Wisconsin: New fishing, hunting licenses on sale

Wisconsin hunting, fishing, trapping and other licenses for the 2014-15 seasons went on sale Wednesday, March 5. The new annual licenses are valid through

March 31, 2015. Hunting and fishing licenses for the 2013-14 license year will expire March 31, 2014.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources encourages long-time license buyers in Wisconsin to consider purchasing aConservation Patron license. A Conservation Patron license gives the license holder all of the basic fishing and hunting privileges at a great price, $165 for Wisconsin residents and $75 for Wisconsin residents under age 18.

Revenue from Conservation Patron license sales is distributed amongst the fishing, wildlife and trapping programs and also helps fund fish and wildlife habitat improvement programs.

In its third year, the first-time buyer license continues to offer an affordable opportunity to explore a number of outdoor activities available throughout Wisconsin. Certain resident licenses are available for as little as $5 for those who have never purchased a Wisconsin license or those who have not purchased a Wisconsin license in any of the 10 years preceding the date of application.

Hunting and fishing licenses can be purchased through the Online Licensing Center on the DNR website, at all authorized license agents, at DNR Service Centers (Hours for service centers vary; check the DNR website for service center days and hours of operation; DNR Service Centers are not open on Saturdays), or by calling toll-free 1-877-LICENSE (1-877-945-4236).

DNR Customer Service staff is available to assist the public online and via phone from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Spanish and Hmong bilingual customer service representatives are also available. Customers may reach customer service at 1-888-WDNR INFo (1-888-936-7463) or by e-mail at csweb@wisconsin.gov. An online chat link is also available

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for February 16, 2012

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The warm-weather, low snow trend continued for another yet week in Wisconsin, continuing to limit outdoor winter recreation. While much of the state did receive some snow in the last week, ranging from a dusting to 3 to 4 inches, that was followed by temperatures that once again approached 50 degrees in the south and the mid 40s in the north.

Snowmobile trails remain open in the northern tier of counties, with the best conditions now being reported in northern Marinette and Florence counties, as well as the Mercer area onthe Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR). Trails in Vilas, Oneida and Iron counties are in fair to poor condition, as they have received very heavy use and are hard packed and icy in many areas. Trails remain open in a few other areas but are generally in poor condition. Cross-country ski trails were still in fair to good condition on the Northern Highland-American Legion and Brule River state forests.

Poor ice conditions and low water clarity continue to hamper spearers participating in the Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing season. Wardens report there were about half as many sturgeon spearing shacks on the ice as a normal year. Spearers on the upriver lakes had better conditions, and that season closed Sunday after spearers reached the harvest cap, with 242 sturgeon registered. As of Wednesday, only a total of 122 sturgeon had been speared on Lake Winnebago, with just 17 fish on Wednesday. Spearers were reportedly moving shacks around a fair amount in search of happier hunting grounds on better ice.

Inland fishing was picking up somewhat, with anglers fishing open water below dams on the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers for walleye. Ice conditions continued to be poor on some southern lakes, with three vehicles going through the ice on Beaver Dam Lake in the last 10 days. With the mild temperatures, good numbers of ice anglers have been out on northern lakes, which still have a foot to 17 inches of ice. Reports were mixed, with some anglers having to move around a lot to find decent panfish, but some other areas reporting action picking up for walleyes and northern pike on tip-ups.

The fresh snow improved tracking conditions for coyote and fox hunters early in the week, but that tracking snow was short-lived. The mild winter has made it easy for many wildlife species. Turkeys are able to scratch to find food, deer are spread out because of simple travel, and birds can forge comfortably. There are still seeing a handful of white-tailed bucks holding their antlers, but most should have shed them by now.

However, the creatures under the ice have been struggling. Receding water levels and poor ice conditions have caused muskrats to seek better habitat in deeper water. Past similar conditions have proven to be harder on reptiles and amphibians. With the spring approaching, birds have begun to show mating behavior such as pheasants crowing, turkeys strutting, and geese and trumpeter swan pairs claiming nesting territory. Eagles are still being seen below dams on the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers, but more are now moving onto nesting territories and can be seen carrying sticks and grass to rebuild nests

Related articles

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for January 26, 2012 (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Report Summary for January 5, 2012 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for January 19, 2012 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for February 2, 2012 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Report Summary for December 15, 2011 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)