Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report

The beach at Newport State Park near Ellison Bay, Wisconsin, U.S. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Warm weather and warm water slow some fishing, but action remained good in some areas; Perseid meteor shower this weekend

Apart from the beginning of the week and end of last weekend, when storms moved quickly across much of the state, these past few days have afforded a welcome calm on the weather front. Rain and storm events are predicted for much of central and south central region on Thursday and Friday, but the weekend looks much clearer.

Anglers across the state took advantage of the lull in restless weather and came out in droves this past weekend. Fishing on the Flambeau and Chippewa rivers remained good for smallmouth bass. Musky fishing has slowed in the Northwoods due to the warm waters, but some fish were still being caught. Some largemouth bass and northern pike were being caught on shallow weed lakes and some bluegills were being caught on the bottom near deep weed edges with crappies suspended along wood structure.

The warm weather and warm water also seemed to slow the bite at southeastern Lake Michigan harbors. Anglers from Sheboygan to Racine reported catching rainbow and lake trout, chinook salmon and sheepshead, but success was sporadic overall. The walleye bite slowed off Oconto near the Pensaukee landing, but remained good to the south off Geano Beach. Walleye fishing was also good off Brown County with anglers out of Bayshore Park reporting catches of 10 fish per boat and limits also reported near the Suamico River. Fishing pressure continued to be high off Door County with Little Sturgeon Bay seeing an equal mix of walleye and perch fishermen, along with pleasure boaters.

Spots are starting to fade on the white-tail fawns, as they are looking like small copies of their mothers. Many birds are beginning to gather in large flocks as many will begin their journey south in the near future. Bur oaks in the area appear to be having a stellar acorn drop in the south. Squirrels and chipmunks are busy harvesting black walnuts, acorns, and hickory nuts.

The frequent rain throughout the summer has kept woods and the prairie lush for people heading out to bike, hike or otherwise ride the trails this weekend. Flies and mosquitos seem to be winding down.

Berries are ripening across the state and wildlife are gearing up to race you to the first bite. Many areas are reporting a bumper crop of blackberries. Everything from small birds, to chipmunks, to turkey broods feed on blackberries, which make stands of brambles a great place to view wildlife and grab a snack. Out in the fields the "golden trend" continues as black-eyed susans, goldenrod, sunflowers and others continue to bloom.

This weekend is the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and several parks are hosting the UW-Madison Astronomy Department's Universe in the Park programs including Newport State Park on Friday, Blue Mound, Governor Dodge and Potawatomi state parks, the southern and Pike Lake units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Richard Bong State Recreation Area on Saturday, and Peninsula State Park on Sunday.

There will also be three Shakespeare in the Park performances this weeken on Friday at Lakeshore, on Saturday at Rib Mountain and on Sunday at Mirror Lake state parks.

Wisconsin Outdoor Report 7/15/2016

Torrential rains hit northwestern Wisconsin cause some closures but most properties remain open

Some areas of far northwester Wisconsin received torrential rains early this week, with 8 to 10 inches reported in some areas causing major washouts of roads and even major highways. Copper Falls State Park was closed temporarily but has reopened. A campground at Governor Knowles State Forest is closed, and as the water moves down through the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, some facilities are closed or may be closed at Merrick and Interstate state parks. Sections of the Wild Rivers, Saunders and Gandy Dancer state trails are also closed. Other state properties in the area including Amnicon Falls and Pattison state parks and the Brule River State Forest are open, but travel to destinations may take longer due to numerous road closures. People traveling to the area should check the Wisconsin Department of Transportation www.511wi.gov website for details. The waterfalls are roaring at both Amnicon Falls and Pattison with many visitors showing up with cameras to capture the images. Paddlers are being asked to stay off the Brule River for a few days until the extremely high flows recede.

The heavy rains were quite localized to northwestern Wisconsin and other northern properties such as the Flambeau River, Northern Highland-American Legion and Peshtigo River state forests were not affected by the storm and facilities remain open as is access to all these properties.

Angling pressure remains strong, despite pressure from changing winds and heavy rain. Anglers in the Northwoods are seeing consistent success for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Warmer waters also seem to have improved the number of follows for musky, with some fish up to 45 inches. Panfish action has also been fair.

