Wisconsin DNR News
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/June 26, 2007
Early spring waterfowl surveys present mixed picture
Hunters should check Earn-a-Buck authorization online
Bear Dog Training opens July 1
Updated fish consumption advice available
New studies find lower levels of mercury in fish and PCBs in people
Most fireworks illegal in state forests and parks
Leave young wildlife in the wild
Deadline nears to apply for youth deer hunt at Buckhorn State Park
Early spring waterfowl surveys present mixed picture
MADISON – Variable spring habitat conditions in the United States and Canada present a mixed picture for the fall 2007 Wisconsin waterfowl season. Preliminary information shows wetland conditions ranging from very good to very dry. Biologists will have a better understanding of what impact these conditions had on actual breeding waterfowl numbers when they finish compiling and analyzing spring waterfowl breeding surveys.
Three primary sources of information on yearly waterfowl breeding conditions are used to determine the fall season structure for Wisconsin, according to Kent Van Horn, Department of Natural Resources migratory waterfowl biologist.
“We’ve completed the annual Wisconsin Breeding Waterfowl Survey, which is very important since a large proportion of the ducks harvested in Wisconsin are raised in Wisconsin,” Van Horn said.
A cooperative survey of Canada geese, the Mississippi Valley Population (MVP) Breeding Survey, organized by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has also been completed.
The final piece is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service breeding waterfowl survey for the northern U.S., Canada and Alaska. That information is expected in the next few weeks and will form the framework for the 2007 fall seasons.
Ducks
Waterfowl breeding areas in Canada entered spring with most areas in good to excellent condition and a few areas in poor to fair condition. Waterfowl breeding is expected to be good across much of Canada. Moisture conditions and precipitation in U.S. prairies were mixed in early May. The eastern third of North and South Dakota had average wetland conditions and the western two-thirds had dry conditions. Overall breeding duck numbers were down in North Dakota compared with 2006 but well above the long term average while mallard numbers were similar to 2006.
In Wisconsin, winter snowfall helped to create initial wet conditions in south and central portions of the state. Spring precipitation was below average from March through May for all of Wisconsin and wetland conditions were poor with the exception of the southeast which had more water; this was the case when breeding ducks arrived in Wisconsin. Overall for ducks this spring there were poor wetland conditions in the north, marginal conditions in the southwest and good conditions in the southeast.
The four most abundant ducks in Wisconsin’s fall hunting harvest are mallards, wood ducks, green-winged teal and blue-winged teal. Van Horn notes that many of the ducks harvested in Wisconsin come from birds that breed in Wisconsin, in contrast to other states in the flyway that rely more heavily on birds raised in the prairies or boreal forests of Canada.
The 2007 total state breeding duck population estimate of 470,614 (plus or minus 51,502) is down 10 percent from 2006 but 9 percent above the long-term mean. The total duck breeding numbers are down compared to recent years but this is expected given the dry conditions across most of the state this year. Overall breeding duck survey results indicate a healthy, relatively stable population of breeding ducks in Wisconsin experiencing normal annual fluctuations. This is a positive indication of hunting regulations and habitat management/protection. A healthy population will show declines in years of poor habitat because of lower rainfall and fewer wetlands but will be able to respond when conditions are wetter in future years.
“These are population estimates – not exact counts – so changes of near 20 percent up or down in the estimates each year may not reflect any real change in the actual population,” Van Horn said.
The 2007 Wisconsin breeding population estimate for mallards of 210,219 (plus or minus 30,343) is similar to last year’s estimate of 219,494 given the level of precision in the survey. The 2007 estimate is 16 percent above the long-term mean (34 years).
The 2007 blue-winged teal breeding population estimate of 124,093 (plus or minus 31,618) is up 14 percent from 2006 but statistically similar between these 2 years given the high variation and 10 percent above the long term mean that excludes the migrant years of 1981, 2004 and 2005. The 2007 estimate is unclear and additional years of data will be needed to reveal whether the long term blue-winged teal population decline has halted or if the results of the last couple of years are an artifact of sampling variation.
“We continue to have a concern over a long term decreasing trend in breeding blue-winged teal numbers in Wisconsin,” Van Horn said. “We have initiated a new research project in 2006 to look at wetland and grass nesting habitat conditions in relation to nesting teal numbers in southern Wisconsin. This research is intended to improve our understanding of how well the changing Wisconsin landscape can support breeding blue-winged teal.”
