IOWA’S SHOTGUN DEER SEASON PREVIEW

Heading into Iowa’s busiest outdoor ‘opening day,’ shotgun deer season hunters should expect to see fewer deer. While that downturn is by design, they should still fill plenty of tags, during the December 1-5 first shotgun season or the December 8-16 second season. 

“Deer numbers are projected to be down at least ten percent from last year,” forecasts Tom Litchfield, DNR deer research biologist. “We have been working to decrease deer numbers since 2003. On a statewide basis, the herd is very close to objective; which would be the levels seen in the mid to late 1990s.” 

With a relatively short season (five or nine days), shotgun hunters often must adapt to the weather. Looking ahead to the next week, seasonal temperatures and a continued brown—not white—landscape lie ahead for hunters holding about 172,000 paid first season, paid second season and landowner tags.

One strategy that remains constant is hunting with the wind. Deer rely primarily on their noses, to warn of danger. Hunters should keep that in mind, especially as they set up drives. 

“It is always good to set up drives so that as you move the deer, they don’t have a good opportunity to smell the blockers as they approach. Have them downwind from the deer,” emphasizes Litchfield.  “A lot of hunters drive the same block of ground in the same way every year. Paying attention to the wind may produce better results.”

Hunters are Iowa’s primary deer management tool. It is a role they have carried out well in the last decade, with that emphasis to reduce deer numbers. That has been accomplished, primarily, through increased sale of county-specific antlerless tags. 

The ‘all seasons’ harvest—including deer taken in the bow, muzzleloader, January, youth and handicapped seasons--reflects that downturn, with 121,407 deer reported by hunters in 2011-12.  That compares to 211,451 in 2005-06; though harvest reporting techniques did change during that span.

Somewhat of a ‘wild card’ this fall and winter will be the impact of Epizootic Hemorrhaging Disease (EHD) across much of the state. Nearly 3,000 reports of suspected EHD have been received; with concentrations in central and southwest counties and several more western counties through the Loess Hills. In all, 63 counties have at least one suspected case. The hot weather, insect-carried disease has essentially run its course for this year; with heavy frost killing off the midge, which spreads it.

Still, hunters may find more dead deer, as they fan out across the landscape.

“We know this EHD outbreak had at least significant localized impact; and that impact won’t be assessed until we go through the hunting season,” says Litchfield.

With the emphasis on downsizing the herd, Litchfield sees about 60 of Iowa’s 99 counties ‘at objective.’ Another 20 should reach it after this season. The remainder likely would fall into place after 2013-14. He is concerned, however, that the EHD outbreak could change that dynamic—lowering hunter harvest and post-season counts—for some counties.

Related articles

• Conservation Officials work with hunters to monitor deer herd (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Michigan: In response to EHD concerns, DNR director decreases antlerless deer license purchase limits (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• November deer harvest biggest in four years (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Firearm Deer Season Opens November 28 (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)

The 161st nine-day deer hunt closes, but heritage continues through stories

MADISON - Wisconsin’s deer hunting heritage lives and grows through the sharing of hunting stories. If each licensed hunter created one new story to share at camp this year, there are 633,460 new stories to pass along, with more than 243,000 of them ending with the harvest of a deer. This year’s preliminary tally indicates 243,739 deer were registered by gun deer hunters between Nov. 17 and Nov. 26.

“It’s great to see the level of hunter participation that we do in Wisconsin, and equally as great to see that more hunters had success than last year,” said Kevin Wallenfang, big game ecologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “I’ve talked to several hunters that saw more deer than in past years in much of the state but also to some who saw less. So there are areas where deer observations were low, as we knew there would be. This sort of feedback, along with the harvest numbers, is important as we continue to work with hunters to best manage deer populations in the state.”

