Other News S1007

NEWS #1 - 24th annual Kids' Ice Fishing Clinics set for Saturday, Feb.14

MILWAUKEE - Kids 15-years-old and younger are invited to discover the joys of ice fishing at the 24th annual Kids' Ice Fishing Clinics on Saturday, Feb. 14, at park lagoons in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. 

The free clinics will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will receive instruction on the proper use of equipment and techniques, such as knot tying, ice safety and much more. The clinics are taught by members of local fishing clubs and last 45 minutes, and then the young anglers can begin fishing. Classes begin every hour on the hour starting at 9 a.m., with the final session beginning at 2 p.m. 

"These clinics are an excellent way to introduce youngsters to the sport of fishing and a perfect opportunity for families that want to enjoy some of the outdoor recreational activities that Wisconsin has to offer," says Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp,

The clinics represent a cooperative effort by the Wisconsin Council of Sport Fishing Organizations, Milwaukee County Parks, Waukesha County Parks, the Hunger Task Force Fish Hatchery and the Department of Natural Resources.

All equipment and snacks are provided free of charge and instructions will be given regardless of weather. No pre-registration is required, but please call DNR Urban Fish Biologist Matt Coffaro at 414-263-8614 for groups of 20 or more, or for additional information. Listed below are the clinic locations and sponsoring fishing clubs:

Milwaukee County

• Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave., hosted by Great Lakes Sport Fishermen & Milwaukee Casting Club
• McCarty Park, 8214 W. Cleveland, hosted by Southside Sportsmen Club
• Brown Deer Park, 7835 N. Green Bay Rd., hosted by Okauchee Fishing club
• Scout Lake, 5902 W. Loomis Rd., (wheelchair accessible) hosted by Walleyes Unlimited
• Wilson Park, 1601 W. Howard Ave., hosted by Wisconsin Fishing Club

Waukesha County

• Menomonee Park/Lannon Quarry, Townline Rd. (1/2 mile north of Good Hope Rd., Menomonee Falls), hosted by Badger Fishermen's League
• Fox Brook Park, 2925 N. Barker Rd., hosted by Wern Valley Sportsman's Club

Read more here:  http://dnr.wi.gov/news/releases/article/?id=3480

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: 
Matt Coffaro, DNR urban fish biologist, (414) 263-8614

NEWS #2 - DNR spring wildlife and fisheries rules hearing questionnaire available online

MADISON - The complete questionnaire for proposed changes to Wisconsin fish and wildlife rules that will be reviewed at the 2015 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources spring rules hearings is now available online.
On Monday, April 13, 2015, there will be 72 public hearings [PDF], one in each county where individuals interested in natural resources management have an opportunity to provide their input by non-binding vote and testimony on proposed rule changes and advisory questions relating to fish and wildlife management in Wisconsin. 

The questions cover a broad array of statewide and local proposed rules changes for state hunting, trapping and fishing rules, as well as advisory questions from the state Natural Resources Board and Wisconsin Conservation Congress. 

County residents have the option to run for a seat on the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, or elect other delegates from their county to represent their county views regarding natural resources on the Conservation Congress. Also, individuals have the opportunity to bring forth new conservation issues of a statewide nature to the attention of the Conservation Congress through the citizen resolution process.

People interested in attending the hearings are encouraged to review the questionnaire on line.

The fisheries questions relate to season, bag limit, and length limit regulations, including:

• expanding inland trout seasons and reducing the number of special regulations;
• changing panfish bag limits on 100 lakes to improve panfish average size; and
• removing or modifying dates and boundaries on 51 fish refuges.

Wildlife questions include:

• expanding the areas where waterfowl hunting;
• increasing the limit on the number of small game animals a person is allowed to possess;
• establish a 9 a.m. opening time on the first day of the pheasant, quail, Hungarian partridge, and southern rabbit seasons; and
• modifying the spring wild turkey hunting season opening date, among other rule changes.

Meeting results, along with written comments on the evening's questions and DNR recommendations are used to advise the state Natural Resources Board.

Votes are non-binding and are presented to the Natural Resources Board as advisory. The 2015 spring rules hearing questionnaire [PDF] is available by searching the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov for keywords "Spring Hearings."

