Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for April 5, 2012

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Snow is now a distant memory and ice has made its spring exit. Trees continue to bud, grass continues to green, birds continue to arrive across Badgerland and people and critters are on the move outdoors.

Deer are very active feeding on fresh growth as the early green-up continues, ruffled grouse are drumming and turkeys are gobbling, and, as lake and river temperatures begin to rise, fish are on the move. As a result of the unseasonably warm weather, the walleye run on the Wisconsin River and elsewhere came early and the fish are making their way back to lakes.

Warm weather and recent winds cleared the Lake Superior ice early and in time for the April 1 smelt fishing opener. Anglers have been capitalizing on early warm weather and ice out to bring in some good catches of trout and salmon from along the south shore.

Cooler air temperatures and winds slowed fishing in some Wisconsin waters, but anglers on Lake Michigan in the Kenosha area report a strong brown trout bite. Anglers have been fishing close to shore in 20 -30 feet of water using spoons. Anglers on the Pike River report the steelhead trout run is largely over, but are still catching a few fish using orange and white flies. In Port Washington boaters have been catching brown, rainbow and lake trout using spoons and stickbaits in 15 to 35 feet of water. Blue, green, black and orange colors have been productive.

With the spring turkey season around the corner and the fishing opener a month away, it’s time to talk turkey and get the tackle box ready for action.

The spring turkey youth hunt is April 7 and 8 with the regular season opener April 11.

Turkey populations should have come through the relatively mild 2011-12 winter in good shape and as long as the critical nesting and early brood-rearing season remains dry and warm, populations can be expected to approach naturally occurring population limits imposed by habitat and predators, which should be good news for turkey hunters.

Hunters can look forward to more days in the woods in 2012 as the hunting periods have been extended to seven days each. The six 7-day 2012 spring turkey hunting periods start on April 11 and end on May 22. Find out more by going visiting the DNR's turkey hunting page.

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IDNR Examining Illinois Deer Management Program

A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Modifications possible in hunting regulations and CWD control efforts 

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is examining its deer management program to determine if modifications are needed to hunting seasons and regulations – and to the effort focused in select northern Illinois counties to reduce the deer population and limit the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Illinois deer herd.

The review of Illinois’ deer management program is a follow up to implementation of a series of recommendations made in 2008 by the state’s Joint Legislative Task Force on Deer Population Control.  Among the task force recommendations was a statewide 14% reduction in the deer herd (as indicated by the rate of deer/vehicle accidents), with specific county goals identified.  IDNR expanded the Late-Winter Deer Season and made available additional permits in some counties beginning in 2009 to encourage hunters to harvest additional surplus deer.  The statewide accident rate is very close to the identified goal, although some counties still remain higher than desired.

The IDNR also expanded the Special Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Deer Season in 2009 as part of the program begun in 2002 for surveillance and targeted herd reduction in counties where CWD had been identified.

CWD is a disease that afflicts deer by causing a degeneration of the nervous system, and fatal infections can be passed by close contact among deer.  Since 2004, IDNR has supplemented hunter harvest by using Department sharpshooters each winter to reduce deer densities in known CWD hotspots in northern Illinois counties.  This management approach has suppressed the rate of CWD infection in deer at very low levels. While the sharpshooting program is effective, budget reductions over the past decade is compelling the department to explore alternative means of reducing deer herd density in CWD counties, including changes in hunting programs, assisting local landowning agencies in their own deer herd reduction programs, and working with local hunters to increase their deer harvest on private lands.

IDNR will be conducting an analysis of both programs during the coming months and will provide opportunity for public comment on management goals.

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Wisconsin: Strong turnout, new online survey highlight statewide deer forums

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MADISON - Participation in the 2012 deer forums was significantly higher than in the previous year, with double the number of people turning out for meetings and more than 6,500 providing comments online, state wildlife officials said.

Throughout March, Department of Natural Resources wildlife staff held 36 deer forums throughout Wisconsin to listen to hunters and others interested in deer and to share current information about deer management and prospects for the 2012 season.

New this year, the public was also able to get unit-specific information and contribute feedback about their favorite deer management unit through the DNR website. While attendance at the forums was just shy of 1,200 people, more than 6,500 provided feedback through the DNR website.

“Attendance at the local meetings more than doubled this year, but the response to the online forum option has been very good, in fact it greatly exceeded our hopes,” said Kevin Wallenfang, DNR big game ecologist. “With three times the people taking advantage of the on-line forum it seems we’ve found a good way to accommodate people who don’t want to drive great distances, but still want to participate in some way.”

Results of both the local forums and on-line survey indicate strong public support for reduced permit numbers in the north for the 2012 deer season and DNR is listening to this feedback, Wallenfang said.

Preliminary results indicate the majority of on-line feedback came from people in northern Wisconsin, with 39 percent representing the northern forest deer management region, 21 percent southern farmland, 18 percent eastern farmland, 13 percent western farmland, and 9 percent central forest. The majority of online respondents were hunters, and most hunt deer during both the gun and archery season.

