Statewide Questions
Question 1: Zone A Ruffed Grouse Season Extension (Effective 2007)
Currently, the ruffed grouse season in Zone A begins on the Saturday nearest September 15th and continues through December 31st. This rule change would lengthen the ruffed grouse season in Zone A so that it would end on January 31st, which would create a season identical to Zone B. Essentially, the old Zone A boundary would be eliminated, creating just two ruffed grouse zones for the state as shown in the map on the right (below).
Zone A has a relatively higher grouse population than Zone B. The hunting pressure at this time of year is typically not intense and this extension would offer additional hunting opportunities to grouse hunters. These additional hunting opportunities will not negatively impact the ruffed grouse population in the current Zone A.
Question 1: Do you support changing the closing date of the ruffed grouse season in Zone A from December 31 to January 31, so it is the same season as currently in Zone B?
Question 2: Pheasant Stamp (2007)
The pheasant stamp was created in 1991 to fund pheasant restoration and management. Specifically the department was directed by state statute to use the revenues generated by the sale of the stamp for "developing, managing, preserving, restoring and maintaining the wild pheasant population in the state." To define areas where these funds were primarily utilized, the department created the Pheasant Management Zone (PMZ). The PMZ included counties or portions of counties with a healthy wild pheasant population. To be fair, a pheasant stamp was only required for those hunters who hunted pheasants within the PMZ.
However, as a result of 2005 Wisconsin Act 25 (The 2005 State Budget Bill), a majority of pheasant stamp revenue (60%) is now allocated toward pheasant rearing and stocking for public hunting grounds and day old chick clubs. This now benefits pheasant hunters across Wisconsin. Currently, 44 counties benefit from pheasant stamp revenues by way of the state game farm day-old chick program, stocking of public hunting grounds with game farm pheasants, or through wild pheasant habitat projects. As a result, the department recommends that all pheasant hunters in the state be required to purchase the pheasant stamp ($10) in addition to their small game license to hunt pheasants in Wisconsin. Without this change, pheasant hunters in the current PMZ will bear the burden of paying for pheasant stocking in counties across the state.
Pheasant Stamp Map
Question 2: Do you support requiring all pheasant hunters to purchase the pheasant stamp in order to legally hunt pheasants in Wisconsin?
Question 3: Fall Turkey Hunting Season Dates (2007)
Currently, the Fall Turkey Hunting Season begins on October 1st and continues for 40 consecutive days. This proposal would change the season to run the Saturday nearest September 15th and continues through the Thursday immediately prior to the opening of the 9-day gun deer season. This change will create more hunting opportunities for fall turkey hunters and is not expected to negatively impact the turkey population.
Question 3: Do you support changing the fall wild turkey hunting season from October 1- November 10 to the Saturday nearest September 15th and continuing through the Thursday immediately prior to the opening of the 9-day gun deer season?
Question 4: Spring Turkey Hunting Hours (2007)
In 1999, spring turkey hunting hours were extended from noon to 5 p.m. The addition of five hours of hunting has not resulted in an increase in hunter success rate over the past five years. Similarly, it is not anticipated that evening hunting would have a dramatic impact on harvest rates, but would allow some hunters time to hunt after work or school. Currently, department experts feel that the biological necessity for an earlier close is no longer needed.
Question 4: Do you support extending the ending of the spring wild turkey hunting hours from 5 p.m. to sunset?
Question 5: Youth Turkey Hunt (2007)
Wisconsin has two special youth hunt programs, a youth waterfowl hunt and a youth deer hunt. In order to participate in these programs, a youth must be between the ages of 12 and 16, have successfully completed hunter education, and be accompanied by an adult. These programs help youth learn about ethical hunting practices and help young people become a part of Wisconsin's great hunting tradition.