The preliminary nine-day harvest numbers are collected through a call-around survey of 600-plus deer registration stations all across Wisconsin and likely will increase when all registration tags are officially counted. This year’s preliminary harvest totals are up 7.7 percent from 2011. The preliminary tally showed hunters harvested 114, 822 bucks and 128,917 antlerless deer. This compared to 2011 preliminary harvest figures of 102,837 bucks and 123,423 antlerless, for a 12 percent and 4 percent increase respectively.

A breakdown of the harvest by DNR region and county is available in portable document format (pdf) on the DNR website.

“Once again Wisconsin was the deer hunting destination for hundreds of thousands of hunters. Hunting is about family, friends, fun and tradition. More than 600,000 people were out connecting with the land, and in doing so renewed their commitment to sustaining our natural resources for generations to come,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp.

Of the total number of licenses purchased this year, nearly 29,000 were First Time Buyer licenses. New female hunters represented 33 percent of this total, and another 33 percent of first time buyers were youth, ages 17 and under. Additionally, 80 First Time Buyer licenses were sold to hunters 80 and older.

“Seeing so many new buyers, along with some returning or new hunters over the age of 80, illustrates how deep our deer hunting heritage runs,” said Sec. Stepp. “Getting women and youth involved in hunting is essential for continuing our state’s hunting heritage. When women and moms are involved, the family follows.”

Late Seasons Now Open

There are additional opportunities to hunt deer in Wisconsin after the close of the nine-day season. The muzzleloader season is currently open through Dec. 5. The late archery season is also underway and continues until Jan. 6, 2013. There is also a statewide antlerless hunt Dec. 6-9, and a holiday hunt in the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) zones of south central Wisconsin, which starts Dec. 24 and runs until Jan. 6, 2013.

Please visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword “deer” for more information on season dates and regulations.

Shooting Incidents below average, but one fatality in 2012

This year seven shooting related incidents were reported, one was fatal.

“Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of the fatally injured hunter. Any shooting-related fatality -- or injury for that matter -- is one too many,” said Conservation Warden Jon King, Hunter Education Administrator. However overall hunter safety has increased over the years, said King. Total reported incidents for 2012 is below the 10 year average, which is nine.

“Statistically we have continued our safe hunting tradition. But for me to truly consider a deer season a hundred percent successful, all hunters would have returned home unharmed,” said Sec. Stepp. “And that’s a goal we all should continue to strive for.”

More than 25,000 students complete the hunter’s safety program every year, thanks to the work of more than 3,800 volunteer hunter education instructors. Wisconsin marked its one-millionth graduate in 2012. Before the hunter education course started, hunter fatalities during the season commonly ran into double digits.

“As always, we want to remind hunters participating in the remaining seasons to remember and follow the four rules of firearm safety or TAB-K,” said King. “Treat any firearm as if it is loaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction, be certain of your target and what’s beyond, and keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.”

Hunters asked to participate in online Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey

The Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey is still active until the end of all deer seasons and wildlife managers are asking hunters to send in a report of what they saw during the just completed nine-day gun hunt and during any hunting trips they make through the end of all deer hunting seasons. This information provides valuable data biologists can use to help provide an additional human element to the completed deer season.

Related articles

• Firearm Deer Season Opens November 28 (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• November deer harvest biggest in four years (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• WI DNR statement and Op-Ed: Tribes do not have authority to hunt deer at night in Ceded Territory (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin's 2012 gun deer season opens Nov. 17 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

IOWA DEER HUNTERS ENCOURAGED TO HUNT SAFELY

English: Iowa Department of Natural Resources logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Iowa’s first shotgun deer season opens Dec. 1, and while optimism for a successful hunt is the primary focus, hunters are encouraged to brush up on safe hunting practices.

An estimated 70,000 hunters are expected to take to the timber on Saturday, and Megan Wisecup with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Recreation Safety Program said the tradition is rooted in the experiences of friends and family.

“If you think about who we go hunting with – our friends and our family – it is important to practice safe hunting techniques to make sure we all get home at the end of the day,” Wisecup said. 

