DSORe eNews s539

 

Preview This Weeks Show
SHOW #539 | 2010 SEPTEMBER 25
	• Bowhunting opening weekend report • Ashland fishing still going strong • Award-winning interviews encore performance
	• Dan bowhunts in Bayfield County • Jeff bowhunts in Marquette County
This week's drawing is for a ZipVac King Fillet Kit Call 1-414-297-7554 leave your name and telephone number.
RESULTS ► POLL s538 Should lead be banned in fishing tackle? YES 18%  |  NO 73% |  MAYBE 9%  |  UNDECIDED 0%  |  OTHER 0% IMPRESSIONS: 219  |  RESPONSES: 11  |  COMMENTS: 0
INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL s539 Should Wisconsin expand open-water duck hunting opportunities? BACKGROUND: The WDNR is holding a series of public meetings in September and October to discuss the potential expansion of open-water duck hunting to additional large lakes in the state. The informational meetings will explain to local residents, lake property owners, interested hunters, and others what open water hunting opportunities might mean on the body of water that is in their particular area.  They are not public hearings, as the WDNR currently does not have a rule proposal related to open water duck hunting.  They are only seeking to share the information developed by one statewide group of citizens with other local groups of citizens and receive some feedback.  These 2010 meetings are intended to serve as a "scoping" meeting to receive local input prior to reporting the committee recommendations to the Natural Resources Board. To read more...
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RANDY STARK chief conservation warden for the Wisconsin DNR, explains the mentored hunting program, new last year, which allows 10-year-olds to hunt with close adult supervision. CAPT. ROGER LaPENTER proprietor of Anglers All in Ashland, Wisconsin, reports on fall fishing and hunting action in the Ashland area,. MUSKIE BROTHERS, JARED & JACOB STANKOWSKI talk about their goal of getting more kids into muskie fishing.
Looking for Fishing Contests? Find them all online.  RUFFED GROUSE SOCIETY BANQUETS & EVENTS  Online Info: Sept. 28: Milwaukee, WI banquet Sept. 30: Brainerd, MN banquet Oct. 07: Park Falls, WI banquet Oct. 07: Crystal Falls, MN banquet Oct. 08:Petoskey, MI banquet Oct. 19: Marshfield, WI banquet Oct. 20: Alpena, MI steak fry Oct. 21: Ely, MN banquet OTHER EVENTS Sept. 25-26: 3 rd annual Great Outdoors Weekend, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Milwaukee. Contact: 414-352-2880. Online Info Oct. 7: World Premiere Preview Showing of Habitat Destruction on the Gulf Coast: an Outdoor Wisconsin Special Report , Discovery World, Milwaukee. 6:30 p.m. Free preview of this Outdoor Wisconsin special that will air on Milwaukee Public TV on Oct. 14. Discussion following preview with Dan Small and WDNR migratory game bird ecologist Kent Van Horn. Contact: Darlyne Haertlein, 414-297-7518. Online Info Oct. 19: SE Wisconsin Trout Unlimited annual habitat fundraiser, Charcoal Grill and Rotisserie, New Berlin. 6-10 p.m. Contact: Henry Koltz, 414-258-4300. Online Info WISCONSIN Hunting & Fishing Seasons: Sept. 25: Wisconsin Northern Zone duck season opens. Oct. 2: Wisconsin Southern Zone duck season opens.
