Other News S940-2

2014 gun deer hunt for hunters with disabilities this year - October 4-12

photo c. WDNR ©2013

Disabled deer hunt shows great participation by Wisconsin landowners and will provide a number of opportunities for disabled hunters statewide

MADISON - Eligible hunters interested in participating in the 2014 gun deer hunt for hunters with disabilities are reminded that this year's hunt will take place from Oct. 4-12.

"The disabled hunt program highlights some important partnerships and is a great example of the sense of community associated with deer hunting in Wisconsin," said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp.

As of the June 1 land sponsor application deadline, 86 landowners had enrolled more than 78,000 acres of land across 46 counties for this year's deer hunt. For a list of sponsors for the 2014 season, please visit WDNR website and search keywords disabled deer hunt.

Hunters should contact sponsors directly and be prepared to provide their name, contact information and DNR customer ID number. To be eligible, hunters must possess a valid Class A, Class B long-term permit that allows shooting from a vehicle or Class C or D disabled hunting permit. As in the past, eligible hunters must also possess a gun deer license.

For more information regarding deer hunting in Wisconsin, search the WDNR website for keyword deer.

READ MORE HERE ...

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

• Dan Kaminski, Assistant Big Game Ecologist - (608) 261-7588

Other News: S709

Hunters Shape Their Future by Mark LaBarbera Bob Holsman, conference coordinator, speaking at The Hunting Future Search Conference, held February 22-24 at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Treehaven Field Station.     photo: Mark LaBarbera TOMAHAWK, WI. At a recent conference held at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Treehaven Field Station near Tomahawk, some 30 hunting leaders from across Wisconsin identified strategies and pledged action aimed at reducing the loss of licensed hunters in the state. The Hunting Future Search Conference, held February 22-24, was organized and funded by the Wisconsin DNR. "The conference was a huge success with the potential for accomplishing great things in the future," said Jeff Nass, President of the National Rifle Association’s chartered association in the state. "We look forward to working with this group and representatives from other groups that were unable to attend." His group, Wisconsin Firearm Owners, Ranges Clubs and Educators Inc. (Wisconsin FORCE), actively participated at the conference with leaders from Whitetails Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Wisconsin Deerhunters, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, National Wild Turkey Federation, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Wisconsin Bowhunters Association, Wisconsin Trappers Association and others, including members of local hunting clubs and the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. As a Life Member of North American Hunting Club, Safari Club, Mule Deer Foundation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, I’ve heard fellow members share concerns about the next generation losing touch with nature and wondering what can be done to reconnect youngsters and introduce new ones to hunting, conservation and the shooting sports. Most people agree that there is no silver bullet. Read more here: Hunters register 5,433 birds in 2011 fall wild turkey hunt   Dan Small with a nice fall tom. Wisconsin hunters registered 5.433 turkeys for the 2011 fall season.  photo courtesy Dan Small ©2012 MADISON – Wisconsin wild turkey hunters registered a combined 5,433 birds during the regular fall 2011 wild turkey season and the extended season in Turkey Management Zones 1-5. The 5,433 registered birds compute to a success rate of 10 percent, a slight decrease from the 12 percent success rate for hunters during the 2010 fall season. “The fall turkey season, along with our spring season, continues to provide important recreational opportunities for Wisconsin’s hunters,” says Scott Walter, upland wildlife ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources. "Hunters that pursue turkeys during both the spring and fall seasons are really treated to two very distinctive outdoor experiences, and get to enjoy turkeys during very different phases of their annual cycle.” Hunting turkeys in the fall is quite different than taking part in the spring hunt, where hunters use the breeding behavior of gobblers to call one into range, he says. Fall hunters learn that the key to success is to pattern turkey flocks, and locating roost sites and feeding locations in order to get close to turkeys. The decline in harvest between the 2010 and 2011 fall seasons continues a downward trend in fall turkey harvest over the past seven years and likely reflects turkey numbers and hunting trends, Walter says. “Certainly, the previous three winters have stressed turkeys, and recent wet springs have likely limited production," he says. "Long-term, turkey populations – and the number of turkeys hunters encounter in the field – will ebb and flow in response to weather conditions that determine production levels." The fact that there are so many opportunities available to hunters in the fall also seems to have resulted in fewer hunters pursuing turkeys recently, with the number of fall permits sold declining steeply the past few years. This also has reduced the total number of birds harvested in the fall season, Walter says. Not including Fort McCoy, the total number of permits available statewide for the fall 2011 season was 95,700, the same as in 2010. A total of 54,949 permits were sold, including 41,332 via the drawing with another 13,617 permits sold over-the-counter after the drawing had been completed. Turkey permit levels for fall 2012 to be set this summer Permit levels for the 2012 fall season will be set this summer once harvest data for the spring 2012 season is available and biologists can assess spring production levels, Walter says. Permit applications for the 2012 fall season are due August 1st, 2012 “Statewide, the population of turkeys remains strong,” says Krista McGinley, DNR assistant upland wildlife ecologist. “Long-term, turkey numbers are primarily driven by the quality of habitat available and weather during the critical nesting brood-rearing period. "We’ve got excellent turkey habitat across the state, this winter’s been mild for turkeys and, given good production this spring, hunters should have an excellent opportunity to see turkeys and perhaps harvest a bird this coming spring and fall.” The number of permits available to hunters in each of the state’s seven Turkey Management Zones is recommended by members of the Wild Turkey Management Committee, who consider recent trends in harvest, hunter success, and turkey reproduction, as well as hunter densities and field reports of turkey abundance, when deciding on final permit numbers. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Walter, (608) 267-7861 Krista McGinley, (608) 261-8458

