Michigan-New State Law Allows 10-Year-Olds to Hunt Deer, Elk or Bear With a Firearm

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A change in state law that took effect Sept. 1 makes it legal for 10- and 11-year olds to hunt deer, bear or elk with firearms in Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources announced.

The change is not reflected in the 2011 Hunting and Trapping Digest as the publication went to press before the law was changed.

The regulations change was part of the Hunter Heritage Act, which creates a new mentored hunting program and eliminates the minimum age requirements for hunting in 2012.

This year, hunters less than 14 years of age may hunt on private land with either a firearm deer license or junior combination deer license ? if they have successfully completed hunter education training ? or an apprentice hunting license. In either case, the youngster must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other adult designated by the parent or guardian.

Hunters less than 14 years of age may hunt with firearms on private land only. A youngster hunting deer must be in possession of either a firearms deer license or an antlerless deer license. A youth hunter ages 10 and 11 may use a combination deer license. If the youth has been hunter-safety certified, the accompanying adult must be at least 18 years of age. If the youngster is hunting with an apprentice license, the accompanying adult must be at least 21 years of age.

Beginning in 2012, the Mentored Youth Hunting Program, currently under development by a workgroup convened by the Natural Resources Commission will provide additional hunting opportunities for youngsters less than 10 years of age.

For more information on hunting opportunities in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/hunting.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go towww.michigan.gov/dnr.

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Michigan Deer Hunters-DNR Reminds Hunters of Deer Check Station Locations for 2011 Season

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As the 2011 Michigan deer hunting season gets underway, the Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that the DNR would like to check as many deer as possible during all the deer seasons to continue gathering critical data on Michigan's deer herd. The data is important for monitoring the herd's health and determining population size.

For a list of the 2011 deer check stations that will be open Nov. 15-30, during the regular firearm deer season, please go to www.michigan.gov/hunting. During all other deer seasons, deer can be checked at DNR Operations Service Centers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday (except state holidays). A list of Operations Service Centers can be found under Contact the DNR on the DNR's website at www.michigan.gov/dnr. The last day to check your deer will be Jan. 6, 2012.

The DNR will test any deer that is identified as "suspect" for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and bovine tuberculosis (TB). The DNR will also collect samples of deer from areas where disease concerns have been identified, which include the five counties in the Northeastern Lower Peninsula within the TB area, as well as Iosco, Shiawassee, Cheboygan, and Emmet counties.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go towww.michigan.gov/dnr.

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Michigan's Early Antlerless Deer Season Opens Sept. 15

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The 2011 deer-hunting season kicks off in Michigan Thursday, Sept. 15, with a five-day early antlerless-only deer season in part of the state. Hunting will be allowed only on private land in portions of the Lower Peninsula. See the 2011 Antlerless Deer Hunting Digest available at license agents or www.michigan.gov/deer for a map of the areas open.

Only private-land antlerless deer licenses for appropriate Deer Management Units (DMUs) or deer management assistance permits (DMAP) for appropriate DMUs are valid.

The season will be followed immediately by a four-day youth antlerless deer season, Sept. 20-23. This season is open throughout Deer Management Unit (DMU) 486, which encompasses most of the southern half of the Lower Peninsula. See the 2011 Antlerless Deer Hunting Digest or the 2011 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest, available at license agents or www.michigan.gov/deer, for a map of DMU 486. An appropriate public- or private-land antlerless license or DMAP valid within DMU 486 is required.

For both of these seasons, firearms, archery gear, or crossbows may be used, but hunter orange is mandatory. Hunters must have permission from the landowner or leaseholder before hunting on private land.

For more information on hunting opportunities in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/hunting.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go towww.michigan.gov/dnr.

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New Midwest Hunting Opportunities

Image via WikipediaThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the opening of Crane
Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota to big game hunting of deer
and upland game hunting of turkey for the first time, while expanding
hunting and fishing activities at nine other refuges. Notice of the final
2011-2012 Refuge-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations published
in the Federal Register on September 9, 2011.

More than 250 comments were received during the 30-day public comment
period on the proposed expansion. Only 18 comments opposed the amended
regulations.

“The National Wildlife Refuge System, a vital part of our shared natural
heritage, offers Americans more than 320 hunting programs across the
country. The Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to these programs –
especially for youth and those with disabilities – wherever they are
compatible with refuge purposes,” said Service Director Dan Ashe.

Among the changes are:
       Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, CO, increases big game hunting
by offering elk hunting for the first time. The refuge also allows
migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and fishing.
       Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, LA, adds waterfowl and
coot hunting to its list of migratory bird hunting activities. The refuge
also allows fishing.
       Coldwater River National Wildlife Refuge, MS, adds duck and geese
hunting to its migratory bird hunting activities; squirrel, rabbit and
raccoon hunting to its upland game hunting activities; and deer and hog
hunting to its big game hunting activities.             The refuge also
permits fishing.
       Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, NC, opens to big game hunting
of deer and hogs.
       Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, MN, increases acreage
for migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.
       Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, MN/IA,
increases acreage for migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big
game hunting, and expands the species for migratory bird and upland game
hunting.
       Ouray National Wildlife Refuge, UT, allows upland game hunting of
turkey and big game hunting of elk for the first time. The refuge also
allows migratory bird hunting and fishing.
       Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, MN, opens new areas to
migratory bird hunting. It allows big game hunting of turkey and deer for
the first time. The refuge is also open to fishing.
       Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, TX, opens three new units
to upland game hunting of squirrels and rabbits, and big game hunting of
feral hogs and white-tailed deer. The refuge is also open for migratory
bird hunting and fishing.

