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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

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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

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Mentored hunting program a quick hit

MADISON – More than 10,000 10- and 11-year-old mentored hunting licenses have been purchased since the September 1 start date of the new program.

The Mentored Hunting Law was created in close cooperation with Department of Natural Resources staff, hunting groups and the legislature.

“The enthusiasm and response to this new opportunity has been fantastic,” said DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “Study after study shows it takes a hunter to make a hunter. Introducing kids to hunting in a relaxed atmosphere with close supervision is key to nurturing a love of the natural world, a conservation ethic, and what may turn out to be a lifelong love and passion for the outdoors.”

“Hunting is an important tradition for many Wisconsin families,” said Rep. Ann Hraychuck, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Fish and Wildlife. “This law allows parents to decide when a child is ready to join in the family hunting traditions. The mentor is required to be ‘within arm’s reach at all times’ of the young hunter to provide safe firearm or bow handling supervision. Learning to hunt in a safe and controlled manner allows the mentor to share skills, ethics and an appreciation for the entire experience with the young hunter.”

Five hunting license types can be purchased under the Mentored Hunting Law. Within two weeks of the effective date of the new law 2,125 licenses had been sold. Through Nov 8, a total of 10,016 licenses have been purchased.

The majority of licenses sold have been gun deer licenses at 6,775. Deer archery sales have hit 1,097 and small game sales are at 1,895. Young hunters also purchased 247 fall turkey and 2 furbearer licenses.

And how have the young hunters been doing? A preliminary tally of deer registrations for the Oct 10-11 youth deer hunt (which is open to youth 10 to 15 years of age) shows that the harvest jumped from 989 in 2008 to 4,777 in 2009, a nearly 500 percent increase. There have been no reported hunting incidents involving any mentored hunters.

Wisconsin’s Mentored Hunting Law has been identified as being the safest set of controlled conditions for youth hunting in the nation. Mentors must be 18 years old and licensed hunters. Mentors may only accompany one 10- or 11-year-old at a time and must be within arm’s reach of the mentored hunter at all times. The pair may carry only one firearm or bow between them. All other hunting and trapping rules apply with regard to season dates, season rules, bag limits, clothing requirements and harvest registration. Mentored hunters of any age do not need to complete a hunter safety education course prior to hunting under these controlled conditions, and if age 10 or 11, can purchase a reduced fee hunting license. Mentors must have completed a hunter safety education course if born after Jan. 1, 1973 unless they can provide proof they have completed basic training through the U.S. armed forces.

More information on mentored hunting and hunting in Wisconsin are available on the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Mott - (608) 444-1244 or Bob Manwell - (608) 264-9248

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Deer hunters urged to help eliminate feral pigs

MADISON – State wildlife officials are encouraging hunters who have small game licenses heading out for Wisconsin’s traditional nine-day gun deer hunting season to keep an eye out for feral pigs. Since 1997 feral pigs have been found in at least 39 Wisconsin counties.

“Each year we receive reports of feral pig sightings and harvests from around the state,” says Brad Koele, wildlife damage specialist for Department of Natural Resources. “Most of these reports are of 1 or 2 pigs. However, any report of feral pigs is of interest and concern given the negative impacts they can have on the environment, Wisconsin’s agriculture production and our domestic swine industry.”

Feral pigs have been defined as “existing in an untamed or wild, unconfined state, having returned to such a state from domestication.” Feral pigs can be found across a wide variety of habitats and are highly destructive because of the rooting they do in search of food. They’re also efficient predators preying on many species including white-tailed deer fawns and ground nesting birds like grouse, woodcock, turkeys, and songbirds.

Feral pigs are known to carry a number of diseases of danger to humans and the domestic swine industry, including swine brucellosis, pseudorabies and leptospirosis. In 2008 a feral pig shot during the gun deer hunting season in Crawford County initially tested “positive” for pseudorabies however because of the poor sample quality test results could not be labeled definitive.

For removal purposes, feral pigs are currently considered unprotected wild animals and may be hunted year-round. The only day they cannot be hunted with a gun is the Friday before the nine-day gun deer hunting season. Also, feral pig hunting hours are the same as for deer during the nine-day season. During the rest of the year, there are no hunting hour restrictions for feral pigs.

There is no bag limit on feral pigs. Landowners may shoot feral pigs on their own property without a hunting license. Anyone else can shoot a feral pig as long as they possess a valid small game license, sport license, or patron license and have landowner permission if they are on private land.

While the Department encourages the removal of feral pigs when ever possible, Koele cautions that before shooting “hunters need to be sure the pigs are feral and they are not someone’s domestic pigs that may have just escaped. Hunters could be liable for the replacement cost of the pig if they are domestic.”

Information on feral pig hunting, including a list of counties where feral pigs have been sighted or killed, is available on the Department of Natural Resources Web site.

State officials request that anyone shooting a feral pig call a DNR service center or contact a DNR wildlife biologist so that blood and tissue samples can be collected for disease testing in collaboration with USDA and the State veterinarians office.

Feral pig sightings can be reported through the DNR Web site or by calling Brad Koele, Wildlife Damage Specialist at (608) 266-2151.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Koele - (608) 266-2151 or Dave Matheys - (608) 637-3938

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Ten tips to recycle more on America Recycles Day

MADISON - Recycling is a daily habit for many people in Wisconsin, but as the nation gears up to celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15, state recycling specialists are offering tips on how Wisconsinites can improve and increase their recycling habits.