On Green Bay, the walleye bite has been good at the Menominee River in Marinette and from Pensaukee to Oconto. Anglers out of Suamico were finding good numbers of walleye along with freshwater drum and catfish. Shore anglers on the Fox River were having good success catching white bass, freshwater drum, channel catfish and some walleye. Fishing pressure was far below average this past week along Door County with pleasure boat traffic far outweighing fishing pressure on the bay side. Decent numbers of yellow perch are being caught off of Little Sturgeon Bay and Sawyer Harbor but most were on the smaller side.

Along Lake Michigan pier fishing picked up at Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Port Washington, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha, with chinook, coho and brown trout all being caught. Perch action was also on the rise at Milwaukee. Out on the lake, trolling success was down some this week but some boats were still hitting their limits in just a few hours, with mostly chinooks were being caught but also many coho and a few rainbows and lake trout.

Healthy looking fawns are plentiful now and moving about; bucks are still growing their velvet antlers with some becoming quite well developed. Plenty of grouse coveys and numerous turkey broods are being seen. Eagles and many other wildlife are fledging at this time, so don't be too surprised to see them on the ground or hear them complaining from the nest as they prepare for their first flights.

Raspberries, blackberries, juneberries and blueberries are ripening across the state. Virginia mountain mint, marsh hedge-nettle and purple prairie clover are a few of the species that are flowering for the first time this year.

Cedar waxwings and whip-poor been feeding frequently on the insects. Up to 40 butterfly species have been counted at Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area since July 1.

Wisconsin Deer Management Assistance Program continues to grow

MADISON -- In its third year of serving the people and wildlife of Wisconsin, the Deer Management Assistance Program continues to build relationships with landowners, hunters and property managers to manage deer and improve wildlife habitat.

Following the March 1, 2016 enrollment deadline, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources received 228 new DMAP applications covering over 124,000 acres in 62 counties. This brings the three-year total number of landowners involved in DMAP to nearly 1,000, with 220,980 acres enrolled in the program statewide.

"The DMAP cooperator base continues to expand, allowing for increased opportunities for private landowners, public land managers and DNR staff to properly manage forests while improving habitat for deer and other wildlife species," said Bob Nack, DNR DMAP coordinator. "The partnerships being developed to do good things for the wildlife we all enjoy are really impressive."

DMAP applicants can sign up at one of three levels of enrollment based on property size; each offers a different enrollment fee and set of benefits. Properties of any size can enroll at Level 1 at no cost to receive benefits such as consultation with a local DNR wildlife biologist, access to online deer and habitat management publications and participation in local DMAP workshops and citizen science opportunities. Properties greater than 160 acres can enroll at Level 2 or 3 for a minimal three-year fee. Along with all Level 1 benefits, Level 2 and 3 properties receive a site visit from a local DNR wildlife biologist and forester, a property-specific management plan and the potential for reduced-price antlerless harvest tags. Properties within a half mile of each other can combine acreage to sign up as a group cooperative and qualify for benefits at a higher enrollment level.

DMAP cooperators at any level may also attend one of several workshops offered around the state in the spring and summer of each year.

"DMAP workshops provide information on the habitat needs of deer and other wildlife, proper forest management techniques to benefit wildlife, cost-share programs for habitat improvement projects and much more," said Nack. "Our focus for these workshops is to get cooperators thinking about which strategies they could implement on their property to provide the best habitat for the wildlife they want to watch or hunt."

Summer workshops are open to DMAP cooperators, and combine professional presentations, discussion, hands-on activities and tours of DMAP properties to share information on the principles of wildlife habitat and deer management. Workshops also provide an opportunity to network with wildlife and forestry professionals and other DMAP cooperators.

Four summer workshops are scheduled for 2016:

• July 22: Jefferson County
• July 30: Sawyer County
• August 13: Buffalo County
• August 27: Juneau County

Overall, reception of DMAP continues to be positive. On average, 82 percent of DMAP cooperators rated the quality of service through DMAP as "good" or "very good." DMAP site visits also received high marks, with 91 percent of cooperators responding that they were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the site visit.

Landowners not currently enrolled in DMAP can attend the remaining summer workshops by signing up for DMAP at any time. Level 2 or 3 applications received now will immediately receive DMAP benefits and will be eligible for a site visit in 2017. To find more information and to enroll in DMAP, visit dnr.wi.gov, keyword "DMAP."

Wisconsin weekly Outdoor Report

Green Bay

Great weather brought out crowds for holiday weekend followed by storms that brought down trees, power lines across the south

Sporadic and punctuated rain and storm events across the state have tempered off into cloud cover and light rain, after what was an excellent Fourth of July weekend. Severe winds in southern Wisconsin took down trees and power to some areas earlier this week, but most trails have been cleared or will be going into this weekend.

