Wisconsin Deer News

... Fawn:doe ratios (FDRs) remained below statewide, regional, and most unit-group 22 year means in 2012. Despite a 21% decrease in the number of SDO observers, the statewide FDR remained the same (0.86) as in 2011. Also, the number of ODW observers declined 42%, but the statewide FDR declined to 0.80 from 0.93 in 2011. Although all regional FDRs remained below 22 year means, the central forest showed a slight increase, but the western farmland had a marked decrease. Fawn:doe ratio estimates from the SDO survey were 10–30% below the 22 year SDO mean in 10 groups, but were 1–13% above the mean in three northern forest groups...

Deer Season Recommendations to be Presented Next Week May 17, 2013 Wisconsin, Wisconsin Ag Connection
...Department of Natural Resources officials received input from over 700 people at a series of deer hunter forums held around the state in March and through more than 13,000 responses to an online survey on deer management issues ... "We've put a high priority on hearing the public's perspective on deer management issues. ... " said Kevin Wallenfang, DNR big game ecologist...

City outlines deer-thinning plan May 16, 2013 Wisconsin, The Sheboygan Press
... Domagalski said the city carried out an aerial survey in February and counted 86 deer on the north side of the city, mostly near the Pigeon River, and found 18 deer on the city’s far south side... North side residents approached the city last year complaining that deer were doing damage to their shrubs, flower beds and gardens and demanding that action be taken to thin the herd...

Crossbow bill in the crosshairs May 15, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
One of the last top deer hunting states to tightly restrict the use of crossbows, Wisconsin appears on the threshold of change. A bill has been introduced in the Legislature to allow all hunters to use crossbows during the state's archery deer hunting ...Proponents say crossbows, which are easier to use than recurve and compound bows, recruit and retain hunters.  Opponents have expressed fears over increased hunting pressure and the potential for traditional archery seasons to be shortened... 

... budget committee has approved spending nearly $2 million in federal money to set up private deer hunts. Researcher James Kroll last year suggested the Department of Natural Resources help landowners run hunts on their property in a joint effort to manage local herds...

Wis. committee bans night wolf hunting May 15, 2013 Wisconsin, San Francisco Chronicle
...Wisconsin's wolf regulations allow night hunting but the language has proven contentious. Wisconsin's Chippewa tribes have cited it as justification for launching a tribal night deer hunt despite the state's ban on the practice... 

Bill introduced to allow crossbows during Wisconsin archery deer season May 14, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 
... A bill has been introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature to allow all hunters to use crossbows during the state's archery deer hunting season. Assembly Bill 194 would create a separate crossbow hunting license ... a change that has been long opposed by traditional bowhunting groups in the state.

What are your thoughts on Deer Trustee Report implementation? Chat with us on May 14, 6 p.m.  WDNR News Release, May 12, 2013
Have thoughts or questions about enhancing deer management in Wisconsin through the implementation of the Deer Trustee Report? Share them with us, May 14, 6 p.m., from the convenience of your computer!  The DNR will host an evening online chat about implementation of the Deer Trustee Report and ongoing Action Team discussions. To participate, visit the DNR home page, dnr.wi.gov, and look for the advertisement to enter the chat, or search the phrase "ask the experts.”

... Statewide, the agency issued more than a million doe tags in 2006. Hunters tolerated the changes while harvests boomed, from about 375,000 in 1994 to a record 615,293 in 2000.  But then the totals tumbled. The 2008 kill fell to about 450,000. And when the 2009 harvest came in at a comparatively paltry 329,103—the lowest in over 15 years—hunters erupted with complaints. They could live with herd reduction, they said, but not herd destruction. And they no longer trusted the agency’s population estimates ...

Research on white-tailed deer continues May 11, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
... Preliminary results from the study in 2011 and 2012 showed most fawn mortalities occurred by the end of August, mostly from predation.  Over the first two years of the study, fawn survival (up to nine to 10 months old) was 62% in the Shiocton area compared with 35% in the Winter area.  Fawn survival was better in both areas in 2012, which featured an early green-up.  Predation rates on fawns have been lower in the east-central (41%) than in the northern (62%) study area ...

... This past winter, hundreds of volunteers helped state wildlife researchers in capturing and placing radio collars on yearling and adult deer. Now researchers would like help locating and radio collaring newborn fawns during May and June.  “Most fawns are born during the last week of May and first week of June, which is a short time frame to meet our goal of getting radio collars on 80 fawns,” said Jared Duquette, Department of Natural Resources ungulate research ecologist.  “Mother deer do not make our job easy,” explains Duquette. “They typically hide their fawns in thick vegetation or in expansive grassy fields where the fawns are naturally camouflaged and remain motionless. We have to do a lot of walking to find them and rely on strength in numbers with our volunteers. It’s a lot of fun to find these little guys, and helps us get key information on fawn survival.” ...  A total of 212 fawns, including 144 (94 radio collared, 50 ear-tagged) in the Shiocton area and 68 (60 radio collared, eight ear-tagged) in the Winter area, were captured...

Man could face criminal charges for hitting deer May 7, 2013 Wisconsin, WISN Milwaukee
... The video, shot from the nearby We Energies building, shows the truck coming to a stop in front of a group of deer, flashing its lights, backing up, then accelerating down the road and hitting one of them ...

...Seven local teenagers have been fined in connection with shooting deer and leaving them for dead...

Never-ending winter a real killer for wildlife May 4, 2013 Wisconsin,  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
... Reports of starved deer  ... The Winter Severity Index is kept between Dec. 1 and April 30...  "This is one of those cases where the index has to be supplemented with common sense." ... Zeckmeister said DNR wildlife staff was "ratcheting down" deer harvest quotas in response to the winter conditions. In some units in northwestern Wisconsin, the kill quotas have been reduced 30% to 50% from the original recommendations...

... This isn’t shocking news, but if you’re tempted to think predators, vehicles, winter, or other factors are taking “your” deer, forget it. In the northern study area, hunters were the greatest mortality source for collared bucks (65 percent for adult bucks and 52 percent of the yearlings). In the eastern area, which has higher hunter densities, the numbers were even higher (86% for adult bucks, 82% for yearlings)...

... The spread of infectious diseases requires a public strategy, but public is an idea foreign to right wing governor Scott Walker and his “deer czar” James (public deer management is Communism) Kroll... Ironically, this change leaves the state’s wolf population as the only thing in the outdoors serving to control the spread of the disease...

...  the number of deer being tested has gone down while the rate of infection has gone up ... Between 2002 (the first full year after CWD was discovered in Wisconsin) and 2006, an average of more than 25,000 deer a year were tested. Between 2007 and 2012, the average was just over 8,000.  Meanwhile, the incidence of CWD-infected deer has risen steadily from .5% in 2002 to 5% in 2012 -- a tenfold increase in 10 years...

Dead deer piling up along Eau Claire and Chippewa Co. roads April 30, 2013 Wisconsin, WQOW TV News 18
... The DNR says that's because the Birchwood man hired last fall to pick up the carcasses has fallen way behind.  There are now at least a hundred deer between the two counties that need to be picked up ...

Late snow means stressful spring for deer herd, Winter severity index April 29, 2013 Wisconsin, Sawyer County Record
... A point is added for every day the snow is deeper than 18 inches and a point is tacked on if the temperature falls below zero degrees Fahrenheit... Winter conditions are considered mild if the station accumulates less than 50 points, moderate if between 51 and 80 points, severe if between 81 and 100, and very severe if over 100.  At the end of March, two stations were in the severe category (both in Iron County), six were moderate, and the remaining stations were considered mild. However, several stations are likely to move into higher severity classifications after the April data is tallied...

... The annual infection rate in northern Iowa County has grown 27 percent for all deer two and a half years old or older, and the disease rate for adult bucks is doubling every two to three years... That's something University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher Michael Samuel is trying to determine. His research is focused on where and how the disease-carrying prions are being transmitted to deer in the wild.  Samuels says funds for research on the disease in Wisconsin is diminishing... “It’s almost down to none, really.” ...

Spring Snow Puts Stress on Northland Deer April 25, 2013 Wisconsin, Northland's NewsCenter
...  Wisconsin DNR Wildlife Biologist Greg Kessler. "Some of the deer do look pretty thin. You can see hip bones and things like that. Those deer, if they can forage right away, they'll do really well. If we see another snow storm like this, we probably would see a significant loss." ...

