wingchaser_labs

You bet. Look at what happened in the CWD units. They killed this piss out of em for a couple years then people just gave up because hunting was ruined there. Now there is more deer there than when CWD was first discovered [:-]... Gonna be the same way with alot of WI if they don't figure out how to get the common hunter (public hunter) of WI more deer. Revenue is going to be ahuge issue and doesn't look good for the near future if this keeps up. WCL

dandbuck

THIS JUST IN!!
DNR recommends one year moratorium on Earn-a-Buck program outside Chronic Wasting Disease zones
News Release Published: April 9, 2009 by the Central Office
Contact(s): Tom Hauge, Wildlife Management Director, (608) 266-2193
Mark Aquino, Acting Lands Deputy Administrator (608) 267-7472
MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Matt Frank today announced the department will recommend a one-year moratorium on the Earn-a-Buck program outside of the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) zone for the 2009 deer hunt. Additionally, DNR is recommending 40 deer management units Recommended 2009 Deer Season Structure that had the October antlerless hunt last year (without Earn-a-Buck) will now have a regular hunting season for 2009.
Complete text of the proposal going to the Natural Resources Board for consideration on April 22 is now available.
“Deer hunting is a rich tradition in Wisconsin, and the DNR takes our role in protecting this important part of our heritage very seriously,” Secretary Frank said. “In light of the recommendation from the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, and the concerns of hunters expressed at annual DMU (deer management unit) meetings across the state and two legislative hearings sponsored by Sen. Holperin and Rep. Hraychuck, the DNR is recommending a one year moratorium on the use of Earn-a-Buck in DMUs outside of the CWD zone for the 2009 hunting season. Retaining Earn-a-Buck within the CWD zone maintains our commitment to controlling the spread of CWD by reducing local deer populations.”
The Conservation Congress Big Game Study Committee reviewed the department’s deer season proposal. The committee recommended a one year moratorium on Earn-a-Buck (except in CWD zones) and that all recommended Earn-a-Buck units be changed to Herd Control (October hunt) units. The Big Game Study Committee was clear that if, during this moratorium, the deer herd increased, Earn-a-Buck would return in 2010.
“We made additional efforts this year to gather hunter and public input,” Secretary Frank said. “We expanded our information collection methods to include over 40 public meetings around the state and more than twice as many people attended herd status meetings this year than last. For the first time, we offered an online survey, which was completed by over 6,000 people.”
Hunter frustration with the fall 2008 hunt was particularly pronounced this year, aggravating fundamental concerns with Earn-a-Buck. These final recommendations reflect feedback received from the Conservation Congress, the DNR’s herd status meetings and the new online survey.
Deer populations were lower than anticipated in fall of 2008. The impacts of the harsh winter weather and the late, cool spring reduced fawn production and deer survival more than anticipated.
“We have taken action in response to avoid the problems encountered last season and improve our science base for decision making,” Secretary Frank said. “One of the steps we have already taken is to establish more stations to measure winter severity and have a more complete picture of winter impact on fawn production and deer survival.”
Deer population goals are established to ensure a healthy deer herd and habitat for the long term, ensuring the preservation of our great hunting traditions for future generations. A deer herd above a healthy population goal stunts forest regeneration and causes significant crop damage.
“Our population goals are also designed to protect the long-term vitality and economic viability of our forests and our agriculture lands,” Secretary Frank said. “By achieving the right balance, we preserve Wisconsin’s great deer hunting tradition for generations to come, and maintain hunting, forestry and agriculture as key components of Wisconsin’s economy.”
During the moratorium, the DNR proposes to work with the Congress, the Natural Resources Board, hunters, landowners and the public to consider potential changes to Earn-a-Buck or consider other herd control measures that effectively move the herd towards population goals. This year coincides with the regularly scheduled three year review of deer population goals that will provide additional opportunity for public input.

