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: S737

More than 20,000 apply for Wisconsin wolf hunting license

20,000 licenses applied for the first wolf hunt in WI in sixty years

photo c. WDNR ©2012

MADISON – A total of 20,272 people have submitted applications for the drawing for a gray wolf hunting or trapping license for Wisconsin’s first wolf season in more than 60 years. It is scheduled to begin Oct. 15. There were 19,788 applications from Wisconsin residents and 486 from non-residents.

The state Natural Resources Board approved a quota of up to 201wolves that could be harvested during the first season, 85 of which are reserved for Native American Indian tribes within the ceded territory of northern Wisconsin.

The Department of Natural Resources plans to issue 1,160 licenses for the 2012-13 season. Those permits will be awarded by random choice in a drawing that will be held this week. Successful applicants will be notified by letter and then be able to purchase a wolf harvest license for $100 for residents and $500 for nonresidents.

The DNR received nonresident applications from people in 38 other states from Maine to California and Alaska to Texas, with the largest numbers from Illinois (179) and Minnesota (102).

Applicants who are not successful in the drawing will be awarded a preference point toward future drawings.

Starting with the 2013-14 season, one half of available permits will be issued randomly among all permit applications and the second half will be issued through a cumulative preference point drawing.

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter Anderson last month temporarily blocked wolf hunters from using dogs or training dogs to hunt wolves while he considers the lawsuit. A DNR motion to dismiss the case is scheduled to be heard on Sept. 14.

As a result of this ruling, the Department of Natural Resources is advising people that the use of dogs for tracking and trailing of wolves is not authorized when hunting wolves under a wolf harvesting license. Also, the use of dogs for training to track or trail free ranging wolves is not authorized at this time. As this is a temporary injunction, the injunction on the use of dogs for wolf hunting and training could be lifted at a future date.

Read more here:

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

• Kurt Thiede, DNR Land Division administrator, 608-266-5833


• Bill Cosh, DNR spokesman, 608-267-2773

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2012 deer hunter wildlife survey begins

2012 Deer Hunter Survey time is here again. Trailcam photos are needed. See details below.

photo c. WDNR ©2012

MADISON -- The opening of the archery deer season on Sept. 15 marks the beginning of the 2012 Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey. Hunters can find survey instructions, record sightings, and view survey results online at the Wisconsin Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey page by searching for “deer hunter wildlife” on the Department of Natural Resources website dnr.wi.gov. A tally sheet is also available for times when hunters do not have access to a computer.

“Deer hunters often ask if there is a way they can tell the DNR what they are or are not seeing from their deer stand, this survey provides them with the means to do that” said Jes Rees, DNR wildlife survey technician.

Wildlife officials ask that hunters record all of their hunting activity throughout the deer season, even if no wildlife sightings were made during a hunt. The survey period ends January 2013. These observations have provided the DNR with an index to abundance for many wildlife species.

“With the recently released Deer Trustee report recommending more input from the hunting public on herd status, this tool provides the hunter with an excellent way to communicate their sightings,” Rees said. “All they need to do is record the date, number of hours, county, deer management unit, weather conditions, and the type and number of animals observed each day of deer hunting. Hunters can also enter their email address along with their observations and I will send them an email summary of their hunting activity at the end of the survey period.”

Many other states in the Midwest and around the country use these types of surveys to gather hunter input into deer and other wildlife abundance.

This is the fourth year of the survey and deer hunters are asked to report their field observations of a variety of wildlife species, hunting conditions and hours spent pursuing game. Thousands of observations are reported each year.

The Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey overlaps another citizen-participation survey. Operation Deer Watch started Aug. 1 and runs through Sept. 30. The primary objective of Operation Deer Watch is to determine trends in deer reproductive success by reporting does and fawns seen together during the late summer and early fall.

Trail Camera Photos Wanted

The wildlife surveys program is also interested in photographs of rare or endangered species hunters may have captured on their trail cameras. Photos can be emailed to DNR Wildlife Management. This information will help document their existence and location within the state. Trail camera photos can be viewed in our online trail camera gallery on Shutterfly.com.

