Charlie Elk

pseudonym of a man

2013 Wisconsin Spring Turkey Final Harvest Numbers

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Not all hunters stayed home during Wisconsin 2013 spring turkey season. Many of those who endured the historically cold and snowy weather were rewarded with gobblers.

Not all hunters stayed home during Wisconsin 2013 spring turkey season. Many of those who endured the historically cold and snowy weather were rewarded with gobblers.

Historic Cold & Snowy spring results in drop in turkey hunting success

Wisconsin Hunters experienced bad weather during early time periods

WDNR Press Release

MADISON – Turkey hunters ran into poor hunting conditions during the first half of the spring turkey hunting season, resulting in a preliminary registration total of 37,804 turkeys, which according to Department of Natural Resources officials is an 11 percent decrease from the spring 2012 turkey season.

Unseasonably cold weather persisted into May throughout the state, with deep snow in the north and rain, snow, and wind throughout the early season in the south.

“It really was an amazing contrast, weather-wise, from 2012’s hunt,” said Scott Walter, upland wildlife ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources. “Last year, we were snow-free statewide by opening day, with winter flocks broken up and hens initiating nests. This year, spring didn’t arrive until mid-season, and hunters had to deal with some challenging conditions, especially in the northern zones where many hunters had to don snowshoes to get in the woods after a turkey.”

Colder than normal spring is causing to turkeys to feed in groups.

Colder than normal spring is causing to turkeys to feed in groups.

According to Scott Walter, the poor weather likely reduced hunter effort and made harvesting a bird more challenging because gobblers were still tied to winter flocks of hens.

“Hunters simply won’t spend as much time in the woods in inclement weather. The persistent winter weather therefore presented a double obstacle for hunters, and is the major reason we saw a drop in harvest and success,” said Walter.

Zone 1 again produced the highest overall turkey harvest at 11,054 birds, followed by zones 3 and 2, where hunters registered 9,468 and 8,955 turkeys, respectively. The highest hunter success was in zone 2 with a preliminary success rate of 21 percent, followed by zones 1 and 3 at 18 percent, and zone 5 at 17 percent. Success rates were between 12 percent and 15 percent for zones 4, 6, and 7. Overall, the statewide success rate was 18 percent, compared with 21 percent last year.

Though harvest was down, the number of permits issued for this year’s hunt increased by 5 percent, from 201,984 to 211,307.

“The increase in permits is likely due to hunters purchasing more leftover permits for the later time periods to take

advantage of better hunting weather,” said Walter. “Harvest during the first two time periods was down 34 percent statewide compared to 2012, yet we actually harvested more total birds during the last four time periods this year.   It’s clear that hunters who were able to do so took advantage of over-the-counter permits to enjoy a later-season hunt with good weather conditions and turkeys that were finally engaged in normal breeding behavior.”

Telephone, online registration working well

This season was the second spring turkey hunt in which hunters could register turkeys through phone-line or online registration systems, first introduced with the fall 2011 turkey hunt and in place for all future spring and fall turkey seasons. No in-person registration will be available.

“Hunters seem to have transitioned to the new systems well,” said Krista McGinley, DNR assistant upland wildlife ecologist. “The majority of hunters have expressed satisfaction with the new systems, frequently citing their convenience. Quite a few hunters stated that they were able to register their turkey via cellphone right in the field.”

2013 fall season

Although the recent severe winter may have proven challenging for turkeys, biologists note there is reason for optimism regarding this fall’s hunt.

”We had a great hatch last year,” Walter said.  “There was a large cohort of jakes headed into this spring’s hunt.  With poor weather limiting hunter success this spring, hunters should see additional opportunity both this fall and next spring as these jakes mature into adult gobblers.”

However, the prolonged winter may have resulted in localized mortality, especially in the north.

“That’s something that’s very difficult to detect,” Walter added.  “We know prolonged severe winter weather can reduce survival in northern turkey populations, especially where agricultural foods are not available.  At this point, we haven’t heard solid evidence for any unusual mortality associated with the hard winter, but there are definitely folks who’ve been speculating about such an impact.”

A successful nesting and brood-rearing season propels turkey numbers upward. Generally speaking, dry conditions during June keep newly-hatched chicks from getting chilled and suffering from exposure, leading to good production in all upland game bird species, according to Walter.

