Midwest Deer Hunting: Autumn leaf color

Showing posts with label Autumn leaf color. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

2011 MICHIGAN DEER HUNTING PROSPECTS THE STATEWIDE FORECAST

Image via Wikipedia
Brent Rudolph, Deer and Elk Program Leader
517-641-4903 ext. 248

Statewide
Over the last few years, around 700,000 individuals have purchased a license to hunt deer in Michigan. These hunters ultimately spend more than 9.6 million days afield and take more than 400,000 deer. Over 300,000 hunters participate in Michigan’s archery season, about 600,000 hunt with a firearm and 200,000 with a muzzleloader. While the number of firearm season hunters often rises and falls as the traditional November 15th opening day rotates through days of the week, expanded youth hunting programs and crossbow hunting opportunities have increased participation among other segments of the hunting population. Although surveys show that the leading reasons many participate in deer hunting is simply the opportunity to spend time outdoors with friends and family, many hunters prepare each season to give themselves the best chance to see and take deer.

Deer are not evenly distributed across the state. There are considerable differences in habitat and
deer numbers across Michigan’s three regions - the Upper Peninsula (UP), northern Lower
Peninsula (NLP), and southern Lower Peninsula (SLP). In addition to this regional variability, every
year hunters only a few miles apart have very different experiences observing and harvesting deer.
Across the state, reports on the soft mast crop are generally positive, with particularly good
production of apples. The hard mast crop has shown low production overall, though some
scattered areas have noted fair amounts of acorns and beechnuts. Maps and computer-based
tools are increasingly available to narrow in on the best locations to focus scouting efforts,
including the Mi-HUNT interactive web application available at www.michigan.gov/mihunt. While
these and other resources are a great benefit for hunters, there is no substitute for personally
scouting areas in advance of a hunting trip.

Part of hunting preparations each year includes becoming familiar with the most recent regulations.
The deer website of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and a new collaborative
website with the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University provide
highlights of regulations changes, information about deer management, and links to additional
resources, such as a list of deer check stations. These sites are located at www.michigan.gov/deer
and http://deer.fw.msu.edu. Please refer to the 2011 Hunting and Trapping Digest and Antlerless
Digest, available at DNR Operations Service Centers, license vendors, or available in electronic
formats through links at these sites, for a map of all Deer Management Units and other regulations
details.

The DNR also reminds hunters not to overlook the many other hunting and trapping seasons
available in Michigan. These other seasons provide their own unique opportunities and can offer
chances to scout or find potential new deer hunting locations. Explore your options at
www.michigan.gov/hunting or www.michigan.gov/trapping. With preparation, attention to safety,
and awareness of current hunting regulations, hunters can be ready to head into the field to enjoy
the recreation opportunity offered by the 2011 Michigan deer season.

As an important reminder, those hunting within the UP and the multi-county Deer Management
Unit (DMU) 487 in the tuberculosis (TB) zone must decide, before purchasing their deer license, if
they wish the opportunity to take one or two antlered deer. Those desiring the opportunity to shoot
two bucks must purchase a combination license. Both bucks have antler point restrictions. One
buck must have one antler with at least 3 antler points; the other buck must have one antler with at
least 4 antler points. Those choosing to purchase a firearm deer license and/or an archery deer
license are limited to taking only one buck from within these areas during all seasons combined.
Within most of the areas, a deer must have just one antler 3 or more inches in length, but point
restrictions remain in place for some individual DMUs as well. These include DMU 117 (Drummond
Island) and DMU 122 (primarily in southern Dickinson County, along the Wisconsin border) in the
UP, and one small DMU (DMU135 in Iosco County) in the TB zone. In DMU 117, bucks must have
at least one forked antler. In DMU 122 bucks must have at least one three-point antler. And in
DMU 135, bucks must have at least one forked antler to be legal. Finally, within DMU 487 ONLY,
hunters may harvest an antlerless deer with a firearm or combination license within the Nov. 15-30
firearm season or the Dec. 9-18 muzzleloader season.

Upper Peninsula
More than 100,000 hunters have pursued deer in the UP in recent years, including approximately
30,000 participants in the archery season, over 90,000 firearm hunters, and more than 20,000
hunters pursuing deer with a muzzleloader.
Within the UP, deer populations continue to slowly increase following a second mild winter in a
row. Fawn production should be good, though predation may have produced some losses.
Antlered buck numbers will likely be on the rise, as the increased production of fawns in 2010
should lead to greater antlered buck numbers this year. More deer will be found in the Southern
UP near Lake Michigan, with fewer in the Northern UP near Lake Superior. Antlerless licenses are
available in DMUs 022, 055, 122, 152, 155, 252, and 255 for 2011. Special buck harvest
restrictions noted above are in place throughout the UP.

