WILDLIFE CHECKPOINT PLANNED IN CENTRAL KS

Joint effort will check drivers’ licenses and possession of wildlife

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT), KHP and local law enforcement will conduct a joint checkpoint in central Kansas in early October. The fall turkey season starts October 1, and the regular big duck season starts October 5. The checkpoint is intended to help enforce state and federal wildlife laws, as well as the state’s driver’s licensing laws.

Local law enforcement officers will operate the first stage of the checkpoint to be sure drivers are properly licensed to be driving. If a driver does not have a valid license, appropriate enforcement actions will be taken. Travelers should not expect major delays from this portion of the checkpoint.

Occupants of vehicles in the first check lane will be asked if they are hunters or are transporting wildlife. If yes in either case, drivers will be directed to a nearby KDWPT check lane where natural resource officers will check for required licenses and permits, count the game and gather biological, harvest, and hunter success information. This portion of the checkpoint should also cause minimal delay.

Additional wildlife checkpoints will occur around the state during the fall and winter hunting seasons.

For more information, contact KDWPT natural resource officer Matt Stucker at (620) 770-9330, or by email atmatt.stucker@ksoutdoors.com

IOWA BOW HUNTERS GEARING UP FOR DEER SEASON

Leading up to the Oct. 1 start to their season, Iowa bow hunters have been busy hanging

stands, trimming shooting lanes and checking trail cameras. There has been some activity in the woods and field edges, with youth hunters and disabled hunters getting an early start in the pursuit of Iowa’s whitetails. Some urban and park management hunts are also underway now.

However, most of the 60,000 deer hunters expected to buy bow season tags climb into their stands, or blinds, in early October. Dealing again with another dry summer, there will be some adjustments in the early days.  Deer will key in green food such as clover early as well as acorns as they begin to fall. Hunting food sources and along trails to them are very good early season strategies.

Scouting is helpful, especially as hunters pin down food sources. Some soybean fields were planted late, due to spring flooding and may still show a lot of “green.” With a bone-dry summer, many acres of corn were chopped for sileage. That has left fields bare that might otherwise have offered food and cover for deer and other wildlife. Fields planted to cover crops of rye or radishes might be a surprise bonus.

Acorns are also a primary source of food for fall whitetails.  There are mixed reports on oaks this year in portions of Iowa. If white oak acorns are on the ground, they are most preferred by deer.

Most early season deer activity is tied to food. Bucks are more sedentary, feeding and putting on winter weight. Warm temperatures would keep them lying low until rut activities escalate. Towards late October, however, deer movement increases, building to the peak of the breeding season in mid-November.

Stay Safe Up There!

Ahead of the season, hunters should check their gear, as well as their stands. Falls associated with tree stand use are the most common hunting accident during the bow season. Stands and ladders should be tested to ensure they are solidly in place. Straps on stands and restraints on hunting harnesses should be solid and free of fraying or other wear and tear. With the solitary nature of bow hunting, it is important to let someone know where you are and when you expect to return.

Report that Harvest…

Any deer taken must be reported through Iowa’s harvest reporting system by midnight the day after the deer is tagged. The process takes only a couple minutes. Log on to the DNR website; www.iowadnr.gov or call the toll free reporting number at 800-771-4692. You can also file that report at any license vendor in Iowa. Accurate reports of deer harvested play a vital role in managing deer numbers and future hunting opportunities.

Other Prospects?

More than 50 deer management zone hunts have been established across Iowa. Hunting is underway in some of them. They range from urban areas, county and state parks and rural perimeters around cities where deer numbers have been too high in recent years. The hunts target antlerless deer, to help reduce doe numbers. Most are bow hunting only. Some offer the chance for a mentored hunt, pairing an inexperienced hunter with one who can pass along his or her experience.

EHD potential?

The potential effect of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in local areas may also come into consideration. About 235 EHD reports have been received in the past weeks by DNR officials across 30 counties in southern and eastern Iowa. The deer were found dead, frequently near water. More reports could come as more hunters and others head into the fields and woods. A wider outbreak of the drought-driven disease was noted last year. The suspected EHD cases are a concern, though they are just a fraction of those reported last year in Iowa.