The 2007 breeding population estimate for wood ducks of 87,875 (plus or minus 19,274) is considerably down from 2006. This 2007 estimate is 20 percent above the long term mean (1973-2006) but below the mean for the last 10 years of 121,900. A high proportion of the wood duck population estimate in recent years has come from the northern survey areas which were very dry in 2007. As a result, the lower number of wood ducks seen this year is likely a reflection of decreased breeding effort as well as decreased visibility because of dependence on more permanent water rather than temporary wetlands where wood ducks may be more visible. Current trend analysis for wood ducks in Wisconsin suggests that the long term increase in the breeding population is leveling off.
Canada Geese
“There are primarily two different populations of Canada geese that are present in Wisconsin during the regular fall hunting season, and our harvest is about 50 percent from each of these populations during the regular Canada goose seasons,” Van Horn said.
One population, called resident giant Canada geese, nests in Wisconsin. The 2007 breeding population estimate for this population is 125,195 which is down 7 percent from 2006 but 64 percent above the long-term (21-year) mean. While the long term trend for Wisconsin’s resident Canada geese is still increasing, recent survey years suggest that this increase may be slowing.
The second is the Mississippi Valley Population (MVP), which is made up of slightly smaller birds that nest along the coast of Hudson Bay in northern Ontario and migrates through Wisconsin and other Midwestern states.
The information on MVP Canada geese in 2007 suggests the best breeding year since 1999. The breeding survey of MVP Canada geese estimated 402,640 breeding adults, which is 10 percent above the 1989-2007 average.
The Mississippi Flyway Council, which is made up of waterfowl specialists from the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin and the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan of Canada within the Mississippi Waterfowl Flyway will meet later this summer to advise the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on waterfowl conditions before the federal agency establishes a framework under which states and provinces can set waterfowl hunting seasons.
“These preliminary numbers indicate an overall average year for waterfowl numbers but we will not know for sure what they mean for seasons until after the Mississippi Flyway Council meeting at the end of July,” Van Horn said.
Following the flyway council meeting and after the USFWS sets a season framework, public hearings on Wisconsin’s proposed waterfowl seasons will be held in August. The final Wisconsin seasons will be set by the state Natural Resource Board at its Aug. 15 meeting in Bayfield. The season proposal will be available in late July on the DNR Waterfowl in Wisconsin Web page: [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/waterfow/index.htm].
The following meetings on waterfowl surveys and possible season structures [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/waterfow/meetings.htm] will be held:
• July 13 Portage - 2007 Pre-Flyway Meeting, 7-10 p.m., Comfort Suites, N5780 Kinney Road, HWY 78 South.
• August 4, Wausau - 2007 Conservation Congress Post- Flyway Meeting, 9 a.m., Birch meeting room, Best Western Midway Hotel, 2901 Hummingbird Road
• August 4, Wausau DNR Post- Flyway Meeting, 1 p.m., Bayberry meeting room, Best Western Midway Hotel, 2901 Hummingbird Road
The public will have opportunities to provide input on the 2007 waterfowl hunting season and on a long range Waterfowl Strategic Plan for Wisconsin [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/plan/waterfowl.htm] at hearing around the state. The hearings all begin at 7 p.m. on the following dates:
• August 6, La Crosse - Rooms B-19 and B-20, State Office Bldg., 3550 Mormon Coulee Road
• August 7, Rice Lake - Room R228, Meggers Hall, UW-Barron County, 1800 College Drive
• August 8, Appleton - Main Conference Room, Agricultural Services Center, 3369 W. Brewster St.
• August 9, Waukesha - Main Conference Room, State Office Bldg., 141 N.W. Barstow St.
Comments on the proposed rule and on the Waterfowl Strategic Plan for Wisconsin can also be submitted by e-mail, fax or U.S. mail to Kim Benton, Bureau of Wildlife Management, Wisconsin DNR, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921; fax: (608) 267-7857 or e-mail: [Kimberlee.Benton@wisconsin.gov].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Van Horn - (608) 266-8841
Hunters should check Earn-a-Buck authorization online
MADISON – Deer hunters hunting in any of 57 Deer Management Units in Wisconsin this fall will be required to “earn” a sticker authorizing them to shoot a buck by first shooting an antlerless deer – unless they prequalified for the sticker by registering an antlerless deer from one of those units last year.
Earn-a-Buck (EAB) requirements are in place in all 22 chronic wasting disease (CWD), deer management units (DMUs) and in 31 non-CWD units and four state park units.
There are two ways hunters could be pre-qualified for EAB this year, depending upon the designation of the DMU from which they registered an antlerless deer last year.
First, a hunter who registered an antlerless deer shot in an EAB unit last year should have received a purple 2007 EAB authorization sticker upon registering the deer. Hunters who did not use that sticker last fall may use it this fall.
Second, hunters who registered an antlerless deer from a unit that did not have EAB requirements last fall but that is EAB this fall (including CWD units), will be mailed one buck authorization sticker for every antlerless deer they registered. Stickers will be valid in any EAB unit and will be mailed out in August.
