Wisconsin Outdoor Report 5/28/2016

Deer Cove Rockshelter, Governor Dodge State Park, Wisconsin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Northern zone musky season opens Saturday; rains and green-up have lowered fire danger

Recent rains, alternating with strong sunshine across much of the state have powered "green up" and lowered fire danger statewide. Expect more punctuated rain events and possible thunderstorms as we move into and through Memorial Day weekend.

Great weather last weekend brought on canoeists and kayakers on the Bois Brule and Flambeau rivers last weekend. Water levels are dropping on the Lower Wisconsin River and good numbers of sandbars are forming just in time for the holiday weekend.

The unseasonably warm weather turned the panfish and bass spawn into overdrive in central Wisconsin. The northern zone musky season opens thisSaturday, May 28, and fisheries biologists say musky size is on the rise in Wisconsin and that means the potential for a big bite is better than ever.

Anglers were catching walleye on the Menominee River and the walleye bite out of Pensaukee has been good to very good this past week. On Green Bay, water temperatures were in the high 50s to low 60s and anglers were having success with smallmouth bass at Little Sturgeon Bay and Sawyer Harbor.

Wisconsin is currently near peak in fawns being born, and DNR offices are continuing to receive calls about abandoned fawns. Does leave fawns alone for extended periods and fawns natural instinct is to lie down and not move. This is part of their defense and doesn't mean they are abandoned or injured. Their mother is nearby and will return to care for the fawn. If you see a fawn, leave it along and back away slowly.

Trillium's are out in force and other species blooming include wild geraniums, prairie phlox and the state-threatened white lady slipper orchid. Mayapple, wild ginger, columbine and jack-in-the-pulpit are other woodland flowers now in bloom. Both gray and Cope's tree frogs are calling. Both frogs look identical, but unlike the tree frog's melodious, cricket-like song, the Cope's gray tree frog blurts out a raucous "blah" call.

Bird migrations are winding down and breeding activity is ramping up. Even the latest migrants, like dickcissel, common nighthawk, yellow-bellied flycatcher, and cedar waxwings have all arrived. Small numbers of warblers continue to move through, as will some thrushes, flycatchers, and other lagging Neotropical migrants. Ruby-throated hummingbirds, Baltimore orioles, rose-breasted grosbeaks, and many others are building nests, while American robins, red-winged blackbirds, wood ducks, hooded mergansers, and a host of other early migrants are already fledging young. The first sandhill colts and trumpeter swan cygnets have been sighted at the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.

The UW-Madison Astronomy Department begins its Universe in the Park series this weekend with programs at Governor Dodge State Park on Saturdaynight at Kohler-Andrae State Park Sunday night. There is a presentation on astronomy and then if the sky is clear, a telescope is set up to provide visitors with the opportunity to view whatever astronomical objects are available. The series goes on throughout the summer at different parks around the state.

New deer biologist and mammologist join Indiana DNR

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has a new deer biologist and a new mammologist.

Joe Caudell, the deer biologist, joins the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife from Murray State University in Kentucky, where he had served as assistant professor of wildlife since 2013. He also has served as an adjunct professor in Purdue University’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources since 2011.

Taylor Rasmussen, the new mammologist, joins DNR Fish & Wildlife after earning his master’s degree in biological sciences with a focus on small mammal ecology from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. He earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, in 2012.

“The Division of Fish & Wildlife has brought on highly qualified biologists to take on two important roles in the Division,” said Mark Reiter, Division of Fish & Wildlife director. “We are fortunate to be able to select candidates with experience and advanced degrees to help adapt and move our Wildlife Science Program forward.” 

Caudell, who earned his doctorate in wildlife biology from Utah State University in 2001, served as wildlife disease biologist for U.S. Department of Agriculture APHIS Wildlife Services in West Lafayette from 2005 to 2013. He lives on a 20-acre farm between Shoals and Loogootee.

Before working in West Lafayette, Caudell served as urban wildlife biologist for USDA APHIS in Las Vegas and as wildlife damage management specialist for the same organization in Augusta, Maine. He holds a master’s degree from Utah State University in wildlife biology and a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from the University of Georgia.

“I have been working with deer since I started college,” he said. “And this was a position that I’d always been interested in since moving to Indiana. It’s a natural fit for me—I like working with deer.”

As a person who grew up in the southeastern United States, he said he appreciates the size and quality of Indiana deer.

