Minnesota: Interactive Walk-In Access hunting maps now available online

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A free online atlas and interactive maps of hunting lands enrolled in Minnesota’s new Walk-In Access (WIA) program now are available to the public for viewing and downloading on the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)website.

“Our website offers a number of ways for hunters to identify and locate WIA parcels,” said Marybeth Block, WIA coordinator for the DNR. “In addition to aerial maps, we offer some neat interactive options through Google maps, Google earth and the DNR recreational compass.”

Block said crews have posted boundary signs on more than 9,500 acres enrolled in the WIA program.

“WIA sites are not considered open until boundary signs are in place,” she said. “Maps representing WIA sites are general and may not accurately represent the actual legal or established boundary of these areas. They should be used for reference only.”

The public may hunt on any signed WIA parcels of land without getting additional permission from landowners. No motorized vehicle traffic is allowed. Trapping, trap shooting, fishing, dog training or other activities outside of hunting are prohibited.

“The future of this program depends on the positive perceptions of the landowners involved in the program,” Block said. “We ask hunters to follow a code of conduct that respects the land and the people living near the WIA parcels.”

The code of conduct can be found online with the hunting atlas, interactive maps and other WIA information.

The Walk-In Access program is a collaborative effort among the DNR, Board of Water and Soil Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Voluntary Public Access Program, which funded the three-year pilot program.

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• Minnesota: Hunting seasons to open soon; DNR offers helpful reminders (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Minnesota: Landowners have until Aug. 12 to enroll land for Walk In Access (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin Deer hunters asked to report deer, wildlife observations (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Michigan-New State Law Allows 10-Year-Olds to Hunt Deer, Elk or Bear With a Firearm (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

Minnesota: No roadkill permits for deer in CWD management zone

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With white-tailed deer becoming more active as fall arrives, increasing the chances of deer-vehicle collisions, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds the public that no roadkill possession permits will be issued in the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management zone in southeastern Minnesota. Normally, when a driver accidentally kills a deer, a local law enforcement officer can issue a roadkill permit for purposes of salvaging the meat.

The CWD management zone was established early this year after a white-tailed deer taken by a hunter last November near a captive elk farm outside of Pine Island tested positive for CWD, a fatal brain disease that can affect deer, moose and elk. The zone includes southeast Goodhue County, southwest Wabasha County, northwest Olmsted County and northeast Dodge County.

There is no evidence CWD can be transmitted to humans. The roadkill permit ban is being imposed to minimize chances of the disease being spread outside the zone by transport of carcasses.

Earlier this year, as part of its CWD response plan, DNR implemented a culling operation on the deer herd in the zone and tested nearly 1,200 animals taken by sharpshooters and landowners under special permits. None tested positive. Using liberalized bag limits and mandated CWD testing for any deer harvested in the special management zone (Deer Permit Area 602), DNR will continue to monitor for any further evidence of the disease.

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Ohio Hunters Asked to Help Spot Asian Longhorned Beetle

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio hunters are asked to be on the lookout for trees displaying signs and symptoms of Ohio’s newest, non-native invasive insect, the Asian longhorned beetle, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

Hunters pursuing game in Ohio’s woodlots, especially in southwestern Ohio, are encouraged to report sightings of any suspicious tree damage or beetles. While the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) has only been found in Clermont County in Tate Township and parts of Monroe Township, hunters should be alert for this pest in trees across the state.

Trees affected by the ALB include all species of maple, birch, horse chestnut, poplar, willow, elm, ash, mimosa, mountain ash, London plane, and Ohio buckeye.

Hunters should look for trees displaying large, round exit holes with smooth edges, often oozing sap, as a strong indication ofALB activity. Frequently, piles of frass (insect waste and sawdust) are found at the base of infested trees and in branch crotches. Leaves of infested trees may also exhibit unseasonable yellowing or drooping.

Hunters can report suspicious tree damage or suspected ALBs by calling toll free at (855) 252-6450 or going online to www.BeetleBusters.info.