“Things have been wet so far this year during the nesting season. However, most turkey nests hatch around the first of June in Wisconsin. Dry weather over the next month will help those chicks survive the critical first few weeks,” said Walter.

The fall 2013 wild turkey season will run from Sept. 14 through Nov. 21, with an extended season only in Turkey Management Zones 1 through 5, from Dec. 2 through Dec. 31. The deadline for applying for a fall permit through the lottery process is Aug. 1. Applications cost $3 and can be purchased through the Online Licensing Center, at license sales locations, or by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4263).

The 2013 Fall Turkey and 2014 Spring Turkey regulations are included in the 2013 Wisconsin Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, available on the hunting regulations page of the DNR website and in hard copy at DNR service centers and license vendors. For more information, visit wi.dnr.gov, search keyword “turkey.”

2013 Wisconsin Crossbow Bill – Upated May 30, 2013, June 6, 2013

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Update – March 9, 2014 Wisconsin DNR Cancels Disabled Hunter Permits

Update September 18, 2013 Wisconsin Senate Passes Crossbow Bill

Update August 12, 2013 Wisconsin Senate schedules public hearing

Update June 6, 2013  Crossbow bill passes Assembly

Updated May 30, 2013

Wisconsin Assembly Bill 194, and Senate Bill 185 if passed in both houses and signed by the Governor would make it legal for anyone who has taken hunter education or bowhunter education to deer hunt with a crossbow or xbow as they are sometimes called.

Not all crossbows have cables and pulleys. A recurve crossbow is more challenging to hunt with than a modern compound bow.

Not all crossbows have cables and pulleys. A recurve crossbow is more challenging to hunt with than a modern compound bow.

Education is probably a good idea since many believe the myth that a crossbow is an all powerful weapon capable of shooting vast distances with very little marksmanship practice. (this is the argument made by those who oppose crossbows)

The bill would:

  •  Eliminate the requirement a hunter be over 65 or disabled in order to use a crossbow.
  • Require a separate crossbow license but only allow one buck to be taken with a hunter’s choice of archery equipment.  This license would allow the taking of all species as is currently the case with the archer’s license.  For $2.25 more the license could also allow a bowhunter to use a longbow, recurve, modern compound or crossbow; making it a “bowhunter’s choice” license.
  • Hunters who choose the crossbow would be allowed to hunt during Wisconsin’s regular bow season from mid September thru the first week of January.

Sponsors of AB 194 are Representatives Czaja, Danou, A. Ott, August, Ballweg, Bewley, Born, Brooks, Endsley, Hesselbein, Jacque, Jagler, Kleefisch, Kuglitsch, T. Larson, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Murtha, Petryk, Smith, Spiros, Strachota, Swearingen, Tittl, Tranel, Vruwink and Wright. It was also cosponsored by Senators Farrow, L. Taylor, Lassa, Petrowski, Schultz, Tiffany and Lehman.

Crossbows kill with arrows making them no different than any other archery equipment.

Crossbows kill with arrows making them no different than any other archery equipment.

Before anyone gets too excited about using a crossbow in 2013 be aware that as of this writing there is no Senate version of AB194 and this point is crucial.  On a variety of issues in the past if there is no bill in both houses and only one passes a bill without a companion bill in the other house; in the end nothing happens and the process must start all over again in the next legislative session.  So if you want this passed into law and effective for the fall of 2013 make sure you contact your state senator to get a senate version introduced.

 

Update 5/30/13  Senate Bill 185      fiscal estimate from WDNR

SB185 opens any archery season to crossbows- Section 1.  29.014 (1m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,2,62 29.014 (1m) (b)  If the department establishes an open season for hunting deer, elk, small game, wild turkey, or bear with a bow and arrow but not with a firearm, the department shall also open that season for hunting with a crossbow.
Introduced by Senators Farrow, L. Taylor, Lassa, Petrowski, Schultz, Tiffany, Lehman, Olsen and Hansen, cosponsored by
Representatives Czaja, Danou, A. Ott, August, Ballweg, Bewley, Born, Brooks, Endsley, Hesselbein, Jacque, Jagler, Kleefisch, Kuglitsch, T. Larson, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Murtha, Petryk, Smith, Spiros, Strachota, Swearingen, Tittl, Tranel, Vruwink, Wright and Tauchen.

