Wisconsin DNR News, November 20, 2007
Hunters register more than 171,000 deer over opening weekend
Deer Hunt 2007 TV show available for viewing on DNR Web site
Muzzleloader deer hunting continues statewide Nov. 27 to Dec. 6
Hunters register more than 171,000 deer over opening weekend
MADISON – In what were mixed but generally good hunting conditions across the state, hunters registered a preliminary tally of 171,584 deer over the first two days of the 2007 gun deer hunting season. This compares to an opening weekend preliminary count of 167,573 in 2006.
“From field reports we’ve received, there appeared to be a little bit of everything in terms of weather for the opener,” said Matthew J. Frank, DNR Secretary. “The hunters I talked to at various registration stations over the weekend were in high spirits and happy. We’re glad the cooler temperatures and the early opening date seemed to favor hunters.”
Keith Warnke, DNR’s top deer and bear biologist, noted, “I heard a lot of shooting from my stand Saturday morning and the biologists I’ve talked to say the rut was still on in most places with bucks actively pursuing does and paying less attention to hunters.”
Hunters found conditions ranging from light snow either on the ground or falling, to drizzle depending on where they were in the state. Most areas reported light to moderate winds. In general, visibility was good in most areas and mild enough that hunters stayed out yet cool enough to safely to hang meat without fear of spoilage.
Hunters brought in 70,021 bucks and 101,563 antlerless deer over the two day period that started 30 minutes before sunrise on Saturday the 17th and ended 20 minutes past sunset on Sunday the 18th.
A license sales update on Monday morning showed that approximately an additional 4,900 licenses had been sold after the season started in addition to the 629,752 sold prior to the opener. In past years, 9,000 to 10,000 licenses have been purchased after the start of the season.
As of the close of hunting hours on Monday, November19, two gunshot fatalities have been reported. In Waushara County on Sunday an 18-year old male was shot by a member of his hunting group and on Monday a 29-year old Illinois man was killed in Burnett County, also by a member of his hunting party.
Prior to 1967, the year hunter education began in Wisconsin, the hunting incident rate was 44 per 100,000 participants. Today the rate is fewer than 4 per 100,000 participants.
“We’ve reduced hunting incidents by more than 90 percent since the days before hunter education,” said Tim Lawhern, DNR hunter safety administrator. “This was the safest opening weekend in the history of gun deer hunting in Wisconsin and I encourage all hunters to remain vigilant and safety conscious for the remainder of the hunting season. Let’s make it not only the safest opening weekend ever, let’s make it the safest deer hunt ever.
“The key is to keep practicing safety for the balance of the season.”
Lawhern advises hunters to always remember TAB-K:
T - Treat every firearm as if it’s loaded.
A - Always point your muzzle in a safe direction.
B - Be certain of your target and what lies beyond.
K - Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
2007 Opening Weekend Wisconsin Gun Deer Season Preliminary Call-in Totals
(By DNR Region)
DNR Northeast Region
Bucks Antlerless Total
BROWN 120 341 461
CALUMET 263 517 780
DOOR 626 985 1611
FOND DU LAC 601 790 1391
GREEN LAKE 821 1435 2256
KEWAUNEE 444 926 1370
MANITOWOC 416 864 1280
MARINETTE 2241 1597 3838
MARQUETTE 1380 2568 3948
OCONTO 1682 1624 3306
OUTAGAMIE 973 1525 2498
SHAWANO 1483 2428 3911
WAUPACA 2618 4403 7021
WAUSHARA 1192 2075 3267
WINNEBAGO 315 539 854
Total 15175 22617 37792
DNR Northern Region
2007
COUNTY BUCKS ANTLERLESS TOTAL
ASHLAND 621 386 1007
BARRON 1825 2524 4349
BAYFIELD 1567 1610 3177
