IOWA DEER HUNTERS ENCOURAGED TO HUNT SAFELY

English: Iowa Department of Natural Resources logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Iowa’s first shotgun deer season opens Dec. 1, and while optimism for a successful hunt is the primary focus, hunters are encouraged to brush up on safe hunting practices.

An estimated 70,000 hunters are expected to take to the timber on Saturday, and Megan Wisecup with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Recreation Safety Program said the tradition is rooted in the experiences of friends and family.

“If you think about who we go hunting with – our friends and our family – it is important to practice safe hunting techniques to make sure we all get home at the end of the day,” Wisecup said. 

Hunters’ shooting at running deer is the top cause of deer hunting incidents. 

“Hunters are urged to not shoot at a running deer. Hunters tend to get fixated on their target and when a deer is running, they forget about their surroundings. Look beyond your target and clearly identify the target before taking the shot,” Wisecup said.  “You must be certain you have a clear, safe shot. Never point your firearm at anything you do not want to shoot.”

That advice can help to prevent self inflicted wounds as well. 

“Hunters need to remember the basic firearm handling rules in the field,” she said. 

Basic firearm rules are always point the muzzle in a safe direction; treat every firearm as though it were loaded; unload the firearm and open the action, especially when crossing obstacles, until you are ready to shoot; keep the barrel clear and choose the proper ammunition.

Wisecup encouraged hunters to wear plenty of blaze orange and to discuss the hunting plan with everyone in the group.

“You want to be seen from all sides in the woods,” she said.  “It is also important to discuss the hunting plan that will outline the role for each person and where they will be during the hunt.  Plan your hunt and hunt your plan.  It is critical to communicate with your hunting partners to ensure everyone knows where each other is at all times.”

In 2011, there were 19 deer hunting related incidents in Iowa: 13 personal injuries and six property damage.  There were no deer hunting fatalities in 2011.

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IOWA DNR TO INCREASE NUMBER OF DEER TISSUE SAMPLES AS PART OF SURVEILLANCE FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

For a decade, DNR wildlife workers and other volunteers have combed the countryside during Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons; collecting samples to test for the deadly Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). That effort will expand this year, to concentrate on portions of Wapello, Davis, Pottawattamie and Cerro Gordo counties, following positive tests from deer in hunting preserves and breeding facilities there this summer and fall.

“We will do some added surveillance of free ranging deer here (Davis, Wapello counties), in Pottawattamie County and in eastern Iowa, too,” outlined Dr. Dale Garner, DNR wildlife bureau chief at a November meeting with landowners and hunters in Bloomfield.

Iowa’s first positive CWD test was confirmed this year; from a buck taken at a shooting preserve just north of Bloomfield.

Many of the samples will be collected during the first half of December, as more than 120,000 hunters take part in Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons.

“Our goal is to obtain 300 samples from a five mile radius around the facility. We will also obtain another 200 between Bloomfield and Ottumwa; as well as added samples from Jefferson, Van Buren and Monroe counties,” outlined district DNR wildlife supervisor Bill Ohde, noting they need to know the section from which the deer was harvested, also.  “We want adult animals. We will not cut into a trophy buck that is to be mounted.”

Sampling—which involves removing and testing the brain stem and lymph nodes--has been done on free ranging deer across Iowa for years. That attention has been heaviest in northeast Iowa, after Wisconsin and Illinois yielded positive cases in recent years. Sampling there will continue at a slightly lower intensity, to accommodate the additional testing in Davis and Wapello Counties. Since 2002, samples have been taken from 42,557 wild deer in Iowa; with no positive CWD result and from 2,630 animals from hunting preserves, before the positives were returned this year.

Most samples are obtained by wildlife staff, checking with hunters in the field or at home processing points. Others are obtained at meat lockers. In a few instances, sampling is done at pre-announced stations. One will be at Lake Wapello State Park on Dec. 1 and 2, from noon to 6 p.m.  Hunters may contact Jeff Glaw (641-799-0793) or Bill Ohde (319-591-1244) for information about the station or if they harvest an adult deer in Davis or Wapello counties.

“We are hopeful CWD has not spread. The only way to know this is to collect samples and do the testing. We will work through all hunting seasons; with the peak being the shotgun seasons in December,” said Garner.

Anyone observing a sick deer is asked to contact their local conservation officer or a wildlife biologist, so that a sample can be obtained.