 

Wisconsin 2013 Spring Turkey Harvest – first 3 periods

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Update May 28, 2013  Total 2013 Wisconsin spring turkey kill

Wisconsin’s 2013 spring turkey hunt  has been one for the history books with all of the record setting cold and snow.  Even during the first week of May we experienced an unprecedented, never before recorded May snowstorm that dumped 20+ inches in some areas.  Over all it has been one tough hunt this year.

How the spring turkey hunters faired? 

Here the preliminary turkey harvest numbers for the first 3 seasons.4th season last minute turkey

Time Period A, 4/10 through 4/16

Zone               Harvest

1                      2,232

2                      1,602

3                      1,946

4                      770

5                      380

6                      136

7                      66

Total             7,132

 

Time Period B, 4/17 through 4/23

Zone               Harvest

1                      1,995

2                      1,479

3                      1,765

4                      720

5                      359

6                      91

7                      61

Total          6,470

 

Time Period C, 4/24 through 4/30

Zone               Harvest

1                      2,342

2                      1,495

3                      1,904

4                      967

5                      352

6                      117

7                      77

Total             5,544

Looks like Wisconsin’s wild turkey harvest is on track to be 30% lower than last year’s.  We don’t have the registration for season D which will reflect May’s historic blizzard.  Unless more hunters go afield during seasons E & F the kill could be down 45% or more from 2012.  At least the hunter kill will be down.  But what about those turkeys that nature killed?  Most likely, as is usually the case more turkeys die of natural causes than by hunters.  Hunter only harvest about 10% of the total turkey population each year.

2013 Wisconsin Spring Hearing Results

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6096 attended the 2013 DNR Spring Rule Hearings – WCC County Meetings Summary of Results Statewide by Question are here 2013_StatewideResults

Remember the results of  these meetings are advisory only and carry no other weight in the rule setting process other than the special interests will site the results favorable to their positions.

Very few outdoors men and women attend these hearings.  It is time to allow votes via the internet. There is no reason we should not be able to enter our WDNR customer numbers and express our thoughts online.   Certainly there would be more participation, but then, perhaps the special interests  would have a harder time stacking the meetings with their supporters.

 

6,933 Wisconsin’s 2012 Fall Wild Turkey Harvest

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Wisconsin fall turkey hunters harvested 6,933 wild turkeys in season 2012.  This is an increase of 1,500 wild turkeys from 2011 fall total of 5,433 turkeys. Vic's Perfect Double

Due to a mild 2011 winter and  a drier warmer 2012 spring, turkey nesting success was indeed excellent leading to a 28% increase in the fall harvest.  In the final weeks of the 2012 season many hunters reported large flocks of jakes which should indicate an excellent 2013 spring wild turkey season.Wisconsin Fall Wild Turkey Gobblers

The total 2012 harvest summary break down is:

3,896 female turkeys which includes 2,399 hens and 1,496 jennys

3,037 male turkeys which includes 1,913 gobblers and 1,124 jakes.

Here is a chart of Wisconin’s 2012 fall wild turkey harvest numbers by management zone, age and sex.

Interested in talking more turkey?
Then don’t miss the Talk’n Turkey Expo in Howards Grove, WI.

2012 Wisconsin Fall Turkey Harvest Up

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WI wild turkey off a snowshoe hunt

WI wild turkey taken during  a winter snowshoe hunt

Wisconsin’s 2012 fall turkey harvest is up over 2011 as of December 12, 2012 5500 turkeys had been registered.  This compares to 5433 wild turkeys registered at the end of 2011 fall season.  The final 2012 fall turkey harvest numbers will be released shortly.  Given the mild December weather and increase in the reported turkey population Wisconsin fall turkey harvest should increase more.

Share your experiences and observations if you hunted fall/winter turkeys.

The Sun Sets on 2012 Wisconsin Fall Turkey Season

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I have a personal tradition of hunting the last day of a season to reflect and say “good bye”.  This is the sunset of the final hunting day of 2012.  Vic and I had just flushed a flock of 50 turkeys, the last we saw they were flying off into the sunset; a fitting end indeed.