BURNETT 1156 1412 2568
DOUGLAS 1452 1274 2726
FLORENCE 632 572 1204
FOREST 573 352 925
IRON 290 161 451
LANGLADE 992 1081 2073
LINCOLN 975 1047 2022
ONEIDA 1205 1188 2393
POLK 2007 2665 4672
PRICE 1023 886 1909
RUSK 1046 1444 2490
SAWYER 1043 995 2038
TAYLOR 1099 1567 2666
VILAS 776 904 1680
WASHBURN 1114 1345 2459
Total 19396 21413 40809
DNR South Central Region
2007
COUNTY BUCKS ANTLERLESS TOTAL
COLUMBIA 1387 2353 3740
DANE 463 726 1189
DODGE 725 1326 2051
GRANT 1564 2195 3759
GREEN 361 847 1208
IOWA 819 1382 2201
JEFFERSON 324 819 1143
LAFAYETTE 651 930 1581
RICHLAND 1080 1898 2978
ROCK 191 436 627
SAUK 1725 2887 4612
Total 9290 15799 25089
DNR Southeast Region
2007
COUNTY BUCKS ANTLERLESS TOTAL
KENOSHA 42 52 94
*OZAUKEE 99 113 212
RACINE 37 122 159
SHEBOYGAN 247 344 591
WALWORTH 63 135 198
WASHINGTON 318 441 759
*WAUKESHA 166 311 477
Total 972 1518 2490
DNR West Central Region
2007
COUNTY BUCKS ANTLERLESS TOTAL
ADAMS 1123 1864 2987
BUFFALO 1023 2109 3132
CHIPPEWA 1401 2229 3630
CLARK 2025 3417 5442
CRAWFORD 1118 1516 2634
DUNN 1150 2424 3574
EAU CLAIRE 882 1396 2278
JACKSON 1894 3278 5172
JUNEAU 1296 2060 3356
LA CROSSE 996 1216 2212
MARATHON 2273 3139 5412
MONROE 1532 1910 3442
PEPIN 387 787 1174
PIERCE 865 1475 2340
PORTAGE 1436 2302 3738
ST. CROIX 566 851 1417
TREMPEALEAU 1750 3600 5350
VERNON 1775 2372 4147
WOOD 1696 2271 3967
Total 25188 40216 65404
2007
BUCKS ANTLERLESS TOTAL
Grand total 70,021 101,563 171,584
Muzzleloader deer hunting continues statewide Nov. 27 to Dec. 6
MADISON – People venturing out into Wisconsin woods and fields over the next few weeks should note that while the traditional nine-day deer hunting season in Wisconsin closes on Sunday, Nov. 26, a statewide muzzleloader season runs from Nov. 26 through Dec. 5, and a statewide antlerless only hunt will be held Dec. 6-9. Gun deer hunting in deer hunting in the chronic wasting disease (CWD) management zones continues through Dec. 9. That CWD zone hunt is unlimited Earn-a-Buck through the season.
The muzzleloader season is open statewide except in some state parks units.
Keith Warnke, deer ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources, says a steady growth in the number of deer registered during muzzleloader seasons is an indication of the growing popularity of muzzleloader hunting.
In 2006 muzzleloader hunters registered 10,235 deer, up from 8,553 in 2005, Warnke says. In 1991, the first year a special muzzleloader season was held, only a few more than 200 deer were taken.
Hunters who plan on participating in the muzzleloader deer hunting season should check the 2006 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulation Pamphlet for muzzleloader restrictions and deer tagging options.
Tim Lawhern, DNR hunter safety administrator, says muzzleloader hunters need to be aware of the possibility of misfires, in which powder does not ignite, or “hangfires,” in which there is a delay in the discharge.
“It is very important that muzzleloader hunters keep their powder dry. Misfires or hangfires can and do happen. When this does happen they should point the muzzle in a safe direction for at least 30 seconds. By doing so, should the muzzleloader go off, it will not harm anyone.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke - (608) 264-6023 or Tim Lawhern, DNR law enforcement - (608) 266-1317
“Deer Hunt 2007” TV show available for viewing on DNR web-site
MADISON – People who missed the opportunity to see Deer Hunt 2007 on Wisconsin Public Television or simply want to see it again can now view the show in its entirety on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Web site.
Deer Hunt 2007, which can be viewed at
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/deer/tv.htm, originally aired on Wisconsin Public Television and Milwaukee Public Television on November 8, 2007.