“The first time I worked a check station here about 14 years ago, I was just amazed at the size of deer that were coming in,” he said. “I think the deer hunters here get a really good experience in terms of having high-quality deer.”

He says his main challenge will be balancing the needs of hunters and people who are experiencing damage from deer, something that he is familiar with as a person who grew up on a farm and has continued to farm.  

Rasmussen, a native of Sioux Falls, Iowa, worked with small mammals throughout his undergraduate and graduate years.

“I like working with animals that are often overlooked, such as the smaller animals and the endangered and threatened animals as well,” he said.

Rasmussen did projects on the Franklin’s ground squirrel while at Morningside and Fort Hays State and is especially interested in continuing to work with that state-endangered species in Indiana, as well as with bats.

Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approves 2016 deer harvest quotas and season structure

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approved deer hunting season framework and antlerless deer quotas for 2016 at its May 25 meeting in Madison. Final season framework reflects recommendations from County Deer Advisory Councils.

Ten deer management units will not have an antlerless quota (each within the Northern and Central Forest zones), while the rest of Wisconsin will have a quota of 256,775 antlerless deer (compared to 224,735 in 2015).

A Holiday Hunt will be held in 13 counties and provide for an additional antlerless-only opportunity for firearm hunters from Dec. 24 to Jan.1. In addition, junior license holders in Ashland, Sawyer and Forest counties will not be allowed to harvest antlerless deer – these councils exercised their right to submit this recommendation in an effort to encourage increased herd growth.

As a reminder, bonus antlerless permit sales for the Forest zones begin Monday, Aug.15 at 10 a.m. Central Farmland Zone permits will go on sale Aug. 16, and Southern Farmland Zone bonus permits will be made available Aug. 17.

The department’s deer hunting webpage will be updated within the coming weeks with a number of helpful resources regarding hunting 2016 quotas and season framework. For more information, including an updated carcass tagging FAQ, search keyword “deer.”

Related articles

• South Dakota GFP Commission Proposes Deer Hunting Season Changes
• Archery hunting in Flagstaff to be scaled back
• Some fear that chronic wasting disease is spinning out of control in Wisconsin

Proposed Iowa Deer Seasons up for Public Comment until June 1st

Iowa’s proposed 2016-17 deer hunting seasons were approved for public comment Thursday by the Natural Resource Commission of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  The proposal included a status quo county antlerless license quota and maintained the buck only restriction for select counties in northwest Iowa during early muzzleloader season and first shotgun season.

The proposal will be available for public comment through June 1, 2016. Written comments may be directed to the Department of Natural Resources, Dr. Dale Garner, Wildlife Bureau Chief, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034; by e-mail at Dale.Garner@dnr.iowa.gov; or by Fax at 515-725-8201. Persons who wish to convey their comments orally may contact Dr. Garner at 515-725-8494 or by visiting the fourth floor of the Wallace State Office Building during regular business hours.

The proposal is available online at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting.

There will be a public hearing on Wednesday, June 1, 2016, at 2 p.m. in the Third Floor Conference Room of the Wallace State Office Building. At the public hearing, persons may present their views either orally or in writing. Participants will be asked to give their names and addresses for the record and to confine their remarks to the subject of the amendments.

Any persons who intend to attend the public hearing and have special requirements, such as those related to hearing or mobility impairments, should contact the Department and request specific accommodations.

DEER SEASONS

Regular Gun 1                                                Dec. 3-7

Regular Gun 2                                            Dec. 10-18

Bow             Oct. 1-Dec. 2 and Dec. 19-Jan. 10, 2017

Early Muzzleloader                                    Oct. 15-23

Muzzleloader                           Dec. 19-Jan. 10, 2017

Youth                                                   Sept. 17-Oct. 2

Disabled Hunter                                 Sept. 17-Oct. 2

Holiday Antlerless-Only                      Dec. 24-Jan. 2

October deer hunt for hunters with disabilities provides invaluable opportunity for hunters and landowners

Wisconsin landowners are reminded of an excellent opportunity to help other hunters enjoy Wisconsin’s outdoors and sponsor a deer hunt for hunters with disabilities. The deadline for sponsor applications is June 1.

Potential sponsors must have at least 60 acres of land available, and are required to allow access for at least three hunters if they are contacted. In 2016, the disabled hunt will be held Oct. 1-9.

A complete list of sponsors will be available on the department’s disabled deer hunt webpage after the June 1 deadline. Sponsors are required to submit a list of participants online or via mail no later than Sept. 1.