DMUs that will be EAB in 2007 that were not in 2006 include: 22A, 23, 24, 27, 47, 54C, 57B, 64, 64A, 68B, 77C, 77D, 80A, 80C, 81 and all CWD DMUs (units or portions of DMUs 54B, 70, 70A, 70B, 70C, 70D, 70E, 70F, 70G, 71, 73B, 73E, 75A, 75B, 75C, 75D, 76, 76A, 76M, 77A, 77B, 77C which are located in the CWD eradication and herd reduction zones). Hunters will receive one buck authorization sticker for each antlerless deer they registered in a unit that is EAB this fall.
Deer hunters who believe they have pre-qualified for a buck authorization sticker in one of these units can check their status over the Internet.
Hunters will need to have their Department of Natural Resources customer identification number handy when they go online to the deer hunting page of the DNR Web site. Click on the link for “EAB Pre-qualification Status” and follow the instructions to check on your authorization [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/deer/index.htm].
The on-line check allows hunters to determine if their information is in the database to receive a buck sticker for the 2007 Earn-A-Buck (EAB) season.
“You should be included in this database if you registered an antlerless deer in 2006 in any Deer Management Unit which was not EAB 2006 and is EAB in 2007,” says Keith Warnke, DNR deer and bear ecologist.
Hunters who believe they have pre-qualified by registering an antlerless deer in 2006 in units that were not EAB in 2006 and are EAB in 2007 but do not find a buck authorization associated with their customer identification number should contact DNR via email directly from the Web page. Press the ‘enter my info’ button and enter everything you can remember about the deer you killed.
Hunters are encouraged to make sure the address DNR has associated with their customer identification number is correct. This address is where the buck authorizations will be mailed.
People who don’t have access to the Internet either at home or at a local library or through a friend, can contact their local DNR service center who will look up the information. People may also contact the DNR Call Center toll free at 1-800-282-0367.
If a hunter received a buck sticker last year, that information will not be in the on-line database. Units that were EAB last year and again this fall include: 46, 54B, 59B, 59C, 59M, 60M, 61, 61A, 62A, 62B, 63A, 63B, 64M, 65B, 66, 67A, 67B, 68A, 74A, and 80B.
“The sticker you received last fall is the sticker you need to have this hunting season,” says Warnke. Hunters who used all their buck stickers last fall or did not kill any antlerless deer in these units last fall will need to register an antlerless deer in an EAB unit this year to get a buck sticker. The stickers issued last fall will not be re-issued or replaced.
“Hunters were advised last fall to keep track of the purple buck stickers they earned. The same is true of stickers that will be mailed in August – close to the start of bow hunting. We need hunters to be careful to keep stickers safe. We can’t replace lost ones,” Warnke said.
Hunters registered more than half a million deer last year, including more than 65,000 antlerless deer, for which a sticker will be mailed to hunters.
“We know the error rate is much lower this year, but there are still errors in the pre-qualification database,” Warnke said. “If you don’t want to be scrambling for a sticker the week before the opener, please check and take action now.”
Wildlife officials stress that one of the simplest and easiest safeguards for avoiding data entry inaccuracies is for hunters to be very careful in filling out their registration stubs.
EAB pre-qualification will be in place again for 2007 in all DMUs that are EAB this year and in EAB watch units which will be identified later this summer.
“If you hunt in a CWD, EAB, or herd control unit, do not pass an opportunity to harvest an antlerless deer. You’ll thank yourself in 2008.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke (608) 264-6023 or Jason Fleener (608) 261-7589
Bear Dog Training opens July 1
MADISON – Bear dog training in Wisconsin opens July 1 and runs through Aug 31. Wisconsin’s 2007 black bear hunting season opens Sept. 5 and closes Oct. 9. A total of 4,405 bear harvest permits were issued for the 2006 season.
In 2007, Wisconsin’s black bear population is estimated to be around 13,000, according to Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources. The population goal is 11,300. The state’s bear population reached 10,000 animals in 1992 and has remained above the 10,000 level ever since. Average harvest has been about 2,300 bear per season in recent years. Hunters harvested just over 3,000 in 2006.
Anyone training bear dogs afield must possess a Class A or Class B bear hunting license, which must be attached where it can clearly be seen at the center of the person’s back on the outermost garment being worn. One person in the party must also carry proof of rabies vaccination for all dogs in the training group. Training may take place on lands open to public hunting and on private lands with the permission of the landowner.
All dogs must be collared or tattooed with the owner’s name and address and no more than six dogs may be in the chase at one time.