Hunters’ shooting at running deer is the top cause of deer hunting incidents. 

“Hunters are urged to not shoot at a running deer. Hunters tend to get fixated on their target and when a deer is running, they forget about their surroundings. Look beyond your target and clearly identify the target before taking the shot,” Wisecup said.  “You must be certain you have a clear, safe shot. Never point your firearm at anything you do not want to shoot.”

That advice can help to prevent self inflicted wounds as well. 

“Hunters need to remember the basic firearm handling rules in the field,” she said. 

Basic firearm rules are always point the muzzle in a safe direction; treat every firearm as though it were loaded; unload the firearm and open the action, especially when crossing obstacles, until you are ready to shoot; keep the barrel clear and choose the proper ammunition.

Wisecup encouraged hunters to wear plenty of blaze orange and to discuss the hunting plan with everyone in the group.

“You want to be seen from all sides in the woods,” she said.  “It is also important to discuss the hunting plan that will outline the role for each person and where they will be during the hunt.  Plan your hunt and hunt your plan.  It is critical to communicate with your hunting partners to ensure everyone knows where each other is at all times.”

In 2011, there were 19 deer hunting related incidents in Iowa: 13 personal injuries and six property damage.  There were no deer hunting fatalities in 2011.

Related articles

• Firearm Deer Season Opens November 28 (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• November deer harvest biggest in four years (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Young hunters check 19,277 deer (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin's 2012 gun deer season opens Nov. 17 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

IOWA DNR TO INCREASE NUMBER OF DEER TISSUE SAMPLES AS PART OF SURVEILLANCE FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

For a decade, DNR wildlife workers and other volunteers have combed the countryside during Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons; collecting samples to test for the deadly Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). That effort will expand this year, to concentrate on portions of Wapello, Davis, Pottawattamie and Cerro Gordo counties, following positive tests from deer in hunting preserves and breeding facilities there this summer and fall.

“We will do some added surveillance of free ranging deer here (Davis, Wapello counties), in Pottawattamie County and in eastern Iowa, too,” outlined Dr. Dale Garner, DNR wildlife bureau chief at a November meeting with landowners and hunters in Bloomfield.

Iowa’s first positive CWD test was confirmed this year; from a buck taken at a shooting preserve just north of Bloomfield.

Many of the samples will be collected during the first half of December, as more than 120,000 hunters take part in Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons.

“Our goal is to obtain 300 samples from a five mile radius around the facility. We will also obtain another 200 between Bloomfield and Ottumwa; as well as added samples from Jefferson, Van Buren and Monroe counties,” outlined district DNR wildlife supervisor Bill Ohde, noting they need to know the section from which the deer was harvested, also.  “We want adult animals. We will not cut into a trophy buck that is to be mounted.”

Sampling—which involves removing and testing the brain stem and lymph nodes--has been done on free ranging deer across Iowa for years. That attention has been heaviest in northeast Iowa, after Wisconsin and Illinois yielded positive cases in recent years. Sampling there will continue at a slightly lower intensity, to accommodate the additional testing in Davis and Wapello Counties. Since 2002, samples have been taken from 42,557 wild deer in Iowa; with no positive CWD result and from 2,630 animals from hunting preserves, before the positives were returned this year.

Most samples are obtained by wildlife staff, checking with hunters in the field or at home processing points. Others are obtained at meat lockers. In a few instances, sampling is done at pre-announced stations. One will be at Lake Wapello State Park on Dec. 1 and 2, from noon to 6 p.m.  Hunters may contact Jeff Glaw (641-799-0793) or Bill Ohde (319-591-1244) for information about the station or if they harvest an adult deer in Davis or Wapello counties.

“We are hopeful CWD has not spread. The only way to know this is to collect samples and do the testing. We will work through all hunting seasons; with the peak being the shotgun seasons in December,” said Garner.

Anyone observing a sick deer is asked to contact their local conservation officer or a wildlife biologist, so that a sample can be obtained.

