2010 EAB alternative season structure

[Ron]

News Release from the WI DNR

SUBJECT: Natural Resources Board to Hear Deer Season Proposal Based on Public Panel’s Recommendations

MADISON – The Natural Resources Board will review proposed changes to deer hunting seasons based on recommendations of a public panel and consider a request by the Department of Natural Resources to hold public hearings on the proposed changes in October.

The earliest any proposed changes would take effect would be the 2010 hunting season. The proposal is based on recommendations of a public panel charged by the Natural Resources Board with developing effective and hunter-supported alternatives to the earn-a-buck program.

“My thanks go out to the members of the public panel who accomplished a great amount of work on a very tight timeline,” said DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “The next step is Board approval for public hearings, an important step to continue the public’s role in shaping deer management. Participation in shaping natural resource management decisions is the right of every Wisconsin citizen and a cornerstone of our conservation legacy.”

Citizens can review the proposal online at dnr.wi.gov. (NRB or Hunting page?) In addition to hearings around the state citizens will be able to submit comments online. DNR staff will outline the season structure proposal to the NRB and present proposed hearing locations for board approval. After a round of public hearings, the proposal will come back to the board, likely in December. Citizens may also testify before the board on the proposal at that time.

The proposal includes the public panel’s recommendation for a 16-day gun deer season starting two Saturdays before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The proposal also includes concurrent 5-day youth, early muzzleloader and herd control hunts beginning the second Saturday in October.

“Deer viewing and deer hunting represent a long standing tradition in Wisconsin,” said Frank. “Wise management is necessary to keep the herd and its habitat healthy, ensuring the future of the tradition. The public’s opinions are important and we want to continue hearing from them.”

End realease.

Again. This is only a proposal. You have the ability to speak up and make sure the DNR, NRB and the Legislature knows your not in favor of this.

[Ron]

DATE: September 4, 2009

TO: Natural Resources Board

FROM: Matthew J. Frank

SUBJECT: Earn- a- Buck (EAB) alternative deer seasons

I am recommending Natural Resources Board (NRB) authorization to conduct public hearings on the attached Earn-a-Buck (EAB) alternatives. The recommended alternatives are based upon the input of the NRB’s special committee on EAB-alternatives. This committee developed a list of eighty-three (83) potential alternatives compiled from other states, past working committees, past studies, and current Wisconsin practices. The NRB guidance to the special committee was that “acceptable alternatives must be shown to be effective for deer population management and SUPPORTED BY HUNTERS AND LANDOWNERS and able to be evaluated through established benchmarks.”

Background

The board appointed a special committee in May to develop effective and hunter/landowner acceptable alternatives to EAB. The committee held three Saturday meetings, several conference calls, communicated via their web site, and conducted several web based surveys to help inform their decision making. The committee included the Conservation Congress, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Wisconsin Deer Hunters Association., Wisconsin Bowhunters Association, Wisconsin County Forest Association, UW Forestry and Wildlife Ecology, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, Quality Deer Management Association, Whitetails Unlimited, and the Hunters’ Rights Coalition.

The committee’s final report was presented to the NRB on August 12th in Hayward, Wisconsin. The full final report is available at the following website: wiherdcontrol.org. The final report indicates, “The Committee was unable in the time allotted to completely finalize and agree upon a complete detailed Season Package consisting of both Season Components and Targeted Incentives. Instead, after considering over a dozen different structures of season components and over eighty hunter/landowner incentives, the Committee’s work process gravitated towards recommending a16 day regular firearm season to provide additional hunting day opportunities to increase the potential effectiveness of the non-EAB alternative hunter incentives being considered. Based upon the historical harvest by day and season data reviewed, the regular firearm season was the base upon which to build the remainder of the season structure.”

The department wishes to extend its thanks to the committee for their dedication to completing their task as charged. We believe their work includes some very well reasoned season proposals that came from representatives from around the deer management world of Wisconsin.

We agree with the special committee that the best way to avoid the need for special “herd control” measures is to provide sufficient gun hunting opportunities to keep deer herds that are near goal from growing to levels requiring additional action. The positioning of the added gun season opportunities requires a blending of social and biological considerations such as when people are likely to hunt and when deer are more active, thus creating the potential for increased herd control. We have also attempted to structure the seasons to minimize conflicts with other major outdoor recreation activities, but frankly it is simply not possible to avoid all such situations.

Safeguarding against over-harvest

An understandable reaction to creating additional hunting seasons is a concern that deer herds will be over harvested. The “safeguard” against this is the variable-quota system that currently exists. Under this system, the antlerless harvest is limited by the number of permits issued for each unit. Using 2009 as an example, we have a number of units where no antlerless tags are being issued. A deer season framework that adds new antlerless-only gun hunting opportunities for antlerless permit holders is a “non-event” in zero quota units. In units with quotas, antlerless permit holders will have more seasons available within which they may use their permit.

Recommendation

The department is requesting board approval to hold public hearings regarding proposed changes to the deer season structure outlined below.

Deer Season Alternatives

November Firearm Season Statewide 16-day season beginning two Saturdays prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. CWD zone would use the same dates. Season would be the normal Bucks plus variable quota system with unlimited antlerless permits in herd control units.

Archery Seasons Opens statewide on the Saturday closest to September 15 and continues through the Thursday immediately prior to November Firearm Season. Statewide season reopens on 1st day of the November gun seasons and continuing through the 2nd Sunday in January.

In Herd-control units, the archery season would continue through January 31. Bonus buck incentive December 26th through January 31.

Youth Season Statewide 5-day, either-sex season beginning the 2nd Saturday in October.

Early Muzzleloader Season Statewide 5-day, antlerless-only by permit beginning the 2nd Saturday in October.

October Herd Control Season Herd control units only. 5-day, antlerless-only season beginning the 2nd Saturday in October. CWD October season would use same dates.

Late Muzzleloader Season Statewide 7-day season beginning the Monday immediately following the November Firearm Season. (Bucks plus quota)

December Firearm Season Central Forest & Farmland zones. 4-day, antlerless-only season beginning the Thursday immediately following the Late Muzzleloader Season. Appropriate antlerless permit required.

Holiday Gun Hunt Central Forest & Farmland zones. Herd control units only, 10-day antlerless-only season beginning December 26th. CWD zone would use same dates. Bonus buck incentive in effect.

Bonus Buck Incentive Hunters harvesting an antlerless deer in herd control units during seasons after December 25th with this incentive are eligible for a bonus buck tag valid through the end of all deer seasons.

Public/private land tags Herd control units only. Herd control tags will be specific to public or private lands. Public land tags will be issued based on the percentage of public land within herd control units.

Raccoon hunting

Raccoon hunting at night would be open during all firearm seasons, except for the opening weekend of the November gun season.

Kettle Moraine State Forest

These state forests are very heavily utilized in the first half of October by non-hunting outdoor recreationalists from SE Wisconsin. To enhance and maximize use of these two properties, the department proposes having a 5-day “teacher’s convention” youth and antlerless hunt instead of the early

End memo

Again. This is only a proposal. You have the ability to speak up and make sure the DNR, NRB and the Legislature knows your not in favor of this. There is time and opportunity to get this right.

[Ron]

We all need to attend these meetings and oppose an early gun season opener.