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DNR News

June 6, 2006

The DNR News is updated every Tuesday at noon. Click on the current issue link at left to reach the most current issue.
Previous DNR News are also available on-line.

Edited by Paul Holtan
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707
(608) 267-7517
Fax: (608) 264-6293
E-mail address: paul.holtan@dnr.state.wi.us

This Week's Articles

Turtles and roadways -- a deadly conflict

Turtle nesting is underway in Wisconsin

MADISON – State wildlife officials are asking motorists to help conserve Wisconsin’s dwindling turtle populations by being alert during June for turtles crossing roads in search of places to lay eggs.

“Highway mortality continues to pose a major threat to our native turtle populations," says Bob Hay, amphibian and reptile biologist with the Department of Natural Resources.

Turtles cross roads because roads often separate the aquatic habitat where turtles spend most of their lives from the well-drained upland habitats where female turtles deposit their eggs. This annual ritual generally reaches its peak from late May to June. Females that survive from one year to the next often select the same location to nest.

“If they are forced to cross roads, eventually the odds of making it across safely catches up with many of them,” Hay says.

Recent rains and cooler weather earlier this spring has slightly delayed nesting this year, Hay says, but the hot weather over the Memorial Day turned that around and nesting has started in southern Wisconsin.

“If you see a turtle on the road -- and only if it’s safe to do so -- carefully pull over and help the turtle to the side of the road it is facing,” he says, but cautions that people should never put themselves or other drivers at risk when stopping.

When helping an aggressive turtle -- such as a snapping turtle -- off the road, the safest way to avoid being bitten is to gently drag it across the road by it tail, leaving the front feet on the pavement. It may help to use a stick that the turtle can bite, allowing one to grab the tail more safely.

“Every turtle we save increases the chance of maintaining already dwindling turtle populations -- especially since most of the turtles killed on roads during nesting season are mature females,” he says.

Five of Wisconsin’s 12 turtle species are experiencing significant population declines.

Turtles are up against tough odds even without highway mortality. Hay says that as few as 5 percent of eggs laid survive to hatch and of those, only one in 100 may survive to reproductive age. Turtle predators include raccoons, skunks, opossums, herons, egrets, seagulls, cranes and crows.

The state-threatened Blanding’s turtle is particularly vulnerable to highway-related mortality. It takes a hatching Blanding’s turtle 17 to 20 years to reach reproductive maturity. Populations of this threatened species are typically much lower than other turtle species and every nesting female that is killed can be significant for the local population.

Please be aware that the turtle season is closed until July 15 each year, so picking turtles up off the road as pets or for food is illegal. Anyone who observes this being done should contact the DNR hotline at 1-800-TIPWDNR (1-800-847-9367).

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Hay- (608) 267-0849

Efforts to fight invasive species
recognized with ‘Invader Crusader’ awards

Ceremony at Capitol kicks off invasive species awareness month

MADISON -- The on-going battle against invasive species in Wisconsin relies heavily on volunteer efforts to control, reduce the spread, and work to eliminate harmful plants and animals that have been introduced into the state from other areas, according to state conservation and environmental officials. In addition, a wide variety of professional resource managers such as foresters and park managers, devote considerable portion of their time to dealing with invasive species.

To help draw attention to these volunteer and professional efforts, groups and individuals who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to prevent and control the spread of invasive species were recognized with the “Invader Crusader Awards” for 2006 at a June 2 ceremony at the State Capital that also kicked off this Invasive Species Awareness Month.

The awards were presented by the Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species, which is made up of representatives of a number of state agencies involved with invasive species control as well as other members appointed by the governor who represent public and private interests that are affected by the presence of invasive species in the state. The council’s mission is to prevent and reduce the harmful impacts of invasive species on Wisconsin's environment and economy, as well as human well-being.

In recognizing their efforts, Gov. Jim Doyle noted in a statement congratulating awardees that invasive species not only have an impact on native ecosystems, but are also a financial burden to local industries and residents.

“Those who work to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species in Wisconsin are helping to promote the ecological and financial health of this state,” Doyle said.

The Invader Crusader Award was created to honor Wisconsin citizens and organizations for their significant contribution to the prevention or eradication of invasive species that harm Wisconsin’s land and waters. This is the second year the council has presented Invader Crusader awards.