This proposal would create a youth turkey hunt. The turkey population in Wisconsin has expanded throughout its range and is robust enough to accommodate a youth hunt without being negatively impacted. The 2-day hunt would occur on the weekend prior to the opening of the regular spring turkey season and would be open for all youths between the ages of 12 and 16, who have successfully completed hunter education and are accompanied by an adult. All other turkey hunter regulations apply, including possessing the appropriate license and permit. Youth participants will be required to possess a turkey license, stamp, and carcass tag for the regular season. They are limited to hunting in the turkey zone in which they hold a permit and are limited to harvesting one male or bearded turkey. If they are unsuccessful during the 2-day youth hunt they could hunt during the period for which the permit was issued.
Question 5: Do you support the creation of a 2-day youth turkey hunt on the weekend before the regular spring turkey season begins?
Question 6: Turkey Carcass Tag Issuance (2007)
Every year, a drawing is done to determine who receives a spring or fall turkey permit/carcass tag. In the past, a second drawing was conducted to determine who received any remaining tags as a second turkey carcass tag. Due to changes brought about by the State Budget Bill, we will now be selling over the counter any turkey carcass tags remaining after the drawing.
This proposal will determine the procedure for distribution and issuance of any unissued/left over tags. We propose to make all tags that are not issued through the drawing be available on a first come, first served basis through over-the-counter sales at a rate of one per person per day. There will be no limit to the total number of permits one person can purchase. By offering to sell additional turkey permits at this rate, we will offer hunting opportunities to more people, while still ensuring that the all permits/carcass tags are fully utilized.
Question 6: Do you support issuing left over turkey permits/carcass tags over-the-counter at a rate of one per customer per day?
Question 7: Minimum Age for the Youth Learn to Hunt Program (2007)
Current Department of Natural Resources (DNR) policy is to allow children ages 10 and over to participate in special learn to hunt programs. This authority comes from s. 29.197, Wis. Stats. However, current DNR policy is not consistent with ch. NR 19 Wis. Adm. Code rule language. This proposal would make the Administrative code language consistent with department policy by changing the minimum age for youth learn to hunt programs from 11 to 10.
Question 7: Do you support changing the minimum age of the Youth Learn to Hunt Program from age 11 to age 10?
Questions 8 & 9: Possession of Electronic Calling Equipment for Turkey and Waterfowl Hunting (2007)
Currently it is illegal to use electronic calling equipment for hunting turkey and waterfowl. However, simply possessing one of these devices does not constitute a violation. Development of small hand held digitally recorded game callers; these devices are now readily available and easily concealed. If this rule is to be meaningful, there should be no reason for a person to have an electronic calling device in their possession allowing it to be used when they are unobserved. This rule would ban the use and possession of electronic calling devices for waterfowl and turkey hunting. This rule would still allow these devices in non-hunting situations, such as photography.
Question 8: Do you support a ban on possessing electronic turkey calling equipment while turkey hunting?
Question 9: Do you support a ban on possessing electronic waterfowl calling equipment while waterfowl hunting?
Question 10: Body-gripping Type Traps (2007-'08 Trapping Season)
This rule would clearly define the size of body-gripping type traps that are allowed on dryland. It will require special considerations focused at reducing incidental take of domestic animals (e.g. dogs). Although the current rule almost eliminated incidental take for nearly four years, recent innovative modifications by a trap manufacturer and numerous individual trappers have resulted in an increase in incidental take of domestic animals. Additionally, non-target animals, such as dogs, can be put in jeopardy by those who abide by the legal square inch requirement but then create long narrow body-gripper traps that stray from the intent of regulations. This situation can be avoided by creating a maximum allowable vertical height of 7 ½ inches for body-gripper type traps that are less than or equal to 60 square inches.
A common problem associated with regulating body-gripping type traps has been how to effectively describe differences among traps without using manufacturer names. With the recent advent of personal modifications to manufactured traps previous methods of description no longer work. This rule would describe body-gripping type traps by using square inches (figure 1), would limit the size of these traps when used on dry land, and would limit maximum allowable vertical height of a trap (figure 2).
Question 10: Do you support making body-gripping traps that are 75 square inches or greater in size illegal on dry land, making traps between 60 and 75 square inches legal only when half of the trap is below water at all times, at least 5 feet off the ground, or properly enclosed, and creating a maximum allowable vertical height of 7 ½ inches for body-gripping traps that are less than or equal to 60 square inches?