DSORe eNews s510

To enter this week's drawing one of three pairs of tickets to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show Call 1-414-297-7554 and leave your name and telephone number. SHOW #510 | 2010 MAR 06 • The wit and wisdom of Red Green. • Win a TV pheasant hunt with country star Kristy Lee Cook. • Previews of the Icebreaker 5 Sports Show and the Wisconsin Deer & Turkey Expo. • Dan reports on last weekend's Madison Fishing Expo. • Jeff gets in a couple more days of ice fishing. Results for POLL s509 Should the Youth Hunt, Learn to Hunt and Mentored Hunt be consolidated into one New Hunter Opportunity with one set of rules? YES 33%  |  NO 50% |  MAYBE 8%  |  UNDECIDED 0%  |  OTHER 8% IMPRESSIONS: 407   |   RESPONSES: 12 |   COMMENTS: 3 Should Wisconsin hunters be limited to one buck per year regardless of what season they hunt (bow, gun,muzzleloader) to help rebuild deer numbers? Background: Wisconsin bowhunters registered more than 41,000 bucks last season. That's the fourth highest total on record and just about half the total number of bucks taken by gun hunters last year. Bowhunters continue to score on bucks, even when gun hunters struggle. Read the complete story... When you leave a COMMENT you are entered into the drawing for a ... ZipVac portable vacuum sealer starter kit, complete with a rechargeable pump, a hand-operated pump and reusable, resealable storage bags. RED GREEN president of Possum Lodge and star of The Red Green Show, previews his May 8 appearance in Cedarburg, Wisconsin and shares advice for contestants in the Red Green look-alike contest at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, March 10-14. KRISTY LEE COOK country recording artist and host of Goin' Country on the Versus Network, talks about her new hunting show and tells listeners how they can win a chance to hunt with her on TV at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show. ART HELIN of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, shares a preview of his seminar on how to use trail cameras in scouting for deer, to be presented at the Wisconsin Deer & Turkey Expo in Madison, April 9-11. JOEL KUNZ director of Icebreaker 5, talks about this free sports show at Channel Cat's in Fremont, Wisconsin March 12-14. Looking for ice fishing contests? Find them all online. Mar. 5: Red Cedar Chapter of Pheasants Forever 20th anniversary banquet, Dunn County Fish and Game. Lots of nice guns and a multitude of other prizes. Banquet and others Online Info: Contact: Jim Lewis 715-688-9101 Mar. 5-7: Southeast Wisconsin Fishing & Hunting Expo, Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc. Online Info: Mar. 10: Larry Smith seminar Green Bay Walleyes, Walleyes Unlimited meeting, 7:00 p.m., Root River Lanes, 7220 W. Rawson Ave., Franklin, WI. Guest fee: $5. Online info: Mar. 10-14: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, State Fair Park. Dan Small will present seminars on decoying, rattling and calling trophy whitetails (Sat. Mar. 13, 1 p.m.) and Spring Turkey Hunting Myths & Methods (Sun., Mar. 14, 1 p.m.). Red Green Look-Alike Contest daily in the Family Adventure Pavilion. Online Info: Mar. 11: Racine County Chapter of Pheasants Forever banquet, 5:00 p.m. South Hills Country Club, Franksville, WI. Online info: Contact: Jerry Uick, 262-886-9308 Mar. 12-13: Wisconsin Chapter of Safari Club International Hunter's Expo. Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel. Free and open to the public. Live auction 1:00 p.m. Sat. Seminars 11: a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sat. Online Info: Contact: 262-437-0097 Mar. 12-14: Icebreaker V, Channel Cats/Fremont Event Center, Fremont, WI. Free sports show and seminars featuring: Daryl Christensen, Steve Worrall, Axl Ehrke, Tony Puccio, Mike Gofron, Chase Parsons and more. Online info: Contact: Joel Kunz, 920-250-0842 Mar. 19: New Berlin Chapter Wisconsin Waterfowl Association 21st annual banquet, 5:00 p.m., Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel, 