“Wisconsin is a leader in recycling and for good reason—recycling works,” says Kathleen Kiefaber, recycling communications specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “For every can, bottle and newspaper we recycle, we are saving resources, reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and creating jobs.”

November 15 has been designated as America Recycles Day, an annual event to encourage Americans to waste less, recycle more and purchase recycled products.

“Wisconsinites are doing a good job recycling,” says Kiefaber, “but there is always room for improvement. We’re providing 10 tips to help people boost the amount they and their families recycle:”

1. Compost food and yard debris. Suggestions on how to construct and maintain a compost bin are available on the DNR Web site.
2. Look for products labeled with a high recycled content or that use “post-consumer” recycled materials.
3. Remember to reuse. If you have clothing, furniture or other household items you no longer use, consider donating them to a local nonprofit or resale store.
4. Take time to reacquaint yourself with your community’s recycling program. Many communities have expanded the number of materials they collect and simplified the process for you to recycle. See [RecycleMoreWisconsin.org ] (exit DNR) for a list of recyclables in your community.
5. In addition to standard recyclables, find out what other products your recycling program accepts. Many communities have programs to recycle prescription pills, electronics, and other household hazardous wastes.
6. In places you visit frequently—grocery store, workplace, gas station and others—ask whether they accept recycling. If not, ask them to put out a recycling bin for customer and employee use.
7. Recycle construction and demolition debris. Several businesses across the state recycle or reuse shingles, construction lumber, lighting fixtures, drywall, concrete, glass and other construction materials.
8. Talk to your kids about ways they can recycle at home and at school. Ideas on simple activities to teach kids about recycling is available on the Wee Recyclers page of the DNR's EEK! -- Environmental Education for Kids Web site.
9. Find out if there are businesses in your community that accept materials your local recycling program may not. For example, many grocery stores accept plastic bags, car repair shops accept oil filters and other automotive parts, and recycling businesses often accept batteries.
10. Be a discerning shopper. Buy products with minimal packaging or packaging that is easily recyclable.

More information on America Recycles Day, including a listing of events, is available on the America Recycles Day [exit DNR] Web site. More information on Wisconsin’s recycling program is available on the DNR Web site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Kiefaber - (608) 267-2463

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“Wee Recyclers” program improved to encourage recycling habits in early childhood

MADISON – Encouraging recycling at a young age can develop habits that children will carry with them throughout life. To help introduce the idea of waste reduction and conservation to preschoolers, state recycling specialists have upgraded a program that uses fun, hands-on activities to teach children the basics of how to recycle and the importance of recycling.

The Wee Recyclers Early Childhood Program was originally developed in 1992 for use with 3 to 5 year olds in early childhood settings, although most activities can be modified for use with other age groups.

The program has now been updated with new activities. It contains two components: a printed activity guide and online resources.

“Activities in the Wee Recyclers Activity Guide are simple, entertaining and require minimal preparation time,” says Elisabeth Olson, recycling educator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The guide contains teacher background information, easy to follow directions and suggestions for additional related activities.

Online materials include: Wee Crafts, stories, plays, songs, games, take-home recycling ideas, a complete glossary and a list of resources.

The entire Wee Recyclers program is available for download from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources EEK! -- Environmental Education for Kids Web site. Printed copies of the Wee Recyclers Activity Guide are available for order. To get your copy, contact Elisabeth Olson, (608) 264-9258, elisabeth.olson@wisconsin.gov.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Elisabeth Olson, (608) 264-9258

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Rebuilding of power line may result in incidental take of rare lizard

EDITOR’S NOTE: Wisconsin’s endangered species law (s. 29.604, Wis. Stats.) requires the Department of Natural Resources to notify the public when it proposes to authorize the incidental taking of a state endangered or threatened species.

MADISON – The rebuilding and maintenance of an existing electrical transmission line from Plainfield to south of Coloma in Waushara County could result in the “incidental taking” of a lizard that is listed as an endangered species in Wisconsin, under a permit the Department of Natural Resources proposes to authorize for the project.

American Transmission Company (ATC) is planning to replace damaged utility poles, string new shield wire, and complete other maintenance activities along the transmission line known as Y-90 or Chaffee Creek to Plainfield located in the Towns of Coloma, Hancock and Plainfield in Waushara County.

Portions of the project corridor include habitat that is suitable for the state endangered slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus), including oak savannas, sand prairies, old fields with sandy soils, and woodland edges. DNR biologists have confirmed the presence of the slender glass lizard in the vicinity of the project site and determined that the species is likely present and that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some lizards.

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the overall population of the species at risk.

However, the department has concluded that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the lizard by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of these lizards or the whole plant-animal community of which they are a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.

In order to minimize possible impacts to the slender glass lizard, the project will conduct work during the lizard’s inactive period, minimize the area of project disturbance, and restore disturbed areas to pre-existing conditions.

The conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on this endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Authorization. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the slender glass lizard are available on the Incidental Take pages of the DNR Web site or upon request from Rori Paloski, Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources, 101 South Webster, Madison, WI 53707, (608) 264-6040. Public comments will be taken through December 1, 2009 and should be sent to Ms. Paloski at the above address.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Rori Paloski, DNR, Bureau of Endangered Resources, (608) 264-6040 or P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707-7921.