Deer Herd Stressed From Prolonged Winter April 25, 2013 DoorCountyDailyNews.com
... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Health Team recently investigated an area in Southern Door County with extremely high deer numbers where the natural winter browse has been depleted and dead deer have been reported.   “The situation was very indicative of malnutrition,” according to Jeff Pritzl, DNR Northeast District wildlife supervisor... In northern units, local biologists are also seeing stressed deer and have had reports of some starvation losses...

... in the northeast portion of the state, wildlife health officers investigated an area in Door County with extremely high deer numbers, where the natural winter browse has been depleted and dead deer have been reported...

Beating Cabin Fever, Deer Observations April 24, 2013 Wisconsin, The Sun
... I did notice a lot more deer coming out to feed in open fields before we got this last white dumping. DNR heavily controlled doe kills have knocked herd numbers down despite the calls from hunters to manage a larger deer herd. Crop damage and car accidents are putting pressure on the DNR to cut deer herds. All that pressure from insurance claims seem to have put deer hunters’ wishes of bigger herds on the back burner...

Politicians ignore alarming CWD spike in Wyoming valley April 20, 2013 Wisconsin, Green Bay Press Gazette
...One farmer in the Wyoming valley of north-central Iowa County has shot 21 CWD-positive deer from his family’s 700 acres since 2008, with 11 falling since April 2012. Those are just a few of the sick deer in a 144-square-mile area where CWD is rising at “unprecedented” rates. That one-word assessment came from Bryan Richards, CWD project leader at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center in Madison ...

Tough winter for deer, but plenty remain April 19, 2013 Wisconsin, Green Bay Press Gazette
... Reports of dead fawns and even some adult deer have been coming in from across the state ... Reports of 20 or more dead deer found scattered on several properties along the Ahnapee River northwest of Forestville in recent weeks — all but two of them fawns born last spring ... more whitetails survived the winter and 'late' spring as evidenced by large groups of deer seen foraging on farmland ..

Born wild: Babies best left in nature April 17, 2013 Wisconsin, WDNR News
... Well-intentioned animal enthusiasts may mistakenly assume some wildlife babies are abandoned and in need of their help without realizing the babies’ mothers most likely are nearby and on the job...  this is the natural behavior of white-tailed deer and fawns.  “Fawns have little scent to attract a predator and their spots help them blend in to the environment ... They move very little in their first weeks while they are alone in a place the mother selected. ... ” ... Amanda Cyr , a DNR wildlife biologist ... 

Hunters took biggest hit at hearings April 13, 2013 Wisconsin, 77Square.com
... attendance jumped 87 percent from a year ago ... Do you support expanding hunting opportunities in state parks? ... eight counties ... oppose more hunting in state parks... Although park-hunting foes didn’t prevail on the advisory question ... Should Wisconsin prohibit the training and use of dogs to hunt wolves? ... opponents prevailing 2,631 to 2,494 ... The question, however, failed in 48 counties... Should crossbows be allowed for all hunters during archery deer seasons? No, 2,479 to 2,277 ...

... A Wisconsin community expressed outrage this week after video surfaced of a cruel prank involving a group of men dressing a wild deer in a T-shirt. The original YouTube video, which has since been taken down ... Speaking with NBC's Milwaukee-based affiliate Today's TMJ4, DNR warden Kaitlin Kernosky said the video was hard to watch...

DNR continue to investigate men who put T-shirt on deer - April 12, 2013



... The video shows a man carrying a T-shirt toward the trap. Laughter is heard as the man enters the enclosure with a deer already struggling. The laughter continues as the deer tries to get away, only to be wrestled to the ground.  The video is titled 'how to put a T-shirt on a fiesty deer'. ...

Proposal to ban killing white deer appears to pass locally April 10, 2013 Wisconsin, Baraboo News Republic
...  it appears a resolution to protect white and albino deer passed Monday night’s Sauk County Conservation Congress – placing it on a long path to potentially becoming state law. ... A group from the town of Leland that has seen several of its beloved white deer shot by hunters in recent years ... The rare deer already are protected throughout the rest of the state...

White deer advocates rally support at conservation congress April 9, 2013 Wisconsin, WISC Madison
... More than 100 people packed into a University of Wisconsin-Baraboo Sauk County campus auditorium, voting on issues such as banning hunters from killing white deer in the area...  MaLenna Smith of Leland. "People know the deer are there, they know they can shoot them right now, so this is serious. We've got to get them protected." ...

What's in the DNR's budget? Deer Management April 4, 2013 Wisconsin, Agri-View
... Implementing the Deer Management Report. Deer hunting is also important to Wisconsin's economy with an estimated $1.4 billion in annual economic impact for the state...  The report calls for a Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) to work with individual landowners, to create GIS programs to update our land cover data, and to continue funding for CWD monitoring...

Buck Swims River April 4, 2013 Wisconsin, WXOW.com
... The West Salem resident says the buck got within three yards of their boat.  "For him to do what he did and for him to give us a show like he did, it is unheard of. You just don't see it. Then, when he got up and tried to sun himself and had a silhouette and then bounced off into the glory of the sunlight. I mean we were high fiving and it was cool...

DNR confirms second CWD-positive deer in Waukesha County  April 4, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (blog)
... a 3 1/2-year-old buck killed March 3 in Wales was positive for chronic wasting disease, according to officials with the Department of Natural Resources. The finding was the second CWD-positive deer found in Waukesha County this year... State law requires that counties within a 10-mile radius of a game farm or free-ranging CWD-positive deer are included in the baiting and feeding prohibition...

Copper Falls Deer in Winter - April, 2013



Deer hunters air concerns April 4, 2013 Wisconsin, Sawyer County Record
... “Deer hunter numbers are declining across the state. Some are saying it’s no longer worth putting in the time and effort. Some are saying public lands are overcrowded and overharvested — there aren’t deer out there any more. There’s competition for hunting spots. Some people don’t like the ‘If it’s brown, it’s down’ perspective. And some people feel unsafe in the woods,” ... Wildlife biologists Ken Jonas ... The deer population goal in Unit 13 is 17 per square mile ...

Should rare deer be protected? April 3, 2013 Wisconsin, Baraboo News Republic
... Sauk County residents upset over the killing of white deer during last year's nine-day gun deer season plan to introduce a resolution to protect the animals Monday night... “We’re going to introduce a proposal to have them protected,” said town of Leland resident Amy Sprecher, a founding member of Protect the Rare White Deer... out-of-town hunters have killed three of those deer in the last five years...

Winona, Reward offered for Alma deer poacher April 2, 2013Winona Daily News
Wisconsin DNR conservation warden Bob Jumbeck found a shot deer near County Road I near Alma on the morning of March 23 ... Callers can remain anonymous. The DNR also operates a 24-hour natural resources violation hotline at 1-800-TIP-WDNR or 1-800-847-9367.

DNR goes fishing for hunters' opinions April 2, 2013 Wisconsin, Merrillfotonews
... McCullough implored the group in attendance to make sure they filled out the DMU-specific hunter survey that can be found online at dnr.wi.gov. Type ‘Deer Hunter Forum Survey’ in the search line to access it.  The survey is open until April 12 ... According to McCullough, one other change that could explain gun hunters not seeing as many bucks in the woods is the expansion of bow hunting.  “Thirty to 35% of the bucks are killed by archers,” ...

Deer season should remain comparable to last year March 31, 2013 Wisconsin, Ashland Daily Press
... “We are not going to increase the number of antlerless tags, and in fact, they may go down slightly in some units next season ...  most of the Bad River Indian Reservation, will have no antlerless permits ... " ...  a moderate winter ... in the northern part of the state, predation had more of an impact  ... coyotes were considered to be a major predator for deer, and that there has been a “significant decline” in the population of bears since 2006...Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Todd Naas ...

Several questions should spark fireworks at hearings March 31, 2013 Wisconsin, Green Bay Press Gazette
...statewide Fish and Wildlife Rule Hearings each April, mark your calendar for 7 p.m. April 8... held simultaneously in all 72 counties ... Wisconsin allows only handicapped people and those 65 and older to use crossbows during archery season. Elsewhere, 21 states allow crossbows full access to archery season, with Kansas and Mississippi the most recent to relax restrictions.  Question 66 asks if everyone should be allowed to use crossbows during archery season ...