Wildlife managers remind bear dog trainers to check the Department of Natural Resources Web site for the most recent information on wolf depredations on bear hounds [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/mammals/wolf/dogdepred.htm] and to locate the home territories of Wisconsin’s wolf packs. The Web site also shows where the most recent depredations have occurred. The information is there to help trainers avoid approaching summer rendezvous sites where a pack gathers with its new pups.
Coyotes
Hunters training dogs on coyotes during the training season are reminded to carefully identify their target. Both wolves and coyotes will have their pups out and about during the dog training season and the pups are very difficult to tell apart. While coyotes are legal game at this time, it is illegal to kill a wolf or wolf pup. It is the hunter’s responsibility to correctly identify their target, if in any doubt, do not shoot.
Wolf pups generally weigh between 20 and 40 pounds during July and August. They have longer legs, larger feet, larger heads, a less pointed nose, more rounded ears and lighter colored fur compared to the coyote. Hunters may want to avoid shooting at juvenile animals and only attempt to harvest adult coyotes, to avoid shooting wolves.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke (608) 264-6023
Updated fish consumption advice now available
MADISON – Fish consumption advice for people who eat fish from Wisconsin waters has been updated, with the revised recommendations clarifying which species are the best choices to eat because they are lower in mercury and other environmental contaminants.The updated booklet, “Choose Wisely, A Health Guide for Eating Fish in Wisconsin,” is now available at certain Department of Natural Resources offices around the state and on the DNR Web site [http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/pages/consumption].
DNR and state Health and Family Services toxicologists re-evaluated existing advice and reviewed new data on the types and levels of contaminants found in fish collected by DNR and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.
The resulting updated recommendations explain which fish species are the best choices to eat, according to Candy Schrank, the toxicologist who coordinates fish consumption advice for DNR. Species caught from inland lakes that are lower in lower in mercury and other environmental contaminants include panfish such as bluegill, sunfish, crappies, and yellow perch, bullheads, and brook, brown, and rainbow trout from inland waters.
Schrank stresses that people can gain health benefits by eating just one to two meals per week of fish, and that eating more yields little additional health benefit.
“New studies suggest that modest amounts of fish and shellfish in your diet provides health benefits,” she says. “Because you gain little benefit by eating more than that, all people should evaluate how frequently they eat fish and follow Wisconsin’s statewide advice.”
That advice, effective on most inland waters since 2001, advises that:
• Women in childbearing years and children can safely eat one meal of panfish a week and one meal of game fish a month with the exception of musky, which they shouldn’t eat.
• Men and older women can eat unrestricted amounts of panfish, one meal a week of game fish, and one meal per month of muskies.
• All groups need to be aware of the 141 waters that carry more stringent advice because fish in those waters have higher contaminant levels and make sure they follow that advice. New this year, men and older women should eat no more than one meal per month of larger sizes of some species of fish from 74 of those waters.
Two recent studies by the Department of Health and Family Services underscore the need to follow fish consumption advice. Statewide surveys have shown that 83 percent of all Wisconsin adults eat fish, with some people exposing themselves to unsafe amounts of mercury by eating too much of the wrong kinds of fish, according to Lynda Knobeloch, senior toxicologist with DHFS’ Division of Public Health.
A recent study conducted by Knobeloch analyzed fish consumption and mercury exposure among more than 2,000 volunteers. Findings from this study suggest that about 16 percent of men living in Wisconsin and up to 7 percent of women may have elevated mercury levels that exceed health guidelines.
Fish is the main source of mercury and PCBs in the human diet; both contaminants can harm developing fetuses and children and are also harmful for adults, Schrank says. Mercury is naturally occurring in the environment and also comes from the burning of fossil fuels. It enters waters and is converted to a toxic form that’s easily absorbed by fish and other aquatic organisms, and in turn, by people that eat the fish. PCBs are man-made chemicals once used in a variety of manufacturing processes but banned in the 1970s; they remain in sediments and accumulate in fish and other organisms.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Candy Schrank, DNR - (608) 267-7614; Dr. Lynda Knobeloch, DHFS - (608) 266-0923
New studies find changing levels of mercury in fish and PCBs in people
MADISON – Wisconsin’s updated fish consumption advisory booklet, “Choose Wisely, A Health Guide for Eating Fish in Wisconsin,” arrives as studies show mixed trends in contaminant levels in sport-caught fish and the people who eat them.
• A Department of Natural Resources study analyzing statewide data from 1982 to 2005 found that mercury levels in walleye decreased 0.5 percent per year in northern lakes but increased 0.8 percent in southern lakes, and remained constant in middle latitudes of the state, according to Candy Schrank, a DNR toxicologist. The study found mercury generally increased with fish length but that relationship varies among lakes and other variables such as season, gender, lake area, and alkalinity are also important. The study will be published in the journal Ecotoxicology. A similar study by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission also found that walleye mercury decreased in northern lakes . This study was recently published in Environmental Science and Technology.
