DNR accepting comments on hunting rules

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting comments through 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 12, on a proposal to make permanent a number of temporary hunting rules that have been in place for at least one hunting season.

The rules pertain to registration of game taken by hunting or trapping, hunter selection and descriptions of various hunting area boundaries such as wild turkey permit areas, deer areas and waterfowl hunting zones.

“Hunters have been applying for licenses and registering game under most of these rules for the past several seasons,” said Jason Abraham, DNR season setting specialist. “By making these temporary rules permanent, we provide additional consistency for hunters and streamline the process for managing a sustainable harvest.”

Many of the rule changes are intended to streamline regulations, reduce paperwork and modify zone boundaries to better match habitat conditions. The rules, summarized below:

• Modify deer tagging provisions.
• Allow deer hunters to apply for an either-sex permit and a special hunt in the same year.
• Allow for online and telephone registration of bears and bait stations.
• Update elk zone boundaries.
• Provide for site validation coupons for fisher, marten and otter.
• Modify farmland furbearer zone.
• Consolidate wild turkey permit areas from 77 smaller areas into nine larger ones.
• Streamline wild turkey license sales procedures.
• Modify and consolidate prairie chicken zone boundaries.
• Moved the prairie chicken license application deadline to the Friday nearest Aug. 17.
• Correct rail and snipe possession limit for consistency with federal regulations.
• Provide for three waterfowl zones and standardize waterfowl season definition.
• Correct Migratory Waterfowl Feeding and Resting Area descriptions and
• Clarify eligibility of hunters and mentors participating in Youth Waterfowl Day.

The proposed rules are published online in the April 7 edition of the State Register.

They are also is available on the DNR website.

Comments may be submitted to: Jason Abraham, Box 20, DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55115-4020 or by emailing jason.abraham@state.mn.us.

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Oklahoma OUTDOOR CALENDAR

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR
 
DECEMBER
 
1-Jan. 31, 2012: Pheasant Season. Only in open counties. For complete details and regulations, consult the “2011-2012 Oklahoma Hunting Guide.”
 
10: Hackberry Flat: A Photographic Year-in-Review. Guest photographer Larry Hancock will be highlighting his year at Hackberry Flat with an exhibit of images. The exhibit will be held at the Hackberry Flat Center in Frederick.
 
10-January 22: Waterfowl days for Zone 1. For complete details and regulations, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide.”
 
10-January 29: Waterfowl days for Zone 2. For complete details and regulations, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide.”
 
15: Deadline to apply for the Oklahoma Furbearers Alliance trapper’s camp. Camp will be held Dec. 28-31 near Chickasha. Youth 12-18 years old are eligible; youth younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult. This will be an excellent opportunity for youth interested in trapping to gain hands-on experience from seasoned trappers in Oklahoma. The cost per youth is $25, which covers all meals for the event and includes a one-year membership in the OFBA and a one-year subscription to Trapper and Predator Caller Magazine. Adults can attend with their youngster as well at a cost of $20 to cover meals. Camping areas will be available on site. Call John Weygandt at (918) 645-5667 for more information. The event is limited to the first 35 participants.
 
16-25: Holiday Antlerless Season. Only in open zones Consult the 2011-2012 Hunting Regulations.
 
17: Byron Hatchery Watchable Wildlife Area Nature Center will be open from 9 am – 3 pm. The biologist on duty will be happy to visit with visitors about wildlife in the area or take a walk with you on the nature trail. For more information about these events email mhickman@zoo.odwc.state.ok.us or 405-990-4977.
 
26 & 27: State Offices Closed.

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Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Report Summary for November 23, 2011

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Hunters generally reported good hunting conditions changing to poor conditions in the north on opening day of the 2011 gun deer season. Hunters reported that the rut was still in progress across much of the state, with many hunters reporting seeing and shooting bucks that were actively pursuing does. Light rain mid day Saturday turned to snow across much of northern Wisconsin, with reports of anywhere from just a dusting to up to 9 inches of snow in the far north central part of the state. Colder temperatures and the new snow cover provided improved conditions on Sunday, but many wardens reported it appeared the hunting ranks thinned about the time the Green Bay Packers took to Lambeau Field.

