Politicians NOT happy with deer season in WI

[Cooter]

I knew the DNR got a lot of heat last year but they're really putting the coals to them now. Take a look at the link at the bottom and you'll see why:

Eau Claire (WQOW) - A state lawmaker looks to fire DNR staff responsible for managing the state deer herd.

State Senator Russ Decker says hunters and business-people say the recent gun deer hunt was the worst they've ever had. And it comes on the heels of a lower deer kill last year.

Decker claims the DNR has mis-managed the deer herd and is calling for the DNR's big-game management team to be replaced.

Entire Press Release from Decker's office:

Decker: Fire the DNR's Big Game Management Team

Madison - After a second consecutive terrible deer hunting season and the worst since 1982, State Senator Russ Decker (D–Weston) is calling on the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Matt Frank, to replace the Department's big game wildlife management team and if he does not then the DNR Board should.

"I've talked with a lot of hunters and business people and everyone has said that this was the worst deer hunting season they have ever had. The DNR has mismanaged the deer herd and a new team needs to be brought in that can do the job," said Decker.

Last season the DNR's excuse for the lousy season was that they underestimated the impact of the harsh 2007-08 winter and that hunters were only in the woods for three or four hours at a time and might have only hunted a few days out of the nine day season.

"Horse hockey," said Decker.

This year according to DNR conservation warden Michael Young, warm weather, corn and wet conditions were responsible for the abysmal harvest. He was quoted in the Green Bay Press Gazette as saying "We've got the warm weather. We've got a whole lot of corn up. We've got a lot of water … and a lot of hunters don't want to go into a lot of areas because they're going to get wet. …And those areas are accessible to deer. So they'll find a nice wet area to hide in and unless somebody steps on them, they're not going to move."

In its state bulletin, the Wisconsin State Climatology office notes that it was very dry in late summer and September with slightly above-normal rains in late September and October.

"The swamps were pretty dry where our crew was hunting in Lincoln County," said Decker, who added, "we don't let a little water stop us from going after deer."

Decker went on to say "Our hunting group makes drives and there were simply not many deer. The DNR has become a master of excuses and hunters are sick of them. We need a management team who knows what they are doing and one that listens to hunters. The DNR's earn-a-buck policy, early hunts and wolves are the reason the deer population in Central and Northern Wisconsin is decimated. Hunters have had the DNR's overzealous deer management plans crammed down our throats the past few years and what we got was what we knew was going to happen, hunting seasons without many deer in the woods.

"The only good thing to come out this deer season was the mentored hunting program that the Legislature passed, allowing 10 and 11 year olds to hunt with an adult as long as there is only one weapon between the two hunters and they are always within arm's reach of one another," concluded Decker.

Wis. lawmakers want antlerless-deer hunt suspended

Associated Press - December 4, 2009 3:35 PM ET

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A group of mostly Republican state lawmakers wants officials to suspend next week's antlerless-deer hunt.

The 22 legislators made their request in a letter to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board. The letter dated Wednesday was released to the media Friday.

It says the move would help protect a depleted deer population.

Last month's 9-day deer gun season yielded 1 of the poorest harvests in years. Preliminary figures show hunters killed fewer than 200,000 deer. In recent years the November hunt netted 320,000 to 350,000 deer.

A DNR spokeswoman didn't immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.

The antlerless-deer hunt will run from Dec. 10-13. DNR warden Keith Warnke says last year's hunt yielded about 12,000 deer.

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/pdf/2009_9_day_table.pdf

[tunrevir]

Cooter, when will we find out for sure if this antlerless season is closed? I was planning on taking my 10 y.o. daughter out but no use driving over if there isn't going to be a season.

Tunrevir~

[matthothand]

People can blame the dnr but in the end its the hunter that makes the kill. I think hunters are responsible for managing the herd. If you aren't seeing many deer than don't shoot every one you see. By the time gun season roles around I have a pretty good idea on how many deer and what size deer are in the area. The others that gun hunt the property limit what they shoot based on what is available. Bucks get a free pass til they're 3 1/2 so there's always a few of those around and we harvest a few of the many females while always ensuring there's more for next year. We hunt an 80 acre parcel. This isn't a big tract in buffalo county either. If hunters would be a bit proactive and talk to the surrounding properties well before season they could all work together to manage the herd far better than the dnr. The dnr makes the tags available but in the end it's the hunter that is the real herd control manager. A bad season can ever only be my fault.

[klecker]

I dropped an email. Will post when I hear something.