There are links on the Iowa DNR website to explain CWD, the Iowa response plan, now that it has shown up in the state, and other information on infectious disease. The direct link is http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx

Related articles

• Electronic Registration of Deer Available (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)

WI DNR statement and Op-Ed: Tribes do not have authority to hunt deer at night in Ceded Territory

DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp’s statement on confirmation GLIFWC has issued order allowing night hunting of deer in Ceded Territory

“We have been informed the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission plans to allow Chippewa Tribal night hunting for deer in the Ceded Territory (roughly the northern third of the state) starting Nov. 26. DNR does not approve of this action and the state will file suit today (Wednesday) seeking a federal court order requiring the Tribes to comply with the court’s prohibition on deer shining and confirming the State’s right to enforce the state shining law against Tribal hunters in the Ceded Territory.
“We have concerns about the short amount of time to notify the public, the circumvention of court oversight and past rulings on night hunting for deer, and public safety.
“We have also requested that the Tribes refrain from shining deer until this matter can be settled in court. Should Tribal members refuse, it is important for the public to know that night hunting of deer could take place on public lands in the Ceded Territory starting Nov. 26, and proper precautions should be taken if outdoor recreating.”
-30-

Op-Ed: State opposed to Tribal shining

by Cathy Stepp, Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
You may have heard about potential shining – or night hunting of deer – by Tribal members in the Ceded Territory (roughly the northern third of Wisconsin). I want to give you an overview from the State’s perspective.
DNR does not approve of this action and does not believe it is within the authority of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. Working in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the State filed suit Wednesday seeking a federal court order requiring the Tribes to comply with the court’s prohibition on deer shining and confirming the State’s right to enforce the State shining law against Tribal hunters in the Ceded Territory, roughly the northern third of the state.
Why?
We have concerns about the short amount of time to notify the public, the circumvention of court oversight and past rulings on night hunting for deer, and public safety.
We understand that the Tribes contend they should be allowed to hunt deer at night because a recently adopted state law permits the night hunting of wolves. We believe that this is essentially the same argument the Tribes unsuccessfully asserted in federal court in the 1989 “deer trial” when they argued that State’s provision for night hunting coyotes should allow them to hunt deer at night. After a week-long trial, the court concluded that deer shining was much more dangerous to public safety than the nighttime hunting of predators like coyotes, and so Judge Barbara Crabb rejected the tribes’ challenge to the State’s deer shining law. We believe that the State’s legalization of night hunting of wolves, another predator species, changes nothing in this respect.
Importantly, even if it were legal for the Tribes to hunt deer at night – which we believe it is not – we believe GLIFWC acted with too little notice and too little consultation with the State. We have not been able to discuss many safety aspects. And we need time to be sure that people using public lands with no expectation of night deer hunting are aware of any such changes. The GLIFWC order would have night hunting of deer start Nov. 26.
DNR has diligently and in good faith implemented numerous enhanced Tribal resource harvesting opportunities, including updating and increasing harvest limits for Tribal harvest of a host of species; honoring self-regulation for gathering forest products on State lands; agreeing to alternative monitoring of walleye harvest to save creel clerk expenses; youth hunt mentoring; improving mapping of the Ceded Territory in Wisconsin; and responsive and flexible state park hunting opportunities mechanism – all of which have operated almost exclusively for the Tribes’ benefit. I’m proud of that record, and I believe our actions of the past give us strong credibility is addressing this issue.
I contacted GLFWC Executive Administrator Jim Zorn and the Tribal Chairs and respectfully asked the Tribes to refrain from implementing night deer hunting. And I asked that Tribal members not go out shining until the federal court rules on our motion.
I assured Administrator Zorn of our continuing commitment to the court-approved process for negotiating changes to our past agreements on regulatory matters. I let him know we are hopeful this does not put the Tribes and state with odds with each other.
But I also informed him that it is DNR’s job to honor court decisions and directives, and to enforce the laws that are in place at this time, and we will do so. In the meantime, I ask that all of us – Tribal members, governmental agencies, and the public – work together to manage court-affirmed hunting and gathering rights in a safe and legal manner.