 

What a great season 2012 was and many of us are sorry to see it end.  There are high numbers of game birds across the landscape especially turkeys.  After an easy 2011/ 2012 winter followed by a spring with just right weather recruitment was outstanding.

I think the wild turkey in Wisconsin has not only recovered from the devastating losses suffered during winter 2010 but also significantly increased above the population level of 2009.  There is no official census just my gut feeling after fall hunting turkeys over 3 months’ time in units 1, 3, and 4.

 

Vic became much more polished in 2012 I am very proud of his progress I lucked into a very fine turkey dog, in October he earned his turkey dog diploma with pair of unit 1 turkeys.

Vic did a text book scatter, barked to call me other to the break area where we setup.  I called in the first turkey on a hen wingbone made from a turkey we killed last year.  Vic laid low next to me as the turkey approached within gun range and waited for the “get turkey” command.  We retrieved the first turkey and called in the second.  Both times Vic lay very still next to me, waited for the shot and “get turkey” command. 

This was the first time Vic had done it all right; usually his excitement would get the best of him causing movement or noise at the wrong time whereby saving the turkeys life.

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the day of the last sunset we started morning hunting in unit 1 and killed a turkey at 9 in the morning after a very cold setup.  Back in unit 4 we killed another turkey at 3 in the afternoon after a slightly warmer setup.

 

With one 2012 tag remaining we watched the sun set on 2012 hunting.

 

More Marijuana Fields Found in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest

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Hunters should be aware this fall in state and national forests.  For the third year in a row pot-growing operations have been discovered, investigated and busted in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

A fisherman notified WDNR when he found out of place plants and suspicious activities going on. 

JSOnline reports

Authorities are destroying an estimated 15,000 marijuana plants worth approximately $15 million, said Ed Wall, chief of the state Division of Criminal Investigation, and Justice Department spokeswoman Dana Brueck. It will take until Thursday to airlift all the pot plants out of the remote, forested Oconto County area by helicopter, Wall said.

On Saturday, authorities stopped the Grand Prix and a red pickup also seen near the growing site and arrested Garcia and five others believed to be staying at her Brandon apartment: Miguel Sanchez Garcia, Jose Alfredo Sierra-Aguilar, Pedro Enfante-Ramirez, Guillermo Chavez-Carrion and a Livingston, Calif., man named Juan Carlos Cervantes-Contreras, the complaint says. 

Many of us hunt in these remote areas so we must stay alert to our surroundings.  If you come across drug operations which could include planted fields or processing equipment to avoid booby traps leave the area by the same path you traveled in on and report to the authorities.  

In addition to their archery gear or shotgun some hunters may feel the need to carry their CC weapon for personal protection.  Just remember a CC permit is not a junior G-Man badge; its best to let the trained professionals deal with these situations. 

Wisconsin Wild Turkey Management Plan Survey Part 2

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You can see the survey in its entirety by clicking on the link below.

Public Input Survey – Summary of Results

Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Season Survey 66.1% of responding turkey hunters also hunt turkeys in the fall.
By the zones Wisconsin fall turkey hunters hunt:

WI wild turkey off a snowshoe hunt

  • 26.1% responded “Zone 1”
  • 25.5% responded “Zone 2”
  •  23.5% responded “Zone 3”
  • 11.7% responded “Zone 4”
  • 7.0% responded “Zone 5”
  •  3.5% responded “Zone 6”
  • 2.7% responded “Zone 7”

63% would like the fall season to open on the same time as it does now and 55% would have it stay the same length of time. Only 10% would like the season extended into January.

Currently a drawing is conducted to issue hunters their first permit.  Many wonder why when there are tens of thousands of permits leftover for over the counter purchase.  Hunters can buy one permit per day until they are sold out. By season’s end there are still thousands left unsold.   Many dedicated turkey hunters buy extra permits they have no intention of filling just to support Wisconsin’s turkey management efforts.

A good sum of money would be saved by eliminating the fall drawing.  56% favor eliminating it.