This year’s show includes an interview with recently appointed DNR Secretary, Matt Frank and updates on the deer herd and chronic wasting disease. It also features segments about tagging your deer, the tradition of deer hunting in Wisconsin, the impacts of a large deer population on the forest, encouraging young people to start hunting and recipes for preparing your harvest for the dinner table.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke - (608)264-6023
OUTDOORS CALENDAR
*Indicates date remains the same each year, except some permit deadlines may be extended one day if they fall on a Sunday or Federal Holiday.
September 15 through December 31
• Illegal during this time to shine for wild animals between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
September 15 through First Saturday in May
• From Sept. 15 through the first Saturday in May, hook and line fishing is prohibited from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise in all Lake Michigan tributaries except the Oconto River and its tributaries and the downstream portion of the Peshtigo River (see regulations for details).*
November 20
• Northern zone duck season closes.
November 25
• Regular gun deer season closes.
November 26
• Muzzleloader season opens through Dec. 5.
• Late archery season opens through Jan. 6.
November 30
• Muskellunge season closes.*
• Turtle season closes. *
December 1
• Lake trout season on Lake Superior opens, through Sept. 30.*
December 2
• Southern zone duck season closes.
December 5
• Muzzleloader deer season closes.
December 6 – 9
• Late statewide antlerless-only firearm hunt. Hunters may use Herd Control and Earn-a-Buck antlerless deer carcass tag in deer management units with those designations. Hunters in regular units must purchase a unit-specific antlerless deer carcass tag to hunt in those units. Archery season will also remain open in these units during these four days but is restricted to the harvest of antlerless deer. Blaze orange requirements apply for all hunters during this time period.
December 8
• Ruffed grouse season closes in the eastern zone.*
December 9
• Canada goose season in the north exterior zones closes at sunset. Check current waterfowl regulations for subzone season dates.
• Late gun deer season closes in CWD disease eradication and herd reduction zones. See special CWD regulations in the current deer hunting regulations pamphlet for details.
December 10
• Spring turkey permit application deadline.*
• Application deadline for bear hunting kill permit.*
December 12
• Bobwhite quail season closes.
December 14
• Canada goose season closes in the south exterior zone. Check current waterfowl regulations for subzone season dates.
December 16
• Horicon zone Canada goose hunting periods 3 & 4 close.
December 27
• Canada goose season closes in the Mississippi River Subzone
December 31
• Pheasant season closes.*
• Ruffed grouse season closes in the Northern Zone.*
• Hungarian partridge season closes.*
• Bobcat hunting and trapping season closes.*
• Fisher trapping season closes.*
• Frog season closes.*
DNR Public Hearings and Meetings
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call the contact person listed for the meeting or hearing with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.
Hearings
December 3 - Pursuant to §§ 285.61(7)(a) and 285.62(5)(a), Wis. Stats., DNR will hold a public hearing at 10:30 a.m. at Superior Public Library, 1530 Tower Ave., Superior to receive public comments on the air pollution control permit application (# 07-DCF-145 and 816036430-P02) for the construction / operation of the proposed lime and stone handling operations, and revision of the operation permit for CLM Corporation, Hill Avenue at Winter Street, Superior, Douglas County. DNR staff have made a preliminary determination that the application meets state and federal air pollution control requirements and that the permit should be approved. The permit application, the DNR’s analysis and draft permit prepared by the DNR are available on the Air Permit page of the DNR Web site at
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/air/permits/APM_toc.htm and at the Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Air Management Headquarters, Seventh Floor, 101 South Webster Street, Madison; Northern Region Air Program, Superior Area Office, 1401 Tower Avenue, Superior,; and at the Superior Public Library, 1530 Tower Ave., Superior, or by contacting Don C. Faith III at 608-267-3135 or by e-mail at Don.FaithIII@wisconsin.gov. Written comments on the application or DNR’s review should be submitted by Dec. 3, 2007 to: Wisconsin DNR Bureau of Air Management, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921. Attn.: Don C. Faith III. All comments received by the Department on the proposed project will be considered by the Department in its final decision regarding this project. For information contact Don Faith at (608) 267-3135.