Hunters are also encouraged to buy firewood near their destination – BUY IT WHERE YOU BURN IT. Invasive species can “hitch-hike” to new wooded areas and cause infestations, impacting the landscapes that are enjoyed for hunting. There are several quarantines in Ohio that restrict the movement of firewood; protect our forests by not moving firewood.

The ALB already has caused tens of thousands of hardwood trees to be destroyed in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

This invasive beetle has no known natural predators and poses a threat to Ohio’s hardwood forests (more than $2.5 billion in standing maple timber) and the state’s $5 billion nursery industry, which employs nearly 240,000 people.

Learn more about the Asian longhorned beetle at agri.ohio.gov/TopNews/asianbeetle/

Kansas: NATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING DAY SEPT. 24

Events celebrate the contributions of hunters and anglers to conservation
PRATT — The 40th Annual National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) — designated by Congressional decree and Presidential Proclamation — will be held Sept. 24. The event is a nationwide celebration of hunters and anglers and their contributions to conservation.

This year, T. Boone Pickens is the honorary chair for National Hunting and Fishing Day. Pickens is one of America’s most prominent and influential businessmen. He is president and CEO of the investment firm BP Capital Management and founder of Mesa Petroleum.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Operations Office will host a NHFD event at its Pratt Operations Office located at 512 SE 25th Ave. (2 miles east and 1 mile south of Pratt) on Saturday, Sept. 24. The celebration will run from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. The event will include a kids' fishing derby, a casting contest, catch and release fishing, archery, a canoe race, and other outdoor events.

National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 under President Nixon, when Congress dedicated the fourth Saturday of each September to recognize the efforts of generations of hunters and anglers who support wildlife conservation and habitat improvements with billons of dollars collected through fees on hunting and fishing licenses and permits, excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment, as well as donations. Many species such as white-tailed deer, turkey, pronghorn, elk, whooping cranes, and bald eagles were brought back from near extinction through management programs funded by sportsmen.

Celebrities traditionally lend their names to the National Hunting and Fishing Day cause by serving as honorary chairs. Previous honorary chairs include Jeff Foxworthy, Hank Williams Jr., Tom Seaver, Arnold Palmer, Terry Bradshaw, Karl Malone, George Brett, Robert Urich, Ward Burton, Louise Mandrell, Travis Tritt, Wade Boggs, Tracy Byrd, and Luke Bryan.

National Hunting and Fishing Day 2011 sponsors include Wonders of Wildlife, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Sportsman Channel, Realtree, Smith & Wesson, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Cabela's, GunBroker.com, Academy Sports + Outdoors, the Pope and Young Club, Yamaha Motor Corporation, and the Izaak Walton League.

For more information, including a detailed history of National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as a feature article on Pickens, go online to www.nhfday.org. For events in your area, contact the nearest KDWPT office.

Wisconsin: Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey

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The Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey will go live online beginning September 17, the opening day of the 2011 deer season. This will be the third year of the survey which asks deer hunters to report their field observations of a variety of wildlife species, hunting conditions and hours spent pursuing game. Deer hunters’ efforts have produced valuable information for estimating abundance and distribution of many of Wisconsin’s wildlife species. Results of previous years are available online.

The past two years, Wisconsin deer hunters have reported a total of 30,000 hunting trips encompassing 176,000 hunting hours. Trips have been reported from all 72 counties in both years. Statewide, deer hunters averaged seeing 0.28 deer per hunting hour in 2010. Deer seen per hour varied between regions with the high being the Western Farmland averaging 0.45 deer per hour and the low being the Central Forest averaging 0.18 deer per hour. The most frequently observed species other than deer were turkeys.

Hunters can find survey instructions, record sightings, and view survey results online at theWisconsin Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey webpage. A tally sheet is also available for times when hunters do not have access to the internet or a computer. Hunters should record all of their hunting activity throughout the deer season, even if no wildlife sightings were made. The survey period begins September 17 and runs through January 2012.