Water levels are continuing to drop closer to average across the state. Many sandbars were submerged on the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, but there are still sandbars showing. It looks like it will be an excellent weekend to take a canoe or kayak down any of Wisconsin's major rivers.

The holiday weekend's pleasant weather saw large increases in angling pressure across the Northwoods. Panfish and bass produced erratic action, with rock bass and pumpkinseed showing the most consistent success, along with some musky bite. Large and smallmouth bass have both settled into their summer residencies, deeper along weedy and woody edges. Walleye success seems to be a hit or miss proposition, with just a few reports of decent action being found.

On Green Bay, fishing pressure was relatively high this week with Fourth of July traffic. The walleye bite was inconsistent, and walleye anglers were having a tough time finding active fish. But anglers were catching decent numbers of yellow perch although the average size was about 6 inches. Smallmouth bass were a little tougher to come by but anglers were still finding a few fish.

Along Lake Michigan, fishing pressure and reported successes out of both Kewaunee and Algoma made for the busiest weekend of the year to date. Both landings were full and good numbers of chinook salmon were coming into both ports, including some weighing well into the mid to upper 20-pound range and even a 30 pounder was recorded in Kewaunee. Success was also good in southeastern harbors, with good numbers of chinook and coho salmon along with some rainbow and brown trout coming in to Sheboygan, Port Washington, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha, including many limits.

White-tailed bucks are starting to get some very noticeable antler growth. Rabbits and squirrels are beginning to give birth to their second litters. Songbirds such as wrens, chickadees, sparrows, and bluebirds have fledglings.

Along the prairie and oak savannas compass plants are flowering, as is pale Indian plantain and purple prairie clover should bloom within the next week or two. Be mindful of invasive and/or poisonous weeds along roadsides and trails. Wild parsnip is in bloom at this time and its oil will cause burning when exposed to sunlight, even on cloudy days.

Along other edge habitat, including bike paths and hiking trails, blackberries are beginning to set their fruits. Look for their ripening in a month or so and be prepared for competition; more than 100 bird species eat blackberries, including robin, cardinal and ruffed grouse.

Scarlet tanagers, cerulean warblers and yellow-throated vireos will continue their song for a short while longer as their young leave the nest and begin to feed themselves. Brightly colored butterflies, amazingly camouflaged moths, and boldly patterned dragonflies are being seen in many areas. Unfortunately they have been joined by many mosquitoes, deerflies and "ankle-biters" out in force with the recent rains and humidity to be a nuisance to outdoor recreationalists.

Wisconsin Outdoor Report for 6/5/2016

Panorama view of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Pike Lake Unit near Hartford Wisconsin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Free Fun Weekend in Wisconsin June 4-5; free admission to parks, forests, trails, no fishing license needed to fish

This weekend is Free Fun Weekend in Wisconsin, with free admission to state parks and forests, no trail passes required for state trails, no fishing licenses needed to fish, and no non-resident trail passes needed to operate all-terrain vehicles on state trails. Events include: the 50th anniversary celebration of Hartman Creek State Park, ribbon cutting for a new 60-unit campground at Buckhorn State Park, Discovery Day at Pike Lake Unit and an Outdoor Skills Day at the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, as well as, Art Along the Willow at Willow River State Park.

Some properties are taking advantage of Free Fishing Weekend to offer fishing clinics, including: High Cliff, Kohler-Andrae and Merrick state parks, Richard Bong State Recreation Area, and the Northern and Pike Lake units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and there are additional free fishing activities taking place around the state. Other fishing rules apply, such as size and bag limits.

Saturday is also National Trails Day and hikes are planned on a number of state properties and local Ice Age Trail Alliance chapters are planning hikes around the state (exit DNR).

Large portions of the state experienced heavy and punctuated rains over the past Memorial Day weekend but that did not stop people from getting out, especially when skies cleared on Monday. The rains did wash out a section of the Tuscobia State Trail and flooded parts of the Chippewa River State Trail, so sections are closed on both trails.

In the Northwoods, panfish action is improving dramatically. A slower rise in water temperature has extended the spawning activity of some crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass. This has also prompted a few bluegill and rock bass to begin their nesting periods. With the northern musky opener last weekend, musky fishing was the highlight of this past week, but while anglers reported sightings and follows there were relatively low numbers of hook-ups.