Read more here: http://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/Article/?id=3211

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: 
Kari Lee-Zimmerman, DNR congress liaison, (608) 266-0580
Bill Cosh, DNR spokesperson, (608) 267-2773

Other News S1006

OUTDOOR RADIO NEWS OUTDOORS RADIO CALENDAR UPDATES   NEWS#1  DNR Fisheries Bureau Director Ron Bruch retires; will continue on key projects MADISON.  From managing the successful Lake Winnebago sturgeon fishery to overseeing implementation of the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative, Ron Bruch's work with the Department of Natural Resources has created numerous benefits for anglers while improving fish and wildlife habitat throughout the state. A 38-year veteran of DNR who started with the department as a creel census clerk, Bruch served as a consistent advocate for citizen involvement in management of Wisconsin's natural resources. His retirement, due to health reasons, follows a career notable for its success in finding common ground among recreational, commercial and tribal interests. Both in his official capacity at DNR and through his personal leadership in founding the North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society, Bruch has established partnerships and programs that will sustain the state's world-class fishing opportunities for years to come. "We are extremely grateful for all Ron Bruch has done to strengthen the department's relationships with citizens and stakeholders," said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. "He has a unique ability to bring together passionate people for the betterment of everyone. Ron's deep knowledge of our treasured fisheries and appreciation for the connection between the environment and economy have served our state well." Bruch, 61, was named fisheries bureau director in May 2014 and had anticipated working for several more years to advance the fishery program's recently updated strategic plan. He now intends to volunteer his time on a number of key projects under a reduced schedule. "I couldn't have asked for a more rewarding career and I've been especially glad to work under the Stepp administration," Bruch said. "It will be a pleasure to continue contributing to a few projects including wrapping up new statewide fish passage policies and procedures and completing the Lake Michigan Integrated Fisheries Management Plan. These projects and numerous others we have been working on offer significant economic and social benefits while conserving and improving our fisheries and aquatic resources." Bruch leaves the department during a time of continued success, as Wisconsin's fisheries management program and state fishing traditions remain strong. The state ranks third nationally as a destination for anglers and sport fishing generates $2.3 billion in economic benefits every year while supporting 22,000 jobs and contributing $148.7 million in state and local tax revenues, according to the American Sportfishing Association. Through the years, Bruch's career covered work as a habitat technician, fisheries biologist, supervisor and fisheries bureau section chief. Prior to his appointment as bureau director, he served as statewide planning coordinator for the fisheries team, working on projects including the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative plan to boost walleye populations statewide. Although his assignments included oversight of the Great Lakes as well as the state's inland waters, Bruch remains best known for his work with sturgeon starting in 1986 as a senior fisheries biologist on the Winnebago system. In that role, he led assessment and public engagement efforts that helped establish the lake sturgeon population as one of the largest in the world and capable of supporting a unique winter spearing season. Much as he looked after the long-lived sturgeon, Bruch also took care to develop the capacity of the bureau's 226 staff members, whose responsibilities range from fish propagation at the state's hatcheries, rearing stations and spawning facilities to habitat improvements and fisheries research. Bruch's academic background includes research on sturgeon and deep water sculpin; he holds doctorate and master's degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor's degree from UW-Stevens Point. He has authored or co-authored numerous papers for peer-reviewed scientific publications as well as the 11-time national award winning book "People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish" (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2009). In addition to serving as co-founder and president of the North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society, he is co-founder and treasurer/secretary of the World Sturgeon Conservation Society and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Ichthyology. Bruch's family has roots in the Milwaukee area where his father operated a construction business and in Butternut in Ashland County where a cabin and forest lands will now occupy more of his attention. He and his wife Kathy reside in the Oshkosh area and have two married children and four grandsons. A transitional leadership plan for DNR's Bureau of Fisheries Management will be followed by a national search for Bruch's successor. Read more here:  http://dnr.wi.gov/news/releases/article/?id=3476 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Justine Hasz, DNR fisheries services section chief - (715) 896-9558 Jennifer Sereno, DNR communications - (608) 770-8084 NEWS #2 -  DNR research team receives national 2014 Sport Fish Restoration outstanding research project award MADISON -- A team of state fisheries researchers has received the 2014 Sport Fish Restoration outstanding research project award presented by the American Fisheries Society for their work to locate key areas of waterways where habitat restoration effort will be most effective. PHOTO: From left, Natural Resources Board chair Preston Cole, Ken Kurzawski, president-elect of the Fisheries Administration Section of the AFS, and DNR fisheries scientists Matthew Diebel, John Lyons and Matthew Mitro. Ken Kurzawski, president-elect of the Fisheries Administration Section of the AFS presented the award at the January Natural Resources Board meeting in Madison. The team -- led by John Lyons, Department of Natural Resources fisheries scientist, and including research scientists Matthew Mitro and Matthew Diebel -- developed the project over the past six years using statistical analyses of data relating to waterways. The project, titled "Development and Evaluation of Watershed Models for Predicting Stream Fishery Potential," produced a framework that can be used by fisheries managers to locate areas in different bodies of water around the state where particular species are most likely to be and where certain types of fisheries and habitat management efforts are potentially most effective.  The framework is built upon a system of predictive models that locate areas that are best suited for particular sport fish species such as trout, bass, walleye, northern pike and yellow perch. Lyons commented on the project as being a good example of where knowledge gained in the field can be applied for more effective management practices. "The annual Sport Fish Restoration outstanding project award is intended to both highlight the importance and effectiveness of the Sport Fish Restoration program and recognize excellence in fisheries management, research and education," said Kurzawski. "This annual award program helps identify and showcase outstanding fisheries projects from across the country." "We congratulate the team on their hard work and for the recognition they gained from this national organization," said Secretary Cathy Stepp. "This work emphasizes the importance and value of making management decisions informed by good science." One spin-off of the six-year project was the creation of a public online tool known as Fish Mapper, (exit DNR) which was developed in partnership between DNR and U.S. Geological Survey. The Fish Mapper tool allows anyone to see what kinds of fish species are located on every water way in the state. The site summarizes the results of fish surveys from around the state dating back more than one hundred years.