A preliminary call-in tally showed hunters registered 112,581 deer over the two day opening weekend. The preliminary count was up about 5.8 percent from the opening weekend in 2010, with the preliminary buck harvest statewide up about 7 percent and the preliminary antlerless harvest up about 5 percent.

The traditional season runs through Sunday, with mild conditions in the forecast for much of the remainder of the week. Hunters have until 5 p.m. Monday to register deer, so preliminary season totals will not be available until late Tuesday after they are compiled from the more than 600 deer registration stations scattered across the state. The regular season is followed by a statewide muzzleloader season that runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 7, so all hunters are reminded that the blaze orange clothing requirement remains in place during this season. Hunters are reminded they can post photos from their hunt on the DNR’s Facebook page and visit the page to see many photos already posted.

The cold front that brought the snow also pushed more northern ducks into the state. Divers including red heads and ring-necks. Trumpeter swans and whooping cranes and tundra swans were also on the move this week. More than 70,000 tundra swans were staging in the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge this week. The northern zone duck season closed this week, but the southern duck zone and the exterior goose zone remain open until early December, so waterfowl hunters need to continue to be very sure to identify the species.

For all practical purposes, the open-water fishing season has come to an end in the Northwoods. Musky season will close on Wednesday, Nov. 30 - but very few anglers have been out trying their luck. Many medium-sized lakes saw some skim ice late last week, but that has since gone away with the wind and milder weather. A few of the smaller lakes still have a thin layer of ice -- but thickness is less than an inch and not near thick enough for any kind of ice fishing. There continue to be some reports of a few fly fishers out having success with brown and rainbow trout on Lake Michigan tributaries.

While some areas of northern Wisconsin say their first substantial snowfall and snowmobilers are getting their sleds ready, they are being reminded that trails don’t open until the county snowmobile trail coordinator declares trails open. Using trails before they are open is trespass and can result in the loss of trail easement from landowners.

Immature snowy owls are starting to show up in Wisconsin and across the Upper Midwest. Owls have been seen this week near Ashland, Horicon, Sheboygan, and Door County and other locations.

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Ohio Hunters|Northwestern Ohio Special Controlled Waterfowl Hunt Drawings

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Wildlife District Two Special Controlled Waterfowl Hunt Drawings

Waterfowl hunters are invited to participate in the following controlled waterfowl hunt drawings:
Pickerel Creek Opening Day Teal Hunt Drawing
This drawing will be for opening day of the early teal season.  Pending the season dates, if the second hunt day is on Labor Day, applicants will be drawn for that day also.  The morning drawing is open to adults and youth.  The afternoon drawing on opening day is reserved for youth only.  Hunters must send a 4” x 6” postcard to the Wildlife District Two Office; 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, Ohio 45840.  Entries for the Teal / Early Goose drawing must have cards post marked by August 11.  Only one entry per hunter.   Include name, address and phone number on the card.  Postcards need to be labeled at the top for the particular hunt in which the hunter is applying (Adult Teal; Youth Teal).
Pickerel Creek Opening Day Waterfowl Hunt Drawing
This drawing will be for opening day of the regular waterfowl season.  The morning drawing is open to adults and youth.  The afternoon drawing on opening day is reserved for youth only.  Hunters must send a 4” x 6” postcard to the Wildlife District Two Office; 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, Ohio 45840.  Entries for the opening day waterfowl hunt must have cards post marked by September 15.  Only one entry per hunter.   Include name, address and phone number on the card.  Postcards need to be labeled at the top for the particular hunt in which the hunter is applying (Adult Waterfowl; Youth Waterfowl).
Pipe Creek / East Sandusky Bay MetroPark
A special drawing will be held for both areas on Thursday, August 18 at 6:30 pm at the Osborn Park in Huron for permits to hunt the area during the special teal / early goose and the regular waterfowl seasons.  Registration will be from 5:00 pm to 6:20 pm.  Osborn Park is located at 3910 Perkins Ave.; Huron, OH 44839.
Magee Marsh Teal and Early Goose Drawing
A special drawing will be held on Saturday, August 20 at 2:00 pm at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area for permits to hunt the area during the special teal / early goose season.  Registration will be from 12 noon to 1:45 pm.