Anglers were catching walleye on the Menominee River, and the walleye bite along the west shore of Green Bay continues to be good with anglers reporting limits of fish being caught off Oconto. Walleye fishing along the Door County side of the bay was also good, especially at night. Smallmouth bass fishing was proving to have its ups and downs early this season for many anglers, but bass fishing reports continue to get better throughout the peninsula.

Rough water conditions, heavy fog, and a strong southerly wind hampered Lake Michigan fishing activities through the first half of the weekend and fishing pressure was relatively low. As the weather conditions improved and the lake settled down, fishing pressure increased and many anglers were reporting success in Kewaunee, Algoma, and Sturgeon Bay. Mostly rainbows were being caught, also an occasional chinook, coho salmon and lake trout.

The forests and fields are full of new wildlife. Numerous reports of fawns, young rabbits, foxes and bear cubs have come in. Elk cows are having calves, so the yearlings are being displaced from mom and are frequently seen along the sides of the roads. Many songbird species are fledging their first nestlings and grouse and turkey broods should be starting to hatch. As a reminder state law requires dogs to be on leash until July 31 on state-owned lands to protect fledglings and young animals.

Numerous prairie flowers such as: prairie smoke, golden alexander, and lupine are competing with invasives such as yellow sweet clover and dame's rocket. Bug populations have arrived in much of the state, particularly in wet conditions. Mayfly hatch has begun and ticks and mosquitos are out in the woods and along streams, in force.

Wisconsin Youth Deer Hunts

MADISON - Two special deer hunting opportunities continue to provide an excellent opportunity for youth and disabled hunters to experience the outdoors, learn from mentors, and create lasting relationships with landowners and friends throughout the state.

This year's youth hunt gave hunters ages 10-15 an opportunity to get a hands-on introduction to hunting with help from experienced adult hunters. One hunter in particular from Medford, Wis., Collin Rausch, and his father, Brandon Rausch, used the youth hunt to create lasting memories.

Before he got a look at what would be his first deer, the younger Rausch saw a porcupine wandering near his hunting blind. After a group of deer entered the area, he stayed patient and waited for the right opportunity to shoot with help from his dad.

"One thing I have always stressed with Collin is to wait for the right shot," said Brandon Rausch. "After about 10 minutes of patiently waiting, he chose his target and made a great shot."

Collin harvested his first deer, a doe, while learning an important lesson.

"Youth deer hunting weekend helps ensure that young hunters get the quality training they need for lifelong participation," said Adam Murkowski, DNR assistant big game ecologist.

For more information regarding youth hunting in Wisconsin, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords "youth hunt."

Disabled Deer Hunt

More than 100 landowners in 46 counties enrolled their land in the 2015 disabled deer hunt, which ran from Oct. 3-11. The disabled hunt has continued to provide opportunities for disabled hunters to work closely with landowners to deer hunt in Wisconsin, and feedback from hunters and cooperators alike has been positive.

"The department remains grateful to the many landowners, organizations and volunteers who work hard to provide this high quality experience. Without their help and dedication these opportunities wouldn't be available to many hunters," said Murkowski.

Landowners interested in enrolling their property to host a disabled deer hunt in the future should do so by June 1, 2016. Assistance to disabled hunters and landowners may also be possible in certain parts of the state through organizations dedicated to enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities for disabled persons.

For more information, search the DNR website for keywords "disabled deer hunt."

Related articles

• North Dakota landowners Seek Doe Hunters (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Ohio hunters will soon be forced to 'pay to play' (farmanddairy.com)
• Youth Deer Hunting Day scheduled for Saturday (wcti12.com)

Wisconsin Hunters: Outdoor Report as of September 8, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

The pleasant late summer weather that prevailed across the northern part of the state made for some very good fishing conditions. Musky continued to provide very consistent action and most musky anglers are reporting a lot of sightings and follows. Bass fishing -- for both largemouth and smallmouth -- is just starting to become erratic, with smallmouth fishing showing the most consistency on the rivers and flowages. Walleye fishing continues to be fair, with a few more anglers starting to target walleye. Panfish action continued to be good with bluegill, crappie and rock bass all providing success.

