The gun deer season is about two months away, but many hunters could benefit by looking at some of the 2017 Wisconsin Fall Hunting and Trapping Forecast’s 63 pages.
It may take that long to page through and digest those portions that apply to the upcoming seasons.
It will be well worth time spent.
“Consecutive mild winters combined with reductions in antlerless harvest since 2014 are resulting in herd growth across the 18-county Southern District, all of which falls within the Southern Farmland Zone,” says Bret Owsley, DNR Southern District wildlife supervisor and author of this section.
Even though this guidebook is not a hunting regulations pamphlet, it does cross over the line now and then.
“Hunters in five counties within the Southern District will have the opportunity to enjoy the Holiday Hunt deer season during the winter holidays. Those counties include Milwaukee, Richland, Sauk, Iowa and Waukesha,” Owsley wrote.
By Owley’s summation he expects an excellent deer season in the Southern
District this fall and winter.
That deer information, and 10 more pages, is near the end of the guidebook, but the section can be read first, or selectively printed for reading away from a computer or phone.
The small game portion deals with every species including turkeys, pheasants, grouse, rabbits, squirrels and quail.
Of great interest is likely that the state will stock about 75,000 pheasants on 90 public hunting grounds throughout the season opening at 9 a.m. Oct. 14.
Last year an estimated 43,520 hunters pursued pheasants, spending 403,927 days afield and bagging 307,240 birds.
The ruffed grouse population information suggests an increase in birds based in part on a 17 percent increase in spring drumming survey counts. More hunters pursued grouse, 66,648, compared to pheasants, and hunters spend 547,182 days doing so. They bagged approximately 262,943 birds.
There is no sharp-tailed grouse season in 2017.
Even though the wildlife biologists, Mark Witecha and Jacquelyn Christopher claim gray and fox squirrels provide great early-season hunting, especially for beginners, Wisconsin continues to find older hunters returning to this recreation, too. As one long time squirrel, and deer, hunter likes to proclaim, “Squirrels are like little deer who live in trees.”
Of all the hunted and trapped species, more information appears to be gathered on migratory game birds, including ducks, geese, mourning doves and woodcock than on most upland animals.
In addition to population estimates, hunters will find information on band registration, online registration, permits, open water hunting and that only one pintail per day being allowed.
Bear and furbearer sections are helpful and interesting, and well worth reading for those who do not hunt bears or trap, as well as those who do.
Chronic wasting disease has changed the strategy of hunting in Wisconsin. Regulations and guidelines for managing, coping and dealing with CWD have changed since its presence became known in 2002.
Baiting and feeding restrictions, too, have been somewhat fluid this last decade. In August 2017, an act signed into law amended a past statute. Study this section thoroughly.
CWD has been identified in free-ranging deer, moose and elk in 23 states and provinces. Know what precautions to take to avoid contact with this fatal deer disease.
Biologists and hunters continue to learn about hunted and protected animals through research. Some of that work is being done with the aid of volunteers and landowners providing access to fields and forests.
Maybe you’ll want to get more involved and be part of conserving Wisconsin’s resources.
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