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@wisconsin.gov
This Week's Articles
June is Invasive Species Awareness Month
Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species to honor ‘Invader Crusaders’
Gypsy moth caterpillar numbers on increase
Northern zone bass season opens June 16
Boat launches and fishing spots just a mouse-click away
Final 2007 Wisconsin wolf population numbers slightly below preliminary estimate
Additional funding proposed to help prevent wildlife from becoming endangered
Hunters with disabilities may apply for Goose Island deer hunt
June issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine available
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June is Invasive Species Awareness Month
MADISON – Tired of feeling helpless at every new headline about another invasive species entering Wisconsin’s lakes, forests, wetlands and prairies?
Then join in more than 75 events across Wisconsin this month to control invasive species already here and to learn more about preventing new ones from arriving as part of Invasive Species Awareness Month.
Work days and educational events are planned for all areas of the state during June and into July and will target people of all ages and interests. Types of events vary widely and include formal lectures, field days, radio and television programs, awards ceremonies, hikes, canoe floats, work parties and even one art show opening.
“Gov. Jim Doyle has recognized June as Invasive Species Awareness Month and as an opportunity for all of us to join forces and take action against the introduction and spread of invasive species,” says Rachel Orwan, who coordinates the awareness month for the Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species.
“People can play a major role in accidentally spreading invasive species but we can also all be part of the solution.”
Invasive species are not native to Wisconsin but have been accidentally or purposefully introduced to the state from other U.S. regions or countries. Free of the predators and diseases that kept them in check in their homeland, invasive species can spread and crowd out native species in forests, lakes, prairies and other landscapes, harming these ecosystems and taking a toll on the recreation and industries they support.
The awareness month is a project of the Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species and is sponsored by the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board, the Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin and DNR and includes the cooperation of many agencies, nonprofit organizations, private businesses and citizen volunteers.
To learn what events are scheduled in your area, visit the awareness month website at [invasivespecies.wi.gov] (exit DNR) or contact Rachel Orwan by e-mail isam_wi@yahoo.com or phone (715) 462-9614.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Orwan, Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species – (715) 462-9614
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Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species to honor ‘Invader Crusaders’
MADISON – Eight individuals and one volunteer group will receive special recognition for their service in the fight against invasive species at an awards ceremony 9:30 a.m. June 6 in the Governor’s Conference Room of the Wisconsin State Capitol.
The Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species will present the “Invader Crusaders” awards to individuals or groups that have made significant contributions to slowing the spread of invasives in Wisconsin. A list of award recipients is available on the council Web site at [invasivespecies.wi.gov] (exit DNR) This is the third year for these awards, with 15 nominees. The 2007 award recipients are: The Baraboo Hills Stewardship Volunteers, Baraboo, Thomas Boos, II, Madison, Kathie and Tom Brock, Shorewood Hills; Laura Felda-Marquardt, Rhinelander; Eunice Padley, Madison; Becky Sapper, Ashland; Linda Spelshaus, Sheboygan; and Rick Schulte, De Forest.
In addition, the council will recognize the winners of its “Wanted: Invaders of the Forest” poster contest. Winning posters are available on the council's Web site at [invasivespecies.wi.gov] (exit DNR). This contest was open to fourth and fifth grade students throughout the state. Children were asked to do some research to find out about invasive species that take over forests in Wisconsin and then create posters highlighting the traits of one or more of these species. From more than 600 entries received, Anne Dupont of Greenville had her poster selected as the first-prize winner. Posters by Kane Poad of Mineral Point Alex Jensen of Milton were runners-up. Their posters, along with the honorable mentions, will be on display in the Capitol Rotunda June 6-18.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Orwan, Wisconsin Council on Invasive Species – (715) 462-9614
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Gypsy moth caterpillar numbers on increase
Homeowners can take steps to protect trees
MADISON -- Gypsy moth caterpillars are on the increase in parts of Wisconsin this summer, according to state forestry officials, who caution that additional outbreaks may become apparent in the next few weeks as the caterpillars leave the tree canopy and will move to tree trunks or the sides of buildings.
“We have had reports of large numbers of caterpillars at locations within Adams, Dane and Rock counties,” says Andrea Diss-Torrance, Forest Health Specialist at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Diss-Torrance says there are actions landowners can take to reduce the problem and prevent damage to trees.