[GatorBait]

Yeah, you can blame it partially on the hunters, how many people you know are going to pay $24 for 9days and want to come home empty handed...Yet explain how my hunting party of 8 on 400 acres can go from seeing 50+ deer per person a day down to seeing a total of 4 deer in one week. I want to shoot a Buck, I wasn't raised to shoot doe, I've shot 3 in my life, only because I was forced to by the DNR in order to shoot a buck. Our party may take 1 doe a year, yet never had a problem with our ratios. But, Sadly those 3 doe is no different than killing 9 deer. EAB and Ag tags is the direct result of the lack of deer, the numbers prove it, common sense shows it. We've tried to control what our neighbors manage to help our area, ya, it don't work especially when farmers are handing ag tags out like candy to everyone and their brother. So I won't fall on the sword, bet me.

[DonBo]

I doubt that there is time this year to stop the late anterless season. I also heard that the 16 day season proposed for next year is already dead.

[Cooter]

Quote:

People can blame the dnr but in the end its the hunter that makes the kill. I think hunters are responsible for managing the herd. If you aren't seeing many deer than don't shoot every one you see

Pretty tough to pass on a doe when you don't have an EAB sticker in your pocket - there's no point in going hunting in an EAB unit if you don't plan on shooting a doe. The DNR made it all but impossible for hunters to manage the herd with EAB, the only option is not to hunt at all. I'll blame the DNR.

[matthothand]

If you're in an EAB then shoot a doe. I kinda like EAB but a big problem with it is that the dnr is trying to increase harvest of females and protect males but 1 in 5 people will harvest a male fawn to earn their buck tag because that button buck is considered antlerless. In the end it's a male deer and not what an antlerless tag is meant for. The dnr makes the tags available but it's the hunters that bunch up on small properties and take more deer than the land can allow that mess it up. I spend 160 for archery and another 160 for the 9 day gun season and I've gone home empty-handed plenty of times. I usually shoot a few does every year with the bow but I've got plenty of empty buck tags. Never have I thought "I just spent a lot of money on a tag so I need to fill it." It's sad that anyone would think that way. Those people are better off at the grocery store. I don't get the "3 doe is no different than killing 9 deer." If you shoot all the bucks and never shoot does you make 0 new deer. Also with few bucks around a bunch of does the lack of competition makes for harder buck hunting in general. I feel this way and others feel that way. I get it. In the end I'm just glad that most people around where I hunt in WI know what they have to do make sure there's always more and bigger for next year no matter what zone the dnr decides to call it.

[DonBo]

If you're in an EAB then shoot a doe. I kinda like EAB but a big problem with it is that the dnr is trying to increase harvest of females and protect males but 1 in 5 people will harvest a male fawn to earn their buck tag because that button buck is considered antlerless. In the end it's a male deer and not what an antlerless tag is meant for. The dnr makes the tags available but it's the hunters that bunch up on small properties and take more deer than the land can allow that mess it up. I spend 160 for archery and another 160 for the 9 day gun season and I've gone home empty-handed plenty of times. I usually shoot a few does every year with the bow but I've got plenty of empty buck tags. Never have I thought "I just spent a lot of money on a tag so I need to fill it." It's sad that anyone would think that way. Those people are better off at the grocery store. I don't get the "3 doe is no different than killing 9 deer." If you shoot all the bucks and never shoot does you make 0 new deer. Also with few bucks around a bunch of does the lack of competition makes for harder buck hunting in general. I feel this way and others feel that way. I get it. In the end I'm just glad that most people around where I hunt in WI know what they have to do make sure there's always more and bigger for next year no matter what zone the dnr decides to call it.

It's nice that you have a piece of (apparently) prime private land surrounded by more prime private lands where you can manage your own deer herd the way you see fit. Good for you. I truely am happy for you and a bit jealous.

Just don't try to cram that same mentallity down the the throats of the rest of us who hunt public lands. There is no such thing as QDM on any piece of heavily hunted public land anywhere. Yes, I do consider harvesting a deer to be part of a successful hunt. On the public land I (and most of us) have to hunt, any deer taken is a trophy to be proud of. If I don't shoot that doe, or fork horn buck you can bet your private farm that the next guy down the ridge will. What realy erks me is you guys with the "posted private property" signs all over your fencelines crossing over into the public land across the road, or across the county or across the state to fill your doe tags so that you don't have to shoot "your" does.

I guess the point that I'm trying to make is, if the DNR is going to keep handing out anterless tags like cheap candy at Halloween, don't blame me if I actually fill a couple of them.