Related articles

• Iowa's First Deer Hunting Seasons Begin Sept. 21 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Michigan Deer hunters may now place ground blinds on public land earlier (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin Archers can take up the deer hunt beginning Saturday, Sept. 14 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Deer Season Debuts With Archery and Muzzleloader (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Indiana Deer Seasons (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

Oct. 1 marks big opening day for Oklahoma archery hunters

 October 1 marks the opening day of archery hunting opportunities in Oklahoma. 

     Most popular and widely available is the deer archery season, which runs throughJan. 15 and offers the Oct. 1. 

opportunity to harvest up to six deer. Adventurous archers also have the opportunity to hunt for turkeys, antelope and black bears beginning

     "Oklahoma really is a land of opportunity for archery hunters," said Erik Bartholomew, big game biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Not only do we have several archery seasons opening Oct. 1, but they each provide ample time and opportunity for diligent hunters to go afield and harvest an animal." 

     Last year, more than 89,000 hunters took to the outdoors during deer archery season, according to the Game Harvest Survey conducted by the Wildlife Department. 

     "That's the third highest ever," Bartholomew said. 

     Bartholomew has advice for archery hunters headed to the field this year. 

     "Hunters may not find deer in their normal feeding patterns during the early archery season this year because of the increased rainfall we've had in parts of the state," Barthomew said. "There's so many more natural food sources available to deer this year than in recent years when drought had deer concentrating around limited food and water sources. Hunters are going to have to get out there and scout a little more."

     Bartholomew also said the increased rainfall has resulted in heavier vegetation, which could also mean visibility could be lower for hunters. 

     "You may not be able to see deer as well this year as you could in recent years when drought has pretty much dried up much of the vegetation," he said. 

     Even with the challenges, the rain is welcomed by hunters and biologists, and wildlife is benefiting tremendously. 

     "Deer will be going into the winter in good shape this year," Bartholomew said. 

     With plenty of food and vegetation, deer stand a better chance of eating well and preparing for colder months ahead than they do when food is limited. 

     "I expect we'll have a great deer archery season this year as usual," Bartholomew said. 

     Deer archery hunters harvested over 23,000 deer during the 2012-13 hunting season, helping reach a total of 107,848 deer harvested last year across all methods. 

     While deer archery season is open statewide, antelope hunters must hunt in Cimarron Co. and that portion of Texas Co. west of state highway 136. Black bear season is open only in Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain and Pushmataha counties.

     Archery hunters harvested 16 antelope and 66 black bears last season. Antelope populations are down this year from last year. Still, a greater availability of food and water sources should benefit antelope going into the winter while challenging hunters to look beyond limited watering holes and feeding locations that have proven successful in the past. 

     "The prepared archery hunter will have scouted, talked to several landowners, secured the required written landowner permission they need to hunt, and will be ready for action Oct. 1," Bartholomew said.

     Antelope archery season runs Oct. 1-14.

     Bear hunters in southeast Oklahoma should be prepared to hunt this year in areas with plenty of natural food sources as well. 

     According to Jeff Ford, southeast region wildlife biologist for the Wildlife Department, the region has a great mast crop this year, which could lead to good opportunities on public lands as well as private lands. 

     Ford suggests hunters should not rule out hunting on wildlife management areas simply because baiting is prohibited on those lands. About 25 percent of the total bear harvest last year was reported harvested from public lands. 

     The upcoming fifth annual black bear archery season will continue to offer ample hunting time and opportunity to sportsmen. Archery season will run Oct. 1-20 with no set quota (a muzzleloader season with a 20-bear quota will start Oct. 26 and run throughNov. 3). 

     Ford says the structure of the bear season secures better opportunities for hunters compared to the first few years when quotas caused bear season to end in a matter of days or less. 

     "You'll have at least two full weekends and 20 days to hunt," Ford said. "You won't feel the need to rush out and getting your hunting done the first day." 

     More time to hunt also allows hunters to be more selective about which bears they harvest, since they won't feel the pressure to harvest a bear before a season quota is reached. 

     Fall turkey archery season runs Oct. 1 through Jan. 15, 2014, and hunters may harvest one turkey of either sex, statewide. It's common for deer hunters to head to the field with the proper fall turkey license in case they get an opportunity to harvest a turkey while deer hunting. 

     Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide season dates. Complete details and regulations for each season - including hunter education and apprentice-designated license requirements - can be found in the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide," available free online or in print anywhere hunting licenses are sold. 

     To learn more about archery hunting in Oklahoma, log on to wildlifedepartment.com. 