Note: The current regulations in place for large body gripping-type traps used on dry land would remain unchanged:
Properly enclosed for a baited and/or scented set in or on the ground is one where the trap trigger is within an enclosure that provides openings no greater than 50 square inches for a 7 inch minimum recess; 8 inch height x 10 inch width opening with a 10 inch minimum recess from the enclosure openings.
Properly enclosed for an unbaited and/or unscented trail set in or on the ground is one where the trap is within an enclosure that provides openings no greater than 10 inches in height and 10 inches in width and is recessed a minimum of 15 inches from the enclosure openings; or as a bottom entry enclosure set unless the entire opening of the enclosure is no more than 7 inches above the surface.
Question 11: Bear License Purchase Deadline (2007)
In 2004, the deadline for successful bear applicants to purchase their permit/license was extended from April 1 to August 1. In 2004, approximately 200 successful applicants failed to purchase their permit/license by the August 1st date. Because this was a newly established deadline, the department chose to allow sales to continue after that date. In 2005, over 500 successful applicants failed to pay the fee for their Class A bear licenses by August 1st (about 10% of the allotted tag quota). Again the department chose to allow sales to continue, but only at DNR Service Centers and only through the day before the season opened. When the season opened in 2005, approximately 235 successful applicants had still not purchased their Class A bear license.
The primary reason for having a purchase date prior to the season is for enforcement purposes. The main concern is individuals not purchasing the license until after they have killed a bear. Currently, archery deer hunters may purchase an archery license during the open season, but it is not valid for deer hunting until 3 days after the date of purchase. This rule proposal is to apply the same rules on Class A bear license effective dates as the statutes currently apply to archery deer hunting licenses.
Question 11: Do you support allowing Class A bear licenses to be purchased up to the day prior to the bear season, and allowing the purchase of a Class A bear license during the bear season, provided the license is not effective until three days after the date of purchase?
Local Questions
Question 12: Rifles in Kewaunee County (Kewaunee County) (2007)
State law prohibits the use of rifles for deer hunting in Kewaunee County; therefore hunters in Kewaunee County are restricted to the use of shotguns, handguns, and muzzleloaders to harvest deer during the gun deer seasons. There are no biological or safety reasons for the current restriction.
Kewaunee County has been over its deer population goal for the past several years and there is potential for a greater harvest by allowing the use of rifles. This proposal would allow the use of rifles in Kewaunee County during the gun deer season.
The Conservation Congress asked this question on their portion of the questionnaire during the 2005 Spring Hearing to gauge public support. This proposal passed in 2005 and as a result the department has forwarded this proposal as an official rule change this year.
Question 12: Do support allowing the use of rifles in Kewaunee County during the gun deer season?
Question 13: High Cliff State Park Deer Hunt (Calumet County) (2007)
This proposal would create a shotgun deer gun season, from the Saturday immediately preceding Thanksgiving and continuing for 9 consecutive days, followed by a muzzleloader season starting on the following Monday and continuing for 10 consecutive days at High Cliff State Park. In addition to these gun hunting opportunities, a late archery season beginning on the Monday immediately following the 9-day deer gun season and continuing through the end of the statewide late archery season (currently January 3) is also included in this proposal. This would be a limited access deer hunt, deer hunting would be limited to those hunters possessing an access permit for the park. Currently, Council Grounds State Park holds a similar deer season.
Map of High Cliff State Park
Question 13: Do you support allowing a limited entry nine-day shotgun deer gun season, followed by a ten-day muzzleloader season and a late season archery hunt at High Cliff State Park?
Question 14: Eliminate Greenwood No Entry Wildlife Refuge (Waushara County) (2007)
In the past, this refuge was utilized by geese that roosted on nearby lakes and Mecan Springs. Therefore, the Greenwood No Entry Wildlife Refuge was created and the area was farmed to provide forage for geese. Utilization of this area by geese has since declined and what was once farmed for goose forage has now been restored to native prairie.
This area is approximately 840 acres. This proposal would open this land up to year round hunting and other recreational opportunities.
