Hunters in northern Wisconsin being asked to help check deer herd health
SPOONER, Wis. -- Hunters in northern Wisconsin planning to hunt the October antlerless only deer hunt from Oct, 16-19 are being asked to assist state wildlife officials in a deer herd health check. Hunters willing to help with this important project should drop off adult deer heads (no fawns) at a Department of Natural Resources collection point.
DNR wildlife biologists say that assisting in this effort will help the department insure the quality of deer hunting in the north.
“Our primary heath monitoring is for CWD and Bovine TB,” says Mike Zeckmeister DNR Northern Region wildlife expert, “but we will be looking for any health concerns and issues in our deer herd.”
The goal is to sample 500 adult deer per sampling unit with most sampling units equaling one county. Zeckmeister says wildlife health specialists especially want heads during the early bow, youth deer hunt, and October antlerless season in Herd Control Units.
DNR needs bow and antlerless only deer from participating units in Polk, Barron, Washburn, Burnett, Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Rusk, Taylor, Sawyer, Price, Lincoln, Langlade, Oneida, Vilas, Forest, and Florence counties. Hunters should also check the 2008 Deer Hunting Regulations pamphlet for the participating units and other information about the antlerless hunt.
Hunters can find the nearest collection point by calling any of these DNR Service Centers: Antigo – (715) 627-4317; Ashland- (715) 685-2900; Cumberland- (715) 822-3590; Florence -(715) 528-4400; Hayward- (715) 634-2688; Ladysmith -(715) 532-3911; Park Falls -(715) 762-3204; Rhinelander- (715) 365-8900; Spooner- (715) 635-2101; Superior -(715) 392-7988; or Woodruff- (715) 356-5211.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Zeckmeister (715) 623-4190 ext. 3121 or the nearest DNR wildlife biologist