• A Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services survey found that PCB levels in the blood of Great Lakes charter boat captains and anglers decreased by 30 percent between 1994 and 2003. This decline reflects a gradual decline of PCB levels in the environment and in local sportfish. PCB production ended in the United States in 1977. However, these chemicals are still found in older appliances and electrical equipment.
“While these results show that exposure to some contaminants may be less in some parts of the state compared to the 1980s, further reductions will likely depend on mercury emission controls and PCB remediation efforts,” Schrank says.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Candy Schrank - (608) 267-7614
Most fireworks illegal in state forests and parks
MADISON -- The Fourth of July weekend is a time of celebration and tradition, but one tradition that park rangers and forest fire prevention specialists would not like to see is the use of fireworks in state parks and forests.
Fireworks are illegal in Wisconsin state parks and forests, according to Jason Fritz, chief ranger for the Wisconsin State Parks program.
“For the safety of our guests and our resources, our rangers strictly enforce the no fireworks laws,” Fritz said. “Fourth of July favorites, the sparkler and the snake, are not defined as ‘fireworks’ per Wisconsin state law, but most park and forest rangers and superintendents would rather not see them at all because they are a fire hazard.”
A citation for illegal fireworks in a state park or forest can cost the lawbreaker up to $200 and parents could be liable for the full costs of putting out a fire started by their children playing with or setting off fireworks.
In fact, anyone responsible for starting a forest fire in Wisconsin is liable not only for the cost of putting the fire out but also for any damages, notes Catherine Regan, forest fire prevention specialist with the DNR Division of Forestry.
As of the last week of June, fire dangers levels throughout Wisconsin were moderate across much of the state and low in north central Wisconsin. So far in 2007, DNR records show 866 fires have burned nearly 4,000 acres in Wisconsin.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Fritz, Wisconsin State Parks - (608) 266-2152 or Catherine Regan, DNR forest fire prevention specialist – (608) 264-6032
Leave young wildlife in the wild
Young animals rarely abandoned; sick animals may be able to transmit disease
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. -- During early summer, as people venture into the out-of-doors they sometimes come upon what they believe are “abandoned” young animals or wild animals, which sometimes may appear to be sick.
State wildlife and public health officials say it's best for both the animals and their potential saviors to leave alone any of wild animals spotted when afield. Most young animals that appear to be abandoned in the wild are in fact not abandoned and not in need or rescue.
“Each year the Department of Natural Resources gets calls from people reporting an ‘abandoned’ young wild animal,” says Keith Warnke, a Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist and the state’s chief deer and bear ecologist.
“These animals are rarely abandoned. Often, the mother is hidden nearby. Closely approaching or contacting wild animals presents a risk of injury to humans and the animal. For that reason, the best and safest policy for people and animals is to leave them alone.”
In the majority of cases such young animals fare better when left alone. In addition, while unlikely, it is possible for sick wild animals to transmit some illnesses, including rabies, to humans.
Dr. Jim Kazmierczak, state public health veterinarian with the state Division of Public Health said skunks and bats are the most likely species to carry rabies in Wisconsin, although dogs, cats, raccoons, foxes and even livestock have been infected. There were 21 bats and one skunk diagnosed with rabies in Wisconsin during 2006.
Kazmierczak said that people should keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for dogs, cats, and ferrets. He also urged people to avoid contact with all wild animals, especially those acting abnormally, whether they appear sick or unusually friendly.
He said children should have respect for dogs, cats and wild animals including bats and know to use care. In addition, wild animals and exotic animals should not be made "pets" no matter how young or appealing they may be.
Bats can be kept from living areas by making sure window and door screens are in good repair and by closing small openings in housing.
Kazmierczak said that if a person is bitten, the wound should be washed immediately with soap and water. A physician or local health department should be contacted as soon as possible.
He advised, in addition, that a health care provider should be contacted if anyone has any physical contact with bats, or if a bat is found in the same room with a young child or a person sleeping in that room.
If a person is bitten by a bat, woodchuck, skunk, raccoon, fox or coyote, all of which can carry rabies, it's important to safely capture or kill the animal without injuring the brain. Brain tissue can be analyzed to determine whether or not the animal had rabies. Most domestic animals can simply be observed by a veterinarian and do not need to be tested in order to rule out rabies. Treatment for a rabies exposure can prevent the disease if initiated before symptoms occur.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Check the government section of phone directories for local or county health departments or law enforcement to report animals that appear sick
Deadline nears to apply for youth deer hunt at Buckhorn State Park
NECEDAH, Wis. – Young hunters who have not previously harvested a deer with a gun still have time to apply to participate in a special deer hunt that will be held this fall at Buckhorn State Park near Necedah.