Indiana: Website repair means Indiana hunters should buy licenses early

Buying a hunting license early is generally a wise idea, but it’s essential for those who have yet to buy a license and want to hunt upland game species such as pheasant, quail and rabbit this weekend.
The portion of the DNR website through which licenses are purchased will be down for emergency repair from 2 a.m. (EST) Saturday to 11:59 p.m. (EST) Sunday. During this time, license purchases will not be available online or at any license retailer.
Deer hunters can also save themselves time today and avoid the last-minute rush by purchasing their firearms season license. The deer firearms season starts Nov. 17.
The CheckIN Game system also is unavailable this weekend. In order to check game, hunters will need to visit a check station. A station list can be found at eregulations.com/indiana/hunting/check-stations. The check station list will be available online throughout the weekend, as will most general content on the DNR website.

Related articles

• Young hunters check 19,277 deer (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

North Dakota: Mule Deer Production Remains Low

Aerial observations during the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s fall mule deer survey indicated production in 2012 was about the same as last year’s record low.

Biologists who accompanied pilots in fixed-wing planes counted 1,224 (1,055 in 2011) mule deer in the October survey. The buck-to-doe ratio of 0.37 (0.47 in 2010) was similar to the long-term average of 0.43 bucks per doe, and the fawn-to-doe ratio of 0.59 equaled the lowest fawn-to-doe ratio since the demographic survey began in 1954. The long-term average is 0.92 fawns per doe.

Bruce Stillings, big game supervisor in Dickinson, said mule deer densities in the badlands haven’t been this low since 1996. “The three consecutive severe winters from 2008-11 were devastating to our mule deer and pronghorn populations,” Stillings said. “These winters not only greatly reduced overall mule deer abundance due to winter-related mortality, but led to poor fawn production. Three years of few young animals entering the population has resulted in an aged population with few prime-aged breeding females.”

Winter 2011-12 was one of the mildest on record, but Stillings said it is likely the reproductive condition of the surviving females was still poor after being stressed for as many as three years.

“This summer was extremely dry, leading to reduced vegetative growth needed for fawn concealment and health of the doe,” Stillings added. “An aging population and poor fawning habitat conditions resulted in another year of poor fawn production.”   

According to Stillings, no doe harvest is the first step needed to encourage population growth, and another mild winter is needed to help this year’s fawns survive until adulthood.

“A spring and summer with normal precipitation in 2013 would go a long way to promote habitat conditions more favorable for fawn survival leading to population growth,” he added.

The fall aerial survey, conducted specifically to study demographics, covers 23 study areas and 293 square miles in western North Dakota. Biologists survey the same study areas in the spring of each year to determine a population index.

Wisconsin: Hunters may harvest deer with tags and collars

Wisconsin wildlife researchers ask for basic, valuable information in return

MADISON – With the upcoming nine-day gun season approaching fast, wildlife researchers are looking for assistance from Wisconsin hunters who may harvest any of the more than 240 white-tailed deer marked with radio-collars and approximately 200 deer marked with ear tags.
The researchers say hunters’ help may play a role in how Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer herd is managed for generations to come. That’s a big impact for help that may take each hunter who harvests a marked deer only a few minutes to provide. With the start of the early archery season a few weeks ago, we have now entered an important phase of the project that involves collecting harvest data from marked deer.
“These deer were marked in 2011 and 2012 as part of a study to better understand how long deer live and how they die,” said Michael Watt, Natural Resource Research Scientist. ”Hunters are free to harvest these marked deer. And if they do, we would like some basic information that shouldn’t take more than a minute to provide.”
The requested information about marked deer include:

• ear tag or radio collar number;
• how, when and where the animal died or was harvested; and,
• the hunter’s phone number, complete with area code.