wingchaser_labs

The reason for protection is not the states fault and had no control over it. It was a federal law that WI could do nothing about because wolves were on the list. Tags were given out last year when they came off the list. Animal humpers howevergot them put back on the list again and tags were taken back. Now they are off again and tags have been given out again. Eventually we will see a limited entry hunt/trap season in WI that is a continueing battle that will take some time. WCL

wingchaser_labs

Wow finally a start. Only thing I would like to see added to that is that all public lands be closedto the extra antlerless hunts (october hunts) in herd control units. Good to hear though and hope it passes. If it passes it will be very interesting to see what kind of an output of the SAK they getafter next season. I bet herd #s will be way down where they want them. WCL

wingchaser_labs

Remember the Conservation Congress Spring Meetings are on mondayApril 13th. One held in every county at 7pm. Here is the info to find your county's location and learn what the hearings are all about. WCL
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/hearmeet.html

deernutz

It's a combination of a lot of factors. Up in the northern reaches of the state IE Vilas, Price, Iron county the wolves are killing a ton of deer. Down south we don't have wolves so you will have more deer. You have a T-Zone, EAB, Endless Anteless tags in some units, Late Season hunts for Antlerless deer. You have a DNR that is stretched beyond belief and severly under funded. All this has lead to over huning of certain units in the state. Mainly the northern units 39B etc. It is one big screwed up problem that will take 3-5 yrs to rebound.

I know there are units that will be buck only in the northern units during the deer gun season. NO ANTLERLESS tags because there isn't any. WI as a whole has alot of deer but it's really patchy and definately not in the north.

I can say I have seen more wolve tracks then deer. Also watched 4 wolves take down 2 deer at once.

We as WI hunters are letting a poorly funded and resourced DNR handle our deer herd and it's not working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DN

semi

i don't think they are poorly funded at all. They just don't know what their doing. If you look at the state DNR budget its plenty. but most of the wardens would rather be out looking for people hunting without a license or leaving tree stands up over night. I hunt in vilas/onieda and have seen it. I wish the DNR was more focused on the wildlife aspect of things. But i think they are more worried about the enforcement piece (revenue generator). I think they also need to be honest with the counts instead of worrying about how many licenses they can sell (more money). Myself like many others would pass on smaller deer if we knew counts were off. I have in the past. But when you go a week without even seeing a deer alot of people will take just about anything. It think alot of hunters in this state feel we need to do our part to preserve what we have but the DNR and the hunting/tax paying/fee paying public hardly agree on anything. The DNR is deaf to the concerns of most people who spend more time in the woods than they do. They need to focus more on preservation than enforcement. IN 16 years of hunting i have never seen anyone in the woods hunting without a back tag.

dejager

itss the stupid EBA stuff people are getting EBA antlerless tages and shooting everything in sight that they have a tag for

shottyhunter24

omegasmoke where are you hunting?
my crew had a pretty successful, year sightings and kills
4 kills and countless sightings
4/6 got dear

Redclub

I am from Central wi. Waupaca Co. I hunt here for bow/ML (own land). I go to Northern Wi. (Price Co.). for rifle season, been going there since "53" Yea I am an ol'timer. Last year up there was the worst I have ever seen it. When I went grouse hunting I knew we were in trouble, Very few game trails to be found and this was on prime cutover land. The DNR now says they were 66% off on there deer estimates[:'(]in unit 25. The 2 prior years there was a decline in game trails sighting etc. however the rut was still on and deer were seen and bucks were shot. Now last season was a late season,no rut and very few deer. Not many sightings HMMM wonder why? If a person sees 2 deer and shoots both or if a person sees 20 and shoots 2? Dnr says same no. of deer. Well not so fast there.
Very tough winter, wolves, bears and don't forget Bobcats and fishers that also take young deer. years back we could shoot them oh yae coyotes too we can't shoot those either. When I started hunting there was a bounty on those guys yes ,even wolves. How come all those years we had a nice deer herd and now the DNR says to many and shoots tons of does. Someday that is going to have consequences and that day has arrived. Some area's might not be able to recover because there are not enough to repoduce ,the predators will keep there no.s down. If you think last season was bad wait until this year another severe winter, very few fawns last year, The year after lucky to have a season. Instead of showing pictures of big bucks hopefully someone will see a deer.
Now where I live very few deer were shot/seen during the shotgun season. The guy across the road did shoot the 3rd largest deer ever in Wi. Score of 241, 25 points. Now after the ML season and duringlate bow season a large no. of very nice bucks began showing up I have Game cam pictures of 21 different bucks including a lot of 8 pointers and a nice 10, I even harvested the largest buck I ever got with a bow the day after X-mas. Score of 150, 11 pointer. Where did these guys hide during the shotgunseason, The ratio here is close to 60/40 bucks. Now having said that the deer herd is way down but not the buck population? No predators here except cars.
Redclub