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  VOL: 9 ISSUE: 924 - 14 JUNE 2014 |
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Do you approve of the new trolling regulations recently passed by the Natural Resources Board?
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  When you LEAVE a COMMENT & YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS, you are entered into the drawing - for a ZipVac
portable vacuum sealer starter kit, complete with a rechargeable pump, a
hand-operated pump and reusable, resealable storage bags. |
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 Dan Small Outdoors Radio -- EVENTS CALENDAR• FISHING CONTESTS: Find them ALL online: @ American Fishing Contests | |||||||||||
Spring turkey harvest sees increase despite harsh winter
MADISON - Despite a
long and severe winter, Wisconsin turkey hunters registered a total of
41,815 birds during the 2014 spring turkey hunting season. This is a
10.7 percent increase from the 2013 spring season.
"I think many hunters were pleasantly surprised by the number of birds they were seeing in the field, given the prolonged winter weather," said Scott Walter, upland wildlife ecologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. "It certainly appears that impacts were localized, with winter flocks inhabiting areas without access to food likely seeing the greatest impacts." Zone 1 produced the highest overall turkey harvest at 12,188 birds, followed by zones 3 and 2, where hunters registered 10,519 and 10,363 turkeys respectively. Success rates were up in zones 1-5 and down only slightly in zones 6 and 7, where winter weather likely had some impact on overall turkey numbers. In 2014, the statewide success rate was 19.9 percent, compared to 17.9 in 2013. "Decent weather for hunting throughout much of the season certainly allowed hunters to hit the woods hard this spring and likely contributed to the increase in harvest," said Krista McGinley, DNR assistant upland wildlife ecologist. "The fact that we saw an increase also paints a picture of a turkey population that's still in good shape." The National Wild Turkey Federation has identified a large portion of the heavily wooded northern region as a focus area. NWTF will concentrate funding and management efforts to address habitat-limiting factors within these focus areas. "In the northern forest we need to provide foods that can sustain turkeys through harsh winters and brood habitat to increase productivity so that flocks can quickly recover from severe winters", said Rick Horton, NWTF conservation field supervisor. The number of permits issued for this year's hunt decreased slightly (by less than 0.5 percent), from 211,307 to 210,496. This decline in part reflects a department decision to reduce over-the-counter permit availability by 25 percent in zones 4 and 5 and eliminate leftover permits entirely in zones 6 and 7. "I think the modest permit reduction was a nice compromise that allowed us to respond to hunter concerns," said Walter. 2014 fall seasonThe fall turkey season will require many hunters to employ a different hunting strategy compared to the spring season. In the fall, hunters generally try to ambush turkeys moving between roosting and feeding sites or break up flocks and try to call in a bird as the flock reassembles.The number of birds available for hunters to pursue this fall will depend to some extent on weather conditions experienced over the next month. "Thus far, we've had a fairly wet spring," said Walter. "Warm, dry weather over the next month or so will help to ensure that a good crop of young turkeys is produced." The fall 2014 wild turkey season will run from Sept. 13 to Nov. 20, with an extended season in Turkey Management Zones 1 through 5, from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31. The deadline for applying for a fall permit through the lottery process is Aug. 1. Applications cost $3 and can be purchased through the Online Licensing Center, at license sales locations or by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4263). The 2014 Fall Turkey and 2015 Spring Turkey regulations are included in the 2014 Wisconsin Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet and will be available soon on the hunting regulations page of the DNR website. For a hard copy, visit DNR service centers and license vendors. For more information, visit the DNR website and search keyword turkey. Read more here: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Ruffed grouse survey indicates minor population decline
MADISON - Ruffed
grouse populations in Wisconsin have shown another slight decline this
spring, according to a recent roadside ruffed grouse survey. Results
from this survey help DNR biologists monitor the cyclic population
trends of ruffed grouse in the state.
"The index that Wisconsin uses to track ruffed grouse decreased 1 percent between 2013 and 2014," said Brian Dhuey, DNR wildlife surveys coordinator. "This decrease is quite minor, and isn't unexpected at this point in the population cycle. Ruffed grouse populations are known to rise and fall over a nine to 11 year cycle. The last peak in Wisconsin's cycle occurred in 2011. We are headed to the low point in the cycle, which usually occurs in years ending in a 4, 5, or 6, so we are either at the low point or getting close; only time will tell." Roadside surveys to monitor the number of breeding grouse have been conducted by staff from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, tribal groups and numerous grouse enthusiasts and volunteers since 1964. Surveyors begin 30 minutes before sunrise and drive along established routes, making 10 stops at assigned points and listening for four minutes for the distinctive "thump, thump, thump" sound made by drumming male grouse. The number of drums heard per stop in 2014 was down 1 percent statewide from the previous year. One of the primary regions for grouse in the state, the central region, showed a 24 percent drop in the number of drums heard per stop. A second primary region in northern Wisconsin showed a 3 percent increase. According to Scott Walter, DNR upland wildlife ecologist, maturation of southern Wisconsin's forest community in recent decades and the resulting loss of dense, brushy areas that grouse need for cover has led to a lower ruffed grouse population. "Ruffed grouse are closely linked to young forest habitats that develop following disturbances, notably logging activities," Walter said. "While we often focus as hunters on grouse numbers in a single year, it's important to remember that the long-term health of grouse and other early-successional wildlife is dependent upon the availability of the dense young cover they require. In Wisconsin, we need to ensure that enough timber harvests are occurring to meet the habitat needs of ruffed grouse and other early-successional dependent wildlife" In regard to the slight increase in northern Wisconsin, Gary Zimmer, coordinating biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society, points to this past winter's harsh weather. "While cold temperatures and deep snow are generally hard on resident wildlife populations, ruffed grouse often thrive in winters like the one we just experienced," noted Zimmer. "Grouse roost under the snow, which can effectively serve as a blanket to hide them from predators' view and keep them warm even during very cold periods. It might be well below zero out in the open, but under even a few inches of snow the temperature might only be a few degrees below freezing. Grouse also utilize tree buds as food during winter, so snow cover doesn't reduce food availability." Zimmer continues, "Weather conditions, especially during the brood rearing period in late May and early June, also play an important role in the fall ruffed grouse numbers. Newly-hatched grouse chicks are very sensitive to chilling, and warm, dry conditions allow high survival during the first few weeks of life." "Grouse hunters are used to the cyclic nature of ruffed grouse populations, and know that during low periods grouse can still be found in the best cover. Hunters might have to work a bit harder to flush birds, but sunny October days with your dog in the north woods are tough to beat, and Wisconsin still has some of the best grouse hunting in the country," Zimmer said. Complete survey results can be found by visiting the DNR Website and searching for wildlife reports. For more information on ruffed grouse in Wisconsin, search ruffed grouse hunting.
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Friday, June 13, 2014
DSORe eNews Vol.9 Issue S924
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