If Wisconsin eliminated the fall permit drawing, what would you like the fall season bag limit
(total turkeys  allowed for the entire season) to be? Assume that any hunter wishing to purchase a fall turkey
license would be able to do so. Please answer this question for the zone in which you typically
hunt during the fall turkey season.

  •  50.5% responded “1 turkey”
  •   29.7% responded “2 turkeys”
  •   2.9% responded “3 turkeys”
  •   1.2% responded “4 turkeys”
  •   6.2% responded “unlimited with a tag”
  • 9.4% responded “unsure/not applicable”

Again, like with the spring question I do not understand this correlation of answers if the drawing is eliminated then 80% want a one or two bird limit.  But if the drawing continues the limit will continue to be “unlimited with a tag”.

I don’t understand the logic here.

In the big picture Wisconsin has very few dedicated fall turkey hunters, most fall turkeys are killed incidentally while hunting

Last of the season turkey

Closing out 2011 Turkey Season in Wisconsin

another species, mainly deer.   Perhaps the archers who shoot their turkey or 2 while on stand consider that’s enough and would like all other hunters out of woods by “rut time”.   As a long time archery deer hunter I hate to admit the treatment directed by some archers at me while I was turkey hunting was very disrespectful.  If I were a weaker personality I would have considered it intimidating.    It was quite apparent they considered me a trespasser on their piece of public land.

Reason for the Loss of Hunters?

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Across the country the number of hunters continues to decline.  If trend continues at its present rate wildlife conservation will dramatically suffer due to the lack of funding via hunting license purchases.   No other outdoor user group as stepped up to the plate to willingly pay the fees and taxes required to maintain wildlife populations.  If think this is wrong thinking feel free to comment.

As hunters we continually contemplate reasons why this hunter decline is happening:

  • Historically hunter numbers  ebb and flow peaking about every other generation.  So perhaps this current decline is part of that natural ebb and flow.
  • Modern education is demeaning and derogatory when it comes to man’s role in the natural evolution of development.
  • The technological advances have made  would be hunters more comfortable in their homes so the incentive to go and spend extended periods of time in inclement weather without all conveniences of modern life.
  • Hunter population is aging and quitting for health reasons.
  • Fractured families and the increase in single female parenthood  households are not conducive to introducing kids to hunting.
  • There are too many other  entertainment distractions that are more fun than hunting.

    Is this young hunter a hunter for life?

Distractions, hmm.. Who is getting distracted?  The potential young new hunter?

Or is it us old-timers?

How could that possibly be so? “I love hunting and love to share it with beginners.”  OK I understand, but hang with me a minute.

Many of us old-timers or experienced hunters if you prefer, jump at the chance to introduce kids to hunting.  After all isn’t that what WI learn to hunt program and all special youth hunts are all about?  Well, yes, that is the intention of these programs.  But there are times I will hear a father comment about taking the kid out on the youth hunt, get them their deer or turkey and then “I” get to “really” hunt.  Responsibility discharged.  Of course not all verbalize it this way.

Thinking back on my introduction to hunting I realize there  is more to it than that.

52 years ago there were no minimum age requirements to hunt or learn to shoot. charlie was shooting a Red Ryder BB gun at age 3 by the time he turned 6 charlie was profiecent with 22 rifle and successfully hunted small game.

Where are the stories told anymore?  Adults have a lot of things going on, we get tired and on those occasions when our adult children come to visit with the grandkids do we mostly talk to the kids or our adult kids?  Hey, I miss my kids so I talk to them along with the grandkids but not as much.  My 9 year old grandson on his last visit said he was “going to play because adult talk is boring.”  This raised no eyebrows, pretty normal, kids like to play.  Something about this comment stuck with me and when that happens I reflect.

After arising before the sun I was enjoying a quiet moment reading an old book of hunting stories, when my grandson’s words popped into my head.  It hit me then.  Many of today’s hunting books and articles are how to, or if they make an attempt at a story it is a description of the kill with plugs for the latest products used to make the kill and you must have these if you too want to be successful. Uff.

Hunting allows you to be a participant in nature rather than just a casual observer

Do we tell the stories any more?  The stories of hunts successful or not sets off sparks of desire, they did for me as a young lad.  Those recounted tales of the hunt sparks ignited all that dry rambuncous tinder into a raging fire of desire to hunt.