Michigan Deer hunters may now place ground blinds on public land earlier

The Department of Natural Resources today announced that ground blinds for deer hunting

purposes now may be placed on public land beginning on Sept. 1.
Previously, deer hunters were not allowed to place ground blinds on public land before Nov. 5. This change makes placement dates and opportunities for ground blinds consistent with those for raised platforms/scaffolds (often called tree stands), which also can be placed on public land as early as Sept. 1. 
The Natural Resources Commission adopted this regulation change at its August 2013 meeting - after the 2013 Hunting and Trapping Digest was printed, so the new ground blind placement date does not appear in the printed version of the digest.
For more information about hunting rules and regulations, see www.michigan.gov/dnrdigests.   

Related articles

• Michigan Antlerless deer application results now available; remaining licenses go on sale Sept. 10 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• North Dakota Deer Archery Season Opens Aug. 30 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Changes abound in Michigan deer hunting regulations (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Deer Season Debuts With Archery and Muzzleloader (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Deadline to sign-up for Wisconsin disabled deer hunt September 1 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

South Dakota GFP Offers Free Archery Training to Educators

The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks is pleased to announce upcoming training

opportunities through the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).

The NASP program provides the opportunity for schools in South Dakota to safely incorporate archery in their school curriculum at no cost to the local school district. Home school parents are also encouraged to bring their children to attend this training at no charge.

Trainings are currently scheduled for Rapid City on Sept. 30 and Oacoma on Oct. 2. Each day-long training session will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.

Upon successful completion of the training, new schools to the program will be eligible to receive free archery equipment provided by GFP. All participating schools will have the option of entering their students in the 2014 NASP state tournament.

Teachers wishing to introduce archery into their schools must pre-register for training by email atoutdoorprogramming@gmail.com or by phone at 605-220-2130. Space is limited, so registrations should be made as soon as possible.

Second Deer Lottery Held in North Dakota, Remaining License Sales Suspended

North Dakota’s second deer lottery has been held and individual results are available on the

State Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.

While slightly more than 1,000 antlerless deer licenses were still available after the second lottery, all of them are in units 3F1, 3F2 and 4F in the southwestern part of the state, where Game and Fish is receiving ongoing reports of white-tailed deer mortality caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease.

As such, Game and Fish administration has decided to not issue those remaining licenses. “The decision is based on previous years’ experience where moderate to significant white-tailed deer losses were documented in situations similar to this year,” said wildlife chief Randy Kreil.

In addition, Kreil said the likelihood of an extended fall, and possible continuation of EHD losses was also a factor in the decision. “While we first received reports of isolated deer deaths in August, loss of deer to this disease appears to have extended into September, and depending on the weather, may continue into October,” Kreil added, noting that the area of reported white-tailed deer deaths to EHD covers Bowman to Bismarck.

In 2011, deer deaths from EHD occurred well into October, and prompted Game and Fish to offer refunds to license holders in several southwestern units. Kreil said it’s too early to tell whether this year’s EHD episode is significant enough to warrant a similar action, and the agency will wait until after opening weekend of pheasant season to determine whether refunds would be an option. “In the past,” Kreil added, “it has been helpful to gauge the scope and intensity of an EHD situation when there are thousands of hunters in the field in EHD areas, who might observe dead deer along waterways.”

EHD, a naturally occurring virus that is spread by a biting midge, is almost always fatal to infected white-tailed deer, while mule deer do not usually die from the disease. Hunters do not have to worry about handling or consuming meat from infected deer because the virus that causes EHD is not known to cause disease in humans. In addition, the first hard freeze typically kills the midge that carries and transfers the EHD virus which will slow or halt the spread of the disease.

Help feed the hungry with donation to Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger

