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Develop good cleaning habits and get rewarded with WDNR goodies and reduced invasive species. What a deal!
photo c. WDNR ©2013 |
Record number of counties, waters involved in July 4 aquatic invasive species landing blitz
Free boat inspections, towels, ice packs get out aquatic invasive species prevention message –
MADISON – A record 52 counties will have volunteers and staff at boat
landings over the July 4 holiday to provide free boat inspections, hand
out free towels and ice packs, and educate boaters and others on how to
stop the spread of aquatic invasive species
to new lakes and rivers. The holiday landing blitz, July 4-7, will
cover more than 250 popular waters statewide, up from 200 the year
before, says Mike Putnam, the Department of Natural Resources aquatic
invasive species staffer coordinating the event.
“It’s great to see the outpouring of enthusiasm people have for
keeping their waters clean,” Putnam says. “The prevention message will
be getting out in all corners of the state.
Summer on the lake, hunting waterfowl in wetlands, and canoeing down
rivers are experiences Wisconsinites want to keep for the next
generation.”
The Clean Boats Clean Waters program operates
throughout the boating season, but the Landing Blitz is a concentrated
effort during the busiest boating weekend to educate boaters on what
they can do, and what they’re required by law to do, to prevent the
spread of aquatic invasive species like Eurasian water-milfoil and zebra mussels, Putnam says.
These steps include inspecting boats and trailers for plants or
animals, removing any attached plants and animals, draining all lake
water from livewells and bilges, and never moving live fish or lake
water away from a lake. Leftover bait may be taken away in up to 2
gallons of water and may be used again on the same waterbody or on
another water if no fish or water has been added to their container.
“Boaters found practicing the prevention steps may be rewarded with
one of the complimentary towels DNR is providing Landing Blitz
partners,” Putnam says. “It’s our way of saying thanks and keep up the
good work to keep Wisconsin lakes, rivers and fish healthy.”
DNR and partners are giving away limited supplies of towels and ice
packs this summer as part of a new campaign aimed at getting more people
to follow laws requiring that water be drained from livewells and the
bucket holding their day’s catch.
The ice packs encourage anglers to move their catch on ice rather
than water, which can contain microscopic invasives like zebra mussel
larvae.
Staff and volunteers hail from more than 150 participating groups,
including towns, villages, counties, a regional planning commission, and
tribal governments. Strong support comes from numerous lake
associations, lake districts, and sanitary districts on specific lakes
or chains of lakes, Putnam says.
New this year, science honors students in Siren will be covering six
lakes in Burnett County and several State Representatives will be
visiting local boat inspections during the Landing Blitz. Berry Lake in
Oconto county will be hosting Rep. Jeffrey Mursau of Crivitz and Rep.
Steve Kestell will visit Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County.
A stand worth taking
Although more than 180 invasive species live in Lake Michigan, fewer
than 30 have made it to inland Wisconsin waters so far. And thanks to
recent regulations, invasions to the Great Lakes appear to have stopped,
says Bob Wakeman, who coordinates DNR aquatic invasive species
management.
“More than 90 percent of Wisconsin boaters tell us they are aware of
the laws to prevent aquatic invasive species from spreading, and
monitoring with our partners has confirmed that people, not wildlife,
are the source of new invasions,” says Wakeman. “To me this says we have
the power to shut aquatic hitchhikers down by taking a few simple steps
ourselves, and encouraging friends and family to do the same.”
That hundreds of citizens are preparing, for the fifth year, to spend
their holiday weekend inspecting boats and helping their neighbors is a
promising sign, he says.
Read more here:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
- Mike Putnam - (608) 267-9868
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This year, the Wisconsin wolf hunt quota was set with diverse input to try to balance many of the social interests in wolves.
photo c. WDNR ©2013 |
2013 wolf season quota set at 275 by Wisconsin Natural Resources Board
MADISON - The Natural Resources Board today approved the 2013
Wisconsin wolf season quota of 275 as proposed by the Department of
Natural Resources Wolf Advisory Committee. The quota was set with the
intention of continuing to reduce the state’s wolf population toward
management goals.
“Wolves and wolf hunting seasons evoke a spectrum of emotions and
opinions from people. This quota was set with diverse input to try to
balance many of the social interests in wolves with the need, and the
department’s responsibility, to manage the state’s wolf population,”
said Dave MacFarland, DNR carnivore specialist. “Goals established in
our current management plan are lower than our current population. The
quota approved today will put downward pressure on the number of wolves
in the state in accordance with the approved plan.”
The DNR Wolf Advisory Committee, comprised of DNR staff along with
stakeholders and partners representing the agriculture industry, the
Chippewa tribes, Wisconsin Conservation Congress, sportsman groups, and
statewide organizations with a vested interest in wolf management,
proposed the 2013 quota.
The upcoming season’s quota of 275 is an increase over 2012’s quota
of 201. State hunters and trappers harvested 117 wolves during the
inaugural season.
The state’s current late-winter 2013 minimum count is 809 to 834
wolves. This count is similar to the late winter population count prior
to the 2012 wolf hunt.
“It is important to note that this is the minimum number of wolves
the state is estimated to have in late winter, at the point where wolf
population is at its lowest and just prior to the birth of pups,” said
MacFarland. “This late winter minimum count approximately doubles in
spring of each year after pups are born, and then declines throughout
the year.”
Analysis of available data, review of published scientific
literature, and use of population modeling tools suggests the quota, if
reached, will result in an approximate 10 to 20 percent reduction in the
2014 late winter count, according to MacFarland.
“We want people to understand that meeting a quota of 275 wolves does
not equal removal of over a third of the current minimum population,”
said MacFarland. “The committee has been working closely with University
of Wisconsin researchers and based on our best population modeling
knowledge, we estimate the approved quota could reduce the population by
approximately 13 percent taking all mortality factors into account.”
The quota will be distributed across the landscape with six hunting
and trapping zones, identical to last year. The harvestable quota
established for each zone concentrates hunting pressure more in areas
with higher potential for agricultural conflicts, allowing for higher
population densities in core wolf habitat where potential for conflict
is lower.
Though the quota has been decided, the amount of wolves harvestable
by state trappers and hunters may be adjusted dependent on tribal
harvest declarations. Once that is determined, DNR can confirm the quota
and the total licenses that will be available to state hunters and
trappers.
The department will maintain the 10-to-1 license-to-quota ratio from
the 2012 season. One half of available permits will be issued randomly
among all permit applications and the second half will be issued through
a cumulative preference point drawing. Successful applicants will be
notified by letter, likely in mid to late September. Applicants who are
not successful in the drawing will be awarded a preference point toward
future drawings.
Those interested in obtaining a license or a preference point for the
2013 season must apply by Aug. 1. The permit application fee is $10 and
applications can be purchased from authorized license agents, over the Internet through the DNR Online Licensing Center or by phone at 1-877-945-4236 toll free.
The season is set to begin Oct. 15 and will run in each zone until
the zone is closed by the DNR or the last day of February, whichever
occurs first. The department has the authority to close hunting zones
when quotas are met or earlier if deemed biologically necessary.
For more information, visit the Wisconsin DNR site and search keyword wolf.
Read more here:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
- Dave MacFarland, DNR carnivore specialist - (715) 365-8917
- Bill Vander Zouwen, DNR wildlife ecology section chief - (608) 266-8840
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