Raccoon Color Phases

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Picture Courtesy of Ticklish Tom Custom Calls

Everyone knows what raccoon looks like and what color they are, right?

This Wisconsin raccoon is different, looks to be blonde says Randy, the fellow who caught him raiding his chicken coop.

According to Scott Craven Professor of Wildlife  at University of Wisconsin wild raccoons colors can “vary from buff brown, black, yellow or orange variations can occur.”

Advanced Wildlife Control in Southeastern Wisconsin report they have caught and released 100 yellow phase raccoons.

The raccoon population in West Central Wisconsin seems to be significantly reduced this year.  During the spring I found dozens of dead raccoons lying about woods probably due to them getting distemper which is fatal to raccoons.  There are many accounts of raccoon populations dying off due to this.  Raccoons can pass on canine distemper to dogs including coyotes and fox.  My sightings of these during the summer months are sharply down.

Back to our blonde, in case you are wondering what happened to the yellow chicken coop raider;  he was released in an undisclosed location and hopefully he will not find his way back to the coop.

 

Correcting the Wisconsin Wolf Hunting & Trapping Misunderstandings

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The wolves in Wisconsin must be elevated to game animal status to prevent them from being viewed as just pests.

In some quarters hysteria is developing over the thought of the wolf elevation to big game status.  Which by the way is a good thing for the wolf’s long-term outlook.

No matter how you feel about wolves in the wild, they are here to stay so get used to hearing and seeing them. The protection, preservationist extremists, also must get used to the idea that wolves have entered into the royal order of the respected game animals.

We have argued about wolves long enough so for the sake of the wolf let’s begin proper management enabling the wolf to live within the carrying capacity of the available habitat; this goes for some of my fellow hunters too.

 

The established wolf season framework is useful and makes sense.  There are some controversial points that I feel compelled to address.

Here is a brief outline of Wisconsin’s wolf regulations-

These are not too controversial unless of course, you oppose wolf hunting:

• Season dates: October 15 to end of February
• Legal Weapons: Firearms, bows, crossbows
•Shot size: Larger than BB allowed

Use of dogs is controversial even some hunters are up in arms:

 • Dogs: May use up to 6 dogs in a pack to track or trail wolves beginning day after Nov. gun deer season

Some deer hunters have concerns about dogs running during the gun deer season, that is not a problem due to dogs not being allowed until after the Nov gun deer season.  Others including those who do not hunt and some misguided hunters just plain do not like the use of dogs for any hunting let alone wolf hunting.  Some of your minds are most likely closed and not open to change, that is too bad; while others may be on the fence or think “to each his own” good for you guys and gals.

It takes a very specialized dog to run wolves, and I am not sure there are very many wolf hounds in Wisconsin.  The wolf hounds that may be here are probably not trained for wolf hunting.  I wonder if there any trained wolf hounds in the United States other than those used by government hunters whose job it is to eliminate problem wolves in the West. (good  work if you can get it)

If any hounds-men think they can use their bear hounds for wolves be very careful, the required training is different.  Wolves are territorial in the extreme, packs of wolves fight each other when one pack violates the territory of another.  Wolves kill each other in these battles so the average pack of hounds unfamiliar with “fight to the death tactics” will be at a disadvantage.  A wolf being chased is not going to come to bay or tree like a bear does,  rather it will find the rest of the pack to engage the trespassers. There are plenty of sad stories here in Wisconsin of hounds and other hunting dogs being killed by wolves.

Once hounds-men do their research I doubt they will run their dogs after wolves, so the concerns of those opposed to wolf hunting with dogs are overblown.

• Baiting: Shall be allowed but regulated

• Calling: Allowed including electronic calls
• Night Hunting: Legal option beginning day after Nov. gun deer season
• Use of Lights: Flashlights only at point of kill

Night hunting wolves raised some hackles; again not allowed until after the gun deer season.  Coyotes and raccoons are hunted at night.  So what is the problem here?  Most night time wolf hunting will most likely be done from a calling setup as is with coyote hunting.

• Cable restraints: Shall be allowed as a trapping method
• Trapping: Shall be allowed with specific regulations

Trapping too gets under the skin of some who are just plain anti-trapping.  Others worry about their bird dogs, yeah me too, but then if an area is known to have a lot of wolves they are a bigger threat to my bird dog than a few traps lying about.  Currently during bird seasons trapping season is also open so I am already on the lookout for sets to steer my dog away.