Hunters are being asked to call Watt at (608) 221-6376 to report this information.
Watt and his colleagues marked the deer in the northern counties of Rusk, Sawyer and Price, and the east central counties of Shawano, Waupaca and Outagamie as part of the buck mortality study and fawn predation study sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Safari Club International (SCI), Wildlife Restoration Funding, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, Whitetails Unlimited, Applied Population Laboratory, Menn Law Firm, and private donations from Wisconsin citizens.
“I want to stress that hunters should treat these deer like any other deer you might see. These deer may be harvested, but the information that hunters provide is important to the research and the future of our deer herd,” said Watt.
While the DNR uses a deer population modeling system built upon sound science and data, Watt says challenges remain.
“The distribution and numbers of predators has changed in the last 20 years and we hope this study can shed some light on how these changes are affecting our deer herd,” Watt says. “Not only is this a wildlife issue, it is an economic issue – Wisconsin’s tourism relies upon its healthy and abundant natural resources. Deer hunting is part of that tourism industry. Our deer hunters have expressed concerns about the impact that predation may be having on deer population growth and recruitment rates across the state – the department is listening to their concerns and trying to better understand predation impacts with our ongoing collaborative research.”
And this is where the hunters come in, Watt says.
“The only way we will be successful in our deer herd management is through hunters’ participation,” Watt says. “And the research partners who make it possible for us to increase our ability to gather this key information.”

Related articles

• Wisconsin's 2012 gun deer season opens Nov. 17 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

ZXT Bow Review: From Matthews

November 4, 2012 by Bowhunting.com's Steve Flores

Precision Shooter
Accuracy with the ZXT was exceptional. This is achieved largely due to the overall geometry of the bow as well as its very forgiving 7 3/8” brace height. In simplest terms, a shorter brace height shortens the time the arrow is actually on the bowstring, thus, shortening the time I have to screw things up before the arrow is released. In any case, shot after shot resulted in the same outcome….nail-driving precision.

Built on the Helim platform, the ZXT carriers the familiar Grid Loc riser design as well as some other familiar traits from its predecessors. The Reverse Assist Roller Guard is a nice blend of the straight forward look from the Helim and the sweeping “bridged” pattern found on the Z-series line of bows. The cut-outs on the ZXT roller-guard arm not only reduce weight, but add an aesthetic quality that somewhat match the layout of the bow’s riser. In addition, the sleek and slender Dead End String Stop likens to the appearance of past offerings, but with a slightly new “step-down” design to the rubber section that contacts the bowstring.
Of course, all of the technologies that have propelled Mathews to the forefront of bow design can also be found on the ZXT. These include: Dual String Suppressors and Monkey Tails to squelch bowstring noise, a Harmonic Damper located on the top of the riser and the Harmonic Damper Light on the bottom (which reduces overall weight while virtually eliminating post-shot bow/riser vibration), a String Grub for increased speed and performance, and Spherelock, SE6 Composite Limbs that are literally “beyond” parallel while at rest. All of these features add up to a shooting experience that is exclusive to Mathews bows.
Powering this bow is the new ZX cam; a derivative of the Z-series cam system. Those familiar with this cam design will appreciate the speed that it produces without the need for a harsh draw-cycle to do so. Launching arrows at 326 fps IBO, the ZXT can handle any big-game animal that comes within range of your treestand or groundblind, yet doesn’t require “Herculean” effort or strain in order to reach full draw during the moment of truth. And, with a 28 inch ATA (axle to axle) length, you’re sure to have plenty of room to maneuver into position for that perfect shot.