DNR urged not to rush implementation of deer trustee report March 30, 2013 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (blog)
... Two veteran Wisconsin conservationists ... Throughout much of the 1970s, deer herds were generally smaller than current populations across much of the state. Deer were recovering from the severe winters of the 1960s... After experiencing the high deer populations of the mid-1980s through the early 2000s, many hunters feel cheated if they don’t see “enough” deer on opening day or weekend... The maturing forests in the north woods and central forest areas are a significant controlling factor for deer populations...

Elk hunting season delayed until at least 2014 March 30, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
... The elk population this year is not likely to exceed the legally required minimum of 200 animals to hold a public harvest... The proposed 2013-'15 state budget would allow additional wild elk to be brought into Wisconsin, probably from Kentucky...  Schultz and Wetzel are among those who want the agency to present more scientific data as well as professional, science-based views on deer management ...

Hunters calmer but concerns persist March 29, 2013 Wisconsin, Superior Telegram
... Deer herd numbers are still down from their peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but hunters saw a small uptick in the buck harvest for 2012. In Unit 1, this year’s buck harvest was the best in the past five years... “It’s hard to get kids to go out hunting when they sit for nine days and don’t see a single deer,” Hogie said...

Two people arrested in Pierce County deer killings March 28, 2013 Wisconsin, WQOW TV News 18
... DNR wardens say they've cracked what they call a "deer killing spree" in Pierce County. At least a dozen deer were killed and butchered ...

New science expands Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) debate March 28, 2013 Wisconsin, River Towns
... At UW-Madison, the brains of hamsters were injected with CWD prions from infected deer and did not get sick. Hamsters appeared to be immune to CWD. Then the brains of ferrets were injected with CWD prions from infected deer and they got the disease and died. When infected brain tissue from the diseased ferrets was injected into the hamster’s brains, the hamsters got sick and died... Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise Inc, (PREVENT)... researchers have been working on a promising injectable vaccine to prevent the spread CWD among farmed cervids...

Wisconsin, Deer Hunt Changing? Hunters Want to Know - March 29, 2013


Your deer. Your traditions. Your DNR. - March 28, 2013



Attend a Spring Hearing April 8 and have an impact on conservation March 27, 2013 Wisconsin, WDNR News Release
     DNR Secretary Stepp and Conservation Congress Chairman Rob Bohmann invite you to help shape Wisconsin’s conservation legacy by attending your county’s Spring Hearing, April 8, 7 p.m.  Your ideas have had an impact, like the establishment of a free fishing weekend in the winter and the return of the nine-day deer season in the CWD zone.  
     DNR and Conservation Congress hope you’ll weigh in again this year on a variety of resource issues.  More information is available in this video, and at dnr.wi.gov, search keywords “Spring Hearings.”

Deer Hunter Forums are underway – we want to hear from you! March 22, 2013 Wisconsin, WDNR
... Deer Hunter Forums are underway statewide to collect information from you to help shape Deer Season 2013... By participating in a deer hunter forum, you can access information about your preferred deer management unit, and also provide your opinions and observations while discussing possible strategies to manage the herd with local wildlife biologist.  The schedule of 34 meetings began this week. If you haven’t already attended the meeting for your area, please click here for the schedule of remaining meetings.  If unable to attend a local meeting, you may still provide your input using an online survey between now and April 12.  Watch the video below for more information on getting involved, or visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords “deer hunter forum.”

Deer herd growing in area counties March 22, 2013 Wisconsin, Chippewa Herald
... the deer herd in Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire counties is growing... Unit 59B is at 35 deer per square mile, while 22A is at 39 — figures that mean both units will remain as herd control units. Herd control means that more permits will be allowed in an effort to reduce the deer population.  Unit 59A is sitting around 31 deer per square mile, but will still remain as a regular hunting unit...

DNR gathers local comments on future of deer hunting March 22, 2013 Wisconsin, Juneau County Star-Times
... the future of deer hunting in Wisconsin to Mauston on Tuesday.  About 20 people attended the session, the latest planned to help the agency tap the public’s notions ...  Saemisch, who said he is a believer in Quality Deer Management, a philosophy that seeks to unite property owners, hunters, and regulators in creation of a deer herd that balances the carrying capacity of the land, the desires of hunters and the needs of property owners...

Public Invited to Participate in Deer Management Surveys March 20, 2013 Wisconsin, Wisconsin Ag Connection
State wildlife officials want to hear from hunters, farmers and other landowners about their thoughts on deer herd management. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has launched two new surveys to collect feedback ... Both surveys will be available at the local DMU meetings, the Spring Conservation Congress Spring Hearings and the deer trustee meetings as well as online... [The first survey deals with Deer Management within each Deer Management Unit (DMU). http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/forum.html  The second survey deals with the Deer Trustee Report.  http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/trustee.html ]

Researchers trying to detect CWD prions in soil March 17, 2013 Wisconsin, 77Square.com
... University of Wisconsin professors Michael Samuel and Joel Pedersen ...are studying whether or not prions, which cause chronic wasting disease, can be detected in the environment...  these scientists are researching soil in mineral licks suspected of being used by white-tailed deer in the core area of the CWD-Management Zone...

Oh deer: Hardy whitetails take snowy winter in stride March 17, 2013 Wisconsin, Leader-Telegram
... Kris Belling, a state Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist, told me the herd in these parts should do OK, more thanks to the winter past than the winter present... "We’ve had a few cold spells, but we haven’t had those really long extended periods of very cold spells, so generally the deer are in pretty good shape going into this kind of March,"...

Future of deer on line March 16, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
... the DNR is holding 34 local meetings around the state to present deer-related information and gather public comments... The site was the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point... The attendance, though, was disappointing. The participants in the room were familiar to those of us who attend conservation meetings in the state...

Racine County, Local deer herd is topic of DNR meeting March 13, 2013 Wisconsin, My Racine County
... Wildlife biologists with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources invite anyone interested in discussing the status of the deer herd in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties to attend a public meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 20 at the Richard Bong State Recreation Area...

Winter Severity Index up March 13, 2013 Wisconsin, Mesabi Daily News
...  DNR Wildlife Manager Tom Rusch ... predicts the Winter Severity Index will end up a bit below average in the Tower area and milder on the Iron Range... The average WSI is 120 and 10 percent of the herd usually dies in an average winter, Rusch stated. The index is determined by giving one point for every day over 15 inches of snow and one point for temperatures at or below zero...

Bill Kolstad, director of parks, recreation and forestry, says the city annually monitors deer population from the sky. Helicopter surveillance shows that there are roughly 350 deer in the Brookfield and Elm Grove area...  enough for the city to implement a reduction management program... call the Deer Program Information line at (262) 796-6711.

Hunter ethics award winners have stories to tell March 10, 2013 Wisconsin, 77Square.com
... The nominations showed that hunters associated with other hunters in a variety of positive ways, including helping find wounded deer, finding places to hunt, giving of their time to help drag deer from forests, passing on shooting deer that could not be shot at safely, and returning deer to rightful owners ...

Antler regulation finding support, but needs further approval March 9, 2013 Wisconsin, St. Cloud Times
...  Intended to protect young bucks and let more of them reach three years of age or trophy status and provide a more balanced deer herd, opinions among many hunters in the southeast concerning APR [antler point restrictions] have changed... After three years of existence, hunter sentiment went from a great deal of disapproval the first year, to more acceptances in 2011, to a feeling that APR was working last year...

 March 8, 2013 Wisconsin, Green Bay Press Gazette
... Any citizen that wants be part of the formal Action Team can still be as long as they join at the next meeting, April 6 ... In addition to the meetings and webcasts, DNR will launch a survey beginning Monday to collect feedback. Access that at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/trustee.html ... unrelated to the Deer Trustee report — a public forum for local deer management units will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. March 29 at the Luxemburg Sportsman’s Club.

Saturday’s Deer Trustee Report meeting available as live Webcast March 7, 2013, WDNR
Are you interested in implementation of the Deer Trustee Report but can't make it to this Saturday's public meeting? You can now view the meeting live on the Web.   Though Department of Natural Resources officials encourage in-person participation at the Saturday, March 9, public meeting kicking off implementation of the Deer Trustee Report, the general session of the meeting will now also be available for viewing live online.  The live Webcast of the meeting will be viewable at http://dnrmedia.wi.gov/main/Viewer/?peid=086ffe649e65430890745813ba372a861d.
     The meeting will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UW-Stevens Point’s Lee S. Dreyfus University Center, Alumni Room (350). It is the first of seven meetings to develop action items for moving recommendations in the 2012 report forward with the intent of enhancing deer management in the state.