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Public hearing scheduled for proposal to continue Indiana one-buck rule

The Natural Resources Commission will conduct a public hearing May 3 in Plainfield on a proposal to continue the one-buck deer hunting
The one-buck rule currently allows only one antlered deer to be taken during the special youth, archery, firearm, or muzzleloader seasons combined. The rule is set to expire Sept. 1.

The proposed rule language can be viewed at IN.gov/nrc/files/one_buck_amendment.pdf.

Individuals can provide comments at the public hearing at 6 p.m. at the Plainfield Public Library, 1120 Stafford Road, Plainfield.

Comments regarding this proposal can also be submitted online to the NRC at IN.gov/nrc/2377.htm. Click on "Comment on this rule" next to “Deer ‘One-Buck Rule’ Amendment.” The deadline for submitting comments is May 3.

Comments can also be mailed to:

            Natural Resources Commission
            Indiana Government Center North
            100 N. Senate Ave., Room N501
            Indianapolis, IN 46204

All comments sent to the NRC regarding this rule change will be provided to commission members and DNR staff and will be publicly disclosed and searchable on the Internet and in a paper docket as part of the final report.

The NRC is expected to vote on final adoption of the rule change at its meeting on May 15.

Related articles

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New Michigan DNR initiative aims to resolve encroachment cases on public land

Seal of Michigan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

April 2, 2012

The Department of Natural Resources today announced the Encroachment Resolution Initiative (ERI), an effort geared at resolving the hundreds of cases of encroachment - or trespass - occurring on public land throughout Michigan.

Through this initiative, the DNR will work with property owners who are trespassing by having either a permanent structure or historical encroachment on public land. Property owners with known encroachments on public land will be notified by letter from the DNR that they are eligible to resolve their case without penalty through the ERI. Property owners adjacent to public land who are not sure whether they are encroaching can use tools on the DNR website (www.michigan.gov/dnr-encroachment) to determine if they are, in fact, trespassing on state-managed land.

"I asked our staff to come up with a creative, customer-focused way of resolving some of our most difficult encroachment situations," said DNR Director Rodney Stokes.

"The Encroachment Resolution Initiative reaches out to residents with a real, workable solution," said Stokes. "It will help us appropriately document public land ownership and resolve those trespass cases that tie up substantial staff time and resources and make land-management issues more challenging for the state."

Under the ERI, property owners who are encroaching on public land managed by the DNR can (starting May 1, 2012) apply to have their cases resolved. Applications will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2012. During this "amnesty" period, DNR staff will work with property owners to properly document ownership.

If a property owner can show that his or her encroachment was in place prior to March 1, 1973 (in keeping with a 1988 amendment of the Revised Judicature Act), the property will be transferred to the property owner after a new property survey is completed and new boundaries are established. Structural encroachments that have occurred after March 1, 1973 will be resolved through land sales. The DNR will streamline its land sale process for encroachment cases being resolved through the ERI.

Individuals with non-structural encroachments (such as fences, gardens, sheds or other non-permanent structures) occurring on public land after March 1, 1973, will need to remove the items.

By providing a streamlined and legal process to resolve their trespass without penalty, the Encroachment Resolution Initiative is intended as an incentive program for property owners encroaching on public land. Throughout the duration of the ERI, the DNR will not seek penalties or take escalated enforcement action for any encroachments that are resolved by Dec. 31, 2012.

After the application period closes on Dec. 31, 2012, any existing or new cases of encroachment that were not brought forward will be dealt with through DNR encroachment and enforcement procedures.

"We sincerely hope that anyone currently encroaching on public land will take advantage of this opportunity to resolve trespass situations," said DNR Director Stokes. "Public land is intended to be just that - land available for the use and enjoyment of the public. Such encroachments reduce everyone's ability to enjoy the state's natural resources that should be freely accessible to residents and visitors alike."

Individuals with questions about the ERI should contact Lori Burford, the DNR's encroachment specialist, at 989-275-5151, ext. 2100 or via email at burfordl@michigan.gov.

For more information on the ERI, visit www.michigan.gov/dnr-encroachment.

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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for March 29, 2012

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With the continued mild spring weather, most areas of Wisconsin are reporting that many spring events are occurring as much as a month early from most years. Lake ice is gone from most lakes even in the far north. Walleye runs on rivers are peaking or nearly over in many areas when they would normally just be starting in many years. Walleye spawning on northern lakes is already well underway and Chippewa Indian tribes have begun spearing. Many spring ephemeral flowers are and blooming and cherry and crab apple trees are blossoming. Sandhill cranes are doing mating displays and tom turkeys are displaying and gobbling. Frogs, turtles and salamanders have emerged.