In the south, walleye fishing has been excellent below dams on the Rock River. Limits of catfish were also being reported on various sections of the Rock. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good on the Lower Wisconsin River and on some Rock and Jefferson county lakes. Water levels continue to drop on the Mississippi River and are nearing normal low water levels for September. The level at Cassville was 7.8 feet this week. Bluegills were biting throughout both Mississippi River pools 10 and 11. Bass anglers noted good numbers of smaller 10- to 12-inch fish with few over 14 inches. Walleye and sauger anglers were trolling wing dams with some success.

The sturgeon season opened this weekend and good numbers of sturgeon were caught below the Prairie du Sac dam, including a 63-inch sturgeon that was kept and several 50-plus-inch sturgeon released. Initial success on northern rivers was fair, with good numbers of sub-legal fish caught, but legal-size 60-inch sturgeon hard to come by.

On Green Bay, anglers off Oconto continue to report good catches of perch and walleye. Perch fishing was good off Door County at Little Sturgeon Bay and Chaudoir’s dock. Along Lake Michigan, most tributaries are running low and fall salmon and trout runs have not begun. Many trollers were working closer to harbors, with chinook salmon making up most of the catch, but also brown and rainbow trout and some coho.

Early Canada goose and mourning dove hunters were greeted with very warm conditions for the opener last week, but conditions have improved after the recent cool down. Some hunters had early success, but are now finding it difficult to locate geese due to standing crops and geese taking refuge in towns and in the federal refuges Dove hunters have had good success over sunflower fields on the public hunting grounds in the south.

There have been increasing reports of whitetail bucks rubbing velvet from their antlers from archery hunters out scouting before their opener Sept. 17. Many fawns are losing their spots and getting adult coats.

The slow but steady southward raptor migration has begun, with numerous red-tailed hawks, broad-winged hawks, and kestrels being seen moving along the Mississippi River. A variety of ducks have been gathering on Horicon Marsh, with thousands of mallards, blue-winged teal and wood ducks feeding on the north end of Horicon Marsh. Several hundred great egrets were also seen on the marsh last week.

Just a few maple and birch leaves have begun to turn in the north. Walnut and oak trees have begun dropping nuts, and the white oak family that also includes bur and swamp oaks are producing a tremendous acorn crop this year.

Wisconsin Outdoor Report as of August 18, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

Moderate temperatures and low humidity in much of the state made for more pleasant conditions for outdoors activities. Angler survey shows August is still a good time for fishing for many species, and anglers in many parts around the state proved that over the week.

In lakes and rivers in the Upper Chippewa Basin, which includes Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties, anglers enjoyed some pleasant fishing conditions, with musky and bass becoming especially active. Musky success showed a nice little surge and most anglers reported some good action from small and medium-size fish. The fish seemed to be active along the weed edges and deep break lines, with jerks baits and swim baits the most productive. Action for both largemouth and smallmouth bass has been consistent and some very nice fish have been caught and released in the last week.

Rough boating conditions on Lake Michigan over the weekend in Sheboygan and Ozaukee counties kept fishing pressure down. In Racine, once the lake settled down, trollers have been catching chinooks along with a few rainbows and coho. Most fish have been found in 80 to 140 feet of water, and flashers and flies as well as spoons have produced. Green glow-in-the-dark, purple, and blue spoons have produced, as well as blue and green flies. Perch fishing has dwindled in Racine, and shore fishing for trout and salmon remains slow as well.

In Lake Michigan near Kenosha, fish have moved further offshore since the weekend winds. Trollers have recently had success catching chinooks and a few rainbows and coho in 90 to 140 feet of water. Perch fishing has slowed in Kenosha for both boats and shore anglers. A few brown trout have been caught in the harbor, but those have been few and far between.

Walleye fishing is still going good on the Wolf River in Waupaca County. Drag a half of a night crawler on the bottom and you'll have a chance at some great success. Crappies are starting to bite too.

Anglers on the Wisconsin River have been finding good smallmouth bass fishing in Columbia and Sauk counties now that waters have returned to near normal stage. Topwater lures seem to be the key.

On the Rock River, catfish are still being caught as well as some panfish. Some catfish are being found dead along that river so DNR is asking anyone finding a fresh specimen or a catfish near death to contact local fisheries staff so they can obtain a sample for testing to try to pinpoint the problem.

The cicadas are out and calling throughout the afternoon hours and it's a great time for butterfly watching. Monarchs and yellow swallowtails have been seen in numbers as well on various wildflowers like compass plant, bergamot, and cup plant.