To complete an online application and learn more about this hunt, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords “disabled deer hunt.” Interested landowners without access to the online application can contact Mary Annala, DNR assistant big game ecologist, at 608-261-7588 or via email at Mary.Annala@Wisconsin.gov.

South Dakota GFP Commission Proposes Deer Hunting Season Changes

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission has proposed an increase in the number of East River deer hunting licenses for 2016. There would be 4,220 fewer one-tag licenses, 5,075 more two-tag licenses and 1,400 more three tag licenses compared to 2015.

The Commission also proposed to establish an antlerless deer unit within Bon Homme County; south of SD Highway 50 and east of US Highway 37. To view a map of this proposed area, visit http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/docs/2016/May/may-materials.pdf.

The East River deer hunting season would run Nov. 19 - Dec. 4, 2016.   The proposal also includes nine days of antlerless deer hunting from Dec. 31, 2016 – Jan. 8, 2017, when only antlerless tags are valid.

The muzzleloader season will run from Dec. 1, 2016 - Jan. 15, 2017, and will have 1,000 any deer licenses and unlimited antlerless whitetail deer licenses available.

The Commission also proposed a decrease of 10 resident and one nonresident any deer licenses for the LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).  The proposed refuge deer hunting seasons are:

Sand Lake NWR:

• November 12-16
• November 17-21
• November 22-27
• November 28 – December 4
• December 5-11
• December 31, 2016 - January 8, 2017.

LaCreek NWR:

• October 19-25
• November 23-29

Waubay NWR (includes Waubay State Game Refuge):

• November 12-19
• November 20-27
• November 28 – December 4

The Commission had no proposed changes to the 2016 youth deer hunting season, resulting in the same season structure as last year. The youth deer season will run from Sept. 10, 2016 – Jan. 15, 2017.

The Commission will finalize these proposals at their June 2-3, 2015, meeting at the Watertown Convention Center. Written comments can be sent to wildinfo@state.sd.us. To be part of the official public record, comments must be received by 12 p.m. on June2. Please include your full name along with the city and state of residence. If you would like to comment in person, the public hearing will be held June 2, at 2 p.m. CDT at the Watertown Convention Center.

GFP Commission Proposes West River Deer Hunting Season

PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission has proposed the 2016 West River deer hunting season.

A total of 14,345 one-tag, 5,420 two-tag licenses would be available for residents and 1,151 one-tag, 434 two-tag licenses would be available for nonresidents.

The Commission proposed that the season would run from Nov. 5-8 and Nov. 21-27, 2016, for Gregory and Mellette counties. For all other hunting units, the season would run from Nov. 12-27, 2016.

The Commission will finalize this proposal at their June 2-3, 2015, meeting at the Watertown Convention Center. Written comments can be sent to wildinfo@state.sd.us. To be part of the official public record, comments must be received by 12 p.m. on June2. Please include your full name along with the city and state of residence. If you would like to comment in person, the public hearing will be held June 2, at 2 p.m. CDT at the Watertown Convention Center.

GFP Commission Proposes a Change to the
Free Antlerless Deer License Available to Landowners

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission proposed a change to the utilization of free antlerless deer licenses available to landowners.

These licenses are available to any qualifying farmer or rancher for use in the West River, East River, Youth, Archery and Muzzleloader deer hunting units where at least one antlerless deer tag is available. Previously these have been available after the second lottery drawing from the previous year East River and West River deer seasons. However, no such free antlerless license is valid in counties where antlerless archery or a muzzleloader license is restricted. The requirements and equipment restrictions for each deer hunting season apply to any free antlerless license issued.

The Commission proposed to make free antlerless whitetail deer licenses available to those eligible landowners in hunting units offering deer licenses with multiple tags for antlerless deer in the lottery drawing for the East River and West River deer seasons.

The Commission will finalize this proposal at their June 2-3, 2015, meeting at the Watertown Convention Center. Written comments can be sent to wildinfo@state.sd.us. To be part of the official public record, comments must be received by 12 p.m. on June2. Please include your full name along with the city and state of residence. If you would like to comment in person, the public hearing will be held June 2, at 2 p.m. CDT at the Watertown Convention Center.

South Dakota Archery Deer Season Proposal Would Open More Areas for Antlerless Deer Harvest

A proposal from the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission would open more of the state for deer hunters to harvest antlerless whitetail deer during the archery season.