“We received 35 nominations for 29 different people or groups,” explained Becky Sapper with The Nature Conservancy and Invasive Species Council member. “There are so many that deserve recognition for their efforts addressing the invasive species issue in Wisconsin. The caliber of these award winners demonstrates the dedication of Wisconsin’s citizens to keep our state’s natural resources in good health.”

2006 Invader Crusader Award recipients for voluntary efforts include:

  • Mike Fort, of Wales, was recognized for his work involving youth in restoration efforts and for founding and running an invasive species control program at the Lapham Peak Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, which last winter involved burning 412 big piles of buckthorn and honeysuckle that were cut from the forest.
  • Amy Staffen of Madison was recognized for her effort to make last year’s First Annual Invasive Species Awareness Month a success, for her role as Education Committee chair for the Invasive Plant Association of Wisconsin, and for numerous other efforts to educate people about invasive plants..
  • Jane Swenson of Iron River was recognized for her efforts to educate people about aquatic invasive species in the Pike Chain and the Delta Chain of Lakes and the surrounding areas to limit the spread of Eurasian water milfoil and control purple loosestrife along a stretch of Lake Millicent.
  • Vilas County Aquatic Invasive Species Partnership and Vilas County Lakes Association were recognized for increasing local awareness of aquatic invasive species; due to their efforts, nine of Vilas County’s 10 town boards have created lakes committees and aquatic invasive species have been kept out of 90 percent of the more than 1,300 lakes in Vilas County.

2006 Invader Crusader Award recipients for professional efforts include:

  • Fred Clark owner of Clark Forestry of Baraboo was recognized for his leadership chairing the Wisconsin Council on Forestry’s Forestry Invasives Leadership Team, which is leading an effort to develop Best Management Practice for invasive species prevention and control in forestry, recreation, urban forestry, and rights-of-way.
  • Gigi La Budde of Spring Green was recognized for the countless hours she spends each year working with landowners, foresters, loggers and others teaching about the identification and management of woodland invasive species through her position as Ecology Education Coordinator for the Community Forestry Resource Center.
  • Rhonda Reisenbuechler of L. B. Clarke Middle School in Manitowoc was recognized for her work as a middle school teacher where she created a elective course last year that teaches students about invasive species and provides them hands-on experience. Her eight-grade students have had the opportunity to raise and release purple loosestrife-eating beetles and learning about the gypsy moth, as well as learning about many other invasive species.
  • South Central Region State Natural Area Crew, Department of Natural Resources at Fitchburg was recognized for their work managing many of the best remaining examples of prairies, savannas and forests in southern Wisconsin. The crew is at the forefront of experimenting with methods to control invasive plants.
June is Invasive Species Awareness Month

During June, which is designated as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Wisconsin, numerous field trips, workshops, presentations and work parties are being held throughout the state to teach citizens about invasive species and what they can do to stop the spread.

Invasive plants and animals threaten Wisconsin’s waters and wild lands by out-competing and destroying native plants and animals and by disrupting the complex habitat systems, according to Kelly Kearns, plant conservation specialist for the DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources.

They also threaten the productivity and economic viability of Wisconsin’s agricultural lands by crating overwhelming competition with crops. Millions of dollars, both public and private, are spent each year for the control of invasive plant and animal species in Wisconsin’s waters, wildlands and agriculture lands.

Nearly 900 exotic species have been documented in Wisconsin, but Kearns notes, of these more than 700 are not considered invasive. There are a few aquatic invasive plants -- such as Eurasian water milfoil -- in inland water bodies, and about a dozen aquatic invasive animals such as zebra mussels in inland waters. There are approximately three dozen terrestrial plants that are considered seriously invasive, such as garlic mustard, and more than 130 that currently only affect limited geographic areas and/or are demonstrating only moderate invasiveness.

“Some of these certainly could progress to the ‘serious’ category as time passes and they spread, and we know of a number of other species likely to become very invasive once they are accidentally introduced to our land or water,” Kearns says.

People can find more about invasive species and Invasive Species Awareness Month through the Invasive Species Council’s Web site at http://invasivespecies.wi.gov/ (exit DNR) or on the DNR invasive species Web pages.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on the Invader Crusader Awards: Becky Sapper – (715) 682-5789; on Invasive Species Awareness Month Lori Artiomow by e-mail at <artiomow@tds.net>

State’s wolf population shows moderate increase

Overwinter population estimated at 465 to 500 animals

MADISON – Using a combination of track surveys, monitoring of radio-collared animals and reported observations, state wildlife biologists estimate that the gray wolf population in Wisconsin was in the range of 465 to 502 animals at the end of the 2005-2006 winter. The population includes 115 packs and at least 12 loners and represents about a 7 percent increase from the 2004-2005 winter count of 435 to 465.