There are links on the Iowa DNR website to explain CWD, the Iowa response plan, now that it has shown up in the state, and other information on infectious disease. The direct link is http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx

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WI DNR statement and Op-Ed: Tribes do not have authority to hunt deer at night in Ceded Territory

DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp’s statement on confirmation GLIFWC has issued order allowing night hunting of deer in Ceded Territory

“We have been informed the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission plans to allow Chippewa Tribal night hunting for deer in the Ceded Territory (roughly the northern third of the state) starting Nov. 26. DNR does not approve of this action and the state will file suit today (Wednesday) seeking a federal court order requiring the Tribes to comply with the court’s prohibition on deer shining and confirming the State’s right to enforce the state shining law against Tribal hunters in the Ceded Territory.
“We have concerns about the short amount of time to notify the public, the circumvention of court oversight and past rulings on night hunting for deer, and public safety.
“We have also requested that the Tribes refrain from shining deer until this matter can be settled in court. Should Tribal members refuse, it is important for the public to know that night hunting of deer could take place on public lands in the Ceded Territory starting Nov. 26, and proper precautions should be taken if outdoor recreating.”
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Op-Ed: State opposed to Tribal shining

by Cathy Stepp, Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
You may have heard about potential shining – or night hunting of deer – by Tribal members in the Ceded Territory (roughly the northern third of Wisconsin). I want to give you an overview from the State’s perspective.
DNR does not approve of this action and does not believe it is within the authority of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. Working in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the State filed suit Wednesday seeking a federal court order requiring the Tribes to comply with the court’s prohibition on deer shining and confirming the State’s right to enforce the State shining law against Tribal hunters in the Ceded Territory, roughly the northern third of the state.
Why?
We have concerns about the short amount of time to notify the public, the circumvention of court oversight and past rulings on night hunting for deer, and public safety.
We understand that the Tribes contend they should be allowed to hunt deer at night because a recently adopted state law permits the night hunting of wolves. We believe that this is essentially the same argument the Tribes unsuccessfully asserted in federal court in the 1989 “deer trial” when they argued that State’s provision for night hunting coyotes should allow them to hunt deer at night. After a week-long trial, the court concluded that deer shining was much more dangerous to public safety than the nighttime hunting of predators like coyotes, and so Judge Barbara Crabb rejected the tribes’ challenge to the State’s deer shining law. We believe that the State’s legalization of night hunting of wolves, another predator species, changes nothing in this respect.
Importantly, even if it were legal for the Tribes to hunt deer at night – which we believe it is not – we believe GLIFWC acted with too little notice and too little consultation with the State. We have not been able to discuss many safety aspects. And we need time to be sure that people using public lands with no expectation of night deer hunting are aware of any such changes. The GLIFWC order would have night hunting of deer start Nov. 26.
DNR has diligently and in good faith implemented numerous enhanced Tribal resource harvesting opportunities, including updating and increasing harvest limits for Tribal harvest of a host of species; honoring self-regulation for gathering forest products on State lands; agreeing to alternative monitoring of walleye harvest to save creel clerk expenses; youth hunt mentoring; improving mapping of the Ceded Territory in Wisconsin; and responsive and flexible state park hunting opportunities mechanism – all of which have operated almost exclusively for the Tribes’ benefit. I’m proud of that record, and I believe our actions of the past give us strong credibility is addressing this issue.
I contacted GLFWC Executive Administrator Jim Zorn and the Tribal Chairs and respectfully asked the Tribes to refrain from implementing night deer hunting. And I asked that Tribal members not go out shining until the federal court rules on our motion.
I assured Administrator Zorn of our continuing commitment to the court-approved process for negotiating changes to our past agreements on regulatory matters. I let him know we are hopeful this does not put the Tribes and state with odds with each other.
But I also informed him that it is DNR’s job to honor court decisions and directives, and to enforce the laws that are in place at this time, and we will do so. In the meantime, I ask that all of us – Tribal members, governmental agencies, and the public – work together to manage court-affirmed hunting and gathering rights in a safe and legal manner.

Indiana: Website repair means Indiana hunters should buy licenses early

Buying a hunting license early is generally a wise idea, but it’s essential for those who have yet to buy a license and want to hunt upland game species such as pheasant, quail and rabbit this weekend.
The portion of the DNR website through which licenses are purchased will be down for emergency repair from 2 a.m. (EST) Saturday to 11:59 p.m. (EST) Sunday. During this time, license purchases will not be available online or at any license retailer.
Deer hunters can also save themselves time today and avoid the last-minute rush by purchasing their firearms season license. The deer firearms season starts Nov. 17.
The CheckIN Game system also is unavailable this weekend. In order to check game, hunters will need to visit a check station. A station list can be found at eregulations.com/indiana/hunting/check-stations. The check station list will be available online throughout the weekend, as will most general content on the DNR website.