DNR plans 34 deer management forums March 6, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
... The Department of Natural Resources has scheduled 34 meetings around the state from March 18 until March 29.  Agency officials want to use the hearings to gauge public sentiment as they set up the 2013 hunting seasons. [A schedule and more information can be found at this link on the department website] ... 

Though the 2013 deer hunting season is months away, planning is underway with statewide Deer Hunter Forums being held by Department of Natural Resources during the last two weeks of March.  
     “By participating in a deer hunter forum, you can access information about your favorite deer management unit, plus provide your opinions and observations while thinking about how they help shape management decisions,” said Kevin Wallenfang, DNR big game ecologist. “Public feedback is very helpful as we develop the 2013 deer hunting season.”
     Local wildlife biologists will be on hand to answer questions and talk about the current status of the local deer herd. They will listen to ideas and observations, and discuss possible strategies to manage the herd...  [A schedule and more information can be found at this link on the department website] ... 

... DNR board member Dave Clausen, a longtime deer hunter and veterinarian expects the spread of CWD including to more parts of northwest Wisconsin where he hunts.  “And it means I'm going to test every adult deer that we shoot before I feed it to my family,” ...

Wildlife disease transmission, at a local scale, can occur from interactions between infected and susceptible conspecifics or from a contaminated environment. Thus, the degree of spatial overlap and rate of contact among deer is likely to impact both direct and indirect transmission of infectious diseases such chronic wasting disease (CWD) or bovine tuberculosis.... Our results further support the finding that female social groups have higher contact among related deer which can result in transmission of infectious diseases. We suggest that control of large social groups comprised of closely related deer may be an effective strategy in slowing the transmission of infectious pathogens, and CWD in particular.

Deer meetings start in Stevens Point March 9th February 24, 2013 Wisconsin, WTAQ
The public is invited for input on implementing Wisconsin's Deer Trustee Report during a series of meetings set for UW-Stevens Point beginning in March. Texas researcher Dr. James Kroll presented 62 recommendations ... at the Dreyfus University Center on the UW-Stevens Point campus.

Study Shines Light on Deer Herd February 24, 2013 Wisconsin, Valley News
... Predators were the leading cause of fawn mortalities (55 percent) in both study areas. Unknown predators (the researchers were unable to identify the predator) caused the most fawn mortality in the north, followed by bears. In the east, coyotes were the top predator on fawns (five), but road kills took nearly as many (four)... Yearling male deer survival was 52 percent in the north and 58 percent in the east. Hunters caused from 82 to 92 percent of the mortality...

Waukesha, No Crossing Sign for Bambi on Milky Way Road February 22, 2013 Wisconsin, Patch.com
Alderwoman Kathleen Cummings was one of the few advocating for a deer crossing sign, stating that Milky Way Road is dangerous with limited areas for drivers to pull over for deer. Because the road has ditches on both sides ... “State studies shows they were not affective in limiting the number of accidents with deer,” Reiland said. [lots of evidence that good signs can reduce risk of deer vehicle collisions, see transportation research]

Public meetings set to develop Deer Trustee Report implementation plans February 21, 2013 Wisconsin, WDNR
     The public is invited to play an active role in the implementation of Wisconsin’s Deer Trustee Report through direct participation in a series of meetings hosted by the Department of Natural Resources, starting March 9, in Stevens Point.  The meeting will take place at UW-Stevens Point’s Lee S. Dreyfus University Center, Alumni Room (350), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is the first of seven meetings to develop action plans for moving recommendations in the 2012 report forward with the intent of enhancing deer management in the state.
     For more information on the meetings and how to get involved, please see http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=2678 or visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords "Deer Trustee Report."

The public is invited to play an active role in the implementation of Wisconsin's Deer Trustee Report through direct participation in a series of meetings hosted by the Department of Natural Resources, starting March 9 ... “Part of enhancing deer management is incorporating the observations and wants of a diverse audience of people with a stake in deer and deer hunting in Wisconsin,” said Eric Lobner, DNR Wildlife Supervisor assigned to implementation coordination...

Budget would give DNR more money for deer management February 20, 2013 Wisconsin, 77Square.com
... The budget allocates more money and staff for the DNR to conduct deer research and work with private landowners who want to better manage their property for deer. Joe Polasek, the agency's budget director, said the budget authorizes the agency to direct more than $600,000 over the next two years toward research on everything from buck mortality to fawn predation. It also would allow the DNR to hire new staffers to update a land cover map that will be used for managing the deer herd...

Central Wis. hunters asked to help fight CWD in deer February 19, 2013 Wisconsin, WAOW
Three deer have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in central Wisconsin ... DNR leaders say the disease was first found in Wisconsin 11 years ago ... "Folks can help us by reporting sick deer," said Kris Johansen, DNR area wildlife supervisor... 

Deer Study, DNR continues to shed light on deer  February 16, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
... The buck study is intended to improve the accuracy and precision of the Sex-Age-Kill deer population model. The fawn study is designed to improve understanding of recruitment rates and causes of mortality.... Yearling male deer survival was 52% in the north and 58% in the east. Hunters caused from 82 to 92% of the mortality. In the north, hunters killed 11 yearling bucks (nine with firearms and two with archery equipment); predators killed no yearling bucks last year in this study area...

CWD discovery won't affect deer season February 16, 2013 Wisconsin, Reedsburg Times Press
Since 2002, 1,283 deer have been tested for CWD in Juneau County. DNR officials announced in January that the infected Juneau County deer was a 4- to 5-year-old buck killed Nov. 18 a few miles north of the agency's CWD management zone's northern ...  it will lead to stepped-up Juneau County surveillance, which will target the area in a 10-mile radius of the spot where the infected deer was discovered....

Walker on target with deer proposal funding February 14, 2013 Wisconsin, Herald Times Reporter
Whitetails in winter display both strength and tenderness. Deer survive in winter by herding up, spending much of the day bedded down in thicker woodlots and moving about to feeding areas in early morning and evening... [Governor] Walker has earmarked the money to help the state employ state-of-the-art technology to review land cover and help DNR experts better understand and project herd population numbers and establish harvest goals accordingly...

New TB Tests for Deer, Elk Approved in Wisconsin February 14, 2013 Wisconsin Ag Connection
State animal health officials announced on Wednesday that two new serologic tests for detecting tuberculosis in deer and elk are now approved for use in Wisconsin. The Cervid TB Stat-Pak and Dual Path Platform tests now meet state and federal regulatory requirements ...

Hunters report more than 24,000 hours of wildlife observations February 13, 2013 Wisconsin
     Preliminary results of the 2012 Wisconsin deer hunter wildlife survey show hunters reported spending 24,868 hours in the field observing wildlife and on average saw 0.39 deer per hour statewide...
     In its fourth year, the survey asks Wisconsin deer hunters to report on wildlife they see while they are in the woods. In 2012, a total of 1,136 Wisconsin deer hunters sent in reports on 5,017 hunting trips. In all, reports were received from 71 counties and 124 of Wisconsin’s 139 deer management units. Trail cam photos can also be submitted.
     “In each succeeding year hunters’ reports become more valuable,” said Jessica Rees, who manages the survey for the Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Science Services. “As year after year of data add up we are able to see emerging trends and changes in wildlife populations that help managers better understand what is going on in of Wisconsin’s wildlife populations.”

Deer-feeding ban continues in 4 northern Wisconsin counties February 13, 2013 Your Daily Globe.com
The ban on feeding deer in Barron, Burnett, Polk and Washburn counties implemented on May 10 because of discovery of chronic wasting disease on an animal on private land in Washburn County remains in effect... Barron, Burnett and Polk counties are within a 10-mile radius of the location of the Washburn County property on which the CWD-positive deer was found. 

Governor on the mark with budget items tied to deer report February 12, 2013 Wisconsin, Green Bay Press Gazette
... initiatives outlined in Wisconsin's white-tailed deer trustee report ...crafted by Dr. James Kroll ... Walker has earmarked the money to help the state employ state-of-the-art technology to review land cover and help DNR experts better understand and project herd population numbers and establish harvest goals accordingly. In addition, the governor plans to fund the creation of a Deer Management Assistance Program, which would be established to improve the interaction between hunters, landowners and the DNR...