Northern Lower Peninsula
An average of about 285,000 hunters have pursued deer in the NLP over the last few years,
including more than 115,000 participants in the archery season, an average of over 250,000
firearm hunters, and more than 50,000 hunters pursuing deer with a muzzleloader.

Baiting has been reinstated as legal for most of the NLP; however, baiting is still banned in DMU
487. Baiting may only occur from October 1 through January 1. Hunters are restricted to no more
than 2 gallons of bait per hunting site; the bait must be spread over 100 square feet (equivalent to
a 10 foot by 10 foot area).

Within the eastern portion of the NLP, TB prevalence continues to show a declining trend over the
long-term, but no detectable change has occurred over the previous 5 years. Goals and hunting
regulations in the eastern NLP are therefore driven more by the objective to continue to reduce TB 3
prevalence than by numbers of deer in this region. It is important for hunters to continue to observe
the ban on baiting and feeding in DMU 487 and to harvest at least as many antlerless deer as
bucks.

Mild winter conditions for the second year in a row in the NLP should lead to increasing deer
numbers. Deer numbers on many state land areas appear to be on the rise, though they are still
below goal in some areas. In some NLP units, indications are that there is an overabundance of
deer on private land but lower than desired populations on public land. Special antlerless seasons
and private land license quotas are used in these units to target deer on private land even if
abundant sign and sightings do not occur on public land. The number of antlerless deer licenses is
the same as last year in eastern NLP multi-unit area DMU 487, while no antlerless permits were
made available in four counties (Cheboygan, Otsego, Roscommon, and Kalkaska). Special buck
harvest restrictions noted above are in place in DMU 487. Within DMU 487 ONLY, hunters may
harvest an antlerless deer with a firearm or combination license within the Nov. 15-30 firearm
season or the Dec. 9-18 muzzleloader season.

Southern Lower Peninsula
An average of nearly 360,000 hunters have pursued deer in the SLP over the last few years,
including more than 185,000 participants in the archery season, more than 290,000 firearm
hunters, and an average of about 125,000 hunters pursuing deer with a muzzleloader.
Baiting has been reinstated as legal throughout the SLP. Baiting may only occur from October 1
through January 1. Hunters are restricted to no more than 2 gallons of bait per hunting site spread
over 100 square feet (equivalent to a 10 foot by 10 foot area).

The deer population in southern Michigan is expected to be similar to the last few years. Abundant
food and cover in the form of agricultural crops and scattered swamps and woodlots provide very
good habitat across the southern Michigan landscape. This high quality habitat, combined with
relatively mild winter conditions, results in an abundant and productive deer population. Deer
populations generally exceed DNR goals and fawns generally come in sets of twins and triplets.
High numbers of antlerless permits are available again this year, particularly in the multi-county
DMU 486 (most of southern Michigan except St. Clair, Macomb, Wayne, and Monroe Counties).

Monday, October 3, 2011

Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Report Summary for September 29, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

Fall colors are coming on fast in northern Wisconsin, with several areas reporting colors are approaching peak. The Department of Tourism Fall Color Report (exit DNR). has most of central and even much of southern Wisconsin at near 50 percent color, with peak still two to four weeks off.

The entire state received rain in the last week, with some areas reporting 2 to 3 inches. Strong winds are in the forecast this week, with wind advisories for possible gusts up to 40 miles per hour. The rain and winds could bring down a lot of leaves.

The waterfowl season opened last weekend in the northern and new Mississippi River zones and the duck season will open at 9 a.m. this Saturday in the southern zone. Hunters are reminded that shooting hours do not begin until 9 a.m. in all zones this Saturday. Hunters are reporting conditions were good for the northern opener and they were seeing good wood duck and mallard numbers. Waterfowl are scattered due to good water levels, so ducks aren't nearly as concentrated as they have been in past years. Migrant Canada goose numbers are slowly building up, with some geese concentrated around Theresa Marsh, Horicon Marsh and other large wetland complexes, but most geese are spread out and hunters will need to do some scouting to figure out where the birds are feeding. Mississippi River water levels are below 8 feet in many areas resulting in large shoreline areas and mud flats. Waterfowl hunters in the new Mississippi zone commented on the large areas of "unforgiving mud" opening weekend. Wood ducks were prevalent with occasional flocks of blue winged teal and a few mallards.