Venison Steaks. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Department of Natural Resources has made changes to the license sales system, making it easier for hunters and anglers to automatically add $1 to their license purchase as a donation to Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger (MSAH) - a program that supports the processing and distribution of venison to food banks and kitchens in Michigan.
Anyone can be a part of this ongoing effort to help those in need. Last year more than 26,000 pounds of donated venison was processed using funds provided through this donation program. The ground venison was then passed on to local food banks and food kitchens throughout Michigan. “It was enough venison to supply over 100,000 meals with a source of nutritious protein,” said Raymond Rustem, DNR contact for Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger. “With the new system, if just one out of 10 hunters each donated $1 this year we could easily double or triple that amount.”
Donating is easier than ever. When making a license purchase, interested hunters and anglers should let the license agent know that they would like to donate $1 to help Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger. The license agent will automatically add $1 to the license purchase total. If making the license purchase online, the buyer should click “Yes” when asked to donate to Sportsmen Against Hunger.
“Today, we have the opportunity to continue a tradition started by hunters before us, who hunted to provide food for early settlements in Michigan," said Dean Hall, president of Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger. "Hunter donations of funds or venison can help those who are experiencing hard times.”
To donate a deer, get more information about the program or find the nearest processor, visit the MSAH website at www.sportsmenagainsthunger.org.
Individuals who do not fish or hunt can also support this program. Visit the Michigan estore www.michigan.gov/estore, click on “Tax deductible donations” and then on "Help Feed the Hungry" and fill in the information about the donation.
Donors are reminded to save any receipts or forms. Donations to Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger can be used when itemizing income deductions on federal tax forms.

"Many people continue to struggle in this economy," said Rustem. "Donating to this important effort is a simple way to help."

Since 1991, Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger has been working to create linkages among donors, wild game processors and charities that feed needy individuals. MSAH is an all-volunteer organization and is led by sportsmen and women concerned about making a positive difference in the community. Together, they have assembled a network of processors and charities across Michigan to help channel wild game donations into the hands of those in need.

IOWA’S FIRST DEER HUNTING SEASONS BEGIN SEPT. 21

The first two Iowa deer hunting seasons begin September 21, when the youth season and disabled hunter season open statewide. The youth season is an opportunity for a mentor to

provide a positive, one-on-one experience without competition from other hunters.

Mentors should strive to make the time in the field a positive, enjoyable experience. Harvesting a deer is actually a bonus and should not define if the hunt was ultimately successful or not. Mentors should keep in mind that the youth will not likely have the patience, stamina or skills of the mentor.

Hunters should focus on areas like clover fields, soybeans that are still green, timber with oak trees dropping acorns or along trails connecting bedding areas to food or water sources to increase their chance of seeing a deer.

Hunters should also be prepared to deal with warm weather. This means having something to drink and being prepared to process any deer quickly by getting the deer to a locker or skinning and boning the deer out and getting it in a cooler and on ice. 

Iowa residents who are younger than 16 on the day they buy their license are eligible for the youth season.  If they turn 16 prior to using the youth license, they must buy a hunting license and habitat fee. All Youth season hunters must be accompanied by an adult mentor.  Only one youth may accompany each adult mentor.

In 2012, nearly 9,700 youths and 290 disabled hunters harvested more than 3,900 deer. Youth hunters may hunt with a bow, shotgun or muzzleloader. Blaze orange is required for hunters using firearms. Hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Any deer taken must be reported using the harvest reporting system by midnight the day after the deer is recovered.  Accurately reporting the kill is an important part of Iowa’s deer management program and plays a vital role in managing deer populations and future hunting opportunities.  Hunters can report their deer on the DNR websitewww.iowadnr.gov, by calling the toll free reporting number 1-800-771-4692, or at any license vendor.  For hunters with Internet access, the online reporting of your harvest is the easiest way to register your deer.

Michigan DNR announces EHD found in Muskegon County

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health announced that epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) has been confirmed in a white-tailed deer in Muskegon County, which is the first county to have EHD hit this fall.

The disease is caused by a virus that is transmitted by a type of midge. A constant characteristic of EHD is its sudden onset. Deer can suffer extensive internal bleeding, lose their appetite and fear of humans, grow progressively weaker, salivate excessively and finally become unconscious. Due to a high fever and extensive internal bleeding, infected deer often are found sick or dead along or in bodies of water. The first, hard frost should kill the flies. Visit www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases for more information about EHD.

At this time, the DNR has received reports that about 25 to 50 deer have died in the area. It would not be surprising if more dead deer are found as farmers harvest their crops and hunters take to the field. This EHD outbreak is more in line with outbreaks that have occurred annually for the last decade in Michigan and appears to be localized.

DNR staff and volunteers will continue to monitor the situation and follow up on reports of dead deer so that the extent of this episode can be recorded and used in the formulation of management recommendations. Individual deer from other areas have been examined this year as well but none have been found positive for EHD.

Deer infected with EHD are safe to eat. 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.