The mild cool-down in the last week, which still has temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal for this time of year, has slowed some activity. Northern pike and musky are already done spawning in the south. Sturgeon were actively spawning but the drop in water temperatures slowed that activity. That could pick up again with a warm-up in the forecast. Sturgeon had made it upstream as far as the Shawano dam.

The walleye run on the Wolf River and throughout the Lake Winnebago System came early and fast and walleyes have begun making their way back to the lakes. Prime spawning activity lasted just a couple days. On the Wisconsin River the walleye run is in full swing below the Nekoosa Dam to the Petenwell Flowage, but is about complete below the Wisconsin Dells dam with many fish showing back up in Lake Wisconsin. Walleye runs are near peak on the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers in the northeast.

The ice is now out on Lake Superior and people are preparing for smelt fishing which opens April 1. Lake Superior anglers have been capitalizing on early warm weather and ice out bringing in some good catches of trout and salmon from along the south shore. Strong numbers of steelhead were still being caught on the Lake Michigan tributaries in Manitowoc, Kewaunee and Sheboygan counties. Rain in the last week had tributaries in the south running high and muddy, but good numbers of anglers were still fishing the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Root rivers and Oak and Sauk creeks, but success has decreased in recent days.

While the game season is closed on many inland lakes, anglers have been having some good early success for crappie and bluegill especially in the southern and southeastern lakes. White bass and suckers are running and providing some very good action and dip netting.

Chorus frogs and spring peepers had been very active, but quieted down with the cool spell. Salamanders are emerging now as well. Painted and Blanding’s turtles have been seen sunning themselves on rocks or logs. Coyote pups are being born this time of year in burrows and red fox pups may already be here.

Pasque flowers, marsh marigold, Dutchman's britches, bloodroot and hepatica are blooming. May apples and prairie smoke are emerging.

The recent record warm temperatures across the state and region have resulted in a large number of early records for bird migration and this week early nest records were reported for killdeer and wild turkey, both species weeks ahead of a typical nest initiation date. Ruffed and spruce grouse are drumming and displaying in the north and prairie-chickens are displaying at leks in central Wisconsin. The large numbers of snowy owls that wintered in Wisconsin are now leaving the state for the arctic, with multiple snowy owls reported this week at Ashland and 10 seen at the Oconto harbor.

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Family sweeps both adult and youth 2011 Hunter Ethics Award honors

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Brothers David Sander, of Woodville, and James Sander, of Baldwin, are co-winners of the 2011 Hunter Ethics Award, while David's son, Colton, is the recipient of 2011 Youth Hunter Ethics Award.

The trio was nominated by Dan McGuire, principal at Tomahawk Elementary School in Tomahawk, and 15-year-old son, Jacob, for their efforts to help Jacob recover a deer he had shot that ran onto the Sanders’ private hunting property.

Brothers David (left) and James (right) Sander and David's son, Colton (center), are recipients of the 2011 Ethical Hunter Awards
Contributed Photo

Jacob shot a trophy buck that ran onto property owned by the Sander family. Colton saw the buck go onto his family's land after Jacob shot it, but didn't see it had been hit until the deer ran past him.

"We walked to the fence line and Colton came down from his tree stand," Dan McGuire said. "We introduced ourselves and Colton used his cellphone to communicate with his dad."

"Colton spent a good chunk of the time tracking and trailing that buck," Dan said. "He actually took up the blood trail. He knew the property.”

Colton, 16, knew he wanted to help recover the deer when he was first approached across the fence line by Dan and Jacob.

"I just did what I thought was right, and tried to make sure the deer wouldn't suffer," Colton said. "I didn't expect this (the award) at all. You just have to be ethical when hunting, and do everything in your power to recover a deer, and respect your neighbor's property."

The Sander trio not only allowed Dan and Jacob onto their property, but helped them track the deer for about four hours and then gave up for the day. The next day the entire hunting party spent another hour or more before David found the dead deer.

"There was lots of handshaking, smiles, pats on back, and we couldn't thank them enough," Dan said. "They were as happy as we were. They were invested in that deer."

"I was with Colton when he shot his very first deer,” James Sanders said. "This episode brought me back to then."

Retired Wisconsin DNR conservation warden Steve Dewald, who co-founded the Hunter Ethics Award with former La Crosse Tribune outdoors editor Bob Lamb and Jerry Davis, a free-lance outdoors writer, noted he was impressed with how helpful the landowners were in responding to a stranger asking to track a wounded buck on their property.

“They not only gave up five hours of their own hunting time on opening weekend of the deer season, they also avoided hunting some of their hunting area so that the buck would not leave the area," Dewald said. "It is no wonder that the father of the young hunter was so appreciative of being helped by total strangers. The father understands how much this meant to his son and hopes he can return the favor to other hunters in the future. That is what this award is all about -- serving as a positive example for all hunters to follow."

The awards were presented March 17 at the Wisconsin Sport Show in Eau Claire. John Leigh of Argyle, finished runner-up for the 2011 award. Scott Braund of Holmen, received special recognition.

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