“If only a few yard trees are infested, a homeowner can often make a dent in the caterpillar population by collecting caterpillars under a burlap collection band,” she says.
Collection bands can be made from medium-weight dark cloth or burlap approximately 12–18 inches wide and long enough to completely wrap around a tree. Using a piece of cord or twine, fasten the middle of the cloth band to the trunk at chest height. Fold the top half of the cloth down to cover the bottom half. Older caterpillars are attracted to these “skirts” when looking for a place to hide during the day. Remove and destroy the caterpillars each day by scraping them into a jar of soapy water. More information and pictures of this technique are available on the University of Wisconsin – Cooperative Extension Web site at [www.uwex.edu/ces/gypsymoth/homeowners.cfm] (exit DNR).
“If the population of caterpillars is too high to deal with using collection bands you could consider an insecticide treatment,” Diss-Torrance says. “Unless the tree is very small such as a crab apple, you will need to contact an arborist to do the treatment.”
A list of certified arborists is available on the Wisconsin Arborists Association Web site, [www.waa-isa.org] (exit DNR).
“If you wish to do an insecticide treatment you should make arrangements very soon,” says Diss-Torrance. “The caterpillars are maturing rapidly and there is little value in treating after they have done their damage to your trees.”
The DNR Gypsy Moth Suppression Program spraying has been completed for this year. About 1,235 areas were sprayed by plane in Adams, Brown, Dane, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Sauk, and Waushara counties between May 12 and 21. While it is too late to have a DNR program spraying treatment this spring, if people are experiencing enough caterpillars that they are a nuisance this year, Diss-Torrance cautions that the situation may be worse next year.
“Now is the time to voice your interest in an aerial spray to your county and encourage county officials to apply for the DNR suppression program,” she says.
The DNR’s Suppression Program is completely voluntary, only those areas that request treatment are sprayed.
Property owners who have concerns about gypsy moths present on their property are encouraged to contact their county and local coordinators for this program. These coordinators keep track of the location and number of concerns they receive and determine whether or not the county will apply for participation in the 2008 Suppression Program. A list of coordinators is available on the DNR Web site and will be updated by mid-June. People without access to the internet can find local or county coordinator by calling the Gypsy Moth Information Line at 1-800-642-6684 and leaving a message with their address and phone number, including area code. This line is checked daily for messages and your call will be returned as soon as possible.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Andrea Diss-Torrance, (608) 264-9247; Bill McNee, (920) 662-5430; Mark Guthmiller, (608) 275-3223, or Bria Radtke, (715) 831-3278
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Northern zone bass season opens June 16
MADISON -- As the popularity of bass fishing in Wisconsin continues to increase, so does the number of anxious anglers awaiting the northern zone bass season opener on June 16.
A recent Department of Natural Resources survey showed that Wisconsin anglers are catching more bass than any other game fish species -- 4.5 million largemouth and 3.2 million smallmouth.
“Wisconsin has seen a huge increase in bass fishing for a couple of reasons,” says Joe Hennessy, DNR warm water fisheries specialist. “One is that bass are plentiful, you can find them in almost any water in the state. Another is that bass are relatively easy to catch compared to musky and walleye.”
Wisconsin anglers can also look forward to bigger bass in bountiful numbers.
“This is a continuation of a 10-year trend after raising the minimum length limit of bass to 14 inches in the early 90s,” says Hennessy. “Not only are there bigger bass, but there are more of them. We’ve watched angler catch rates continue to improve.”
For anglers looking to change their bass fishing routine, Hennessy recommends looking off the beaten path.
“A lot of bass anglers head out to the larger waters and overlook the small lakes and ponds,” says Hennessy. “You may have to walk a couple of miles to get there, but they can be a lot of fun to fish in and you never know what you’re going to find.”
The northern zone, inland water bass season runs from June 16 to March 2, 2008. Current regulations for most waters are a daily bag limit of five and a minimum length limit of 14 inches. More information is available on the Wisconsin Fishing Web site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Hennessy – (608) 267-9427
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Boat launches and fishing spots just a mouse-click away
MADISON – It’s now easier than ever to find a place to launch watercraft or dunk a worm from shore thanks to a new interactive Web map of Wisconsin. Users can search the Wisconsin Boat and Developed Shore Fishing Access map for developed boat launches and developed shore fishing access points with their computer mouse by either clicking on a map or searching by county name.