Changes to Wisconsin ‘open water' hunting rules effective Oct. 1  MADISON - An update to Wisconsin's open water hunting rule on concealment requirements that apply to waterfowl hunters who use boats or blinds on waters of the state, goes into effect Oct. 1. Duck hunting in the southern duck management zone runs from 9 a.m. Oct. 3 through Oct. 11 and 9 a.m. Oct.17 through Dec. 6. Northern duck zone hunting starts Sept. 26 and runs through Nov. 24. The old rule required that hunters remain within natural emergent vegetation rooted to the bottom that provided whole or partial concealment of the hunter, boat and blind. While conservation wardens have long subscribed to a rule-of-thumb that partial meant at least 50 percent, the new rule formally establishes that 50 percent concealment is required. The new rule also clarifies that the hunter, boat and blind only need to be concealed when viewed horizontally from at least one direction. The rule update does not change the preexisting rules that allowed hunting waterfowl from open water on portions of the Mississippi River, Big Green Lake, Lakes Michigan, Superior, Winnebago, Petenwell Flowage or Green Bay. On all other waters, just as in the past, hunter's boats and blinds still need to be concealed by emergent vegetation that is rooted to the bottom. Under the new rule, the amount of concealment that is required is 50 percent and the vegetation needs to rise to the gunwales of a boat used as a blind or to hunt waterfowl from. Also under the new rule, hunters do not need to be “within” the vegetation they are using for concealment, they only need to be within 3 feet of the cattails, bulrushes, rice, or other emergent natural vegetation. Hunters will not find this information in a regulations pamphlet because the migratory bird hunting regulations were printed prior to knowing the outcome of the rule making process. Wisconsin's open water hunting rule dates back many years and was designed to keep hunters out of open water habitat that is used for staging and resting by migrating ducks or geese. “Providing these areas where there is no hunting pressure encourages birds to spend time feeding and resting during migration,” says Kent Van Horn, Department of Natural Resources waterfowl ecologist. “Hunters have supported the rule because it increases hunting opportunity by encouraging birds to remain in an area for longer periods of time.” “When deciding if you have enough concealment to hunt from a boat or blind, imagine that you are viewing your hunting set-up from a height of 3 feet,” said Conservation Warden Todd Schaller. “You can be looking at it from any direction, even from behind. If the vegetation rises at least to the top of the gunwales or sides of your boat and the boat and a blind are at least half concealed, then you are ok to hunt that way.” According to Schaller, a blind that is not part of a boat also needs to be 50 percent concealed. This does not mean that the entire blind needs to be concealed. It could be just that the bottom half of the blind is fully concealed by emergent vegetation and the top half would require no concealment. The less dense the vegetation is, the taller it may need to be to achieve the required 50 percent concealment. The new rule also eases requirements for waterfowl hunters while still preventing hunting in open water areas. It does this by no longer requiring that boats and blinds be concealed within the emergent vegetation. Hunters' boats and blinds can now be located beyond the vegetation provided part of the boat or blind is within 3 feet of vegetation that is providing the concealment. Even if the vegetation is behind the hunter, as long as it is emergent vegetation that is rooted to the bottom and it provides 50 percent concealment, then the hunting situation is not considered to be open water hunting. Hunters hunting on the water with the aid of a boat or blind who are in compliance with all three of the following conditions, will not be considered hunting in open water: 1. Any part of the boat or blind is within 3 feet of naturally occurring vegetation rooted to the bottom 2. This vegetation provides at least 50-percent concealment of the hunter, boat and blind when viewed from at least one direction horizontally. 3. Some of this vegetation extends above the water's surface to a height at or above the sides of any boat, if a boat is used. Dead stumps and dead trees in the water do not constitute a natural growth of vegetation for the purpose of this rule. Though not a new law, hunters are reminded that if hunting on public waters and within 100 yards of a building devoted to human occupancy, the hunters must first have permission of the owner of the building before they may legally discharge a firearm. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Van Horn (608) 266-8841 or Bob Manwell (608) 264-9248 Delta Waterfowl Predator Update: Results Show Promise in Canadian Parklands, North Dakota's Low-grass Areas Preliminary research results from Delta Waterfowl indicates managing predators can be an effective tool in significantly increasing nest success in landscapes with limited grass nesting cover and those suffering from chronically low duck production. Delta researchers recently finished work on eight low-grass sites located in North Dakota and Manitoba, and the results were encouraging: nest success on two predator-controlled blocks near Minnedosa, Manitoba averaged 43.3 percent, while nest success on similar sites that weren't trapped was three percent. Delta started trapping low-grass sites after research showed that ducks nesting in areas with an abundance of grass--like Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields in the U.S.