Biologists aided by volunteers have conducted annual wolf population surveys since the winter of 1979-80. Surveys are conducted by following snow covered forest roads noting wolf tracks in fresh snow and by locating and observing the 40 or so Wisconsin wolves currently wearing radio-collars.

The 2006 count includes 16 to 17 wolves occurring on reservations, leaving 449 to 485 wolves outside of Indian reservations, according to Adrian Wydeven, a conservation biologist and wolf specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Wisconsin’s Wolf Management Plan calls for a population of 350 wolves outside of Indian reservations.

“This puts the current population at about 100 wolves above the plan’s goal,” Wydeven said.

Wolves are currently listed as a protected wild animal by the state of Wisconsin. However, the federal government continues to list wolves as an endangered species.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in March 2006, its intent to “delist” wolves in Wisconsin and adjacent states and return all management authority to the states. Public comments on the proposed delisting will be accepted until June 26. People can comment on the proposal through the agency’s Web site at <http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/2006pr_dl/2006pr_dl.pdf> (exit DNR).

The delisting could be finalized in late 2006 or early 2007.

“Wolves returned to Wisconsin by dispersing naturally from Minnesota in the mid 1970s after being extirpated for about 15 years,” says Wydeven. “No wolves were ever reintroduced by humans into Wisconsin. With state and federal protection, the wolf population has grown and spread across much of the forests of northern Wisconsin and the Central Forest region.”

Although illegal killing of wolves declined in the 1990s, wolves continue to be shot and trapped illegally. In 2005 at least 13 wolves were killed illegally in the state. Recently, two wolves were shot during the turkey hunting season in Price and Sauk Counties.

Ecological balance

The growing wolf population has provided ecological benefits for forest ecosystems, but at the same time has brought depredation concerns.

Biologists and foresters report an increase in number and kind of forest floor plants in some areas where wolves have either reduced or controlled deer numbers or have caused deer populations to disperse over a wider area. Reduced deer browsing has allowed some deer-preferred plant species to recover and a more normal balance of plant types to return.

In other areas, wolves have brought beaver populations into a better balance on the landscape reducing road flooding caused by dam building. Trout streams also have benefited from a reduced beaver population where reduced dam building has improved stream flows.

In 2005, wolves preyed on livestock at 25 farms, mostly in northern Wisconsin, killing 31 cattle, three horses and three sheep while injuring three cattle. This was an increase from 22 farms in 2004, and 14 farms in 2003. Wolves also killed 17 dogs and injured six dogs. Problem wolves were trapped by US Department of Agriculture-Wildlife Services at 14 farms and 29 wolves were euthanized by special permit from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Trapping of depredating wolves continues and so far in 2006, trapping efforts on four farms reporting wolf depredation has resulted in seven wolves being trapped and euthanized in northern Wisconsin. On June 1, attempts to trap a wolf or wolf-dog hybrid on a farm east of Wisconsin Dells were halted. There had been no reported activity or confirmed sign of the animal for the past two weeks. Had the animal been captured it would have been transferred to an educational facility in Minnesota that volunteered to house the animal. The animal killed one calf and injured another calf and a dog.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Wydeven (715) 762-1363

‘Herd Control Unit’ designation replaces ‘Zone T’
in 2006 and future regulations

MADISON – Hunters reading the deer hunting regulations for the upcoming 2006 season will find at least one new term in use. Department of Natural Resources wildlife managers are now using “Herd Control Units” in place of Zone T to describe deer management units (DMUs) with special hunting regulations intended to reduce deer populations.

“‘Herd control’ more accurately describes the management objective in these deer management units,” said Keith Warnke, chief DNR deer ecologist. “I think it’s a positive move toward consistency and clearer communications.”

In the past, Zone T was used to identify DMUs where biologists determined that a traditional hunting season would not bring the unit to within 20 percent of its population goal. From this season on, these will be designated as Herd Control units.