Anyone discovering multiple dead deer, especially in or near water, or those seeking more information can contact their local wildlife biologist at the nearest DNR office. Office locations can be found atwww.michigan.gov/wildlife under Wildlife Offices.

Because dead deer do not harbor EHD and cannot infect other deer, it is fine to leave carcasses where they are found. It is also fine to bury dead deer at a sufficient depth so that no parts are showing above ground. Carcasses are accepted at landfills that accept household solid waste.

New Antler Point Restrictions (APRs) for the Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan

 Michigan Deer Hunting Update

North Dakota Landowners Seek Doe Hunters

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is currently working with 18 landowners in

16 hunting units across the state who would like to host hunters with antlerless deer licenses in 2013.

Participating landowners are located in hunting units 2C, 2G2, 2I, 2J2, 2K2, 3A4, 3B3, 3C, 3D1, 3D2, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 4B and 4E. 

The program is not intended for buck hunters, but designed to direct hunters with antlerless licenses to specific areas to reduce deer populations.

Interested hunters can get their name on a list of possible participants by accessing the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov. Hunters who do not have Internet access can call the department’s main office in Bismarck at (701) 328-6300.

Hunters will provide their address, hunting unit(s) where they hold valid antlerless licenses, and if using rifle, muzzleloader or bow. From this list the department will select the number of hunters landowners have agreed to host. These hunters will be sent the landowner’s name, phone number and any information relating to the landowner’s specific situation.

Hunters must have a valid 2013 deer gun license – the Game and Fish Department does not provide a hunting license with this program.

Not everyone who signs up will end up with a new place to hunt, because not everyone’s schedule will match up with a landowner’s, and more people will likely put their name on the list than there are openings. Currently, participating landowners have openings for about 170 doe hunters.

North Dakota’s 2013 regular deer gun season runs from Nov. 9-25. In addition, the archery season extends through Jan. 5, 2014; the youth season is Sept. 20-29; and muzzleloader runs fromNov. 29 – Dec. 15.

North Dakota Deer Season for Young Hunters Opens Sept. 20

Friday, Sept. 20 at noon signals the start of a nine-and-a-half day deer hunting season for youth ages 12-15.

Licensed residents ages 12 and 13, and 11-year-olds who turn age 12 in 2013, are allowed to hunt statewide, but only for antlerless white-tailed deer. Resident deer gun hunters age 14 or 15, and 13-year-olds who turn age 14 in 2013, with a “youth season” license, can hunt statewide for any deer, except antlerless mule deer in units 3B1, 3B2, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F. In addition, a special license is required to hunt antlered mule deer in those same units.

After opening day, hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Solid daylight fluorescent orange vests or coats, and hats are required for all young hunters and their adult mentors.

Each youth deer hunter must be under direct supervision of an adult while in the field.

In addition to the deer license, hunters must possess a general game and habitat license and hunting certificate.

The youth deer season closes Sunday, Sept. 29.

Changes abound in Michigan deer hunting regulations

It may be early September, but the first rounds of deer season – the Liberty Hunt and the early

antlerless deer season, Sept. 21-22 – are only two weeks away. There have been some significant changes made to deer hunting regulations for the 2013 season, so hunters expecting to go about business as usual this fall should take a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the rules.

The most significant change is the addition of 12 counties in the northwestern Lower to those with antler restrictions. Beginning this year deer hunters in Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Osceola and Wexford counties will be restricted to bucks with a minimum of three antler points on at least one antler. The 12 counties join Leelanau County, which has had that regulation for a decade.

The rule was adopted by the Natural Resources Commission after hunters from the area petitioned for the antler restrictions and Wildlife Division officials at the Department of Natural Resources conducted surveys indicating that at least two-thirds of the hunters supported the change.

“The regulation will be in place for five years and we will evaluate support among hunters as to whether they would like to see it remain in place after that,” said Brent Rudolph, the DNR’s deer and elk program.

Hunters who opt for the two-tag combination license will still be restricted to one buck with at least four antler points on one antler if they choose to take a second buck.

The September early antlerless season and Liberty Hunt -- the former hunts for 100 percent disabled veterans and youth – will run concurrently as they did last year. Youths, 16 years of age or younger, may participate, as well as hunters with disabilities who meet one of the following criteria:

• Is a veteran who has been determined to be 100 percent disabled or rated as unemployable by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs;
• Has been issued a permit by the DNR to hunt from a standing vehicle;
• Has been issued a permit by the DNR to hunt using a laser-sighting device; or
• Is legally blind as defined by law.