Good for you that you have a nice little deer haven to hunt, don't you dare judge the rest of us who don't.

[Cooter]

Feel better now DonBo?

[DonBo]

Feel better now DonBo?

Actually, yes I do.

Thanks!

Did that come off as a bit of a rant? Sorry.

[outdoor ran]

Don, I couldn't have said it better myself. Sounds like we need the young Matt to manage the whole Wi. deer herd, hes got it all figured out lol

[Boosey]

Wisconsin in my opinion has the worst deer management program of any midwestern state. Early doe season, late doe season, earn a buck, virtually unlimited doe tags, and baiting. The whole concept of "management" is not present. The only good thing is that their rifle season is generally after the rut and it only last 9 days.

True, ultimately the hunter pulling the trigger effects the herd but truth of the matter is there are more killers out there than there are hunters. I know guys that have shot over 140 deer in their lives. Look at the popularity of deer drives. Their goal is not a trohpy. Their goal is to fill as many tags as they can afford. Or throw the alloted 2 gallons of corn out and hope that yearling buck comes in to feed during daylight hours.

I commend states that have implemented antler restricitons as part of their management program. I bow hunted Missouri for the first time this year and was elated by the health and balance of the population and on public land. Most hunter are angered by states that impose these types of restrictions, but they only stay made for one year. Because next year, they see more 2.5 and 3.5 year old deer that they ever have before. Manage age class in addition to ratio. A well balanced herd. The other thing I like about anter restrictions is that you actually have to see what you are shooting at before you pull the trigger. Could save someone's life.

Wisconsin could be a great hunting state. Any change to the regualtions would be more than welcome by me.

[matthothand]

Ran I'd love to have more say in how the dnr manages the herd but if I did there'd probably be a lot of people more upset than they are now!

Overall my point is that individuals shape their success more than the dnr based on what they do with tags. Don is right and it won't work everywhere or everytime. I agree it's rediculous to try to manage a herd on public land from a hunter standpoint. But when it comes to private land and knowing the people, area, and herd structure it's a lot different. The dnr estimates the deer population for an area and then makes a guess on how many people will be hunting that area. They decide how many tags will be available and on to the season we go. The problem is that all the deer and all of the hunters aren't evenly dispersed across the zone. You might have a bunch of hunters in one part with a ton of deer while another area has a ton of hunters and few deer. It becomes a problem when those hunters don't realize that they have few deer to begin with and feel an obligation to fill their tags. When those deer are gone then why is it the dnr to blame?

[bottomdweller]

Ive been watching the deer herd go down over the last four years. I hunt all privated land, and we do not harvest many does at all and the neighbors also leave the does alone for the most part. I dont know why the population keeps declining, predators is all I can come up with. Fire the whole lot of em, thats my 2 @#$%%% cents. Or open the season on wolves and bear.

[gardn184]

I've also seen the deer herd just drop unbelieveable in northern wisconsin, I would assume increasing predator numbers is partly to blame, and miscounted deer herd numbers and mismanagement is also to blame, from what I understand the state has no control over the wolf season since they're back on the threatened list so we can't really fault them for that. Less doe tags would certainly be a good start if you ask me, and end all these early and late seasons, to much stress on the deer

[Badger]

We have a cabin in Rusk County (40 acres), and have seen less deer every year for some time now. We never bait and refuse to do so. Get rid of baiting and the wolves period. Did anyone see wolves, bear or coyotes this year? We saw more of them than deer.

[GatorBait]

Matt, the comment on when you kill 3 doe is like killing 9 is simple. More times than not, most doe are breed during the rut. The normal capacity of yearlings per doe averages just a bit over 2. So what Im saying is that when the dnr wanted the does shot off for the most part, we are diminishing the herd by the rate of 3x than normal thus not allowing them to reproduce at a rate that allows the deer to come close to matching the numbers from the last year. This basically shows that there is no real chance for the deer population to come back to the numbers that used to be if the EAB were to continue to exist in that area. EAB was put in place in some of the largest harvest areas in the state. This years numbers clearly show the dmg the dnr brainiacs have caused. It's not rocket science, even a liberal can see the common sense around this issue.

[Badger]

We as hunters could help this situation by not shooting any does next year. Everyone likes venison, but think about letting the does go for 1 year. It's up to us.....not the DNR! Your thoughts on this?????

[Cooter]

A bunch of us in my hunting area decided not to shoot any does this year. We have a pretty good QDM program going on but I'm afraid a lot of the neighbors are gonna be sick of no venison and no shooting and whack more little bucks.