hunting periods.

“Hunters recorded a 32 percent success rate during the first period,” Hull says. “Success then dropped to 27 and 23 percent for the second and third periods, which is expected but is still telling of good hunting conditions.”

The preliminary counts showed that adult toms comprised 85 percent of the total harvest, which is higher than the long term average of 72 percent. However, this was not entirely unexpected and reflects last year’s observed lower brood success.

New Zone 1 [PDF 171KB] produced the highest overall turkey harvest at 15,729 birds, followed by Zone 3 with 12,947 turkeys. The best hunter success rate appears to be in Zone 2 with a preliminary success rate of 30 percent, followed by Zone 4 at 28 percent success.

New this year is the inclusion of the Turkey Hunting Regulations with the small game regulations. Both the 2009 Fall Turkey and 2010 Spring Turkey Regulations are included in the 2009 Small Game Regulations. Regulations are available online from the DNR wild turkey Web page and are available in hard copy at license vendors.

The fall 2009 wild turkey season will run from Sept. 12 through Nov. 19, with the likelihood of an extended season pending legislative review. If approved, the extended season dates will include Nov. 30 to Dec. 31. Hunters should check the DNR Wild Turkey Web page for updates.

The deadline for applying for a fall permit through the lottery process is August 1. Applications cost $3 and can be purchased: over the Internet through the Online Licensing Center; at automated license issuance system sales locations; or by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4236).

FOR MORE INFORMATION: on the turkey season contact Scott Hull, Upland Wildlife Ecologist (608) 267-7861, Sharon Fandel, Assistant Upland Wildlife Ecologist (608) 261-8458; or Robert Manwell, Senior Public Affairs Manager (608)264-9248

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Turkey season ends nearly incident-free

MADISON - State hunting safety officials credit attention to firearm safety and respect for property by Wisconsin turkey hunters with making the 2009 Spring Turkey Hunt ended the safest season on record.

“We almost ended with no hunting incidents,” said Tim Lawhern DNR Hunter Safety Administrator. “The only incident happened on the very last day of the season.”

The investigation into the Crawford County incident is pending and details cannot be released. However, Lawhern said it involved one turkey hunter on private land shooting another hunter while attempting to stalk a turkey. The hunter who was shot will survive, he said.

“Clearly, there are things that went wrong in that situation,” Lawhern said. “The good news is we continue to improve on our overall safety record.”

Lawhern credits the improved safety during the years to hunters’ awareness of the four basic rules of firearms:

Treat every firearm as if loaded
Know your target and what is beyond it
Point the muzzle in a safe direction
Keep finger outside trigger guard until ready to shoot

“Turkey hunters also must know what a legal target is for spring turkey hunting – and that means only male turkeys,” Lawhern said. “The turkey hunter must see a beard on the turkey – and be certain it is a live bird and not a decoy.”

A hunter's decision to shoot must be based in fact and not belief, he said.

“Congratulations to Wisconsin’s turkey hunters and keep up the good work,” Lawhern said. “Remember: safe hunting is no accident.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION: on hunter safety contact Tim Lawhern, DNR Hunter Education Administrator – (608) 266-1317 or Joanne Haas, Senior Public Affairs Manager, (608) 267-0798

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Natural Resources Board updated on wolf management in Wisconsin

NEW RICHMOND – The Natural Resources Board heard today at its meeting in New Richmond that Wisconsin’s gray wolf population is now estimated at between 626 and 662 wolves, about a 14 percent increase over the 2007-2008 estimate of between 549 and 576. The population report was part of an annual update on wolf management activity under Wisconsin’s Wolf Management Plan.

The presentation also included information on the goal and outline for a new wolf management plan that is due in 2010. In the event that a public wolf harvest were to be authorized at some point in the future, the update included an initial hunting and trapping season framework suggested by the department and the Wolf Science Committee, a state group of biologists and researchers from a number of governmental agencies and universities.

The board heard that implementation of wolf hunting and trapping season would require new legislation, rule development and extensive public input throughout the process. The Wolf Science Committee also suggested that any Wisconsin harvest plan be considered from a regional viewpoint, taking into consideration wolf populations and territories in neighboring Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, as those states are in various stages of considering a harvest season. Wisconsin’s current wolf population was established by wolves dispersing on their own from those states.