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North Dakota: Mule Deer Production Remains Low

Aerial observations during the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s fall mule deer survey indicated production in 2012 was about the same as last year’s record low.

Biologists who accompanied pilots in fixed-wing planes counted 1,224 (1,055 in 2011) mule deer in the October survey. The buck-to-doe ratio of 0.37 (0.47 in 2010) was similar to the long-term average of 0.43 bucks per doe, and the fawn-to-doe ratio of 0.59 equaled the lowest fawn-to-doe ratio since the demographic survey began in 1954. The long-term average is 0.92 fawns per doe.

Bruce Stillings, big game supervisor in Dickinson, said mule deer densities in the badlands haven’t been this low since 1996. “The three consecutive severe winters from 2008-11 were devastating to our mule deer and pronghorn populations,” Stillings said. “These winters not only greatly reduced overall mule deer abundance due to winter-related mortality, but led to poor fawn production. Three years of few young animals entering the population has resulted in an aged population with few prime-aged breeding females.”

Winter 2011-12 was one of the mildest on record, but Stillings said it is likely the reproductive condition of the surviving females was still poor after being stressed for as many as three years.

“This summer was extremely dry, leading to reduced vegetative growth needed for fawn concealment and health of the doe,” Stillings added. “An aging population and poor fawning habitat conditions resulted in another year of poor fawn production.”   

According to Stillings, no doe harvest is the first step needed to encourage population growth, and another mild winter is needed to help this year’s fawns survive until adulthood.

“A spring and summer with normal precipitation in 2013 would go a long way to promote habitat conditions more favorable for fawn survival leading to population growth,” he added.

The fall aerial survey, conducted specifically to study demographics, covers 23 study areas and 293 square miles in western North Dakota. Biologists survey the same study areas in the spring of each year to determine a population index.

Wisconsin: Hunters may harvest deer with tags and collars

Wisconsin wildlife researchers ask for basic, valuable information in return

MADISON – With the upcoming nine-day gun season approaching fast, wildlife researchers are looking for assistance from Wisconsin hunters who may harvest any of the more than 240 white-tailed deer marked with radio-collars and approximately 200 deer marked with ear tags.
The researchers say hunters’ help may play a role in how Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer herd is managed for generations to come. That’s a big impact for help that may take each hunter who harvests a marked deer only a few minutes to provide. With the start of the early archery season a few weeks ago, we have now entered an important phase of the project that involves collecting harvest data from marked deer.
“These deer were marked in 2011 and 2012 as part of a study to better understand how long deer live and how they die,” said Michael Watt, Natural Resource Research Scientist. ”Hunters are free to harvest these marked deer. And if they do, we would like some basic information that shouldn’t take more than a minute to provide.”
The requested information about marked deer include:

• ear tag or radio collar number;
• how, when and where the animal died or was harvested; and,
• the hunter’s phone number, complete with area code.

Hunters are being asked to call Watt at (608) 221-6376 to report this information.
Watt and his colleagues marked the deer in the northern counties of Rusk, Sawyer and Price, and the east central counties of Shawano, Waupaca and Outagamie as part of the buck mortality study and fawn predation study sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Safari Club International (SCI), Wildlife Restoration Funding, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, Whitetails Unlimited, Applied Population Laboratory, Menn Law Firm, and private donations from Wisconsin citizens.
“I want to stress that hunters should treat these deer like any other deer you might see. These deer may be harvested, but the information that hunters provide is important to the research and the future of our deer herd,” said Watt.
While the DNR uses a deer population modeling system built upon sound science and data, Watt says challenges remain.
“The distribution and numbers of predators has changed in the last 20 years and we hope this study can shed some light on how these changes are affecting our deer herd,” Watt says. “Not only is this a wildlife issue, it is an economic issue – Wisconsin’s tourism relies upon its healthy and abundant natural resources. Deer hunting is part of that tourism industry. Our deer hunters have expressed concerns about the impact that predation may be having on deer population growth and recruitment rates across the state – the department is listening to their concerns and trying to better understand predation impacts with our ongoing collaborative research.”
And this is where the hunters come in, Watt says.
“The only way we will be successful in our deer herd management is through hunters’ participation,” Watt says. “And the research partners who make it possible for us to increase our ability to gather this key information.”