The two-day hunt will be held Nov. 3 and 4 and is open to youths who are at least age 12 but not older than 17 as of Nov. 3, 2007, according to Joe Stecker-Kochanski, Buckhorn State Park superintendent. The hunt is intended to help young hunters learn safe deer hunting techniques.
The hunt is only open to youths who have not previously harvested a deer with a gun at the time of application; however, a youth hunter who takes a deer in the 2007 Herd Control hunt or in a chronic wasting disease hunt after submitting an application will remain eligible to participate in the hunt.
Applications must be received at the park by July 15. A drawing will be held on July 16, and all successful applicants will be notified by July 24.
Applicants for the event will be selected by a drawing. Each youngster selected to participate must have completed a Department of Natural Resources-certified hunter education program and must attend a Learn to Hunt Deer Workshop August 25 or 26 at the LaValle Sportsmans Club. A $20 fee for that workshop and hunt will be collected by Friends of Buckhorn State Park.
The event is limited to 56 youngsters. They will be allowed to hunt on approximately 2,000 acres of Buckhorn State Park and Buckhorn Wildlife Area south of Necedah in Juneau County. Each youth must be accompanied by a qualified chaperone. Applicants can select a qualified family member or friend as the chaperone or authorize the park to assign a chaperone. The chaperone is not allowed to hunt or carry a firearm, must be at least 21 years old, and have at least 5 years hunting experience.
Applications are available from: Youth Deer Hunt, Buckhorn State Park, W8450 Buckhorn Park Ave., Necedah, WI., 54646-7338 and from DNR service centers. Information and applications are also available on the Buckhorn State Park Web site [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/buckhorn/lhd.html].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Buckhorn State Park - (608) 565-2789.
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.
April 15 through July 31
• It is illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal Waterfowl Production Areas lands during this time unless the dog is on a leash no longer than 8 feet. Doe not apply to class 1 field trial grounds or DNR lands open to dog training.*
July 1
• Training dogs by pursuing bear allowed through August 31. (Note exception on DNR lands; see current Wisconsin bear hunting regulations for rules.)*
July 15
• Turtle season opens statewide through Nov. 30 for those species that are not listed as endangered or threatened.*
August 1
• Fall turkey hunting applications due.*
• Deadline to apply for goose hunting permits for the Collins and Horicon zones.*
• Sharp-tailed grouse permit application due.*
• Deadline to apply for bobcat, fisher and otter permits.
• Deadline for successful applicants to purchase or transfer Class A Bear License.*
August 6, 7, 8, & 9
• Public hearings on the proposed 2007 migratory game bird season hunting zones, season length and bag limits. The public hearings will all begin at 7 p.m. on the following dates at the locations listed.
o August 6, La Crosse – State Office Bldg, Rooms B-19 and B-20, 3550 Mormon Coulee Road
o August 7, Rice Lake – University of Wisconsin at Barron County, Room R228, Meggers Hall, 1800 College Drive.
o August 8, Appleton – Agricultural Services Center, Main conference room, 3369 West Brewster St.
o August 9, Waukesha – State Office Building, main conference room, 141 N. W. Barstow St.
August 25
• Over the counter sales of antlerless deer tags begin at noon at all license vendors.
• Permits to hunt deer in State Park deer management units during one or more deer hunting seasons including the archery, gun and muzzleloader seasons go on sale at noon on a first-come, first-served basis until they are all sold. The number of hunters allowed in these state parks is limited. In the past, hunters applied for access to hunt in one of these state parks through the Hunters’ Choice program, which has been discontinued this year. Now, hunters must purchase a $3 access permit online or at any DNR license sales location (same cost as the old hunters’ choice permit) for the park of their choice.
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
June 29 - A telephone prehearing conference in the matter of the issuance of a conditional approval of a modification of the water facilities plan and specification approval for a high capacity well to the Village of East Troy pursuant to Wis. Stats. §§ 281.34 and 281.41 and Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 108, 811 and 812 will be held at 10 a.m. originating in the Division of Hearings and Appeals, 5005 University Avenue, Suite 201, Madison. The Department of Natural Resources, conditionally approved a modification for the Village of East Troy Water Utility to move the location of Well No. 7 from the test well site to the monitoring well (MW-1) site. The distance between the test well site and MW-1 site is approximately 12 feet. The department received a Petition for Contested Case Hearing pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 227.42 and Wis. Admin. Code NR 2.03, from the Lake Beulah Management District and the Lake Beulah Protective and Improvement Association as to whether it was appropriate for DNR to conditionally approve a modification of the Village of East Troy’s Water Facilities Plan and Specification Approval for a High Capacity Well to change the location of Well No. 7 without using the environmental review process under Wis. Stat. § 1.11, to the extent that any requirement to use that process applies only to the change in location of Well No. 7 and w7hether all of the Wis. Admin. Code § NR 811.16(4)(d), requirements for separation distances from potential sources of contamination were complied with, given that the location of Well No. 7 was changed. The purpose of the prehearing conference will be to identify parties to the proceeding, to simplify the issues which may be contested at the hearing, establish a discovery schedule and set a date for hearing. No testimony will be heard at the prehearing conference, however, a date may be set for the hearing on the merits at the conference. When the hearing is held it will be a Class 1 contested case pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 227.01(3)(a) and the fair play provisions of Wis. Stat. ch. 227 will apply. For information contact the Division of Hearings and Appeals at (608) 266-3865.