Reports of deer are picking up. At Willow River State Park in west central Wisconsin, the deer fawns are losing their spots. Look for a doe and two fawns on the hillsides not far below the boat launch along the road. They tend to be out around evening meal time.

At Brunet Island State Park, it's been birds, birds, birds. Bald eagles, kingfishers, scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, great blue herons, red winged blackbirds, sandhill cranes, red polls, and robins are just the start of the list staff have reported.

Wildflowers are putting on a show as well.

An updated web page Natural Resources Monthly, links to more information about August phenology, activities at their peak this time of the year, including butterfly watching, and online resources to help find new outdoors experiences and information to enjoy. Go to DNR's home page at dnr.wi.gov and look on the left-hand side for "natural resources."

Minnesota Deer licenses on sale Aug. 1; regulation changes announced

Image via Wikipedia

Minnesota hunters will be able to purchase 2011 deer licenses starting Monday, Aug. 1, the same day the state’s hunting regulation booklet is available online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense. Booklets will be available in mid-August.

This year’s archery season opens Saturday, Sept. 17. The general firearms season opens Saturday, Nov. 5. The deadline for lottery permit applications is Thursday, Sept. 8.

“We’re looking forward to another good season,” said Lou Cornicelli, big game program coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “Deer populations are at or near goals throughout much of the state.”

Cornicelli said hunters will discover several new regulations for the upcoming deer season. The changes, he said, reflect the agency’s interest in regulation simplification and the protection of the state’s deer from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

Significant changes for 2011:

• ·         A new CWD management area, called Deer Area 602, has been established in southeastern Minnesota surrounding the area where a CWD positive deer was detected last fall. The new CWD management area will feature a 23-day firearm season. Submission of samples for CWD testing will be mandatory for deer harvested in this area, and there will be carcass import/export restrictions. Detailed information can be found in the regulations book and on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/cwd.

• ·         A new “hunter choice” deer management designation has been established that will allow hunters in certain areas to take one either-sex deer per year in one of these areas. These areas function like lottery areas, with the difference being hunters do not need to make a lottery application or possess an either sex permit to take an antlerless deer. In hunter choice areas, the license is automatically valid for an either-sex deer.

• ·         Bonus permits are not allowed. If a deer is taken in one hunter choice area, a hunter cannot take another deer in another hunter choice or lottery deer area. The designation was created because the majority of deer permit areas are within their established goal ranges, and DNR managers believe one either-sex deer without a lottery would allow those areas to stay within goal without going back and forth between lottery and managed areas. Hunter choice was not created to increase antlerless harvest rates, but rather to make it simpler to take one either-sex deer in the area. Overall, 30 percent of Minnesota’s 127 deer permit areas are designated hunter choice this year.

The DNR still uses the lottery in areas where antlerless deer harvest is restricted and managed and intensive harvest designations when additional antlerless deer harvest is needed. This year, 27 percent are managed and 17 percent are intensive areas.

Firearm and muzzleloader lottery either-sex permits

Hunters may once again apply for either-sex or special hunt permits in both the firearm and muzzleloader seasons. In a change from previous years, hunters successful in the lottery can use their permit in either the firearm or muzzleloader season, provided they have a valid license for that season. The deadline for lottery and special hunt applications is Thursday, Sept. 8.

Although a hunter can be selected for both licenses, successful applicants still can only take one deer. In the case of special hunts, a person may draw both a firearm and muzzleloader permit, in which case they must adhere to the bag limits established by each special hunt.

This year’s lottery deer areas are: 103, 108, 119, 234, 235, 237, 238, 250, 251, 252, 253, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291, 294, 295, 296 and 299.

Other changes

Because deer herds are largely within goals, there will be no early antlerless deer season this year, and no youth-only antlerless areas available this year. The DNR will continue to monitor harvest and population size, and may use these designations in the future. Also, the 16-foot height restriction for permanent deer stands has been eliminated.

Cornicelli urged hunters to familiarize themselves with 2011 regulations before the season begins. Due to delays created by the state shutdown, the hunting regulations booklet will not be available until mid-August wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold, but hunters may access an online version of the regulations at www.mndnr.gov/regulations/hunting.

Deer hunters are also encouraged to review new deer hunting regulations, permit area designations and boundary changes before the Thursday, Sept. 8 application deadline for either-sex deer permits in lottery areas, and for all special hunts.

Additional information about the 2011 deer season can be found at www.mndnr.gov/deer