Most wolf trappers will probably use a cable restraint so that non-target animals can be released unharmed.

Here are the preliminary wolf trapping regs-

Methods for Trapping
Traps: It is illegal to set, place, or operate steel-jawed traps
with a maximum spread width of more than:
• 7 inches from Oct. 15-Nov. 30 unless it is a water set.
• 8 inches from Dec. 1-Feb. 28.

Cable Restraints: It is illegal to set, place, or operate any cable
restraint for wolves except from Dec. 1-Feb 28. To be a legal
set, the cable restraint must:
• be 10 feet or less in length with a diameter of 3/32 inch or
larger and be composed of multiple strands of wire;
• have cable stops that ensure that the portion of the cable which
makes up the noose loop may not be longer than 48 inches
when fully open or less than 8 inches when fully closed;
• be set with the bottom of the cable loop 6 to 14 inches above
the surface;
• include a reverse-bend washer lock with a minimum outside
diameter of 1¼ inches and a 1,500 pound roller swivel that
acts as the maximum opening cable stop; and
• be staked in a manner that does not allow the restraint device
to reach any part of a fence, rooted woody vegetation greater
than ½ inch in diameter, or any other immovable object or
stake that could cause entanglement.

The 2012 wolf hunting season proposal is a temporary framework, known as an emergency rule. During next year, the department will begin work on a permanent rule.

Information on the hunting season proposal can be found on the DNR website dnr.wi.gov search for keyword “wolf.”

Buffalo County Wisconsin Cougar Photographed

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News Release Published: July 18, 2012 by the West Central Region WDNR

EAU CLAIRE – An avid outdoorsman, using a trail camera for the first time on recently purchased land in Buffalo County, came up with pictures of a wild turkey, a white-tailed deer and, surprisingly, a wild roaming cougar.
A wildlife biologist with the state Department of Natural Resources, Kris Johansen, visited the site with a warden and confirmed the background vegetation in the photograph matched the site. In addition, the biologist found and identified cougar tracks on a small patch of sand in the area.

Nighttime trail camera picture on July 14-15 making for quite a surprise to the new landowner

However, with dry, hard soil throughout the area, it was not possible to track this animal. Cougars are famous for their ability to remain concealed from view and to move across large distances without being detected. The best chance for additional information on this cougar might be another trail camera or an observant individual who recognizes cougar sign.

Buffalo County is a trophy deer mecca and both landowners and guides use trail cameras extensively.

“There are probably more trail cameras in Buffalo County, per-capita, than in any other county in the state,” said Johansen. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up on camera again.”

While there have been several verified sightings of cougars in Wisconsin in recent years this was only the second verified sighting in 2012. A cougar was verified near Crandon in northeast Wisconsin on March 26. In all cases where biological material was available (hair, scat, blood) the cougars were identified as young, male, North American cougars

DNA testing of biological samples and other evidence has confirmed that at least six individual male cougars have visited Wisconsin since 2008.

This latest cougar was photographed in northern Buffalo County between Gilmanton and Mondovi sometime after dark Saturday. DNR staff is searching the area for additional prints or biological samples, but so far none have been found. Without DNA, it is not possible to say whether this is a new individual or a previously identified cougar.

There is currently no evidence that cougars are breeding in Wisconsin. Biologists believe the cougars known to have entered Wisconsin are male cougars dispersing from a breeding population in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Evidence shows that at least three of these cougars moved on and left the state. One of these, the “St. Croix cougar” that entered Wisconsin from Minnesota during the winter of 2009-2010, was killed by a vehicle in Connecticut in 2011. Biologists estimate that cougar traveled at least 1,055 miles and possibly as far as 1,600 miles.

Cougars are a protected species in Wisconsin and cannot be shot unless attacking a human or a domestic animal. Cougar attacks on humans are exceedingly rare. They are rarely seen even in western states where they exist in high numbers.

By charlie:

Cats like birds.  By most accounts there are more wild turkey poults this year than usual so he should be well feed with no reason to move on.  What you think?