Read more here:  http://dnr.wi.gov/news/releases/article/?id=3472

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

• Jack Sullivan, director of the Bureau of Science Services - (608) 267-9753

Other News: S1005

Nominations being accepted for annual Hunter Ethics Award; deadline is February 15

Nominate a Wisconsin hunter for the
annual Hunter Ethics Award

MADISON -- Wisconsin's tradition of hunting is built upon ethics where success is defined as using a moral compass to end the hunt satisfied with the knowledge the hunt also was safe, enjoyable and ethical.

Know a hunter who thinks and acts with a strong sense of safe and sometimes selfless direction? Nominate the individual for The La Crosse Tribune/Wis. Department of Natural Resources Hunter Ethics Award - a honor that goes well beyond a wildlife harvest for bragging rights later.

Nominations for this statewide award, now in its 18th year, will be accepted through February 15. The annual honor was established by Bob Lamb, retired outdoors editor of the La Crosse Tribune, Lamb, retired DNR conservation warden supervisor Steve Dewald and retired University of Wisconsin-La Crosse instructor Jerry Davis. Chief Conservation Warden Todd Schaller joined the award committee four years ago.

Schaller says the award is about recognizing sportsmen and sportswomen who go above and beyond for others who have the same passion or interest - and that is hunting.

"Maybe it's helping a fellow hunter in distress, providing opportunities for disabled hunters, teaching young hunters, coming to the aid of a conservation warden or simply showing other hunters that ethical hunting is part of the hunt," Schaller says.

Schaller says hunters look forward to the annual seasons because traditions - or creating new traditions with young or novice hunters-- remain important. "If you are a hunter in Wisconsin, you must strive to hunt in an ethical manner and to pass on these ethical traditions to the young people in their hunting party."

To become eligible for the 2014 award:

• The nominee must be a licensed Wisconsin hunter.
• The ethical hunting act must have occurred in Wisconsin during the 2014 calendar year.
• Nominations will be considered for any DNR-regulated hunting activity in Wisconsin.
• Written nominations must contain the name, address and telephone number of the witness or witnesses to the behavior that lead to the nomination and mailed to Chief Conservation Warden Todd Schaller at Todd.schaller@wisconsin.gov, or to Department of Natural Resources, Attention: Chief Warden Todd Schaller LE/5, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921, by Feb. 15, 2015.

Read more here:  http://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/Article/?id=3199

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Chief Conservation Warden Todd Schaller, Todd.Schaller@wisconsin.gov; 608-266-1115

Public hearing set for Lake Superior lake trout emergency rule

Hearings on lake trout population recovery held in
Ashland Wisconsin.
photo courtesy  WIDNR ©2015

ASHLAND, Wis. -- A public hearing on an emergency rule designed to support recovery of lake trout populations in Lake Superior will be held by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Feb. 16 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Ashland High School.

The public hearing will cover the 2014-15 emergency rule adopted by the Natural Resources Board at its December meeting. The emergency rule was designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the lake trout fishery in the Apostle Islands area by reducing the daily bag limit from three lake trout to two lake trout of which only one can be 20 to 25 inches in length and the other must be longer than 35 inches. For waters west of Bark Point, regulations for lake trout remain unchanged; three lake trout with a 15 inch minimum length and only one lake trout longer than 25 inches.