July 10 - The Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing pursuant to §§ 30.12(1) and (3)(br), 30.2035, 30.206, 227.11(2)(a) and 227.24, Stats., interpreting §§ 30.12(1), (3) and (3m) and 30.206, Stats., on Natural Resources Board Emergency Order No. WT-26-07(E) pertaining to general permits for dredging in Great Lakes navigable waterways at 3 p.m. in the Lake Michigan Room, Green Bay Service Center, 2984 Shawano Ave., Green Bay. The emergency rule revises ch. NR 345, Wis. Adm. Code, to establish a new general permit with appropriate conditions. The rule establishes standards for projects to be eligible for a general permit for dredging, including operation of a motor vehicle, on the beds of the Great lakes to remove algae, mussels, dead fish and similar large plant and animal nuisance deposits. The emergency rule establishes a general permit for an activity that would otherwise require an individual permit. The general permit will permit lakefront property owners to remove plant and animal nuisance deposits on the beds of outlying waters more efficiently while complying with general permit conditions created to protect the public interest in the lakebed. The general permit has a $50 application fee and is processed within 30 days. The emergency rule may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted through the State of Wisconsin Administrative Rules Web site [http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov]. Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted via U.S. mail to Mr. Martin Griffin, Bureau of Watershed Management, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Comments may be submitted until July 20, 2007. Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. For information contact Martin Griffin at - (608) 266-0842.
July 10 – A public informational hearing as part of the application review process for several natural gas pipeline projects proposed to expand the network of natural gas supply lines in eastern Wisconsin will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in meeting rooms D and E at the Fond du Lac City Hall, 160 S. Macy St., Fond du Lac. Guardian Pipeline Company, Wisconsin Public Service Corp., Wisconsin Energies/Wisconsin Gas, have applied to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for Chapter 30 permits for temporary bridges, structures and dredging in or near public waters, grading on the bank of public waters, and for Wetland Water Quality Certification under NR 103 and NR 299. Other permits and approvals are also needed to allow construction of the facilities and are listed on the DNR Web site. Application materials and maps of the proposed project will be available for public viewing starting at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the hearing. The hearings will be public informational hearings where individuals can learn more about the proposed activity and submit written or oral comments about the project and any department determinations associated with the project. DNR staff are currently evaluating the applicants’ proposal and must consider factual information about the legal standards listed above in deciding whether to grant, modify, or deny a permit for the project. The pipeline projects include: Guardian 2 Pipeline of 119 miles in Jefferson, Dodge, Fond du Lac. Calumet, Brown and Outagamie counties; Wisconsin Energies/Wisconsin Gas pipeline 1) Hartford/West Bend Lateral Pipeline 14 miles total and 2) Fox Valley Lateral Pipeline – 12.8 miles total; Wisconsin Public Service Corp. pipeline 1) Sheboygan Lateral Pipeline – 33 miles, total, 2) Chilton Lateral Pipeline – 1.72 miles, 3) Denmark Lateral Pipeline – 14.25 miles, and 4) Southwest Green Bay Lateral Pipeline – 8.25 miles. Each applicant has filed its own application with the department. The proposed projects would require a total of 179 water body crossings, including perennial and intermittent streams. The proposed pipelines would also cross 203 wetlands, affecting up to a total of 103.8 acres. Installing the pipelines will require temporary bridges over most of the waterways. The applicants may request a permit to ford a small number of water bodies due to difficulty in accessing and bridging certain streams. The department has determined that preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) is required pursuant to the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act (WEPA), § 1.11, Wis. Stats., and ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. In compliance with § 1.11, Wis. Stats., the DNR has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project. In addition, the FERC has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the mainline project, and the PSC has prepared its own EA for the lateral projects. The DNR acted as a cooperating agency in the preparation of both of those documents. More information is available on the DNR Office of Energy Web pages at [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/science/energy/plines/]. For information or to review the applications, contact Steven Ugoretz, DNR OE/G3, PO Box 7921, 101 S. Webster St., Madison, WI 53707-7921, or call him at (608) 266-6673 or e-mail: [Steven.Ugoretz @wisconsin.gov].