DNR seeks public's input on CWD handling February 9, 2013 Wisconsin, WausauDailyHerald.com
... Wisconsin is at a crossroads in the management of chronic wasting disease, commonly referred to as CWD, said Kris Belling, DNR district wildlife supervisor... “As we move forward, we want to hear what everybody has to think, and that will be factored into our decisions,” ... CWD is a prion disease, meaning an abnormal protein affects the nervous system ... infected deer in Juneau County was found in the southern part of the county, less than two miles north of the current CWD management zone boundary ...

Scott Walker to budget $2 million for deer management February 8, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The proposed 2013-'15 Wisconsin budget will include nearly $2 million in deer management initiatives to "assure successful implementation" of the state's white-tailed deer trustee report ... James Kroll, Gary Alt and David Guynn completed the $125,000 project last July. Their report included 62 recommendations for changes to Wisconsin deer management...

Scott Walker to include deer management items in state budget February 8, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 
... Specific to these recommendations, Walker’s budget provisions include authority for DNR to:  Establish Deer Management Assistance Program (D-MAP) ... Invest in Updated Technology ... Fund CWD Testing and Surveillance ... Develop Emergency Rules ... 

Deer tests positive for CWD in Waukesha County February 6, 2013 Wisconsin, 10TV
The agency says it's the first deer in the southeastern Wisconsin county to test positive for the mad-cow-like brain disease.  DNR area wildlife supervisor Tim Lizotte says the finding was not unexpected, since a CWD-positive deer was found 16 miles away in Jefferson County....

 Hunting continues to account for the largest number of adult white-tailed deer mortalities in Wisconsin, while predation accounts for the highest death of fawns, according to recent results from an ongoing deer mortality study.  “Hunter harvest continues to be the greatest cause of death of both adult and yearling bucks,” said Jared Duquette, research scientist and lead researcher for the study, “while predation was the leading cause of fawn mortality, with most predations occurring within the first four to six weeks following birth.”  The Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Science Services has compiled data collected during 2011-12 on the causes of death in white-tailed deer into a new report, “Wisconsin Deer Research Studies, Annual Report 2011-2012.” The report is available on the DNR website by searching for “deer research” (click on the tab for resources).

DNR: Study Continues to Monitor Mortality of Wisconsin Deer February 6, 2013 Wisconsin Ag Connection
Hunting continues to account for the largest number of adult white-tailed deer mortalities in Wisconsin, while predation accounts for the highest death of fawns. That's according to recent results from an ongoing deer mortality study ... " ... with most predations occurring within the first four to six weeks following birth." ...

2012 deer harvest breaks records, continues trends February 5, 2013 Wisconsin, WXOW.com
2012 deer harvest breaks records, continues trends.... The DNR says more than 366,000 deer were harvested in Wisconsin last year  ... Wisconsin is one of the top states in the country for deer harvest research and data, something the DNR credits to cooperative hunters ...

DNR says 2012 deer kill up 5% and includes record buck harvest by archers January 31, 2013 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 
Hunters registered 366,747 deer during the 2012 Wisconsin hunting seasons, according to a report issued Thursday by the Department of Natural Resources. The 2012 deer registration total represents a 5% increase from 2011. Notably, the archery kill of 45,775 bucks in 2012 is a state record... 

Chippewa Herald January 23, 2013 Wisconsin
A Chippewa Falls man was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into deer poaching in the area. Travis M. Ruf, 32 ... authorities believe Ruf killed at least three bucks and one doe illegally.

... We evaluated how frequency-dependent, density-dependent, and intermediate transmission models predicted CWD incidence rates in harvested yearling deer.... Our results indicate a combination of social structure, non-linear relationships between infectious contact and deer density, and distribution of disease among groups are important factors driving CWD infection in young deer. The landscape covariates % deciduous forest cover and forest edge density also were positively associated with infection rates, but soil clay content had no measurable influences on CWD transmission. Lack of strong density-dependent transmission rates indicates that controlling CWD by reducing deer density will be difficult....

New Richmond bans deer feeding January 18, 2013 Wisconsin, Richmond-News
The issue was first discussed last year when several residents complained that deer were hanging around the city because people were putting out feed. They said the rising deer population meant that trees and shrubs were being damaged as the deer ...

Man Shot about 100 Deer in Wisconsin's Vernon, Richland counties  January 17, 2013 Wisconsin, By Outdoor Hub
... “This guy wasn’t hunting. He was poaching,” Nice said of the suspect who is believed to have illegally killed 100 deer during the holiday periods in 2010 and 2011. Blaha roamed the roads shining and shooting bucks and does as they stood blindly in the light. “In my 23 years as a conservation warden, I have never seen another individual come close to that total.” ... 

DNR to conduct aerial survey of deer through February January 10, 2013 Wisconsin, WISC Madison
... DNR biologists are conducting aerial deer counts in portions of the chronic wasting disease management zone.  Regional spokesman Bob Manwell in Fitchburg said in a news release Wednesday that completion of the deer count operation is dependent on the presence of several inches of snow, which helps deer stand out on the landscape from the air.

Mequon approves deer culling contract January 9, 2013 Wisconsin, North Shore Now
... citing concern for driver safety due to wildlife on city roadways. After a 5-2 vote, with Aldermen Dan Abendroth and Andrew Nerbun opposed, the city will pursue a contract with Urban Wildlife Specialists for deer culling, which charges $145 per deer killed...  Alderwoman Pam Adams said the people in her district like to see deer in their yard; however, curbing some of the deer population is necessary.

CWD-infected deer found in central Wisconsin January 8, 2013 Price County Daily
Two deer infected with CWD, or chronic wasting disease, have been discovered in central Wisconsin, including one in Portage County. The DNR is now reassessing its disease management strategy.  One of the infected deer was found in Juneau County ... 

DNR to reassess CWD strategy after discovery of 2 infected deer January 6, 2013 Wisconsin, The Oshkosh Northwestern
In 2002, a farm in the town of Almond had the highest incidence of CWD-positive deer of any farm in North America. According to reports, the property known as Hall farms had 82 deer test positive for CWD between 2002 and 2005.  The Department of Agriculture shot the entire deer herd and the state of Wisconsin bought the farm in 2011. There are reports as many as 40 deer escaped from the farm through a hole cut in the fence surrounding the property... The DNR has a wildlife management ... will meet with the Natural Resources Board in February to discuss the state’s CWD strategy.

Volunteers needed for deer capture January 6, 2013 Wisconsin, Price County Daily
Wisconsin wildlife researchers are moving into the third winter season of a five-year study into the causes of death in white-tailed deer, and they are again seeking volunteers to assist with this groundbreaking study ... To volunteer click on this link for White-tailed Deer Research Projects then click on the "Get Involved" tab... or by contacting Mike Watt at 608-221-6376 or by email michael.watt@wisconsin.gov. 

Deer test positive for CWD in Portage, Juneau counties January 2, 2013 Wisconsin, Ct Post
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says two deer have testified positive for chronic wasting disease — one each in Portage and Juneau counties. It's the first time wild deer have testified positive for the disease in both counties.

Population Goals in 2013 January 2, 2013 Wisconsin, JSOnline.com
Look for the Legislature to revise or delete three long-standing planks of the Wisconsin deer management program: Deer population goals for deer management units (DMUs); the definition of deer range; and the use of the Sex-Age-Kill model to estimate deer numbers.  Granted, the SAK model was rendered useless by Earn-A-Buck regulations and exposed the DNR to substantial criticism; at least some DNR wildlife managers will be happy to see it go...  it will no longer have numerical deer population goals, but will develop "metrics" based on habitat and societal preferences.  

No CWD found in latest tests on deer in northern Wis. December 24, 2012 Wisconsin, WQOW TV News 18
... on Monday we're told that test results are now back on more than 95 percent of the deer and no cases of CWD have been found.

U.S. judge blocks Wisconsin Chippewa's night deer hunt December 17, 2012 Wisconsin, Green Bay Press-Gazette
... U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb wrote in her order that the tribes overstepped their authority when they granted tribal hunters permission to kill deer at night without the state's approval... "The proper response cannot be for each side to decide on its own what the law permits, particularly with an issue that involves public safety concerns,"

Adams County has its first deer test positive for CWD December 13, 2012 Wisconsin, Wisconsin Rapids Tribune
The Adams County CWD deer was south of Lake Arrowhead and east of the Petenwell Flowage when it was killed. That is about 38 miles north of the nearest previous wild deer testing positive for CWD and 25 miles from a Portage County game farm near Almond where CWD deer were found several years ago...

