“Talk” to DNR deer hunting rules experts on Facebook, Aug. 22

Facebook followers of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources can “talk” online with DNR biologists and conservation officers about the new deer hunting rules on Wednesday, Aug. 22, from 2-3:30 pm (EDT), on the DNR’s Facebook wall.

Participants can ask questions about the new 2012-13 deer hunting rules. Three biologists and one conservation officer will be on hand to answer questions during the 1 ½-hour talk.

Interested participants are advised to first watch a video of deer research biologist Chad Stewart explaining the new rules. Anyone who still has questions can ask them during the Aug. 22 talk on Facebook. The deer rules video is located on the DNR YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/syeu0SVeOP0.

Future topics, instructions on how to join a conversation on Facebook, and commenting guidelines are posted at dnr.IN.gov/7315.htm.

To join a chat, go to the DNR’s Facebook wall, facebook.com/INdnr, and click “like” (if you aren’t already a “friend”).

You may begin typing in questions during the time slot. The DNR experts will answer questions as time allows. Advance questions may be emailed to dkrause@dnr.in.gov. Answers will be posted onto Facebook during the talk.

View the 2012-13 Hunting & Trapping guide here.

For information about Facebook talk: Dawn Krause, DNR Division of Communications, (317) 232-4095.

For information about deer hunting: Deer Hotline, (812) 334-3795, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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EHD confirmed in eight Michigan counties: Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Clinton, Eaton, Ionia and Montcalm

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health recently confirmed and announced the death of deer in Ionia and Branch counties was due to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Today the two organizations have confirmed EHD in six additional counties: Barry, Calhoun, Cass, Clinton, Eaton and Montcalm. There has been a nationwide increase of EHD outbreaks due to the extended hot and dry conditions.

The often-fatal viral disease, found in wild ruminants, causes extensive internal bleeding within deer and is transmitted by a midge, or type of biting fly. A constant characteristic of the disease is its sudden onset. Deer lose their appetite and fear of humans, grow progressively weaker, salivate excessively and finally become unconscious. Due to a high fever, infected deer often are found sick or dead along or in bodies of water. There is no evidence that humans can contract the EHD virus.

EHD outbreaks killing deer in Michigan have occurred in isolated areas almost every year since 2006. Prior to 2006, EHD outbreaks in Michigan occurred in 1955 and 1974. The estimated mortality has varied from 50 to 1,000 deer per year in the affected areas.

“We are seeing a large die-off of deer in local areas. To date we have over 900 reports of dead deer across all counties,” stated Tom Cooley, DNR wildlife biologist and pathologist. “Although it is difficult to see so many dead deer, this is still a localized issue and the regional deer population should not be impacted.”

The DNR would like to remind hunters that they may not see as many deer in the areas where EHD is occurring. Deer numbers in the affected areas should rebound within a few years.

There is no known effective treatment for, or control of, EHD. Where EHD is more common, deer have built up antibodies to the disease, and population recovery does not take long. Michigan deer do not have the benefit of these antibodies. Losses may be severe but are typically restricted to localized areas. Population recovery may take longer than has been experienced in other states.

Property owners who discover dead deer or would like to talk to their local wildlife biologist should contact their nearest DNR office. Office locations can be found at www.michigan.gov/wildlife by clicking on Wildlife Offices.

It is acceptable to allow natural deterioration processes to dispose of deer that die from EHD. Natural deterioration will not spread the disease or cause other disease outbreaks. Property owners are responsible for the proper disposal of carcasses that they wish to remove from the site. Carcasses should be buried at a sufficient depth so that no parts are showing above ground. Carcasses also can be disposed of at landfills that accept household solid waste.

For more information on EHD, visit www.michigan.gov/wildlifedisease.

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Wisconsin: Bonus antlerless deer permits go on sale August 18

Deer hunters, the time of year you’ve been waiting for is getting close and for those of you who will be hunting in a Regular Deer Management Unit don’t forget the August 18 start date for the sale of Antlerless Deer Carcass Tags.

 Unit specific antlerless tags go on sale Saturday, August 18 at 10 a.m. and remain available until sold out or until the hunting season ends. Some units can be expected to sell quickly.

Available antlerless deer permits, may be purchased by:

• visiting a DNR Service Center;
• visiting a license sales location;
• calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4236); or
• using the Online Licensing Center.

Permits are $5 for 10 and 11 year olds, $12 for residents and $20 for nonresidents.

You can check bonus permit availability by DMU. This page is updated regularly. Hunters must purchase a 2012 Wisconsin deer hunting license before purchasing a unit-specific antlerless tag.

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Wisconsin: Time to plan this fall’s Learn to Hunt event

Have family and friends get in the game!

For many of us in Wisconsin, fall is the best time of year. The days are shorter, temperatures can be crisp, and the skies a brilliant blue. Geese are migrating, deer are beginning to get into the fall pre-rut patterns, and I know I’ll be making firewood for the winter.

It may be high summer now, but fall is a few short weeks away and now is the time to be thinking about how you will fit a Learn to Hunt opportunity into the busy fall. I’ll be hosting one in late September in the Madison area. A LTH can be the perfect way to for a novice to experience their first hunt. Maybe your neighbor down the block is interested. Or, what about your children’s friends? There are many ways to foster new hunting experiences, and now is the time to start planning.

Get to your club or chapter and start brainstorming about how you can build on what you did last year, or start something entirely new. Can you reach out beyond the regular hunting “choir” to introduce someone new? Someone who would not get the chance to hunt any other way? That will really go a long way to making a new hunter.