In recent years, GFP has closed certain areas of the state for antlerless deer harvest due to low deer populations. Whitetail deer numbers are increasing across the state; calling for the Commission to ease restrictions. To view a map of these proposed areas, visit http://gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/docs/2016/May/may-materials.pdf.

Resident and nonresident hunters may purchase one statewide any deer license or one East River any deer license and one West River any deer license. Residents and nonresidents may purchase one antlerless whitetail deer license as well.

The proposed archery deer season would run from Sept. 24, 2016 – Jan. 15, 2017.  From Jan. 1-15, only antlerless whitetail deer licenses would be valid.

The Commission also proposed to increase the number of antlerless whitetail deer archery access permits from 20 to 25 for the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve.  Five archery access permits would also be available for Good Earth State Park.

The Commission will finalize this proposal at their June 2-3, 2015, meeting at the Watertown Convention Center. Written comments can be sent to wildinfo@state.sd.us. To be part of the official public record, comments must be received by 12 p.m. on June2. Please include your full name along with the city and state of residence. If you would like to comment in person, the public hearing will be held June 2, at 2 p.m. CDT at the Watertown Convention Center.

MDC reminds public to not feed deer in CWD counties

Regulation banning feeding deer in 29 counties starts May 30.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds landowners, deer hunters, and others that a regulation banning the feeding of deer becomes effective on May 30 for 29 counties in north-central, central, and east-central Missouri.

Grain, salt products, minerals, and other consumable products used to attract deer are now prohibited year-round in the following 29 counties: Adair, Boone, Callaway, Carroll, Chariton, Crawford, Cole, Cooper, Franklin, Gasconade, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Louis, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, Washington, and Warren.  

Exceptions to the regulation include feeding wildlife within 100 feet of any residence or occupied building, feed placed in a manner that excludes access by deer, and feed and minerals used solely for normal agricultural, forest management, or wildlife food-plot-production practices.

The feeding ban is one step MDC is taking to limit the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that infects only deer and other members of the deer family. The disease has no vaccine or cure and is 100-percent fatal. CWD is spread from deer to deer and the potential for transmission increases when deer gather in larger, concentrated numbers, such as at feeding sites.

The 29 counties affected by the feeding ban comprise the Department’s CWD Management Zone. The zone consists of counties within or that touch a radius of approximately 25 miles from where CWD has been found. According to MDC, 33 free-ranging deer in Missouri have tested positive for the disease with 21 found in Macon County, 9 in Adair, one in Cole, one in Franklin, and one in Linn.

Other MDC actions to limit the spread of CWD

The ban on feeding deer is one of several actions MDC is taking to help limit the spread of CWD. MDC also collects tissue samples from several thousand harvested, sick, and road-killed wild deer around the state each year to test for CWD. The sampling efforts focus both on areas where CWD has been found and on broader, statewide testing.

The Department will increase its CWD sampling and testing efforts in north-central, central, and east-central Missouri this fall by requiring hunters who harvest deer in one of the 29 CWD-Management-Zone counties during the opening weekend of the fall firearms deer season (Nov. 12 and 13) to present their deer (or the head with at least six inches of the neck intact) for CWD testing at one of 75 MDC sampling locations on the day of harvest. The testing is free and hunters can also get free test results. Sampling locations will be listed in the Department’s 2016 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet and online at mdc.mo.gov.

MDC has also removed the antler-point restriction in all CWD-Management-Zone counties starting this fall so young bucks are no longer protected from harvest. Young bucks can potentially spread the disease to new areas as they search for territories and mates.

The Department has also increased the availability of firearms antlerless permits from 1 to 2 in all CWD-Management-Zone counties starting this fall to help prevent undesired population increases in local deer numbers.

MDC also strongly discourages the removal of deer carcasses from CWD-Management-Zone counties. Moving carcasses of potentially infected deer out of the immediate area where they were harvested and improperly disposing of them can also spread the disease. Certain carcass parts, such as boned out meat, are okay to move because the protein that causes CWD is not concentrated in these parts.

Learn more about CWD at mdc.mo.gov/CWD.

North Dakota 2015 Deer Season Summarized

A total of 39,470 North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 26,700 deer during the 2015 deer gun hunting season, according to a post-season survey conducted by the State Game and Fish Department.

Game and Fish made available 43,275 deer gun licenses last year. Overall hunter success was 68 percent, with each hunter spending an average of 4.3 days in the field.

Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 70 percent, and antlerless whitetail was 64 percent.