--often produce at population-expanding levels without the help of predator management.  But Canada has no CRP-type program, and with CRP acres being broken on the U.S. side of the breeding grounds, finding ways to increase nest-success on low-grass areas became a priority. “The results are very encouraging,” says Delta Scientific Director Dr. Frank Rohwer, “especially in light of the chronic low duck production that is all too common across large expanses of the Canadian prairies. The Canadian ‘duck factory' is broken. Nest success of three percent is well below what's needed just to maintain populations.  We're exploring all possible solutions to increase duck production and we're hopeful predator management is one of them.” One significant change at the Canadian sites this year was reducing the size of the test areas from 36 square miles to either 25 or 16 square miles. The goal was to increase trapping intensity by focusing trapping efforts on smaller parcels of land. Researchers believe the more intense trapping activity for raccoons, skunks and fox contributed to the high nest success. The Canadian sites are located in the “parkland” region of western Manitoba. This area, with relatively stable water conditions and a high density of breeding ducks, is a priority area for waterfowl conservation. “Nesting ducks need relief from the growing number of small predators,” says Dr. Rohwer. “This is a system out of balance. We created it and it's likely going to take human intervention to bring the balance back between predator and prey species.” In North Dakota, researchers focused their efforts on sites with relatively little grass cover, less than 10 percent. Biologists have already confirmed that ducks struggle to reproduce in areas with scarce nesting cover. Results from these areas also suggest predator management is an effective method of increasing nest success. The two-year average for nest success on North Dakota trapped blocks was 28.1 percent, compared to a success rate of 6.4 percent on the non-trapped, control sites. Delta Waterfowl has been conducting research on predator management since 1994. “After 17 years of research, we're learning where and when and how it's best to trap to increase duck production,” says Delta President Rob Olson. “While these results are preliminary and while it will take more time and evaluation to confirm that predator management will work in the parklands and areas of the Dakotas where nesting cover is scarce, we're pleased by the results.” Delta Waterfowl plans to continue its predator management research next year in both low-grass and parkland regions.
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DSORe eNews s538

Preview This Weeks Show
SHOW #538 | 2010 SEPTEMBER 18
	• Explore Wisconsin's deer hunting history and culture. • Fall fishing rocks on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. • New state-record black bear?
	• Dan reports from Ashland and Madeline Island in Lake Superior. • Jeff tweaks his arrows for bowhunting.
This week's drawing is for one of three family packs of four tickets to the Oshkosh Public Museum's Wisconsin Deer Hunting Exhibit   Call 1-414-297-7554 leave your name and telephone number.
RESULTS ► POLL s537 Should commercial trap nets be banned from Lake Michigan each year until Labor Day? YES 50% | NO 0%  |  MAYBE 0%  |  UNDECIDED 50% |  OTHER 0% IMPRESSIONS: 188  |  RESPONSES: 2  |  COMMENTS: 0
INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL s538  Should lead be banned in fishing tackle? Background: The Environmental Protection Agency recently turned down a petition by several conservation organizations to ban lead in firearms ammunition. That petition also included lead in fishing tackle, and the EPA is still considering that request. To read more...
You are entered into the drawing - when you leave a COMMENT - for a ... ZipVac portable vacuum sealer starter kit, complete with a rechargeable pump, a hand-operated pump and reusable, resealable storage bags. Follow ZipVac on Twitter and subscribe to the ZipVac blog.
MEGAN DEL DEBBIO marketing coordinator for the Oshkosh Public Museum, previews the upcoming Wisconsin Deer Hunting Exhibit that features the history and culture of deer hunting and Wayne Schumacher's state-record non-typical whitetail. CAPT. SCOTT BRETTING proprietor of River Rock Inn and Bait Shop in Ashland, reports on the hot fishing on Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay. Capt. DAN WELSCH proprietor of Dumper Dan Sportfishing Charters of Sheboygan, reports on Lake Michigan fishing action for king salmon.
Looking for Fishing Contests? Find them all online.  RUFFED GROUSE SOCIETY BANQUETS & EVENTS  Online Info: Sept. 18: Hayward, WI hunt, shoot & banquet Sept. 23: Ironwood, MI banquet Sept. 24: Ash River, MN banquet Sept. 28: Milwaukee, WI banquet Sept. 30: Brainerd, MN banquet Oct. 07: Park Falls, WI banquet Oct. 07: Crystal Falls, MN banquet Oct. 08:Petoskey, MI banquet Oct. 19: Marshfield, WI banquet Oct. 20: Alpena, MI steak fry Oct. 21: Ely, MN banquet OTHER EVENTS Sept. 18: Ozaukee Fish & Game, Saukville. Sporting Clays fundraiser for Grafton Boy Scout Troop 842. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 50 targets for $25 in advance, $30 at the door, includes lunch. Contact: Rick Bergman, 414-962-9000. Online Info: WISCONSIN Hunting & Fishing Seasons: Sept. 18: Bow deer, turkey & squirrel open statewide, ruffed grouse opens in Zone A, rabbit opens in Northern zone Sept. 18-19: Youth Waterfowl Hunt Sept. 25: Wisconsin Northern Zone duck season opens. Oct. 2: Wisconsin Southern Zone duck season opens.