Although the white-tailed deer rut, or mating season, is still about a month off, archery hunters are reporting they are already finding some scrapes made by bucks as they stake out territory. One registration station in central Wisconsin reported most bucks registered the first week were still in velvet, but that this week most bucks have polished antlers.

Cooler and windy weather along with hunting activity continued to suppress fishing activity, though some anglers continue to venture out. Bluegill action slowed some on the Mississippi River, but largemouth and small mouth bass fishing has been good to excellent in along with an occasional walleye being caught. Water temperatures are dropping and this transition is helping anglers catch walleyes and sturgeon on the Wisconsin River. Inland trout fishing has been good the last week of the season in both Coulee region streams and in central Wisconsin, where brown trout action has been strong. The inland season closes this Friday, Sept. 30.

Recent rains giving the trout and salmon some much needed help making their way up Lake Michigan tributaries. Chinook and brown trout were being reported up the Manitowoc, East and West Twin, Kewaunee and Sheboygan rivers, and fish were just beginning to move up the southeastern tributaries, with a few reported up Sauk Creek, and the Milwaukee and Root rivers. Strong winds have kept many trollers off the lake, but pier and shore anglers reported some good chinook and brown trout action at many harbors.

Now is the time to start looking for gypsy moth egg masses, which can help predict the pest’s population size and potential damage to trees next year. The yellowish egg masses can be found on tree trunks and the undersides of branches, but they can also be found on buildings, picnic tables, and other outdoor objects. People who find egg masses on their property can spray them with horticultural oil labeled for gypsy moth to help prevent them from hatching next spring.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Wisconsin-Outdoor Report Summary for September 22, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

Temperatures were comfortable for the first few days of the archery deer, squirrel, turkey, and exterior goose seasons last Saturday, but rain on Sunday made many hunters stay home. Youth waterfowl hunters reported good success during their two-day hunt, with mostly blue-wing teal, mallards and wood ducks harvested, along with some geese. Turkey hunters report turkeys are still flocked up in family groups. Archery hunters had some success on opening weekend in southern Wisconsin, with a number of registration stations having some deer brought in, with most of the bucks having polished antlers and gray winter coats. Bucks are still grouped up and many are still in summer patterns, but the cooler weather is starting to get deer moving, so drivers should start being more aware of deer crossing roads.

The northern duck zone and new Mississippi duck and Canada goose zone seasons open this Saturday, and waterfowlers out scouting are reporting increasing numbers of migratory geese moving into the state and just a few northern ducks starting to show up. Wildlife crews have been out activating banding locally breeding ducks at major wildlife areas, and are reporting good numbers of mallards and wood ducks. Hunters that shoot a banded duck are asked to go online to www.reportband.gov and report the band number and where the bird was harvested.

With so many hunting seasons open, fishing pressure showed a sharp drop on many waters. In the north, there have still been quite a few musky anglers out and they have been seeing quite a bit of action along the deep weed edges. Some anglers have started dragging suckers with only mediocre success due to the warm early fall water temperatures. Walleye fishing has been steadily improving. Bass continue to be found in relatively shallow water with the best action late afternoons after the water has warmed up.

Bluegills were being caught throughout the Mississippi River backwaters. White bass and walleye were being caught below dams on the Rock River and catfishing has been good on the Crawfish River.

Strong southeast winds in the last week have made fishing on Green Bay and Lake Michigan difficult. Anglers continued to report some walleye and perch on the west shore off Oconto and some perch action at Little Sturgeon Bay on the Door County. Salmon were scattered up the Manitowoc and Twin rivers, but only a small number were seen by the dams with few caught. Similarly, despite some rain in the last week, water levels remain low on southeastern Lake Michigan tributaries, and few salmon have started to move upstream yet, though some were reported on the Sheboygan and Root rivers.

Sandhill cranes are flocking up and some large groups are being seen. Blackbirds are forming some very large flocks also. There have been several reports in southern Wisconsin of collared whooping cranes being seen. Waterfowl hunters are being cautioned to make sure they watch out for whooping cranes and trumpeter swans.

Fall color is really starting to come on in the north, with about a dozen counties now reporting colors at 25 to 50 percent and Vilas County reporting color at 50 to 75 percent on the Department of Tourism’s Fall Color Report (exit DNR).