September hunting dates have been whittled down significantly from several years ago, but they never had a significant impact on deer populations, Rudolph said.

“The early antlerless season is now two days and is open in much of southern Michigan, DMU 487 (the tuberculosis zone in the northeastern Lower Peninsula) and Charlevoix and Antrim counties,” Rudolph said. “Last year hunters took a little more than 6,000 deer in September. In southern Michigan, they took 4,500 antlerless deer in the early season compared to about 17,000 taken during the muzzleloader season. Overall, hunters took 110,591 deer in southern Michigan, so in terms of the number of deer taken in the early antlerless season, it was never a huge percentage of the take. Two years ago, we did have quite a bit of hunting in September, but there were relatively few hunters participating in those hunts.”

The Independence Hunt, Oct. 17-20, is restricted to those hunters with disabilities meeting the same criteria as for the Liberty Hunt. Hunters may take a deer with or without antlers.

Hunters participating in the Liberty or Independence hunts may use a firearms license, combination license or antlerless license. Youths may also use a mentored youth license. Hunters may take one deer, with or without antlers. All antler-point restrictions apply except for youths with a mentored youth license.

The change most likely to affect the most hunters is the creation of new deer management units (DMU) in southern Michigan. There are no antlerless permits for DMU 486, which includes most of southern Michigan, this year. Instead, there are a number of new DMUs which are made up of either single counties or small contiguous groups of counties. There is one four-county DMU (DMU 319) in central southern Michigan, three three-county DMUs, two two-and-a-half-county DMUS, and two two-county DMUS. All other DMUs in the Lower Peninsula are single counties.

DMUs were created based on consistency of deer numbers and other conditions such as the amount of agriculture damage, habitat conditions and urbanization, Rudolph said.

"Essentially, the idea behind the groupings was to provide the largest possible units to give hunters the most flexibility without having to buy multiple tags,” he said. “So we basically looked at how large we could go and still have consistent conditions within the DMU.

“After the last 10 years, we’ve finally seen stable, or in some cases decreasing, deer numbers in what was DMU 486,” Rudolph continued. “In addition, we saw several significant outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) last summer, so that makes this a good time to make this change.”

Last year the antlerless deer harvest in southern Michigan fell by about 15 percent. Accordingly, fewer antlerless permits will be available in southern Michigan this season.

“We greatly appreciated what people did on the ground reporting EHD losses,” Rudolph said. “It was widespread, so it’s hard to get a good handle on how many deer were lost, but clearly the drought and heat last year created optimal conditions for the disease. Outbreaks were highly localized; hunters just a few miles from some significant losses saw little or no change in numbers of deer. So we encourage hunters with antlerless permits to use their own judgment of what’s appropriate for their localized deer numbers.

“If you’re seeing a lot of deer, don’t worry. And, conversely, if you are in an area that was affected by EHD, it may be a few more years before you begin to see deer numbers again like you did before. Wildlife Division will be conducting research in a few areas hard hit by last year’s epidemic to help judge local recovery of deer populations.”

Antlerless permit allocations were cut somewhat in the Upper Peninsula, too.

“The past winter lingered,” Rudolph said. “We had late heavy snowfalls, enough that we thought it might have impacted the herd – especially in the western U.P. – so we reduced antlerless permits.”

For additional details on regulations, DMUs, antler point restrictions and other hunting questions, please see the 2013 Hunting and Trapping Digest.  

Related articles

• South Dakota and Michigan Deer Hunting Information and Deadlines (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Minnesota Deer Hunting News Roundup (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report

Wild rice on northern lakes is ripe and will be harvestable for the next few weeks.

Last week northern Wisconsin was very wet with heavy rain on multiple days and some areas also experienced winds of 50 mph or more with the rain. Water levels in some area are very high. Meanwhile, the west central part of the state remains very dry and fire danger remains high in many counties, with burning permits suspended in some areas.

The Lower Wisconsin River continues to be at fairly low levels for the fall. However, there have been some big fluctuations in the past week, caused by discharges at the Prairie du Sac dam. The river has come up or dropped down as much as one foot in 36 hours, so paddlers are urged to take that into account when choosing sandbars for camping.