Terry Margenau, DNR Lake Superior fisheries supervisor, said the emergency rule was necessary because population assessments over the last six to eight years have indicated that the decline in lake trout abundance is largely due to harvest. Lake trout are capable of living in excess of 40 years and do not reach sexual maturity until they are eight to 10 years of age. Thus, it's critically important that the stock be carefully managed, as the welfare of many stakeholders, including commercial fishers, sport anglers, and a host of associated businesses, depends on a strong lake trout fishery in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior.

"The upcoming public hearing provides citizens with the opportunity to offer feedback and continue the dialogue started at a meeting held in early December prior to the Natural Resources board action," Margenau said. The hearing will focus on the need to extend the emergency rule beyond 150 days through early June, to cover the entire lake trout season, which runs through Sept. 30, 2015.

The Feb. 16 public hearing will be held in the auditorium of Ashland High School, 1900 Beaser Ave. A short summary presentation will be followed by an opportunity for citizens to provide oral and written comments. In addition, written comments may be submitted until Feb. 16 to: Terry L. Margenau, Lake Superior fisheries supervisor, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 589, 141 S. Third Street Bayfield, WI 54814; or emailing terry.margenau@wisconsin.gov

For more information about the hearing, background on the December public meeting and management of the Lake Superior fishery, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for "Lake Superior fisheries management."

Read more here:  http://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/Article/?id=3197

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Margenau, terry.margenau@wisconsin.gov, 715-779-4035; Jennifer Sereno, communications, 608-770-8084; Jennifer.Sereno@wisconsin.gov.

Deer Hunt Wisconsin 2014

NEWS For Immediate Release: 9-29-14	Contact: Mark LaBarbera, 520-730-9252
Outdoor News Renews Support for Dan Small’s Deer Hunt Wisconsin TV Special
Expanding its audience reach while continuing to deliver timely content, Outdoor News Inc has renewed its sponsorship of Dan Small’s Deer Hunt Wisconsin annual TV special, according to ON President Rob Drieslein. He noted how important it is - in the wake of the deer trustee report and implementation of changes during the next few years—for the DNR to communicate with the public, and for hunters to learn the new rules. He pledged Outdoor News resources to help readers and viewers. Dan Small's DEER HUNT Wisconsin 2014 to begin airing NOV 06, 2014. Watch our website dansmalloutdoors.com for details. The goal of the hour-long broadcast is to review what every hunter needs to know and make it easier for viewers to understand the changes being implemented in 2014, 2015, and beyond. "We welcome Outdoor News’ renewed support and cross-promotions that help readers, viewers, the DNR and advertisers," said host Dan Small, noting this is the 24nd year of producing the popular deer specials that air on Milwaukee Public Television, Wisconsin Public Television, Fox Sports North, and Fox Sports Wisconsin, plus the DNR’s website and other online sites, at about the time 670,000 licensed hunters are gearing up for the Wisconsin gun deer season. Small said the number of airings will be more than double last year’s total, expanding the audience size and reach for this timely information. Sponsors and airtimes will be promoted in Outdoor News, a paid circulation newspaper devoted to covering the outdoors and is delivered weekly in Minnesota and bi-weekly in Wisconsin and other states. Outdoor News, Inc. is celebrating 47 years of publishing for deer hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts across the Great Lakes region. Launched in Minnesota in 1968, Outdoor News now publishes separate, state-specific outdoor newspapers and websites in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois. Each state has its own website. More than 250,000 outdoor enthusiasts subscribe to one of the seven Outdoor News newspapers. Total readership, including paid circulation, pass-along readership, and free distribution delivers more than 750,000 hunters and anglers. Every state operates independently and boasts its own editors, writers and sales staff who live, hunt, fish, sell, and write in their respective state. ON President Rob Drieslein said, "Our editors and writers like Dan Small are trained, award-winning newspaper journalists committed to reporting news related to the outdoors and writing features to help our readers. This focus on quality, local journalism has led to a subscriber renewal rate that exceeds 85 percent and sustained growth every year." ON Marketing Director Evy Gebhardt added, "The Deer Hunt Wisconsin team knows that our readers are very active in the outdoors and enjoy many activities: 94 percent hunt, 92 percent fish, 70 percent are wildlife watchers and feeders. They enjoy each issue of Outdoor News spending over one hour reading each issue from cover-to-cover, just as they look forward to the annual Deer Hunt Wisconsin TV show." Sponsors of the show include ... Bad Boy Buggies Badgerland SCI Chapter Barnett Crossbows Dogbone Enterprises Henry Repeating Arms Hunting Works for Wisconsin MEC Real Avid The Range of Richfield Tuffy’s Outpost Valley Snowmobile & Powersports Wern Valley Sportsmen’s Club White Knuckle Productions Wicked Tree Gear Wildlife Research Center Whitetails Unlimited Wisconsin Buck & Bear Club Dept. of Tourism and Dept. of Natural Resources For more information visit the Outdoor News website. To explore sponsorship availability for the Deer Hunt Wisconsin 2014 on Fox Sports North, Fox Sports Wisconsin and public television, plus cross-promotion in Outdoor News, contact Mark LaBarbera.