To give hunters the tools to help bring overpopulated units toward goal, each archery and gun deer hunting license purchased in 2006 will come with one free antlerless carcass tag good in Herd Control and Earn-a-Buck (EAB) units. Additional antlerless tags will be available for Herd Control and EAB units over-the-counter for $2 each.

Those DMUs that are neither Herd Control nor EAB will have limited numbers of unit-specific antlerless carcass tags available for $12 each that can be used during the regular nine-day hunting season. With creation of the Herd Control designation and the reduced cost antlerless tags, there is no more Hunter’s Choice program.

“Inexpensive antlerless tags were something hunters told us they needed to help increase harvest in overpopulated Deer Management Units,” says Warnke. “We’ve made the change and now it’s up to hunters to make use of them.”

Outside of the CWD management zones, 54 of Wisconsin’s 130 DMUs are designated as Herd Control and 21 DMUs are in Earn-a-Buck in 2006.

This will also be the first year that hunters will be able to use their Earn-a-Buck prequalification, Warnke says. Hunters who registered an antlerless deer last fall in a unit designated as Earn-a-Buck this year will be receiving their buck harvest authorization in the mail later in the summer. The prequalification program is in place again this season.

“The 70,000 hunters who took advantage of prequalification last year will hit the woods with a buck authorization in their pocket,” says Warnke. “If you have pre-qualified for Earn-a-Buck, you won’t have to pass up a buck this fall.

Warnke says wildlife managers also want hunters to keep in mind the numbers 2 and 1, as in harvesting two antlerless deer for every buck.

“That’s what it will take to bring deer herds into line with populations goals,” Warnke said.

“It’s highly likely that we’ll recommend some units for EAB in 2007 and later this summer we expect to have a ‘EAB watch list’ ready which we’ll share with hunters. These are units that could be in EAB in 2007. The number of units on future lists can be reduced by keeping in mind the need for the 2 to 1 harvest ratio and anytime there’s an opportunity to harvest an antlerless deer in a herd control or EAB unit, take it.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke - (608) 264-6023

Sturgeon rescue offers unique management opportunity

PARK FALLS Wis. -- In the Ojibwa language of the Chippewa Indians the word Namekagon means “place of the sturgeon.” Early last month, in a place below the Arpin Dam on the Chippewa River, nearly 126 of these prehistoric fish came close to dying.

Normally the minimum flow rate at this point of the river is 40 cubic feet per second (cfs), enough to sustain fish and aquatic life downstream. Thieflow rate is maintained by “stops” on the dam gates. But the metal stops had rusted off causing the gates to close allowing only about 3 to 7 cfs of water to pass.

As the water flows decreased and levels dropped, lake sturgeon gathered in a small pool below the dam. Had enough time elapsed, state fisheries experts say, the fish may have died from disease, lack of dissolved oxygen, or poachers.

On April 27, Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Tom Heisler was driving by the river and discovered the problem. He immediately called Frank Pratt and Jeff Scheirer, DNR fisheries managers at Hayward and Park Falls, who saw a unique opportunity.

Over the next two days, with assistance from the Lac Court Oreilles tribe’s Conservation Department, 126 sturgeon were not only moved to safer quarters but each fish was tagged with a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT). Like a microchip injected into a dog or cat by a veterinarian, the animal or in this case fish could be identified individually in the future.

Rescued lake sturgeon in a holding pen

Rescued sturgeon being held in a holding pen

“PIT tags allow us to determine the growth rates of fish upon a later recapture,” said Fisheries Team Leader, Dave Neuswanger, “and it allows us to estimate what proportion of legal-sized adults over 50 inches are harvested each year.”

Anglers will be part of the recapture and data collection effort. There is a hook and line season on the Chippewa River’s sturgeon from early September to mid-October.

“All our registration stations in the Chippewa River valley have hand held scanners that can read the numbers off the PIT tags embedded in the fleshy base of the pectoral fin,” Neuswanger said. Having this many additional tagged fish will likely present valuable information to biologists managing this fish species.

Beginning this year, anglers who intend to harvest a sturgeon must purchase a registration tag that costs $20 for residents and $50 for non-residents. Only one fish over 50 inches may be taken per season and any legal size fish kept must be registered.

Sturgeon are considered living fossils, appearing first about 136 million years ago when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth. They have retained many primitive characteristics that have been lost or modified in other modern-day fishes. Today these fish are found in the Great Lakes and major river systems of the state.