Map of Greenwood Wildlife Refuge
Question 14: Do you support the elimination of the Greenwood No Entry Wildlife Refuge?
Department Advisory Questions
Question 15: Placement of Waterfowl Blinds on State-Owned Lands
(Note: This question is a statutory change, which would require legislation.)
Currently, hunters are allowed to place permanent waterfowl blinds on state-owned lands 7 days before the migratory bird season. State-owned lands do include the bed of any navigable lake. While blind placement and use on state-owned lands works on a first come, first served basis, placement of waterfowl blinds creates a sense of ownership by those who have placed the blind. This creates a potential for conflict among waterfowl hunters. Also, not everyone completely removes his/her waterfowl blind from the property, marsh, lake, or other water body that it was placed on. This leaves litter, including items such as boards and nails, in lakes, marshes or public lands, posing hazards to other people who use these areas to recreate. Aside from injuries to wildlife, pets, and humans due to nails and other debris, blinds left frozen in lakes can be hazardous to snowmobilers.
This proposal would prohibit the use of waterfowl blinds that are not removed daily on state-owned lands. The proposed regulations are similar to what is currently in place for tree stands placed on DNR lands. For hunting species other than waterfowl, it is illegal to build or use a ground blind or any elevated device on lands owned or under the control of the DNR unless it does not damage the tree and it is completely removed from the property each day at the close of hunting hours.
Question 15: Do you support legislation prohibiting the placement of waterfowl blinds on state-owned lands unless completely removed from the state property each day at the close of hunting hours?
Questions 16, 17 & 18: Migratory Game Bird Hunting Zones- Federal Options (2006)
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regulates season options the states must use for duck hunting regulations. The USFWS has established 3 different options for dividing a state geographically by zones and "splitting" the season into different time periods. Every 5 years, states must choose the option they will use for the next 5-year period. No changes are allowed during the 5 years. These "zone/split" options include:
1. One statewide zone with an opportunity to annually select 2 splits.
2. Establish 2 zones within the state with an opportunity to annually select 1 split in each zone. Note: This is the option Wisconsin is currently using.
3. Establish 3 zones within the state with no opportunity to select an annual split. Note: Each zone must be continuous (not broken).
The Department of Natural Resources must select one of these three duck season options for the next 5 seasons (2006-2010). We would like your opinion on each of the 3 options offered.
Question 16: Do you support One statewide zone selected for a 5-year period with an opportunity to select 2 season split periods annually?
Question 17: Do you support 2 zones within the state selected for a 5-year period with an opportunity to select 1 season split period annually in each zone?
Question 18: Do you support 3 zones within the state selected for a 5-year period with NO opportunity for an annual split season?
Question 19: Migratory Game Bird Hunting Zones (2006)
From 1990-1995, the zone line separating a north and south duck hunting zone line was primarily along Hwy 10. In 1996 the line was changed based on public input and much of the northwestern (Burnett, Polk, Barron etc.) part of the state was placed in the southern zone (Figure 1.). Most public input the last few years regarding waterfowl hunting zones has been to maintain 2 zones but return the line between the north and south zones to a more central position across the state. In February, 2004 the Conservation Congress sponsored an ad hoc committee meeting of several waterfowl groups and developed a proposed new line (Option B). The Department submitted a line very similar to the ad hoc committee's except for parts of St. Croix, Dunn, Pierce and Eau Claire counties where changes in habitat supported this slightly different line (Option A). The differences between these two options are identified by the circles below. These 2 options have been discussed at several public waterfowl meetings over the last year.
Figure 1. Current North/South Waterfowl Zone
Option A - Migratory Game Bird Hunting Zone
Option B - Migratory Game Bird Hunting Zone
NOTE: Unlike other questions on this questionnaire, this question is NOT YES or NO. Rather, we ask that you either select option A or option B as shown on the maps. If you support Option A please select yes on the white ballot and if you support Option B please select no on the white ballot.
Question 19: Do you support option A or option B as shown on the maps?
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/nrboard/congress/springhearings/wm/index.htm