July 11 - The Department of Natural Resources will hold public hearings pursuant to §§ 23.09(2)(intro.), 23.091, 23.11(1), 23.22(2)(a) and (b)6., 27.01(2)(j), 29.041, 227.11(2)(a) and 227.24(1)(a), Stats., interpreting §§ 23.09(2)(intro.), 23.22(2)(a), 29.014(1), 29.041 and 227.11(2)(a), Stats., on Natural Resources Board Emergency Order No. FH-28-07(E) which revises chs. NR 19 and 20, Wis. Adm. Code, pertaining to control of fish diseases and invasive species at 10 a.m. in Room 413, State Natural Resouces building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster St., Madison. This emergency order was published on May 27, 2007 and revised Natural Resources Board Emergency Order FH-22-07(E) which took effect on April 7, 2007 and Natural Resources Board Emergency Order No. FH-25-07(E). This rule will aid the department in controlling the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHS) in the following ways: Natural Resources Board Emergency Order FH-28-07(E) extends the restrictions on the movement and use of fish, fish parts and water taken from the Great Lakes and Mississippi River drainages to the Lake Winnebago system and the Fox River from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay and allows extensions to other waters in the event that the VHS virus is discovered in those waters. The emergency rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted through the State of Wisconsin Administrative Rules Web site [http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov]. Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted via U.S. mail to Mr. Bill Horns, Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Comments may be submitted until July 13, 2007. Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearing. For more information or a copy of the emergency rule and fiscal estimate contact Bill Horns at (608) 266-8782.
Meetings
June 26-27 – The state Natural Resources Board will meet at a location to be announced. For information contact Laurie J. Ross, Natural Resources Board Executive Staff Assistant at (608) 267-7420.
June 27 – The DNR Forestry best management practices advisory committee will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Goodman Park in Marinette County. Tim Miller from the DNR Lands Division will give an update on ATV issues in the morning and in the afternoon the committee will head out to the Wild Rivers Legacy Forest to hear about the history of the parcel and how conservation easements are preserving this working forest. The committee will also visit some active timber sales on Marinette County Forest to see current harvesting equipment in action -- the goal is to get an idea of how equipment has changed since the BMPs were first put in place in 1990s. The full meeting agenda, as well as notes and presentations from previous meetings are available at: [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/Usesof/bmp/advisory/]. For information contact Carmen Wagner, Forest Hydrologist at (608) 266-1667
June 28 – The DNR Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest ATV Stakeholders group will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reuland's Catering, 1571 Hwy. 51 North, Arbor Vitae to continue to evaluate sustainable use of ATVs on the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. For information contact: Bob Dall at (715) 365-8993 for details.
June 28 - The DNR Brownfields Study Group will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Eaton Corporation, 4201 N. 27th St., Milwaukee. The meeting is free and open to the public. If you need more information about the meeting agenda, location or parking, please contact Andrew Savagian at (608) 261-6422, or [andrew.savagian@wisconsin.gov].
June 28 - The Private Water Advisory Council will hold a conference call at 10 a.m. to discuss the proposed revisions to chs. NR 812 and NR 146, Wisconsin Administrative Codes, to reflect changes to ch. 280, Wis. Stats. For information on how to join the call contact Dorie Turpin at (608) 266-0162.
June 29 – The Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming will hold its third meeting from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. in the 3rd floor conference room (Room 313) in the Pyle Center, 602 Langdon Street in Madison. The agenda includes informational presentations and a discussion of Work Group organization and assignments. For information, contact Melody Marshall at (608) 264-8851.
July 10 - 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. For more information, contact Jill Jonas at (608) 267-7545.
July 13 – The 2007 Pre-Flyway Wisconsin Waterfowl Hunting Season Meeting will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Comfort Suites, N5780 Kinney Road, Hwy. 78 South, Portage. The meeting is held to solicit input from interest groups, including representatives of the Conservation Congress Migratory Bird Committee for items that they wish the Wisconsin DNR to pursue at the Mississippi Flyway Council meeting that will occur in mid July. At this meeting DNR staff provide the attendees with any breeding status information the state has received from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For information contact Kent Van Horn at - (608) 266-8841.
July 11 - The Wisconsin Forest Sustainability Framework Advisory Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Forest Products Lab, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison. As a sub-committee of the Wisconsin Council on Forestry, the group is charged with drafting a monitoring framework for forests across the state. The agenda includes a review and prioritization of the draft framework and wrap-up for the group. For information contact Amy Peterson at (608) 267-9680.