Citizen's assist DNR with illegal nighttime deer hunting arrest December 13, 2012 Wisconsin, Price County Daily
...  complaints range from illegal deer baiting to hunting deer illegally at night or in some cases shining deer from a vehicle and shooting them. One of the best things a warden can have to work with in their assigned work area is an ethical deer hunting community that does not tolerate these violations and has no problem calling the warden or the DNR’s violation hotline number at 1-800-847-9367 ...

Deer hunting: A numbers game, Population Down from Previous Years December 12, 2012 Wisconsin, La Crosse Tribune 
... the all-time record of 528,494 deer taken in 2000. Harvest rates over the next eight years ranged from the low end of 317,888 in 2002 to a high of 413,794 in 2004. However, gun-deer harvest totals fell off the cliff from 2009-2011, with hunters taking 257,511, or fewer, deer each year....  the DNR no longer estimates or “guesstimates” its pre-hunt population ... Our current population goals are set up for an annual harvest around 300,000-350,000 total gun and bow harvest,” ... Kevin Wallenfang, the DNR’s big game ecologist

Wisconsin adopts new CWD rules for farm raised deer December 12, 2012 WHBL Sheboygan
MADISON, WI (WSAU) - Wisconsin received official approval to implement a federal herd certification program for chronic wasting disease, or CWD, in farmed or captive deer...   chief veterinarian Dr. Bob Ehlenfeldt says Wisconsin has had a herd status program for several years, so making the transition to the federal program should be smooth. He says about 400 of Wisconsin’s 600 or so managed deer herds are already in the program...

Wis. hunters register over 243,000 deer this fall December 11, 2012 Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Journal
... a 7.7 percent increase over 2011... close to 115,000 bucks for a 12 percent increase over last year...

CWD found in deer outside management zone in Grant County December 10, 2012 Wisconsin, JSOnline
... The CWD-positive deer was killed about six miles outside the border of the CWD management zone and about eight miles from the nearest positive...  CWD was found only in southern Wisconsin until November 2011 when a CWD-positive deer was found near Shell Lake in northwestern Wisconsin...

DNR looking for more deer volunteers December 10, 2012 Wisconsin, Leader-Telegram
... anyone willing to spend a full day in the woods with biologists, checking traps, taking blood samples, performing ultrasounds on does and fitting deer with radio collars and ear tags before releasing them ... [call] Mike Watt at 608-221-6376.

Responding to more than 2,000 overwhelmingly negative comments, the state Natural Resources Board is being asked to shrink the size of allowed hunting and trapping areas within state parks and trails set to take effect Jan. 1... The law changes the 80-year-old presumption of Wisconsin state parks and trails from closed to hunting, trapping and fishing to open except for zones within 100 yards of areas such as campgrounds and picnic shelters.

     The opening date for hunting and trapping would be moved back in certain parks with a high volume of late fall visitors and horseback riders, and areas around high winter use trail systems in some parks would be included in closed areas, under revisions the Department of Natural Resources State Parks Program is proposing to its original plan to accommodate broader hunting opportunities and open trapping on state park properties.  The changes are being made after review of more than 2,000 written and oral comments the parks program received on their initial proposal to implement the part of a new law the legislature approved earlier this year -- Act 168, known as the Sporting Heritage Bill – that expands hunting and trapping in state parks...
     The Natural Resources Board will also be taking testimony and written comments on this issue the Dec. 11. The board has extended the deadline to register to testify to 4 p.m. Monday Dec. 10. The meeting will be in Room G09 of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 S. Webster St., Madison. The meeting begins at 1 p.m. and the Act 168 implementation plan is the third item on the Tuesday agenda. 

White tailed deer in Wisconsin - December, 2012



Volunteers needed for deer capture December 5, 2012 WDNR News
Wisconsin wildlife researchers are moving into the third winter season of a five-year study into the causes of death in white-tailed deer, and they are again seeking volunteers ...A wealth of data have already been collected thanks to the help of hundreds of volunteers who have helped with the capture and radio-collaring of adult deer during December and January, according to Mike Watt, the Department of Natural Resources research scientist who coordinates the project.

Volunteers are needed again and can sign up online by searching for “deer research” and clicking on the link for “wildlife and forestry research" and then selecting the “get involved” tab. or by contacting Mike Watt at 608-221-6376 or by email michael.watt@wisconsin.gov.

“For a hunter or for anyone interested in whitetail deer this is a fantastic opportunity to work alongside wildlife biologists and research scientists,” Watt said. “Volunteers are asked to give at a minimum a full day in the field checking traps, taking blood and parasite samples, performing ultrasound exams to see if the does are pregnant, installing radio collars and ear tags and releasing the animals. This is hands-on work with live animals and for most, is a once in a lifetime experience.”

There are two study areas, one in northwest Wisconsin in the vicinity of Winter and one in east central Wisconsin in the vicinity of Shiocton. They were chosen for the northern forest and farmland habitat types they represent. For more information on early research findings search the DNR website for “Wisconsin deer research news [PDF].”


Deer and elk researcher joins DNR staff December 5, 2012 WDNR News
Jared Duquette will join the Department of Natural Resources - Bureau of Science Services as DNR's deer and elk research scientist, taking over coordination and guidance of DNR’s ongoing multi-year deer research project into causes of death in white-tailed deer, fawn mortality and recruitment and deer population distance sampling techniques....

... how many cougars Wisconsin could support. The DNR guessed quite a few. "We don't really know that much about the state's carrying capacity... I guess based on their need for heavily forested areas, and their feeding on deer and larger herbivores like that, we can probably estimate it would be in the hundreds," said carnivore ecologist Adrian Wydeven. 

Hunters rack it up for Wisconsin, deer stats December 6, 2012 The Racquet
...  the numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources show that more than 614,000 hunters are licensed to deer hunt this year, which is up over 11,000 from last year's totals ... 243,739 deer were registered in the nine-day gun season.  That total is up over seven percent from last year’s count.  The buck number was also up.  Hunter’s registered killing 114,822 (up 12 percent) bucks this 2012-year....

No new CWD cases so far in northern Wisconsin December 3, 2012 Sawyer County Record
...  testing samples turned in by hunters ... 966 so far ... Department of Natural Resource CWD Biologist Mark Rasmussen said if they get another 100 samples, test results will give them a 90% confidence level of accuracy...

A deer from Racine County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first known CWD-positive in the county. The 3 1/2-year-old doe was harvested near Bohners Lake ... The south-western Racine County positive is about seven miles from the nearest positive in Walworth County and about eight miles from the nearest positive in Kenosha County ...

Deer hunting season memorable as always, deer goals December 1, 2012 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
... The Wisconsin deer herd also was helped this year by a mild winter and early green-up.  Still, the 2012 kill numbers are 45% less than the nine-day record harvest in 2000... . "Most of us consider that level of deer unsustainable." [Scott Roepke, assistant big game ecologist for the DNR] ... In the last two years, DNR managers and biologists have been avoiding any reference to the numerical estimate of the state's deer herd and the state's legislatively mandated deer population goals...

Deer registration numbers up, again November 30, 2012 Wisconsin, Superior Telegram
... The number of deer registered in the northern district dropped one percent from 59,305 in 2011 to 58,813 this year. The downturn is deceptive, Strand said, because the DNR set deer management unit quotas to hold down the antlerless harvest and encourage population growth... The DNR met its collection goal in the newly-formed chronic wasting disease zone near Shell Lake this season... A doe tested positive for CWD west of Shell Lake in Washburn County earlier this year ...

Hostility has no place in wolf management November 30, 2012 Wisconsin
Capital Times
...  Laurie Groskopf ("Conservation" Congress ... "her information differs from the mammalian ecologist's" (Wisconsin's head wolf manager)... She says "dwindling deer count makes wolves aggressive," and 18 percent of farms have problems. In reality: Deer have more than doubled since wolf migration, and scientists said "0.57 percent of farms" had depredation from a "handful" of wolves...

Deer rescued from ice on Tichigan Lake in Racine County November 30, 2012 Wisconsin, Fox11online.com
... Around 10 a.m. Thursday, two people from the Tichigan Volunteer Fire Dept. and state DNR ventured out onto the ice with a sled in tow. Within about 40 minutes, they were able to tie the animal's legs, put it on the sled and drag it back to shore...[see video below]
Deer stranded on thin ice of Racine County lake November 29, 2012 Wisconsin, Fox11online.com
A deer got stuck on the ice on Tichigan Lake ... Racine County and state authorities working to try to help the animal ... All efforts were suspended for the night on Wednesday. Officials say if the deer remains stuck on Thursday morning, they’ll attempt to save him then.