Questions about the Wisconsin Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey, accessing the tally sheet, reporting your observation, or the results of the survey, can be referred to Jes Rees at 608-221-6360.

Read more here:

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

• Jes Rees at 608-221-6360

Other News: S736

Fall wild turkey and ruffed grouse seasons open Sept. 15

2012 fall wild turkey and ruffed grouse seasons are set to open, hunter prospects look good.illustration c. OOAK Digital Gallery ©2012

MADISON – The 2012 fall wild turkey and ruffed grouse seasons are set to open, and state wildlife officials say that hunter prospects are good for both seasons. The turkey season will open statewide at the start of shooting hours on Sept. 15, as will the grouse season in Zone A. Grouse hunters interested in pursuing grouse in southeastern Wisconsin should be aware that the grouse season does not open until Oct. 20 in Zone B.

Overall, Wisconsin’s statewide wild turkey population remains strong, and wildlife officials have set the number of fall turkey permits available at 96,700, a 1,000-permit increase over the number of permits offered during last year’s fall turkey season. Permits were increased by 600 in Zone 2 and by 400 in Zone 7 in order to better accommodate demand by hunters.

Ruffed grouse populations in Wisconsin appear to be entering a downswing, according to this spring’s drumming survey results. Ruffed grouse populations are known to boom and bust over an 8-11 year period, and the index that the state uses to track ruffed grouse numbers decreased statewide by 25 percent between 2011 and 2012. This decrease isn’t a surprise, as Wisconsin was overdue for the expected downturn, but weather conditions in the spring were excellent for nesting and brood-rearing, and should mean a good year for reproduction. First-year birds may therefore help offset the cyclic downturn in numbers, and hunters can expect good hunting again during the 2012 season.

Fall wild turkey and ruffed grouse season dates and reminders

2012 Fall Wild Turkey Season Dates (all zones):

• Sept. 15 through Nov. 15

2012 Fall Wild Turkey Extended Season Dates for Zones 1-5 ONLY:

• Nov. 26 through Dec. 31

2012 Ruffed Grouse Season Dates:

• Zone A: Sept. 15, 2012 through Jan. 31, 2013


• Zone B: Oct. 20 through Dec. 8

2012 Woodcock Season
Sept. 22 through Nov. 5

For more information, see the Wisconsin wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and Harvest Information Program pages on the DNR website.

Read more here:

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

• Scott Walter, upland wildlife ecologist: (608) 267-7861


• Krista McGinley, assistant upland wildlife ecologist: (608) 261-8458

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Turkey and grouse hunting have special safety concerns

"Wear blaze orange clothing and stay in visual contact with your hunting partners at all times."Part of the mindset necessary for a safe hunting season.photo c. Dan Small Outdoors, LLC. ©2012

MADISON -- Hunters need to keep safety in mind when hunting turkey and grouse.

“There’s something very special about turkey and grouse hunting,” says Jon King Department of Natural Resources hunter education program administrator. “And with the enthusiasm that goes along with this type of hunting, we should all be mindful of making sure we return home safe and sound at the end of each hunt.”

Here are some things King says hunters need to keep in mind when going afield after ruffed grouse and fall turkey:

Follow the four basic rules of firearm safety: TAB+K.

• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.


• Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.


• Plan your hunt and hunt your plan.


• Know your safe zone of fire, know where your hunting partners are and always advance forward in unison and don’t get ahead of or behind your hunting partner.


• Be certain of your target and what’s beyond it.


• Shooting into thick cover or heavy brush without positive identification can lead to a tragedy.


• Wear blaze orange clothing and stay in visual contact with your hunting partners at all times. If you lose sight of each other, stop hunting, call, and listen until you locate each other.


• Other hunters and non-hunters will be afield so take the time needed to ensure you have a safe shot.


• Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until you’re ready to shoot.


• 34 percent of hunting incidents are self-inflicted and preventable.

