DNR Asking for help/Deer Survey

[DonBo]

Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey – Share Your Observations

The 2011 gun deer season opener is just days away! Please consider helping the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources by reporting your deer hunting activity, even if no deer or other wildlife were seen during your hunting trip(s). This survey provides wildlife managers with information on deer sighting rates and the relative abundance of deer and other wildlife in the state.

To enter your observations, click here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YJNPKPJ. Have an enjoyable and successful hunt!

Preliminary Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey Results

September 17-November 14

A total of 575 Wisconsin deer hunters have reported 2,365 hunting trips via the online survey. 192 individuals have also supplied an email address to have a summary of their observations e-mailed to them at the end of the survey period.

Trips were reported from 71 of 72 counties in the state, and in 113 of 139 deer management units. DMU 64 has the greatest number of observations (109), followed by DMU 53 with 100 observations. Hunters reported spending 8,889 observation hours in the field, and averaged 3.8 hours per trip. Most trips and observation hours occurred in the Southern Farmland followed by the Northern Forest, the Eastern Farmland, the Western Farmland and lastly the Central Forest region.

Deer hunters have reported 1,154 bucks, 1,721 does, 1,193 fawns, and 458 unknowns. Statewide, hunters averaged 0.51 deer seen per hour. Deer seen per hour varied between regions with the high being the Eastern Farmland averaging 0.61 deer per hour and the low being the Central Forest averaging 0.30 deer per hour. The Western Farmland and the Southern Farmland both reported 0.57 deer per hour. Hunters in the Northern Forest saw 0.42 deer per hour.

The most frequently observed species other than deer were turkeys. Hunter sightings varied greatly by regions, with most sightings occurring in Wisconsin’s primary turkey range, the farmland and central forest regions. The next most frequently seen animal was ruffed grouse.

Please continue to enter your observations by clicking here.

Questions about the Wisconsin Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey, accessing the tally sheet, reporting your observation, or the results of the survey, can be referred to Brian Dhuey or Jes Rees.

[Jarrid Houston]

I will defin be part of this cause....and I encourage others too, it is great info, and maybe can help the WDNR make better decisions when it comes to doe permits......

[nolte]

I should fill out my survey right now. This is my optmisitic outlook.

Sat, sat all day saw a fawn in the AM and a one horned spike at night.

Sun, again sat all day and saw a doe and fawn around noon. Same fawn as yesterday.

Our deer numbers in Burnett County are in the crapper. I think there are a lot of reasons for this but the main one is too many tags. I like backstraps as much as the next guy but we are on about 5 years with unlimited does tags in my zone. I sure wish we could find a way to protect some of those little bucks so they could grow up to be magnums.

[DonBo]

Our deer numbers in Burnett County are in the crapper. I think there are a lot of reasons for this but the main one is too many tags.

I hear ya. Could not believe (actually, sadly I could believe) zone 10, once again unlimited antlerless tags. You're right. Not near enough deer in the area to justify that. Again!

[klecker]

That unit needs to be divided or something. Northern part the tags qty's are not good. Southern part is a little different. At least in the areas I hunt. The $2 tags need to go away state wide.

[tunrevir]

I think you'll find that there are higher deer densities in the Northwoods where there is less pressure and when you see the deer yarding in the winter the 2 dollar tags should be used. In some of the higher populated areas it could be done away with but your observations can help make those determinations. We have a bear problem where I hunt, just too dang many and the DNR IMHO has severly underestimated the population. On the bright side we are in the bear watch, marking study that will help determine bear densities in our neck of the woods and hopefully open up a few more opps for us as hunters. There are tagged deer near where we hunt but I don't believe there are any in our area to speak of so if we get one it is somewhat of a fluke. We will be logging our observances as well to help the DNR better understand the deer densities in our area.

Tunrevir~