The annual winter wolf count relies on aerial tracking of radio-collared wolves and snow track surveys by DNR and volunteer trackers. Also included are wolf sightings by members of the public. The agency has conducted these counts since the winter of 1979-1980 when there were 25 wolves in the state.

Adrian Wydeven, a DNR conservation biologist and wolf specialist, indicated that although the wolf population growth had slowed down in recent years, it did increase somewhat this past winter. State wolf populations increased over 20 percent annually during the 1990s, but since 2000 growth rates have slowed to 10-12 percent annually. He also noted that to adequately protect the wolf population should a wolf harvest season be implemented, the science team felt an increase in the current management goal would have to be considered. The revised goal would be part of a new management plan.

A total of 162 wolf packs were detected in Wisconsin. A pack consists of at least 2 adult wolves each. Biologists found 23 packs distributed across central Wisconsin and 139 packs in northern Wisconsin. The largest packs in the state were the Tupper Creek Pack near Winter in Sawyer County, with 8-11 wolves, and the Miller Creek Pack in the Stockbridge Indian reservation of Shawano County, with 8 wolves. At least 47 packs had 5 or more wolves in them.

Gray wolves were removed from the federal list of endangered species on March 12, 2007. But due to a court challenge, wolves were placed back on the endangered species list on September 29, 2008. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service addressed these technicalities and republished the wolf delisting rule. On May 4, 2009 wolves were again removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species in Wisconsin and the remainder of Western Great Lakes area. This means state and tribal wildlife mangers can again trap and euthanize wolves that prey on livestock.

Currently, wolves in Wisconsin are being managed under Wisconsin’s Wolf Management Plan, which focuses on problem wolves attacking livestock and domestic animals and allows permits for landowners to shoot wolves in some areas under very limited conditions.

The DNR issued shooting permits to 39 landowners with wolf problems in 2008. Two wolves were shot on these permits. Two additional wolves were shot by landowners who observed wolves in the act of attacking livestock on their property.

Wildlife Services staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Wildlife Services (WS) conducted trapping on Wisconsin farms with wolf depredation in 2008 capturing and killing 39 wolves and 2 wolf-dog hybrids. In 2007 and 2008 wolves caused depredation to livestock on 30 farms. In 2006 wolves killed livestock on 25 farms. So far in 2009, wolves have depredated on 8 farms, and attacked 3 dogs at people’s homes. WS has trapped and euthanized 8 wolves and a landowner has shot one defending his livestock.

Wydeven said the wolf remains both a popular symbol of the wildlands in Wisconsin and an important component of the ecosystem. As large predators, wolves help reduce the impact of intense browsing and grazing by deer and beaver, allowing more species of plant to take hold and to form a more diverse forest habitat.

The 1999 Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan can be reviewed on the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Wydeven - (715) 762-1363 or Robert Manwell, Senior Public Affairs Manager - (608)264-9248

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Birdfeeders can pose risk to some wildlife

Two recent incidents of bears getting stuck in feeders

SPOONER - People who feed birds, squirrels and other wild animals should be aware that certain feeding machines can accidentally kill other wildlife. A couple of incidents in northwestern Wisconsin recently involving bear cubs getting their heads stuck in bird feeders had near tragic endings.

“Luckily, in one case the mother was able to get the feeder off her cub’s head and in the other instance we had to trap and put the mother and cub to sleep and then take the feeder off,” said Wildlife Technician, Robert Hanson. In both incidents, he said, the feeders were on tight and the cubs were clearly in distress.

The feeders Hanson dealt with were made of plastic, had a screw on type feed holder with a base that measured about four inches across. When separated from the seed or food extraction device the hole was big enough for the cub to force its head into it to get at the tasty seeds and jelly sugars inside.

Wildlife officials advise people to not feed birds or any other animals from spring to early winter. “Animals have adapted very well to finding food on there own,” Hanson said. He added that if people must feed for the enjoyment of observing wildlife, they should put all feeders on strong sturdy poles and over eight feet high, out of range for most bears.

The wildlife technician said that as summer progresses, bear cubs will grow big enough to avoid getting their heads stuck in most feeders, however, other smaller night raiders like raccoons and skunks can die from these devices.

“People should monitor their bird feeders and secure cans with bird seed in it so that wandering bears and other animals are not attracted to their yards,” Hanson said.

If people have screw on type feeders they should purchase new ones that will not inadvertently trap other animals, he suggested.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Hanson 715-463-2896 ext 3009 or Jim Bishop (715) 635-4242