New DNR black bear and bobcat reporting site   MADISON – Hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts can help monitor and document the expanding distribution of black bears and bobcats in Wisconsin through a new on-line reporting form that allows the public to submit black bear and bobcat observations. The Department of Natural Resources wildlife surveys section has developed a new bear and bobcat reporting application . Black bears and bobcats are commonly found in the northern third of Wisconsin and much of the population for both species still resides in the northern counties. However, recent range expansion by both species has lead to more frequent sighting in southern counties. Wildlife officials are looking for reports of black bear sightings within areas that are outside of their normal range, particularly areas designated as “occasional” and “rare” on the distribution map. Bobcat sightings are to be reported statewide. “Direct observations from the field can provide important information for black bear and bobcat managers in tracking their movements,” said Jes Rees DNR wildlife survey technician. “Bears tend to be more visible as they distribute into new areas but bobcats are solitary secretive animals, and tracking their distribution is often difficult.” Since March 2010, DNR biologists have documented reports of bear sightings within areas designated as “occasional” and “rare” on the distribution map. The list of sightings is an informal collection of reports received from e-mails, telephone calls, and reports taken from the media. Reports from areas of the state where bears are “common” or “abundant” were not collected. Citizen monitoring has proven to be a valuable tool in resource management and an opportunity for interested citizens to contribute to our knowledge of wildlife and habitat trends,” said Brian Dhuey, DNR wildlife surveys coordinator. In addition to this new bear and bobcat monitoring effort the department has recently initiated citizen monitoring opportunities intended to collect more information on trends in deer reproductive success by reporting does and fawns seen together during the late summer and early fall, and 2010 will be the second season for the Hunter Wildlife Observation Survey which asks deer hunters to report on nine different wildlife species observed during the deer hunting seasons. The department's Bureau of Endangered Resources has a Rare Mammal Observation form to report sightings of wolf, moose, cougar, lynx, wolverine, marten, or Franklin's ground squirrel. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jes Rees (608) 221-6360 or Brian Dhuey (608) 221-6342 FWS Looks to Delist Wolves… Again  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced a comment period for possible removal of the Western Great Lakes wolves from the Endangered Species List. Earlier this year, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation (USSAF), several other conservation organizations and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources (DNRs) filed petitions with FWS asking the Director to remove the wolves from Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection due to their recovery in the region.  The Service did not respond to those petitions. As a result, the USSAF and five other groups filed an official letter (a notice of intent to sue) two weeks ago committing to bring legal action against FWS within 60 days unless the agency issued a finding. “We are very pleased that the FWS is moving forward with the petition to delist the wolves in the Western Great Lakes region,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSAF president and CEO.  “The USSAF and many others have worked for years on this and firmly stand by the idea that states, not the federal government, should be managing their wildlife populations once those populations have recovered.” The September 14 announcement officially opened up a 90-day comment period that will end on midnight of November 15. Two previous efforts by the FWS to delist the Western Great Lakes gray wolves were reversed as a result of lawsuits filed by anti-hunting groups and some procedural mistakes made by the FWS in the waning days of the Bush Administration. Take Action! Sportsmen throughout the Midwest, especially those in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin should offer your comments to the FWS.   Click here and then click on the Submit Comment link to voice your opinion. Sportsmen can also mail comments to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R3-ES-2010-0062 Division of Policy and Directives Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services 4401 N. Fairfax Dr, Suite 222 Arlington, VA 22203
Please SUPPORT OUR Sponsors. Their support brings you Dan Small Outdoors Radio Adams County Cedar Lake Sales Crestliner Dumper Dan Forge Bow Great Lakes Roofing Hupy & Abraham Hunters Network IronClad Lures Kolpin Lake-Link Lake of the Woods, MN McMiller Sports Center Midwestern Shooters Supply Northern Waters Roger B's HuntGuide Ruffed Grouse Society Wisconsin DNR Zip-Vac 4BuggSpray Dan Small Outdoors