Deer Kill for 2012 gun season November 29, 2012 WDNR News Release
A preliminary tally indicates hunters registered 243,739 deer during Wisconsin’s nine-day gun deer season, up 7.7 percent from 2011. The preliminary tally showed hunters harvested 114, 822 bucks and 128,917 antlerless deer. This compared to 2011 preliminary harvest figures of 102,837 bucks and 123,423 antlerless, for a 12 percent and 4 percent increase respectively.

Deer kill higher than last year November 28, 2012 Wisconsin, Janesville Gazette (blog)
... The DNR’s tally showed hunters killed 243,739 deer between Nov. 17 and Nov. 26. That’s up 7.7 percent from last year’s preliminary count of 226,260 deer. The final count for the 2011 season was 257,511 deer...

Wisconsin gun deer kill increases 7.7% November 28, 2012 Green Bay Press Gazette
... As for the all-important buck numbers, hunters killed 114,822, up 12 percent from last year. They took more in each of the state's four regions — northern, northeastern, southern and west-central — than last year....  The DNR's data show the agency sold a six-year high of 633,460 licenses, up from 621,375 last year. Nearly 29,000 were first-time buyers...

Harvest of White Deer in Wisconsin Fuels Outrage Among Community November 28, 2012 By Outdoor Hub Reporters
It's an unwritten rule among sportsmen and women in Sauk County, Wisconsin that the albino and piebald deer there should be spared from a hunter's bullet or broadhead ... When two such deer were taken by out-of-town hunters on opening weekend of gun season in Wisconsin (Nov. 17 and 18), the community was outraged and the hunters are facing social persecution [see video below]

Residents to petition DNR to change white deer hunting rules - November 29, 2012



Judge says no night hunt for Wis. Chippewa tribes November 28, 2012 Wisconsin, San Francisco Chronicle
A federal judge on Wednesday stalled the Wisconsin Chippewa's plans for hunting deer at night for at least the next two weeks as the state and the tribes gear up for what promises to be a blistering legal fight ... 

Chippewa to judge: night deer hunting is safe November 27, 2012 Wisconsin, Ct Post
 ... the tribes want to hunt deer at night.  They say the wolf hunt has changed everything: Since hunters can use large-caliber bullets to kill wolves in the dark, the DNR can no longer argue about using larger bullets to kill deer at night is too dangerous, they say...

Chippewa prepare to hunt deer at night November 26, 2012 Wisconsin, Appleton Post Crescent
... The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, which oversees the Chippewa’s off-reservation treaty rights, last week authorized tribal hunters to go after deer at night across northern ... DNR officials were livid that the commission authorized the nighttime deer hunting, saying the commission ignored the agency’s safety concerns and acted unilaterally...

Deer hunt marked by warm weather, deer harvest up November 24, 2012 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The 2012 nine-day gun deer season ends Sunday in Wisconsin... The mild winter of 2011-'12 and early spring green-up resulted in good fawn survival as well as good antler growth on bucks.  And less aggressive herd control regulations the last couple years, including prohibiting antlerless harvests in some zones and an end to Earn-A-Buck regulations statewide, have allowed more does to survive and reproduce...The larger deer herd is reflected in the opening weekend kill of about 135,000 whitetails, 19% more than the first two days of 2011... the Department of Natural Resources reported 614,435 deer hunting licenses sold as of opening day, 2% more than last year.

... “We have been informed the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission plans to allow Chippewa Tribal night hunting for deer in the Ceded Territory (roughly the northern third of the state) starting Nov. 26. DNR does not approve of this action and the state will file suit today (Wednesday) seeking a federal court order requiring the Tribes to comply with the court’s prohibition on deer shining and confirming the State’s right to enforce the state shining law against Tribal hunters in the Ceded Territory....

Shooting of white deer was legal, but violates towns' informal code November 21, 2012 Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Journal
... The out-of-town hunters who shot white deer in two small Sauk County communities during opening weekend were within their rights, according to state hunting regulations.  But that doesn't matter to the people of Leland and Plain who have watched the genetically defected animals grow up and consider them part of the area's natural beauty. To them, the hunters ignored an informal alliance...


Killing of white deer ignites controversy in Sauk County - November 21, 2012



Wisconsin deer harvest up 19 percent November 20, 2012 Duluth News Tribune
... A total of 134,772 deer were registered statewide. The harvest increased in all regions, according to a DNR news release. The buck harvest was up 24 percent statewide compared to 2011..

... Preliminary harvest numbers are up in all regions and bucks are up statewide by 24 percent over 2011. Though the harvest is up in all regions, there are areas of the state, primarily in the northern counties, where hunters are reporting low deer sightings ... A breakdown of the harvest by DNR Region and county [PDF]

Deer farms are not what hunting is about November 19, 2012 Wisconsin, Isthmus Daily Page
...  chronic wasting disease, which now infects one in five male deer just west of Madison and is spreading. CWD essentially turns a deer's brain to Swiss cheese ...  these dense deer farms are breeders of disease ... . They hunt in an area surrounded by a high fence to keep the deer densities up. They're taken out to a blind with a guide. Deer bait is nearby. When a genetically enhanced buck (with ludicrously large racks that you would never see in the wild) walks to the bait, the guide instructs the "hunter" on whether or not he can shoot... 

Wisconsin DNR test for chronic wasting disease - November 19, 2012



Hunters mixed on mild weather gun deer opener November 17, 2012 Wisconsin, Leader-Telegram
Wisconsin on Saturday saw one of its mildest gun deer season opening days ... A regional warden who worked opening day in Barron County said hunters he talked with were seeing a lot of deer.  "I don't know if the rut's still going, but what we're hearing from people is they're seeing a lot of deer," Dave Zebro said... In the case of hunters who were unaware of the baiting ban, wardens gave them warnings ...

Scrapes, rubs offer pointers on deer November 17, 2012 Wisconsin, Appleton Post Crescent
... A scrape is where rutting bucks have scratched to the surface of the soil ...  a scrape is where a buck has urinated, leaving a sign for does in the area ... Research shows that the licking branch above the ground scrape is the key to deer communication. Visiting deer of both sexes will lick and chew on this branch as a form of communicating with each other — by taste ...

DNR ramps up outreach to turn around loss of hunters November 17, 2012 Wisconsin, Wausau Daily Herald
... An estimated 550,000 state residents will buy licenses to participate in the hunt this year, down from 644,000 in 2000, according to a 2011 hunting trends analysis by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. By 2030, license sales are projected to slide more than 27 percent, dipping below 400,000.... Men between 35 and 55 are hunting at much lower rates than just 10 years ago...

2012 season will likely open with fewer hunters November 16, 2012 Wisconsin, La Crosse Tribune
... the number of hunters who take part in the state's traditional nine-day firearms deer season has been shrinking  ... When the 2012 gun deer season opens Saturday, there likely will be 70,000 fewer hunters in the woods than there was in 2000... an all-time high of 699,275 gun deer licenses sold in 1990 ... Last November there were 620,534 gun deer hunters ...

To fix deer hunt, heed report's recommendations November 15, 2012 Wisconsin, Wisconsin Rapids Tribune
Wisconsin's gun-deer season opens Saturday ... a handful of these recommendations:  Streamline the state’s hunting rules, Suspend the October gun-deer hunt in the chronic wasting disease zone, Modernize the state’s system for tracking and mapping the deer herd, Empower the Conservation Congress, Involve the public in data collection about the deer herd, Rebuild credibility with hunters ...

This is the first hunt since Deer Trustie James Kroll released several recommendations for more effective management of the deer population... DNR Wildlife Biologist Jeremy Holtz says, "Instead of going with a specific quota - a number of deer per square mile, we use more of a comparative statement."

CWD Still Plagues Deer - Wisconsin, November 14, 2012



Wisconsin's nine-day deer season is at hand November 13, 2012 77Square.com
... The herd has moved south from the thick old-growth forest to the agricultural areas in the southern half. The migration started in the 1960s.  Still, the deer population is spread out unequally throughout the state with habitat and food supply being the most important factors to deer populations... we had a very mild winter throughout the state which should help deer numbers in northern Wisconsin where deer numbers are below average. But we then had a drought worse than anything that we’ve seen in decades...