Musky have been the highlight of the past week in Northwoods fishing and action was very good. Nearly all anglers were reporting sightings, follows and strikes. Artificial baits have provided most of the action. Largemouth and smallmouth bass have also provided some very good action, northern pike fishing remains excellent and panfish activity has been sporadic with some decent crappie and bluegill found suspended around deeper water cover.

Lake Michigan trollers have been reporting decent catches with a mixed bag of large rainbows, coho, and chinook. Fishing pressure has remained steady on harbor piers with some chinook reported at Sheboygan, Port Washington, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha. A few chinook were caught near the mouth of the Pike River, but there were no reports this week of salmon moving up rivers.

The early goose and dove hunting seasons opened last weekend and some hunters did very well on doves during opening weekend, especially in the Columbia County area. Some goose hunters reported success, while others reported that it was pretty hard to locate geese due to the late farming season. Few fields have been cut so the birds are still spending time in retention ponds and elsewhere.

Whitetail bucks are starting to shed their antler velvet and the red coats on deer are starting to turn to the darker winter color. Fawns are also changing, their coats are starting to turn dark and they are beginning to lose their spots. Cooler weather is increasing deer movement, especially during the day, so drivers should beware.

Coyotes have been very vocal over the last several weeks, enlivening quiet nights with their barking, howling and yipping. Family groups have established rendezvous sites where family groups will meet to socialize and prepare for hunts. Coyote pups are especially vocal this time of year and will readily respond when howled at by a human.

Some of the late summer-early fall flowers that can be seen now are large-leaved aster, native sunflowers, evening primrose, goldenrod, and jewelweed. Wild rice on northern lakes is ripe and will be harvestable for the next few weeks. Numerous regulated wild rice lakes have opened in the last week. Search the DNR website for wild rice for information on what lakes are open and harvest rules.

Michigan Antlerless deer application results now available; remaining licenses go on sale Sept. 10

The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters to check their antlerless deer drawing results and availability of remaining licenses at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings.

All remaining public and private-land antlerless deer licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. EDT. Licenses will be sold until quotas are met.

Licenses may be purchased online at E-license, at any authorized license agent or at a DNR Customer Service Center.

A number of new, smaller Deer Management Units (DMUs) have been created in southern Michigan, replacing the large multi-county DMU 486 that has been in place for the past few years. Several of these new DMUs range from two to four counties in size; DMU 308 (Barry, Calhoun and Eaton counties), DMU 311 (Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties), DMU 319 (Clinton, Gratiot, Ingham and Shiawassee counties), DMU 332 (Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties), DMU 339 (Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties), DMU 341 (Kent and Ottawa counties and those portions of Muskegon County in Zone 3), DMU 354 (Mecosta and Montcalm counties), and DMU 361 (Newaygo and Oceana counties and those portions of Muskegon County in Zone 2). Watch the new southern Michigan DMU video to learn more.

Hunters also are reminded to apply for the Pure Michigan Hunt ($4 per application) as many times as they would like. Three winners will receive a prize package valued at over $4,000 that includes an elk and bear license, rifle and crossbow. Visit www.michigan.gov/puremichiganhunt for more information. To purchase Pure Michigan Hunt applications, visit E-license.

For more information, see the 2013 Antlerless Deer Hunting Digest, which can be found at local license agents or online at www.michigan.gov/dnrdigests.

Indiana Deer Seasons

Urban deer zone: Sept. 15 – Jan. 31
Youth season: Sept. 28-29
Archery season: Oct. 1 – Jan. 5

URBAN DEER ZONES:

Eager archers can start legally hunting deer in urban deer zones onSept. 15, which are available throughout all regions of Indiana. There are 8 urban deer zones in Indiana.

The bag limit for the urban deer zone remains separate from the statewide bag limits, with up to 4 antlerless deer (one per license), or 3 antlerless deer and 1 antlered deer (one per license). Hunters should remember the urban deer zone deer  “earn a buck” restriction, which requires hunters hunting with an urban deer zone license to take one antlerless deer prior to taking their urban zone antlered deer. 

Urban deer zones were established to provide hunters opportunities to harvest deer in specified areas in addition to regular bag limits. Urban deer zones are for archery and crossbow hunting only. This provision does not override any local ordinances restricting bow and arrow or crossbow use.

Related articles

• Deer Hunting News - Kansas (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• South Dakota and Michigan Deer Hunting Information and Deadlines (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)