Following the fish rescue work the dam was reopened to restore the minimum flow rates. The dam owner will replace the rusted stops with a new mechanism allowing flow rate reductions if more sturgeon need to be PIT tagged. Sturgeon and other fish are now able to move up and down the river below the dam.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Pratt – (715) 634-9658

Motorized vehicle state recreation area to be considered

MADISON – The potential creation of a state recreation area for motorized vehicles such as all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway vehicles (OHVs) will be discussed by the state Natural Resources Board at its June 28 meeting in River Falls.

Department of Natural Resources officials say a motorized state recreation area would address a growing demand for places to operate ATVs and OHVs. DNR staff will ask the board to consider approving the development of a plan for such a facility.

“All terrain and off-highway vehicle ownership has increased enormously in recent years,” said Bill Morrissey, director of DNR’s Bureau of Parks and Recreation. “There are almost 300,000 ATVs registered in Wisconsin – that’s more registrations than snowmobiles.”

Along with the increase in ownership has come an increase in requests to use the vehicles on state-owned lands and other public lands in the state, say officials.

Currently, ATVs are permitted on the Richard I. Bong State Recreation Area, two state forests and seven state trails including Buffalo River, Cattail, Nicolet, Pecatonica, Saunders, Tuscobia and Wild River. In addition to existing ATV opportunities, a citizen's advisory group currently is working to evaluate appropriate and sustainable all terrain vehicle use on the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. The advisory group was created to implement a directive in the forest's master plan approved by the state Natural Resources Board last October.

There is also limited winter ATV use on some other state trails and a planning process is underway to determine if any yet-to-be-abandoned railroad rights of way might be suitable for motorized recreation.

With the board’s approval, DNR staff would work with user groups and local governments to find a new site large enough to offer terrain and features sought by riders while providing adequate environmental protections and buffers from surrounding lands. The agency and user groups would also need to identify new sources of funding for acquisition, development, maintenance and operations.

There are successful examples of similar developments in other states and such a site offers a potential economic benefit to area businesses in the form of tourism spending and local services, according to Morrissey.

“Any new development of this kind must meet local approval and provide adequate environmental safeguards,” says Morrissey. “A facility of this kind has to be something local governments and the neighboring landowners want. We realize there are many points of view on any project of this kind and we want to be sure everyone has a chance to be heard in this discussion.”

A lack of places to ride these machines has resulted in problems of trespass, environmental damage, noise and enforcement in Wisconsin and in other states, say officials. Other states already have areas of this type including the Iron Range Off-Highway Recreation Area, at Gilbert, Minn. Missouri, Michigan and New Hampshire also have sites in operation or under development.

Morrissey said most Wisconsin state properties are not suited for ATV/OHV use due to established traditional uses, natural and cultural resources and the size of the properties, but creating a new property dedicated to ATV and OHW use would address the need.

“The development of a motorized recreation area would not solve all of the issues,” explains Morrissey, “but it could be one part of the motorized recreation picture.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Morrissey - (608) 266-2185

Coulee area communities combine
efforts to maintain wastewater systems

STODDARD – Six Coulee Region communities are taking a major step forward in improving services and cutting wastewater bills by combing operations and efforts to maintain their sewer systems.

Wastewater operators and officials took delivery last week of a trailer-mounted vacuum pump and a truck with a jet-powered sewer cleaning system mounted on it that will serve Stoddard, DeSoto, Ferryville, Coon Valley, Chaseburg and Genoa, which are located in Vernon and Crawford counties in the Coulee Region of southwestern Wisconsin.

Charlie Cameron, Department of Natural Resources wastewater engineer at La Crosse, says the new equipment will help each community better maintain its wastewater collection system. It’s the kind of work that prevents sewers from backing up into basements and prevents lift-stations from failing because of grease buildup. By scheduling workloads the equipment can be used to take care of each community’s needs.

Brian Dayton, wastewater operator at Chaseburg, said area wastewater operators started talking about mutual problems about two years ago. One problem they shared was the cost of maintaining lift stations – a tab of about $500 for each station cleaned.

Now, by sharing the initial equipment costs of about $59,500 among six communities the operators can improve the sewer maintenance, reduce the number of sewer backups, and improve their wastewater flow and operation.

“We thought we’d be saving about 48 percent. It would be a waste for one community to have to own this and just use it once in a while,” Dayton says.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlie Cameron - (608) 785-9981
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Last Revised: Tuesday June 06 2006