“Wisconsinites love the water and so do our visitors,” said Steve Miller, director of the Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Facilities and Lands. “They love to fish and they love to get on it with their watercraft. With this new web tool they can find boat launches for lakes, rivers or flowages in Wisconsin from their computer screen. It’s Internet based so it’s accessible from home, from a coffee shop, a library, or a hotel room.”
Wisconsin annually sells about 1.4 million fishing licenses and is the number two destination fishing state in the country. Watercraft registration records show more than 636,000 registered watercraft in Wisconsin. There are thousands more watercraft that do not need registration such as canoes and kayaks. Wisconsin has 15,000 named lakes, 44,000 miles of streams and 659 miles of Great Lakes coastline.
Almost 2,000 improved boat ramps are documented on the Web map with another almost 400 walk-in/carry-in sites. Roughly 450 are maintained by DNR, which develops and maintains the sites with funds received through the federal Sport Fish Restoration (SFR) Fund. SFR dollars come from an excise tax paid on purchases of fishing and boating equipment. Remaining sites are operated by counties, towns, cities, villages and the federal government. Many sites – state and local -- are on lands purchased through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
All sites are open to the public. DNR sites are free while some sites operated by local governments may charge a launch fee which is used for upkeep and maintenance.
“This new page compliments our DNR Managed Lands page [dnr.wi.gov/maps], which is also interactive allowing folks to pick an area to hunt or recreate, identify public parcels and zoom in for details such as acreage, boundaries and directions,” adds Miller.
In addition to the DNR Web site more information on Wisconsin’s variety of recreational opportunities is available on the Department of Tourism Web site [travelwisconsin.com].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Miller - (608) 266-5782
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Final 2007 Wisconsin wolf population numbers slightly below preliminary estimate
MADISON – There were an estimated 540 to 577 gray wolves across Wisconsin over the winter of 2006-07, according to the finalized wolf count compiled by biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. This is down slightly from the preliminary estimate of 540 to 600 wolves biologists made in April, but still as much as 16 percent higher than the winter 2005-06 estimate of 467 to 504 wolves.
“This number represents the estimated number of yearling and adult wolves in the population prior to the birth of pups this spring,” says Adrian Wydeven, mammalian ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources. “The population probably doubles after pups are born before leveling back down in fall and winter.”
The winter count of wolves is used to gauge the status of the wolf population and set management goals. It is compiled using aerial tracking of radio collared wolves, snow track surveys by DNR and volunteer trackers, and collections of public reports on wolf observations. The DNR has conducted these counts of wolves every year since winter 1979-1980 when there were 25 wolves in the state.
In 2007, at least 12 wolves were found on Indian reservations, and total count outside of Indian reservations was at least 528 wolves. The state management goal set in the 1999 Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan was 350 wolves outside Indian reservations, putting the current population at 178 wolves above the management goal.
A total of 138 wolf packs – consisting of at least two adult wolves each -- were detected in Wisconsin. Twenty packs were distributed across central Wisconsin and 118 packs existed in northern Wisconsin. The largest pack in the state was the Hoffman Lake pack near Park Falls consisting of nine wolves. At least 45 packs had five or more wolves in them.
On March 12, 2007, wolves in Wisconsin and other portions of the western Great Lakes were removed from the list of federally endangered and threatened species. Management authority was returned to the states, allowing more flexible systems for dealing with problem wolves.
Since that time problems wolves have killed livestock on nine farms in Barron, Bayfield, Douglas, Dunn, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, and Shawano counties. Trapping by U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services was conducted on eight farms, and 10 wolves were captured and euthanized at four of the farms. The DNR also issued shooting permits to eight landowners with recent wolf problems, but no wolves have yet been shot by landowners.
One landowner near Park Falls in Price County did shoot a wolf in the act of attacking a border collie. The shooting of wolves in the act of attacking pets or livestock by the landowners or renters of land is allowed on their property, but the law requires the local conservation warden be contacted within 24 hours.