When you are the largest bow manufacturer in the world all eyes are on you. Consequently, each year loyal Mathews shooters, as well as everyone else in the archery world, eagerly awaits the arrival of the new bow lineup. This year is no exception. And with the release of 3 new models for 2013, Mathews Inc. is sure to cover a wide array of performance desires. One bow that will take on the task of pleasing shooters is the all new ZXT. If you’ve been happy with what has come out of Sparta, WI over the last few years then you are going to love this bow. In a nut shell, Mathews has taken what is arguably their top two best-selling bows of all time, the Z7 Extreme and the Helim , and combined them into one bow….the all new ZXT.
Features

While a longer brace height adds forgiveness it also slows arrow speed. However, at 326 fps IBO, I can’t think of any animal in North America that would be immune to that type of “bad” medicine.

Test Drive
Shooting the ZXT for the first time felt very familiar; like slipping on my favorite pair of hunting boots. The smooth, comfortable draw cycle, quiet shot, and apparent lack of vibration is what I have come to expect from Mathews. It is why I fell in love with their products so many years ago. My experience can be credited to the features listed above as well as the past-parallel limb design, the ZX cam and the Reverse Assist Roller Guard; all of which add a level of “smoothness” and vibration-free performance that is hard to match.
Without a doubt, the ZXT will be a welcome alternative to other bow designs that, despite boasting extreme speeds, typically force the shooter to suffer all of the “negatives” so often associated with fast arrow flight: i.e. short brace height, increased post-shot noise and vibration and an unpleasant draw-cycle…..just to name a few.
Few will argue that archery is 90% mental. Likewise, there is no question that “shooting confidence” goes a long way to increasing your performance in the field. When you combine the overall design of the ZXT with the increased conviction that you can close the deal when the opportunity presents itself, what you have is a deadly combination that is sure to result in more filed tags and smiling “trophy” shots.
Conclusion
It isn’t easy to continually raise the bar on bow design. And, while some may feel that the forward momentum has begun to slow down within the industry as a whole, I am hesitant to agree; especially when it comes to bows that are being produced by Mathews. In my opinion, once you have achieved the overall perfect design, which I feel they did long ago, then time and effort can be applied to “perfecting” the perfect design. That is exactly what Matt McPherson and all of the employees at Mathews Inc. continue to do, day after day, year after year. Unsurprisingly, 2013 looks to be no different.

Michigan: In response to EHD concerns, DNR director decreases antlerless deer license purchase limits

With evidence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) now affecting white-tailed deer in more than 30 Michigan counties, Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh has signed an emergency order that decreases antlerless license purchase limits for deer management units (DMUs) where the most EHD-related die-offs have occurred. Director Creagh signed the order during yesterday’s regular monthly meeting of the Natural Resources Commission.

Effective immediately, the purchase limit for DMU 486 (a multicounty unit in the southern Lower Peninsula) is five private land antlerless deer hunting licenses per hunter. Also effective immediately, the public antlerless license purchase limit per hunter is two for each of the following DMUs: 012 (Branch), 034 (Ionia), 039 (Kalamazoo), 041 (Kent), 044 (Lapeer), 076 (Sanilac), 078 (Shiawassee), 079 (Tuscola) and 080 (Van Buren).

Individuals who purchased antlerless licenses prior to this emergency order are not required to return licenses. This order only applies to antlerless licenses purchased on or after Nov. 8, 2012.

“With this order, I hope to remind individuals to assess their local situation, and in areas where EHD has hit the hardest, either take a minimal number of antlerless deer or not take any at all,” said Director Creagh. “We strongly believe most hunters will make the right call in exercising restraint, but by working with the Natural Resources Commission to enact this emergency order, we created a regulatory mechanism to reinforce a more conservative approach.”

The DNR apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause hunters, landowners or license agents. However, this action was taken prior to the time that license sales traditionally increase sharply just prior to the opening of firearm season. The DNR feels the change was warranted in order to acknowledge the heavy deer losses that have occurred in some areas.

To better address the public’s concerns and questions about EHD, deer hunting, or deer in general, DNR’s wildlife veterinarian Steve Schmitt, deer and elk program leader Brent Rudolph and Law Enforcement Division Assistant Chief Dean Molnar will field questions in a cyber discussion on Tuesday, Nov. 13, from 7 to 8 p.m. To join the live-streaming event, residents are asked to visit www.facebook.com/midnr.