375 South Moorland Rd., Brookfield. Online info: Contact: 262-786-1100 Mar. 20: Sonar and GPS Training Class, Okauchee Fishing Club, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 1800 S. 92nd St., West Allis, WI. Online info: Contact: Glen Furst, 262-613-9222 Mar. 20: Wild Game Feast, Kenosha Bible Church, 5405 67th St., Kenosha, 2:00-8:00 p.m. Seminars by Dan Small (steelhead fishing & turkey hunting), Jim Tostrud (Lake Geneva, local fishing hotspots), Tracy Breen (big game hunting). Keynote by Tracy Breen: Big Game On a Budget. Dog training, fly-fishing demos, taxidermy display, raffles, silent auction, door prizes. Tickets on sale until Mar. 13: adults - $10, kids 4-11 - $5. Online Info: Contact: Kenosha Bible Church office, 262-652-4507 March 20: Sportsmen's Banquet, Hartland Faith Baptist Church, 780 Tenney Ave., Hartland, 4-6 p.m. Gary Anderson keynote speaker on turkey calling, knife sharpening by the Sharp Brothers. Door prizes include rifles and a Mathews Mission bow. No charge, but pre-registration is requested. Online Info: Mar. 26-28: Wisconsin Big Buck Classic, Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells. Online info: Contact: Tina Itson, tina@chulavistaresort.com, 866-382-4852 x5924 Mar. 27: 10th Annual Watertown Area Outdoor Expo & Wild Game Feed, Calvary Baptist Church, 792 Milford St., Watertown, WI. 12-7 p.m. Seminars on sausage making, taxidermy, fly tying, turkey & duck calling, trapping, reloading & more. Online Info: Contact: Mary Sielaff, 920-988-4315 Wisconsin Deer Management Information Meetings Scheduled MADISON – Anyone interested in deer in Wisconsin will have a chance to get the most up to date deer management unit information in a series of deer management unit public information meetings across the state in March. Topics will include: the importance of a healthy, sustainable deer herd; increasing hunter participation; and new deer research initiatives. Local wildlife biologists will be on hand at each meeting to provide information and answer questions. “These meetings are intended to inform hunters and others about Wisconsin deer management, and how it is applied in the local management units where they hunt, live or recreate,” said Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources. “These meetings will have formal presentations by local DNR wildlife biologists, followed by a question and answer period. Some meetings may also have an open house format, allowing folks to stop in anytime over a two hour period before the presentation.” All meetings will open with a 15-minute video hosted by Scott Craven of the University of Wisconsin who leads an informal round table discussion on emerging harvest patterns, unit-specific management, hunter surveys and a CWD update. Attendees will also learn about preliminary deer population estimates, possible deer hunting season structures for 2010, and unit level CWD status and historical perspectives of deer management. Some new DNR communications tools will be announced and attendees will learn more about how they can be involved in deer management projects. Hunters and non-hunters interested in these meetings are encouraged to attend the meetings that cover the deer management units they are interested in, but are welcome to attend any of the meetings. Additional information about white-tailed deer management in Wisconsin is available on the Department of Natural Resources Web site. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke, Madison (608) 264-6023, Bob Manwell, or area wildlife biologists listed for the meeting locations in the meeting calendar Please SUPPORT OUR Sponsors. Their support brings you Dan Small Outdoors Radio Cedar Creek Motorsports CampChef Cedar Lake Sales Crestliner Forge Bow HT IceFish Hupy & Abraham IceBreaker 5 IronClad Lures Jiffy Ice Drills Kolpin Lake-Link Milwaukee JS Sport Show MyHuntingPage Northern Waters Polaris Roger B's HuntGuide Ruffed Grouse Society SE WI Fish & Hunt Expo Triton WI Deer-Turkey Expo Zip-Vac Dan Small Outdoors