Two wolves were also captured and radio collared by USDA-Wildlife Services and DNR near sites where wolves were causing concerns, to allow more careful monitoring of those wolves. Additionally nine other wolves were live-trapped and collared on public land by DNR and USDA-Wildlife Services to monitor the state population.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Wydeven - (715) 762-1363
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Additional funding proposed to help prevent wildlife from becoming endangered
MADISON – In a strong show of support, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee has approved allocating $85 million for the federal State Wildlife Grants Program. Wisconsin has received more than $6 million dollars from this program since 2001 to use in preventing state wildlife from becoming endangered.
“This is great news for wildlife in Wisconsin and across the nation,” says Signe Holtz, director of the Endangered Resources Program for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “In April, 222 members of Congress supported the increase to $85 million in a bi-partisan letter to the subcommittee, so chances are excellent that we will see increased funding for our Wisconsin programs.”
The State Wildlife Grant Program is the nation’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. It provides funds for states to manage wildlife resources more effectively and to address specific threats. Under the program, all 50 states were required to develop Wildlife Action Plans to serve as a blueprint for conserving species of greatest conservation need.
In Wisconsin the grants have been used for restoring prairies and savannas, restoring Mississippi River bluff lands, and conducting surveys and studies of dwindling wildlife populations. A complete list of projects is available on the DNR Web site.
If the proposal is approved by Congress and the President in the final budget, the increased funds for State Wildlife Grants will be available in 2008.
George Meyer, who chairs the Steering Committee for the 215-member support organizations that comprise the Wisconsin Teaming with Wildlife Coalition, stated that “our vision to invest in the State Wildlife Action Plan now to conserve wildlife and vital natural areas for future generations is coming to fruition. We are optimistic that Congress and the President will follow the leadership in the House by funding this program at the $85 million dollar level.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Signe Holtz - (608) 264-9210
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Hunters with disabilities may apply for Goose Island deer hunt
LA CROSSE, Wis. – Hunters with disabilities have an opportunity to participate in a special deer hunt that will be conducted at Goose Island in La Crosse. The special hunt on Dec. 8 and 9 is intended to help reduce the over population of deer on the island.
The managed hunt is being administered by a local non-profit organization, the North American Squirrel Association. The organization provides opportunities for people with physical challenges to enjoy outdoor recreational opportunities.
The organization will be colleting applications from any hunter with a Class A, long term Class B or Class C disabled permit. Applications are available on the association’s Web site at [www.nasasquirrel.org] (exit DNR) under the event updates tab, and are due by Oct. 31, 2007.
Between 25 to 30 participants will be randomly selected with preference going to participants who were not drawn last year. Selected participants will be notified in early November.
Biologists and managers at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and officials from La Crosse County and Town of Shelby have collaborated to make the hunt available. The group formed to deal with the island’s burgeoning deer population.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: North American Squirrel Association - (608) 781-3100 or Ron Lichtie, Wisconsin DNR - (608) 785-9992
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June issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine available
MADISON -- For many days and many hours, a persistent photographer crawled about on hand and knee in the hot sunshine to capture shots of a one-inch blue butterfly. Finally he got one, but it wasn’t the rare Karner blue butterfly. On a SECOND trip he got one…and it also wasn’t a Karner blue. The third trip was a charm. Readers can discover the look of Karner blues and their look-alikes in the June issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, now available by subscription online at [www.wnrmag.com] or by calling 1-800-678-9472.
Other features this month introduce young hunters to bear biology and the opportunity to participate in this unusual hunt. Readers can learn about the debate legislators will be considering to form policy on water diversions from the Great Lakes and about a floating pontoon dredge that is restoring small trout ponds in northeast Wisconsin. Also get a look at the latest techniques being used to identify and manage invasive plant species in Wisconsin. Finally, learn which state beaches and recreation areas offer spots where both you and your dog can cool off to beat the summer heat.
It’s all in the June issue now available for $3.50 plus shipping from the WNR circulation office at PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 or get a whole year’s worth – six big issues – delivered for just $8.97. Subscriptions also makes a dandy graduation gift without the hassle of shopping. Subscribe or order a gift toll-free at 1-800-678-9472, online at [www.wnrmag.com].
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: David L. Sperling, editor, (608) 266-1510