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9/15 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report Update

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Wisconsin’s fall hunting seasons move into high gear this weekend with the opening of the Canada goose season on Friday, and the opening of fall turkey, archery deer, ruffed grouse, cotton tail rabbit and squirrel seasons on Saturday. This weekend there is also a special two-day youth waterfowl hunt (pdf) open to youths 10 to 15 years of age who are hunter safety certified or participating in a mentored hunt. Participants must be HIP registered and be accompanied by and adult.

There are some changes this year for turkey hunters and archery deer hunters. It will be more convenient for turkey hunters to register their birds this year, either toll-free over the phone at 1-888-HUNT-WIS (1-888-486-8947) or usingonline turkey registration (Note: link will become active when season opens) through the DNR website. There will no longer be turkey registration stations. The fall turkey hunting season will also be extended for turkey zones 1 through 5 to Dec. 31. This late season had a two-year trial period, but is now permanent. There are still plenty of turkey permits available for these zones this fall. Archery deer hunting will now be open during the nine-day gun deer season, which will make this the longest archer deer season on record.

Pleasant late-summer weather in the past week made for very nice fishing conditions. In the Northwoods, water temperatures dropped into the mid-60s spurring on fall feeding activity for most species. Musky and northern pike action continues to improve and anglers have reported some very good success. The hook-and-line sturgeon season into its second week with moderate pressure and quite a few fish being caught, including a couple legal 60-inch-plus fish reported. Bass fishing continued to become more erratic, but some excellent action has been experienced on a couple of days, especially for largemouth. Walleye success continues to improve with some decent catches reported from on and around mid-depth structure on leaches and crawlers. In the south smallmouth bass are very active and feeding on the Wisconsin River and walleye fishing remains good below dams on the Rock River. Panfish action has been good on many southern lakes.

On Green Bay, some very good perch fishing with some limits were being reported along Door County. Anglers were targeting musky on the lower bay and Fox River with some success this week. Lake Michigan trollers continue to work outside of harbors with success for chinook and brown trout as well as farther off shore with a mixed bag of chinook and coho salmon and brown and rainbow trout reported. Lake Michigan tributaries continue to run quite low. A few chinook were reported this week on the lower sections of the Manitowoc and Sheboygan rivers, but additional rainfall is needed to draw fish up tributaries for fall spawning.

Whitetail bucks are now being seen both with and without velvet. Archers are reminded that if they shoot a buck in velvet and want to keep the antlers they must contact a conservation warden and request written authorization.

Coyotes have been very vocal over the last several weeks. Family groups have established rendezvous sites. These are typically open areas including old log landings, abandoned quarries or grassy hillsides, where family groups meet to socialize, and prepare for an upcoming hunt. Pups are especially vocal at this time and will readily respond when howled at by a human voice.

Spots of autumn color are starting especially with some maples starting to turn. Iron County in far northern Wisconsin is reporting the most color at between 25 and 50 percent on the Department of Tourism’s newly revamped Fall Color Report (exit DNR), but peak color is still several weeks off in the north and a month or so in the south.

Related articles

• Wisconsin Deer hunters asked to report deer, wildlife observations (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
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Ohio Hunters: Free Tree Stand Safety Course in Portage Lakes of Akron

AKRON, OH- Tree stand safety is oftentimes an overlooked but very important aspect of hunting. Tree stand accidents are the leading cause of injuries to hunters. Join Division of Wildlife staff in a free workshop to learn more about proper safety measures when using tree stands while hunting.

The workshop is scheduled for Thursday, October 6^th from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Division of Wildlife District Three headquarters, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron. Topics that will be covered include using and selecting fall restraint systems and tree stands as well safe climbing techniques. Hands-on opportunities will be available.

            Registration is free but required as seating is limited. Call Ken Fry, Division of Wildlife, at (330) 245-3030.

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