Mule deer buck success was 86 percent. No mule deer doe licenses were issued in 2015.

Hunters with any-antlered or any-antlerless licenses generally harvest white-tailed deer, as these licenses are predominantly in units with mostly whitetails. Buck hunters had a success rate of 75 percent, while doe hunters had a success rate of 67 percent.

A total of 826 muzzleloader licenses were issued in 2015, and 745 hunters that participated harvested 348 white-tailed deer (194 antlered, 154 antlerless). Hunter success was 47 percent, with each hunter spending an average of 5.9 days in the field.

A record 25,703 archery licenses (23,710 resident, 1,993 nonresident) were issued in 2015. In total, 21,680 bow hunters harvested 7,527 deer (6,777 whitetails, 750 mule deer), for a success rate of 35 percent. Bucks accounted for 75 percent of the deer harvested with a bow. Archers spent an average of 10.7 days afield.

In addition, 4,004 youth licenses were issued in 2015. During the youth season, 3,487 hunters harvested 1,832 deer (393 bucks, 1,439 does). Hunter success was 52 percent, and each hunter spent an average of 2.9 days in the field. Youth hunters in the regular deer gun season harvested an additional 240 deer (196 bucks, 44 does) for an overall success rate of 59 percent.

The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in the 2016 deer proclamation. The proclamation will be sent to the governor’s office for approval in late April.

In addition to harvest rates and winter aerial surveys, the department monitors a number of other population indices to determine license numbers, including depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.

Michigan confirms additional CWD-positive free-ranging, white-tailed deer, bringing the total to seven

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Landowner assistance critical to continued management of deadly disease

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed two additional free-ranging deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose.

One of the newly confirmed CWD-positive deer is a 9-month-old male from Meridian Township (Ingham County), and the other is a 2 ¾-year-old female from Watertown Township (Clinton County).

Since May 2015, nearly 4,900 deer have been tested for CWD. Seven of these have tested positive for the disease. 

At this time, samples are being collected through road-kill pickup and professional sharpshooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services. Since the initial case was confirmed, four of the last six positives were collected through efforts of USDA Wildlife Services staff. 

In total, sharpshooters have collected just over 630 deer from the Core CWD Area, which includes nine townships. Of those, 467 deer were taken from Meridian Township, 108 from Williamstown Township, 41 from Bath Township, 12 from Lansing Township, six from DeWitt Township, and none from the remaining townships. Another 33 have been taken outside the core from Watertown Township.

“The partnership with area landowners and USDA Wildlife Services is a critical component of our surveillance efforts to determine the distribution of this fatal disease,” said Chad Stewart, DNR deer specialist. “Now, with these additional CWD-positive deer, that support is needed more than ever.” 

Stewart continued, “The intensive removal of deer in these areas has a two-part benefit. One, it helps us understand prevalence rates and spread so we can make informed decisions on disease management moving forward; and two, by removing individual deer around areas with known disease occurrence, it reduces the potential for spread and accumulation in our deer herd, which has benefits not only locally, but on the periphery of the management zone as well.”

Landowners who would like to directly help with surveillance can apply for disease control permits, which allow a landowner to harvest deer on his or her own property and turn in the head to the DNR for testing. To apply for a disease control permit, contact the DNR Wildlife Disease Laboratory at 517-336-5030. 

Another option for landowners to help address this disease is allowing USDA Wildlife Services sharpshooters access to their property to collect samples. Sharpshooters work closely with landowners on the number and type of deer that can be taken, and they will conduct surveillance only on property where they have permission. To inquire about working with USDA sharpshooters, contact the DNR Rose Lake field office at 517-641-4092.

To date, there is no evidence that chronic wasting disease presents any risk to non-cervids, including humans, either through contact with an infected animal or from handling contaminated venison. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend infected animals not be consumed as food by either humans or domestic animals. 

The DNR asks the public to continue to report deer that are unusually thin and exhibiting unusual behavior (for example, acting tame around humans and allowing someone to approach). 

To report a suspicious-looking deer, call the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. After hours, call the DNR Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. Do not attempt to disturb, kill or remove the animal.

DNR staff will continue with road-kill collection in the Core CWD Area. To report road-kills found in the Core CWD Area, call the Wildlife Disease hotline at 517-614-9602. Leave a voicemail with location information and staff will attempt to pick up carcasses on the next open business day.  

The DNR provides CWD biweekly updates online at www.michigan.gov/cwd.