Deer management unit information, goals and boundary meetings set
MADISON – Hunters and others can get the latest deer management unit (DMU) information and preliminary deer population estimates and find out what the 2009 deer hunting season structure may look like in a series of public meetings across the state in March.
Local wildlife biologists will be on hand at each meeting to provide information, answer questions and hear from the public their ideas for consideration in developing season formats.
“These meetings are intended to inform hunters and the public about Wisconsin deer management and gather input from hunters about their impressions and outlooks,” said Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources.
The meetings will have a second segment devoted to the current DMU boundary and goal review process. The public will be able to comment on goal and boundary concepts created by the state’s Deer Committee and DMU Stakeholder Panel. This will also be an opportunity for the public to propose new DMU goal and boundary concepts of their own.
Most meetings will last three to four hours, beginning with the Herd Status portion and concluding with a public meeting on the Deer Management Unit review. The complete list of meetings is available on the DNR Web site.
Other topics attendees can expect to learn more about include: CWD updates; winter severity; local buck and antlerless harvest histories; the Sex-Age-Kill (SAK) deer population estimation process; and deer population estimates, distribution and abundance.
Hunters and non-hunters are encouraged to attend the meetings covering the deer management units in which they are interested but are welcome to attend any of the meetings.
Additional information about white-tailed deer management in Wisconsin, about DMUs and about population goals is available on the DNR Web site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke, Madison (608) 264-6023.