In addition, on Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., DNR staff, including Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason and Assistant Chief Doug Reeves, will be available for questions at some of the busiest retail stores in southern Michigan. For a complete list of locations and participating staff, visit www.michigan.gov/deer.

“This is the perfect opportunity to connect with the hunting community on the busiest license-buying day of the year,” said Mason. “We will be stationed at more than 10 locations, and we hope hunters will stop by so we can answer any questions they may have about EHD or other deer-related concerns.”

EHD is caused by a virus that is transmitted by a type of biting fly called a midge. Deer can suffer extensive internal bleeding, leading to death just a few weeks after infection with the virus. Due to a high fever, infected deer often are found sick or dead along or in bodies of water.

Cold weather reduces midge activity and frost kills the adults that bite and transmit the virus, so most outbreaks have slowed if not stopped completely.

EHD does not affect humans, so edibility of the venison is not affected by this disease. There is no evidence that humans can contract the EHD virus either from the midge or from handling and eating venison.

The DNR will take reports of dead deer that are likely EHD-related until Jan. 1. To report the presence of dead deer, the DNR encourages residents to contact their nearest DNR wildlife field office by consulting the list available at www.michigan.gov/wildlife.

Wisconsin’s 2012 gun deer season opens Nov. 17

This year’s nine-day hunt to have ‘more of a traditional feel’

MADISON -- Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites and visiting non-residents eagerly await the arrival of the 2012 9-day gun deer season, which kicks off Nov. 17.
Approximately 10 percent of Wisconsin residents will take to the field for the annual hunt, and thousands more will participate by providing food, hotels, and other services that make deer hunting such an important part of the Wisconsin culture and economy.
Kevin Wallenfang, big game ecologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, says the 2012 gun season is one that he hopes will be exciting and satisfying for all involved. “It’s a tradition that many hunters and businesses look forward to all year long. It will also have more of a traditional feel to it this year due to the elimination of most early season gun hunts.”
Wallenfang says that getting back to a more normal season framework seems to have many people very enthusiastic this year. “Add to that the fact that deer populations across the north have increased in many units thanks to a very mild winter and reduced antlerless permits, and hunters could be in for a very satisfying year,” Wallenfang says. He adds, however, that some northern units are still below goal, so hunters should not expect to see a lot of deer in some areas.
Deer populations throughout most of the farmland region of the state are strong, says Wallenfang, especially on private lands. Still, despite comparatively high deer numbers, farmland units can be difficult to hunt, especially for those spending their season on public lands where hunting pressure is often much higher than surrounding private properties. The good news is that Wisconsin has more than 1 million acres of private lands open for public hunting, including Voluntary Public Access program and Managed Forest Law program lands.
Even with increasing deer populations in many units, hunter success during the gun season can vary based on a wide range of factors. Hunter effort, weather events, rut activity, hunting pressure, and stand site locations in addition to deer numbers can all play influential roles in whether or not individual hunters see and harvest deer.
For more information on deer in different areas of the state, see the 2012 Wisconsin Fall Hunting Forecast [PDF].
“Deer are not distributed evenly across the landscape and their movements vary greatly from one day to the next,” says Wallenfang. “Some hunters simply have access to better hunting and more deer.”
Another step hunters can take to increase their opportunities and enjoy their season is to take advantage of more days in the field. “There has been an increasing trend of hunters spending fewer days in the woods than in years past, often hunting just the opening weekend,” Wallenfang says. “Although deer sightings can be fewer after opening weekend, there are still deer to be hunted and the later part of the season can be more relaxing than the high pressure of opening weekend.”
Hopefully we’ll have some comfortable hunting conditions that will allow people to stay in the woods and enjoy the hunt longer,” Wallenfang says. “Best of luck for a very safe and enjoyable hunt.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Wallenfang, DNR Big Game Ecologist, 608-261-7589

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