Others News S940-1

JD Smith, MacKenzie Center director photo c. WDNR ©2014

MacKenzie Center kicks off school year with new programs, partnerships

POYNETTE, Wis. -- With 11 new course offerings that build on topics taught in K-12 classrooms, the MacKenzie Center is welcoming 29 new schools and groups eager to participate in its unique environmental and conservation education and outdoor skills programs this year.

From forestry and stream studies to watershed mapping and an exploration of predator-prey relationships, classes at the MacKenzie Center provided hands-on field opportunities to 3,738 students from 90 schools and organizations so far this year. These experiences extended the knowledge and skills developed through regular classroom work. The January through August student numbers are slightly ahead of last year and will continue to grow as more of the new schools begin their involvement with the center.

Year-to-date, students from 16 counties stretching from La Crosse to Milwaukee to Juneau as well as northern Illinois have traveled to take part in MacKenzie programs. Principals and educational leaders from Wisconsin's sister state of Chiba Prefecture in Japan and students from Jianxi University in China also visited the center, which is just 25 miles north of Madison and easily accessible from Interstate Highway 39/90/94.

"With its historic conservation aura and educational opportunities designed for today's students, the MacKenzie Center increasingly draws participants from around our state and around the world," said Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp. "If you are an educator interested in cutting-edge environmental programs and outdoor skill building for your students, we like to say that all roads lead to MacKenzie."

JD Smith, MacKenzie Center director, said the center's curriculum draws on the comprehensive science, wildlife management and environmental protection expertise of DNR staff.

"The department's capabilities help set our programs apart from other nature centers," Smith said."Students gain a unique opportunity to work with members of our education staff and other experts from wildlife, forestry, fisheries and more. Many of our participating schools bring students back for multiple visits, which enables us to work with the teachers and their classes on a more advanced level."

Schools, community groups, home school families and others with an interest in learning more about MacKenzie Center programs are encouraged to contact the center's education staff at 608-635-8105 or email. Additional program details may be found online by searching the DNR website, for MacKenzie.

Read more here:

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

• JD Smith, MacKenzie Center director - (608) 635-8035


• Jennifer Sereno, communications - (608) 770-8084

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: S746

WDNR is making itself available  multiple media and language service FOR YOU!  photo c. WDNR ©2012 Attention Deer Hunters: DNR Customer Service is there for you MADISON -- Last minute questions from hunters at deer camp and from deer stands day or night is routine. It"s all in a day"s work for the Department of Natural Resources Call Center. The expanded hours call center – unique among state natural resources agencies – has handled more than 370,000 customer contacts in the last year, one quarter of them at night and on weekends. More than 21,000 customers have also taken advantage of their on-line chat feature so far this year. The highly trained representatives respond to a wide variety of DNR issues, from clarifying regulations on hunting and fishing to restrictions on firewood transportation. The call center is on pace to receive more than 370,000 calls this year, with more than 20 percent of these coming during nights and weekends. The Call Center"s motto, “We"re here for you!” Give them a call 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days per week. Read more here: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Toll-Free 1-888-WDNRINFo (1-888-936-7463) eMail Online chat is available by searching keyword [CONTACT] on the DNR website

Hunters may harvest deer with tags and collars The data retrieved from tracking collars and ear tags,  on harvested/dead deer, will provide useful information  in managing Wisconsin's deer herd.  Do your part! Call the DNR (608) 221-637 photo c. WDNR ©2012 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 as harvested 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: University of Wisconsin-Madison 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.” Read more here: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Watt - (608) 221-6376 Joanne Haas – (608) 267-0798