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.
"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."
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.
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Friday, October 3, 2014
Deer Hunt Wisconsin 2014
Others News S940-1
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| 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
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Other News S940-2
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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
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Other News: S746
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:
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Hunters may harvest deer with tags and collars
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:
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:
“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:
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Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Other News: S738
Pockets of dead deer found in Columbia and Rock counties died from EHD
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| EHD: What's the story? Not as bad as believed, but diligence and 'eyes-on-the-ground' are needed. photo c. WDNR ©2012 |
DNR wildlife health specialists submitted the tissue samples for testing to Michigan State University’s Diagnostic Center for Population & Animal Health, which confirmed they died of EHD. Additional tests of deer from Waukesha and Walworth counties are pending and expected within the next one to two weeks.
“Our neighbor states have been seeing EHD outbreaks for the last several weeks and now it has made its way into southern Wisconsin,” said Eric Lobner, DNR southern Wisconsin wildlife supervisor.
EHD is a fairly common disease carried by midges -- commonly referred to as no-see-ums -- but the virus that causes the disease does not infect humans, according to health specialists, so people are not at risk when handling infected deer, eating venison from infected deer or being bitten by infected midges.
“We are fortunate that the public is tuned into our deer and was quick to report these small pockets of problems,” Lobner said. “By sharing information about the outbreak, we are hoping to get help from the public by providing more eyes on the ground in order to continue to collect observations of sick or dead deer. These observations will help us more clearly understand the geographic distribution and number of deer affected by this disease. This will be valuable information to inform management decisions for future years and provide a better understanding of overall impact of the disease on our deer population.”
EHD is often fatal, typically killing an infected deer within seven days. The last EHD observation in Wisconsin was in 2002 in Iowa County where 14 deer died from the virus. EHD is common across southern states and occasionally shows up as far north as the upper Midwest. This year, outbreaks of EHD have been reported in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. The disease is typically short lived as the flies that transmit the disease die with the first hard frost.
Individuals that observe deer exhibiting the following signs are encouraged to report their observations to the DNR:
- Excessive salivation or foaming around the nose and mouth.
- Appearing weak and approachable by humans
- In or near water sources. They will often lay in water to cool down or drink
Wildlife officials say there is no risk to people or pets from deer that have died of EHD and that deer carcasses can be left on the landscape to decompose. The DNR will not be collecting or removing deer that have died as a result of this outbreak.
As a result of this confirmation, the DNR is no longer collecting samples from dead deer found in Columbia and Rock counties; however, officials do want to take samples from dead deer reported in counties where EHD has not been confirmed. Also, in order to monitor the geographic distribution and the number of deer affected by this EHD event, the DNR does want people to continue to report sick or dead deer within Columbia and Rock counties.
“Often in cases of diseases like this, once we have confirmed the presence of the disease our goal is to have a better handle on the distribution and the number of deer that are affected by the disease,” Lobner said. “Keeping a close eye on the health of our deer is important. Though there is little we can do to prevent the disease, with the onset of cold weather and frost, this outbreak should be over soon. Any information we can get will help us better understand the impact of the disease on our herd. ”
To report a sick deer observation please call the DNR call center toll free at 1-888-WDNR- INFo (1-888-936-7463), email DNRInfo@Wisconsin.gov, or use the chat feature on the DNR website. Staff are available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Please be prepared to provide details about the condition of the deer and the exact location where the deer was observed. Individuals interested in finding more information on sick deer in Wisconsin can visit the Wisconsin DNR website: search keyword [ sick deer ].
Read more here:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
- Eric Lobner 608-235-0860
- Bill Cosh, DNR spokesperson, 608-267-2773
Sept. 22 proclaimed Hunting and Fishing Day in Wisconsin
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| National Hunting and Fishing Day, Govenor Walker's Official Proclomation: WHEREAS ... September 22, 2012 photo c. Wonders of Wildlife ©2012 |
National Hunting and Fishing Day, formalized by Congress in 1971, was created by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to celebrate conservation successes of hunters and anglers and is celebrated the fourth Saturday of every September.
Governor Walker issued the following proclamation for Wisconsin:
Proclamation
National Hunting and Fishing Day
September 22, 2012
WHEREAS, conserving our state’s natural and wildlife resources for future generations is one of the most important responsibilities we have, and
WHEREAS, hunters, trappers and anglers contribute $2.9 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy through their purchases, and
WHEREAS, Wisconsin has national prominence as a destination for hunters and anglers with more than 600,000 participants in the annual deer hunt and over 1.4 million anglers, and
WHEREAS, sportsmen and women, through their organizations, contribute thousands of volunteer hours to conservation projects, youth and adult outdoor education programs, and fundraising for conservation, and
WHEREAS, Saturday, September 22, 2012 is National Hunting and Fishing day,
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Scott Walker, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby proclaim September 22, 2012 as Hunting and Fishing Day throughout the State of Wisconsin, and I commend this observance to all of our citizens.
Read more here:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
- Bill Cosh, DNR spokesperson, 608-267-2773
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Other News: S737
More than 20,000 apply for Wisconsin wolf hunting license
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| 20,000 licenses applied for the first wolf hunt in WI in sixty years photo c. WDNR ©2012 |
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
2012 deer hunter wildlife survey begins
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| 2012 Deer Hunter Survey time is here again. Trailcam photos are needed. See details below. photo c. WDNR ©2012 |
“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
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Other News: S736
Fall wild turkey and ruffed grouse seasons open Sept. 15
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| 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
Turkey and grouse hunting have special safety concerns
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| "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
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