Last year the goal was 2,000 new learn-to-hunt participants. We made it! The final tally was 2,136 participants, a 23 percent increase. That is a solid, grass roots effort to pass along the hunting tradition. We’re still working toward a goal of one learn-to-hunt event in every county, but last year there were events in 60 counties -- a large increase over 2010. The challenge this year is to build numbers in each county. Let’s try to add another 5 percent this fall and next spring.

You can design your own unique learn to hunt. How about a family learn-to-hunt outing? Focus on bringing the whole family out to the field and sharing our tradition and knowledge with them.
Remember, if you’re hosting a LTH pheasant, sponsors can get free pheasants from the DNR game farm for the event.

For more information on all your LTH needs, go to the DNR home page and search keyword “LTH."
I know you’ll take pride and step up again. As you already know, the future of hunting is up to us – those of us who hunt. Let’s get in the game!

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Operation Deer Watch continues through September 30

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MADISON -- With the final days of summer approaching quickly, state wildlife officials are urging people to continue to report deer observations as they head north for one last trip to the family cabin or a weekend get-away to a state park.
“Don’t forget to pack your Observation Deer Watch tally sheet,” says Brian Dhuey, a deer research specialist with the Department of Natural Resources. “This easy-to-do survey can help us estimate the annual production of our deer herd.”
When people spot a deer, they simply write down the date, what type of deer it was (buck, doe, or fawn), and the deer management unit (map provided with tally sheet) in which it was seen.
Since August 1, more than 1,265 deer have been reported by 181 participants who have spotted 191 bucks, 589 does, 420 fawns, and 65 unknowns.
“Deer sightings often catch us by surprise, so remember to keep your tally sheet handy – whether it’s in your car or your wallet,” Dhuey said.
People can enter observations at the end of the day, or at the end of the month through the DNR website [dnr.wi.gov]. Search keyword “deer watch” and follow the directions to enter observations from the tally sheet online.
Operation Deer Watch continues through September 30.

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Iowa Deer hunting licenses on Sale aug. 15

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We’re still a month out from Iowa’s earliest deer seasons. That doesn’t stop the planning, though, as deer hunters mix and match seasons, their days off and which tags to buy. With a couple significant changes this season, however, many hunters will have to make adjustments.

That scramble begins August 15; the first day residents can purchase deer tags. With a short supply of early muzzleloader licenses (only 7,500 available), they have been snapped up in just a few days over the last six years. Hesitate…and you lost your chance for the October season.

That muzzleloader demand has been driven by December shotgun season hunters opting for both seasons. Since 2006, you could purchase a high demand ‘any deer’ early muzzleloader tag…and still be eligible for an ‘antlerless’ shotgun tag. You still could hunt both seasons and, with shotgun season party hunting, even take a buck if another party member was available to legally tag it.

But that was then.

“Now that Iowa’s deer numbers are back down to the statewide objective; we’re reeling it back in,” explains DNR deer research biologist Tom Litchfield.  “Hunters purchasing early season muzzleloader licenses won’t be hunting during the shotgun season, on the antlerless-only tags.” 

The other major change is the number of county-specific antlerless tags available. Those quotas grew through the 2000s, with pressure to harvest more does. Hunters did the job across most of the state. Lower antlerless quotas now reflect it.

“Throughout eastern Iowa, the deer herd is down to (targeted) mid to late 1990s levels,” says Litchfield. “The quotas statewide were lowered by approximately 13,000. However, there is still plenty of opportunity and good tag availability.”

Hunters still can purchase one any deer gun season tag and fill in with various combinations, using the 119,000 available antlerless tags for the seasons they are hunting…while they last. Those county quotas, though, may be filled sooner. Iowa’s south central and southeastern two tiers of counties still have strong antlerless allotments. Another option is the various urban, park or special hunt zones.

As always, if you qualify as a landowner/tenant, your options are more flexible. Reduced fee tags are available, across the seasons, on your farm property.

Two lesser changes are elimination of the Thanksgiving weekend antlerless season and reducing the late January a week early.

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Bowhunters needed for MDC wildlife observation survey

Survey is easy and valuable way for bowhunters to get involved in helping MDC manage Missouri’s wildlife resources.

By Joanie Straub, MDC

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages all bowhunters to participate in its annual bowhunter observation survey. This survey provides valuable information that assists MDC in gauging the health of wildlife populations, such as deer and turkey, and helps staff make harvest management decisions.

“This is an easy and very valuable way for bowhunters to get involved in helping MDC manage Missouri’s wildlife resources,” says MDC Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer. “Information provided by the survey helps us assess trends in animal populations and determine if numbers are increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable. This information also has important implications on the establishment of harvest regulations.”

Courtesy MDC

MDC mails surveys to participating bowhunters in early September. From Sept. 15 through Nov. 9, participants record the date, county, number of hours spent bowhunting, and the number of deer, wild turkeys and furbearers observed during their hunts. After Nov. 9, participants mail the postage-paid surveys back to MDC so the information can be analyzed.

To participate in the 2012 survey, email Paul.Rogers@mdc.mo.gov and write “Bowhunter Observation Survey” in the subject line. Participation requests must be received by Sept. 1. Include name and mailing address in the body of the email. Bowhunters can also send their name and address to: Bowhunter Observation Survey, Missouri Department of Conservation, 3500 E. Gans Road, Columbia, MO 65201.

MDC began conducting its bowhunter observation survey in 1983. Beringer said more than 190,000 bowhunting permits were distributed in 2011 but only approximately 7,000 bowhunters participated in last year’s survey.

“To maintain the high quality of information we receive from these surveys, it is very important more bowhunters participate,” says Beringer. “I encourage all Missouri bowhunters help keep Missouri a great place to hunt by participating in the survey.”

For more information about deer and turkey archery hunting regulations, visit mdc.mo.gov and search “archery hunting.”

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