While definitions of hunting categories vary by refuge and state,
migratory bird hunting generally includes ducks and geese. Upland game
hunting may cover such animals as game birds, rabbit, squirrel, opossum
and coyote. Big game hunting may include such animals as wild turkey, deer
and feral hogs.

The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 directs the
Service to permit hunting and fishing along with four other types of
wildlife-dependent recreation where they are compatible with refuge
purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is offered on more
than 300 national wildlife refuges. Fishing is offered on more than 270
national wildlife refuges. Other wildlife-dependent recreation on national
wildlife refuges includes wildlife photography, environmental education,
wildlife observation and interpretation.

To find hunting programs offered in the National Wildlife Refuge System,
please visit:  http://www.fws.gov/refuges/hunting/.

To find the final regulations, please visit:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-09/pdf/2011-22752.pdf.

2011 Wisconsin archery deer season to be longest in state history

EAU CLAIRE – The 2011 Wisconsin’s archery deer hunt that opens September 17 will be the longest bow deer hunt in state history.

For the first time, bow hunting will be allowed during the regular nine-day gun deer hunt in November. As before, there will be no deer hunting on the Friday preceding the gun deer hunt. This single day will now separate the early and late bow deer seasons.

The 2011 archery deer season runs from Saturday, Sept. 17, through Thursday, Nov. 17 and then from Saturday, Nov. 19, the start of the gun season, through Jan. 8, a Sunday.

During the gun deer season, bow hunters will be required to follow the same blaze orange clothing regulations as gun hunters.

Another piece of welcome news this year for many bow hunters is the absence of any October gun deer hunts outside theChronic Wasting Disease management zone in south central Wisconsin. The four-day, antlerless only gun deer hunt occurs Oct. 13-16 this year in the disease management zone.

With warm temperatures and insect activity in mid September, many archers are less enthusiastic about opening day and the season begins with much less fanfare than the annual gun deer hunt. But as summer fades into fall, the number of bow hunters in the field will grow dramatically.

In 1966 about 85,000 licensed archery hunters took just under 6,000 deer. In 2010, the number of bow hunters had swelled to 260,000, and they harvested 87,000 deer, 36 percent as many deer as taken by gun hunters in the previous year. The 2010 bow buck harvest was the third highest on record. Pope and Young record book entries show Wisconsin as the leading stat for large-antlered whitetails.

Other changes of interest to bow hunters this year:

• Most hunters are not allowed to hunt antlerless deer in eight regular, buck-only deer management units, primarily in northern and northeast Wisconsin. Archery and gun antlerless deer carcass tags are not valid in units 3, 7, 29B, 34, 35, 39, 44 and 45. No bonus antlerless tags will be available in these units. There are exceptions, explained in theregulations, for members of the Armed Forces, for the holders of certain disabled hunter permits and for youths ages 10-17.
• In the CWD-MZ, the Earn-A-Buck requirements do not apply when using a Gun Buck Deer Carcass Tag or when using an Archery Buck Deer Carcass Tag. All other buck deer harvest in the CWD-MZ and tagged with any other tag must follow EAB rules.
• Beginning in 2011, all youth ages 10-17 will automatically be issued a free antlerless deer carcass tag when they purchase a gun deer license. This tag is valid for one antlerless deer in any DMU during any open deer season with the appropriate license and corresponding weapon. This tag is issued along with the youth’s gun deer license through any license agent, and may also be filled in any DMU statewide during the archery season with legal archery gear if the person also holds a valid archery license. Antlerless deer carcass tags are no longer issued to now Hunter Education Class graduates.
• Whole deer carcasses and certain parts of those carcasses may be transported outside of the CWD-MZ and its adjacent DMUs if the carcass or parts are transported to a licensed taxidermist or licensed meat processor within 72 hours of registration.
• The DNR will mail a 2011 Buck Authorization Sticker to hunters who harvest a CWD-positive buck. If you harvested a CWD-positive buck last year and did not receive a 2010-2011 Buck Authorization Sticker in the mail, please notify the DNR at 1-888-WDNR-INFO.

Wisconsin Hunters: Outdoor Report as of September 8, 2011

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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.

Kansas Deer Hunters: MUZZLELOADER, YOUTH/DISABLED, ARCHERY DEER SEASONS ON TAP

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Resident Any Season White-tailed Deer permits available over the counter
PRATT — Three deer seasons open this September: the muzzleloader season, which runs Sept. 19-Oct. 2; the archery season, which runs Sept. 19-Dec. 31; and the youth/disabled season, which runs Sept. 10-18. Resident hunters who have yet to obtain a Resident Any Season White-tailed Deer permit may still obtain one at Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) offices, select license vendors, online at www.kdwp.state.ks.us (click "License/Permits" on the top menu bar), or by phoning 1-800-918-2877 toll-free.

The Any Season permit is valid statewide and allows the hunter to harvest one antlered or antlerless white-tailed deer during any season with equipment legal for that season.

Resident hunting licenses, required of anyone age 16 through 64 in addition to the deer permit, cost $20.50. Resident Any Season White-tailed Deer permits cost $32.50. Antlerless-Only White-tailed Deer permits, which may be purchased only after an antlered deer permit has been purchased, cost $17.50.

After Dec. 30, deer hunters may purchase Antlerless-Only White-tailed Deer permits valid during January seasons without having first purchased an antlered deer permit.

There is no minimum age to apply for and receive a big game permit, and youth younger than 16 may hunt without hunter education, if supervised by an adult 18 years or older. For more information, visit the KDWPT website, www.kdwpt.state.ks.us, or phone 620-672-5911.