Deer hunters asked to participate in wildlife survey November 13, 2012 Wisconsin, WDNR News Release
... state wildlife officials are encouraging hunters to record their wildlife observations to help better track population changes and improve management decisions.
The Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey is a great opportunity for hunters to let the Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists know what they are or are not seeing while deer hunting. The easy-to-do survey has hunters recording their deer and other wildlife observations while in the field and then reporting those observations later through an online form.
     To access the survey webpage, search for “deer hunter survey” on the DNR website dnr.wi.gov. Hunters can print a tally sheet to keep track of their observations and then enter them online through January 2013. Individuals that provide their email address – which must be provided at the bottom of every form submitted – will receive a personalized summary of their 2012 deer hunting season. Hunters can also view results of previous years on the deer hunt survey page.  Hunters can also send in trail camera photos and access a trail camera gallery through the deer hunter wildlife survey page.

Hunters are reminded that free chronic wasting disease testing services are available at registration stations within the designated CWD monitoring areas and in selected areas where voluntary surveillance is occurring.
     “Monitoring the occurrence and spread of CWD is an important wildlife management objective. Three CWD monitoring areas [PDF] will have mandatory sampling in 2012. Two areas are at the fringes of the CWD Management Zone and one is in the core area centered near the Dane-Iowa county line,” said DNR wildlife supervisor Eric Lobner.
For maps and a list of registration stations go to the DNR website dnr.wi.gov and search for “CWD sampling.” Many of the listed stations are also drop-off points for the venison donation program. Hours may vary at some locations so calling ahead is recommended.

Hunters file brief to oppose wolf hunting with dogs November 13, 2012 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Mainstream Wisconsin hunters are concerned that the lack of reasonable rules currently governing the use and training of dogs to hunt wolves will interfere with established deer, turkey, grouse and other hunts,” said Henry Koltz, an attorney ... Wisconsin is the only state in the country that allows the use of dogs to hunt wolves. 

OK to harvest tagged/collared deer; Watch out for elk & moose November 11, 2012 Wisconsin, WDNR News Release
     Hunters preparing for the November 17 - 25 gun-deer season in Wisconsin are reminded any of the white-tailed deer tagged or collared for research purposes may be harvested, and are asked to please take the time to ensure your target is not one of the two protected species which call Wisconsin home -- the elk and the moose.
     The requested information about marked deer include: ear tag or radio collar number; how, when and where the animal died or was harvested; and, the hunter’s phone number, complete with area code. Hunters are being asked to call Watt at (608) 221-6376 to report this information.  Watt and his colleagues marked the deer in the northern counties of Rusk, Sawyer and Price, and the east central counties of Shawano, Waupaca and Outagamie as part of the buck mortality study and fawn predation study...
     Both elk and moose call Wisconsin home and could be mistaken for a deer if hunters don’t take the time to be sure of their target and what’s beyond. Elk and moose are both protected species in Wisconsin.  Elk occupy portions of Ashland, Bayfield, Price, and Sawyer Counties...  Moose sightings have been most frequent in Wisconsin’s northernmost counties this fall, but also as far south as Taylor and Langlade counties.  

Deer numbers, end of quotas November 11, 2012 Wisconsin, Leader-Telegram
... The controversial earn-a-buck rule — which required a hunter to shoot a doe before being eligible to shoot a buck in certain areas with high deer populations — has been permanently scrapped by the state Legislature. The four-day late October antlerless deer hunt — which also was used to reduce deer numbers in units with populations that were substantially over management goals — was also ended by the Legislature... Wallenfang, the DNR big game ecologist, said that while deer numbers are generally rebounding around the state, areas in the north remain below goals...

Wisconsin Deer Herd November 11, 2012 Duluth News Tribune
“Most of the deer management units in northwest Wisconsin are about at goal,” said Ken Jonas, area wildlife supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at Hayward. “We had an excellent year for the fawn crop. The adult deer came into spring healthy. That means they were producing fawns of high birth weight and good survival.” ... Wisconsin’s nine-day gun deer season opens Saturday, much earlier in November than it often opens...

Ranches promise trophy deer; critics call them unsportsmanlike November 11, 2012 Wisconsin, La Crosse Tribune
... since the discovery of chronic wasting disease, a fatal brain illness, in Wisconsin’s wild white-tail deer population, wildlife experts worry about the role of private deer farms and ranches in the potential spread of CWD or other diseases... high-fenced spreads where, for anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000 or more, you can shoot a trophy buck ... The DNR estimates there are about 55 such private hunting operations and around 500 deer farms ... state law requires that hunting ranches be a minimum of 80 acres ... 

Deer hunters forced to live with change November 10, 2012 Wisconsin, Green Bay Press Gazette
... No one in 1971 ever imagined Wisconsin would annually register more than 300,000 whitetails, and yet be so grumpy that a governor would appoint a “deer czar” to sprinkle fun flakes on our army of 675,000 deer hunters ... gun-hunters in 1971 killed 70,835 deer and archers chipped in 6,522. In fact, in 1962 the Wisconsin Conservation Department confidently predicted it could manage the herd to sustain annual gun-kills of 100,000 deer...

Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic.



Wisconsin Data: Pre-hunt deer population estimated at about 1.5 million.  Estimated 1.14 million deer after 2011 hunting season and 1.16 million deer after 2010 hunting season.   Estimated 990,000 deer in January 2010.  Down significantly since 2000 based on legislated deer goals. Deer hunting estimated to have $1 billion in economic impact on the state, according the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and wildlife watchers outnumber the state's 700,000 hunters. 

Other estimates:
Estiimated pre-hunt deer in 2008: 1.52
Estimated pre-hunt deer in 1993: 1.15 million.
About 150 elk in 2012, Approximately 1,000 wolves in the state as of 2011 and 40,000 to 50,000 coyotes, many of which contain wolf DNA

 - To report a sick deer observation please call the DNR call center toll free at 1-888-WDNR- INFo (1-888-936-7463), email DNRInfo@Wisconsin.gov, or use the chat feature on the DNR website.
- To report poaching, call the DNR at 1-800-847-9367

Other useful links:
- Operation Deer Watch - volunteers collecting data for DNR
- Wisconsin Deer Population Goals September, 2012
- Whitetails Unlimited, a national non-profit conservation organization ... dedicating our resources to the betterment of the white-tailed deer and its environment.
- Wisconsin - - Department of Natural Resources
Scroll down for more tweets

DNR Weekly News



DNR Outdoor Report




INTERIM REPORT OF FINDINGS BY, WISCONSIN WHITE-TAILED DEER TRUSTEE AND REVIEW COMMITTEE MARCH, 2012 
Drs. James C. Kroll (Trustee), David C. Guynn, Jr. and Gary L Alt 
Presented to,Wisconsin Department of Administration Madison, Wisconsin

Interim Report Summary



Deer Trustee Calls for Involvement of People

"Estimating the number of deer you have is the La Brea Tar Pit of deer managment"  Dr. James Kroll

End of Earn a Buck



The state has developed a survey system that uses observations from people around the state, a program that has gotten some significant press attention. Wisconsin Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey "The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is asking for your help in monitoring the relative abundance and distribution of deer and other mammalian/avian wildlife species in the state....Since deer hunters often spend many quiet observation hours in the woods, you can provide valuable information about species that are often very difficult to measure. Past efforts in Wisconsin and other states (Ohio, Iowa and Missouri) have provided wildlife agencies with valuable information for managing many wildlife species.

WISCONSIN'S DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Bureau of Integrated Science Services, at 608-266-0531 for more information. ... tion goals for sections of the state called deer management units.
Deer Rehabilitation Policy - WDNR June 7, 2011 Information about deer rehabilitation in Wisconsin.

Interview with New Wisconsin Deer Czar, November 15, 2011

 

Petting Zoos With Deer in Wisconsin Central Wisconsin: Wisconsin Deer Park (wisdeerpark.com) in Wisconsin Dells; Here is a review from Tripadvisory.com: I go to this every year, I went multiple times on my last visit. I absolutely LOVE this place! You get one on one with deer! I love animals and nature. And being with them is just amazing. And even though it's in the city part of the Dells you don't really hear outside noise when you're there. It's really peaceful and fun. Definitely check this out if you love deer and other animals.
Southwestern Wisconsin: Peck's Farm Market East (pecksfarmmarketeast.com) 
Southeastern Wisconsin: Lake Geneva Animal Gardens (animalgardens.com)
Norther Wisconsin: Wilderness Walk Zoo and Recreation Park (wildernesswalkhaywardwi.com)

Ghost Deer