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ZXT Bow Review: From Matthews

November 4, 2012 by Bowhunting.com's Steve Flores

Precision Shooter
Accuracy with the ZXT was exceptional. This is achieved largely due to the overall geometry of the bow as well as its very forgiving 7 3/8” brace height. In simplest terms, a shorter brace height shortens the time the arrow is actually on the bowstring, thus, shortening the time I have to screw things up before the arrow is released. In any case, shot after shot resulted in the same outcome….nail-driving precision.

Built on the Helim platform, the ZXT carriers the familiar Grid Loc riser design as well as some other familiar traits from its predecessors. The Reverse Assist Roller Guard is a nice blend of the straight forward look from the Helim and the sweeping “bridged” pattern found on the Z-series line of bows. The cut-outs on the ZXT roller-guard arm not only reduce weight, but add an aesthetic quality that somewhat match the layout of the bow’s riser. In addition, the sleek and slender Dead End String Stop likens to the appearance of past offerings, but with a slightly new “step-down” design to the rubber section that contacts the bowstring.
Of course, all of the technologies that have propelled Mathews to the forefront of bow design can also be found on the ZXT. These include: Dual String Suppressors and Monkey Tails to squelch bowstring noise, a Harmonic Damper located on the top of the riser and the Harmonic Damper Light on the bottom (which reduces overall weight while virtually eliminating post-shot bow/riser vibration), a String Grub for increased speed and performance, and Spherelock, SE6 Composite Limbs that are literally “beyond” parallel while at rest. All of these features add up to a shooting experience that is exclusive to Mathews bows.
Powering this bow is the new ZX cam; a derivative of the Z-series cam system. Those familiar with this cam design will appreciate the speed that it produces without the need for a harsh draw-cycle to do so. Launching arrows at 326 fps IBO, the ZXT can handle any big-game animal that comes within range of your treestand or groundblind, yet doesn’t require “Herculean” effort or strain in order to reach full draw during the moment of truth. And, with a 28 inch ATA (axle to axle) length, you’re sure to have plenty of room to maneuver into position for that perfect shot.

When you are the largest bow manufacturer in the world all eyes are on you. Consequently, each year loyal Mathews shooters, as well as everyone else in the archery world, eagerly awaits the arrival of the new bow lineup. This year is no exception. And with the release of 3 new models for 2013, Mathews Inc. is sure to cover a wide array of performance desires. One bow that will take on the task of pleasing shooters is the all new ZXT. If you’ve been happy with what has come out of Sparta, WI over the last few years then you are going to love this bow. In a nut shell, Mathews has taken what is arguably their top two best-selling bows of all time, the Z7 Extreme and the Helim , and combined them into one bow….the all new ZXT.
Features

While a longer brace height adds forgiveness it also slows arrow speed. However, at 326 fps IBO, I can’t think of any animal in North America that would be immune to that type of “bad” medicine.

Test Drive
Shooting the ZXT for the first time felt very familiar; like slipping on my favorite pair of hunting boots. The smooth, comfortable draw cycle, quiet shot, and apparent lack of vibration is what I have come to expect from Mathews. It is why I fell in love with their products so many years ago. My experience can be credited to the features listed above as well as the past-parallel limb design, the ZX cam and the Reverse Assist Roller Guard; all of which add a level of “smoothness” and vibration-free performance that is hard to match.
Without a doubt, the ZXT will be a welcome alternative to other bow designs that, despite boasting extreme speeds, typically force the shooter to suffer all of the “negatives” so often associated with fast arrow flight: i.e. short brace height, increased post-shot noise and vibration and an unpleasant draw-cycle…..just to name a few.
Few will argue that archery is 90% mental. Likewise, there is no question that “shooting confidence” goes a long way to increasing your performance in the field. When you combine the overall design of the ZXT with the increased conviction that you can close the deal when the opportunity presents itself, what you have is a deadly combination that is sure to result in more filed tags and smiling “trophy” shots.
Conclusion
It isn’t easy to continually raise the bar on bow design. And, while some may feel that the forward momentum has begun to slow down within the industry as a whole, I am hesitant to agree; especially when it comes to bows that are being produced by Mathews. In my opinion, once you have achieved the overall perfect design, which I feel they did long ago, then time and effort can be applied to “perfecting” the perfect design. That is exactly what Matt McPherson and all of the employees at Mathews Inc. continue to do, day after day, year after year. Unsurprisingly, 2013 looks to be no different.