King suggests that you advise someone else of where you will be hunting and when they should expect you back. If something should go wrong, at least someone will know where to start looking.

“Famed conservationist Aldo Leopold once wrote, ‘There are two kinds of hunting: ordinary hunting, and ruffed grouse hunting,’” King says. “Don’t let careless hunting practices spoil this special tradition.”

Read more here:

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

• Jon King, hunter education program administrator: 608-575-2294

DSORe eNews S651

VOL: eNews DECEMBER 17, 2011  ISSUE: SHOW #651
•All snowmobile trails lead to Mercer, Wisconsin • Christmas gift idea: Billy Barnstorm by Joel Vance   • Dan hunts pheasants at Dark Acres Pheasant Hunts • Jeff heads for the NAIFC Championship in Rhinelander	or eMail: outdoorsradio@gmx.com
RESULTS FOR POLL S650 Do you expect to see big bucks when you hunt? YES 45.5% | NO 31.8% | MAYBE 22.7% | UNDECIDED 0.0% | COMMENTS [5]
INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL s651 Do you think the reduction in salmon stocking in Lake Michigan was a good idea?
Biologists seek feedback on Lake Michigan salmon stocking MADISON -- Five years after cutting the number of chinook stocked in Lake Michigan by 25 percent, Wisconsin and three other states are reviewing if the reduction worked and encouraging anglers to weigh in. "We cut the lake-wide stocking quite a bit five years ago to better balance the trout and salmon out there with the available food supply. We said at that time we'd review how it worked," says Bill Horns, Great Lakes fisheries specialist for the Department of Natural Resources. Read more here ...
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.
JOEL VANCE Outdoors writer, blogger and humorist talks about his book, Billy Barnstorm, the Birch Lake Bomber, a collection of hilarious short stories set in fictional Birch Lake Wisconsin in the 1950s TINA BRUNELL Administrator for the Mercer, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce reports on winter outdoor fun in the Mercer area JIM O'BRIEN Jiffy pro-staffer and fishing guide at Dancing With Walleyes, shares some tips for early-ice walleyes DUFFY KOPF | Jiffy and HT Enterprises pro-staffer, reports there is still some open-water fishing on the Madison Chain, but some folks are starting to ice fish in the shallows
THE EVENTS CALENDAR HAS BEEN MOVED DANSMALLOUTDOORS.COM/EVENTS •FISHING CONTESTS: Find them ALL online @ American Fishing Contests •RUFFED GROUSE SOCIETY BANQUETS & EVENTS: »ONLINE INFO: •MILFORD HILLS ACTIVITIES & EVENTS: »ONLINE INFO
Ice fishing gains 110,000 anglers over the last decade MADISON – One hundred ten thousand people can't be wrong. That's how many more Wisconsinites are ice fishing these days than a decade ago, according to results from a recently released national recreation survey. "Clearly more people are getting interested in ice fishing in Wisconsin, which is great," says Mike Staggs, Wisconsin's fisheries director. "It's a low cost way to try fishing or to extend your season if you're a veteran open water angler. It's as easy as drilling a hole -- or finding a hole someone else left behind -- and using some basic equipment to catch some fish for dinner." An estimated 590,700 Wisconsinites 16 and over report they ice fish, up from 479,900 in 2000, according to the most recent National Survey on Recreation and the Environment. Department of Natural Resources staff are using results from the federally funded survey and other studies to develop its 2011-2016 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Terry Margenau, a DNR fish supervisor in Spooner and an avid ice angler, credits the sport's growing popularity to several factors, perhaps primarily to the development of specialized ice fishing gear. "I'm not talking just about the basics, but more on the creature comforts side and, of course, technology," he says. "I have never been one to freeze my buns off for a fish, so have always traveled with a shelter and a heater. "But now shelters have evolved drastically to be light and made of high quality fabric, heaters are better and safer, and take your pick on sleds to transport your gear. Not to mention the apparel now available to keep you warm. Anglers are equipped to catch fish and be comfortable while doing it." Read more here: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Margenau   – (715) 635-4162
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