December 3 - Pursuant to ss. 23.09(2)(intro.), 23.091, 23.11(1), 23.22(2)(a) and (b)6., 27.01(2)(j), 29.014(1), 29.041, 29.039(1), 29.509(4) and (5), 227.11(2)(a) and 227.24(1)(a), Stats., interpreting ss. 23.09(2)(intro.), 23.22(2)(a), 29.014(1), 29.039(1), 29.041 and 227.11(2)(a), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on Natural Resources Board Order No. FH-40-07(E) pertaining to control of fish diseases and invasive species at 2 p.m. Room 511, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 S. Webster St., Madison. This emergency order took effect on Nov. 2, 2007. The emergency rule revises chs. NR 19 and 20, Wisconsin Administrative Code. The emergency rule limits the transport of live fish and fish eggs away from identified inland and outlying waters, and requires the immediate drainage of water from boats, boating equipment, fishing equipment and other containers upon removal from these waters. The emergency order adds a procedure for identifying additional waters where viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) may be present. The Department may authorize the commercial harvest of wild minnows for use as bait from any water via a permit, except identified waters, and may set permit conditions to prevent the spread of VHS. Bait dealers are required to keep daily harvest and disposition records. The emergency order bans the use or possession of imported live minnows as bait, with exceptions. It also prohibits any person from using dead fish, fish eggs or any parts thereof as bait, with exceptions, and it limits the use of fish and fish parts as bait in crayfish traps and turtle traps, with exceptions. Finally, the emergency rule adds a new criterion for the issuance of permits for licensed bait dealers to use non-standard minnow gear, allowing the permits to be denied if use of the gear could spread invasive species or diseases. The emergency rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted through the [http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov] Web site. Written comments on the emergency rule may be submitted until December 3, 2007 via U.S. mail to William Horns, DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. For information contact Bill Horns at - (608) 266-8782.
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Meetings
November 27-28 - The Green Tier team will hold a proportionality meeting from 1 to 2:30 p.m. by a conference call originating from Room 413 of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 S. Webster St., Madison. The purpose of the meeting is to come up with a process that can be given to the Green Tier Advisors as the basis for that group making a recommendation to the DNR Secretary as to how "proportionality" decisions could be made. For information contact Mark McDermid at - (608) 267-3125.
November 29 - The Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming – Technical Advisory Group will meet from 9 am to 3 pm at the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC), 431 Charmany Dr., Madison, room to be decided. For more information, or if you need special accommodations to attend this meeting, contact Nick Sayen, DNR, at (608) 267-2466 or nick.sayen@wisconsin.gov
December 4 - The Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming – Technical Advisory Group will meet from 9 am to 3 pm at the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC), 431 Charmany Dr., Madison, room to be decided. For more information, or if you need special accommodations to attend this meeting, contact Nick Sayen, DNR, at (608) 267-2466 or nick.sayen@wisconsin.gov
December 4-5 – The state Natural Resources Board will meet in Room G09, of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster Street Madison, to act on items as listed in the meeting agenda. For information contact Laurie J. Ross, Natural Resources Board Executive Staff Assistant at (608) 267-7420.
December 5 - The Implementation Oversight Committee of the Karner Blue Butterfly Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor Center, 2419 North Point Drive, Stevens Point. Contact: David R. Lentz, Division of Forestry (608) 261-6451.
December 5 – The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory –Room 501, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI. The Council will be discussing best ways to preserve, protect, expand and improve Wisconsin’s urban and community forest resources. For more information contact Laura Wyatt at – (608) 267-0568.
December 6 – The Groundwater Advisory Committee created by 2003 WI Act 310 will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in room G09 of the Natural Resources building (GEF 2) at 101 S. Webster St., Madison. Contact Jill Jonas at (608) 267-7545 for more information or view updated agenda on the drinking water pages of the DNR Web site.
December 6 - The Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming – Technical Advisory Group will meet from 9 am to 3 pm at the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC), 431 Charmany Dr., Madison, room to be decided. For more information, or if you need special accommodations to attend this meeting, contact Nick Sayen, DNR, at (608) 267-2466 or nick.sayen@wisconsin.gov
Edited by Paul Holtan
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707-7921
(608) 267-7517
Fax: (608) 264-6293
E-mail: paul.holtan@dnr.state.wi.us
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/
