Charlie

Buffalo County Wisconsin Cougar Photographed

July 19, 2012 by Charlie Leave a Comment

News Release Published: July 18, 2012 by the West Central Region WDNR

EAU CLAIRE – An avid outdoorsman, using a trail camera for the first time on recently purchased land in Buffalo County, came up with pictures of a wild turkey, a white-tailed deer and, surprisingly, a wild roaming cougar.
A wildlife biologist with the state Department of Natural Resources, Kris Johansen, visited the site with a warden and confirmed the background vegetation in the photograph matched the site. In addition, the biologist found and identified cougar tracks on a small patch of sand in the area.

Nighttime trail camera picture on July 14-15 making for quite a surprise to the new landowner

However, with dry, hard soil throughout the area, it was not possible to track this animal. Cougars are famous for their ability to remain concealed from view and to move across large distances without being detected. The best chance for additional information on this cougar might be another trail camera or an observant individual who recognizes cougar sign.

Buffalo County is a trophy deer mecca and both landowners and guides use trail cameras extensively.

“There are probably more trail cameras in Buffalo County, per-capita, than in any other county in the state,” said Johansen. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up on camera again.”

While there have been several verified sightings of cougars in Wisconsin in recent years this was only the second verified sighting in 2012. A cougar was verified near Crandon in northeast Wisconsin on March 26. In all cases where biological material was available (hair, scat, blood) the cougars were identified as young, male, North American cougars

DNA testing of biological samples and other evidence has confirmed that at least six individual male cougars have visited Wisconsin since 2008.

This latest cougar was photographed in northern Buffalo County between Gilmanton and Mondovi sometime after dark Saturday. DNR staff is searching the area for additional prints or biological samples, but so far none have been found. Without DNA, it is not possible to say whether this is a new individual or a previously identified cougar.

There is currently no evidence that cougars are breeding in Wisconsin. Biologists believe the cougars known to have entered Wisconsin are male cougars dispersing from a breeding population in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Evidence shows that at least three of these cougars moved on and left the state. One of these, the “St. Croix cougar” that entered Wisconsin from Minnesota during the winter of 2009-2010, was killed by a vehicle in Connecticut in 2011. Biologists estimate that cougar traveled at least 1,055 miles and possibly as far as 1,600 miles.

Cougars are a protected species in Wisconsin and cannot be shot unless attacking a human or a domestic animal. Cougar attacks on humans are exceedingly rare. They are rarely seen even in western states where they exist in high numbers.

By charlie:

Cats like birds. By most accounts there are more wild turkey poults this year than usual so he should be well feed with no reason to move on. What you think?

Bulllet Head Stamp Gallery

July 16, 2012 by Charlie 10 Comments

Have you ever look at the bottom of your bullets? Usually you see an indication of the brand, so big deal, of course you know the brand, you removed it from the box. What if you’re going through some old stuff and encounter some loose rounds with head stamps you have never seen before and you start to wonder.

I recent question by huntfishtrap on the Outdoor Life forum asking about some .22 LR rounds his Grandfather had; this had an HP stamp. As a young man I burned a lot of those Hi-Power Federal rounds so I knew that one well. Then I got to thinking there are lots of ammo companies no longer in business or they have changed their logos, so how would one go about finding this information.

After some extensive searching I found an interesting site The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners here they have galleries of head stamps where you can look up head stamps and see images of them or if you have one that is not there yet it can be uploaded. A great historcial archive!

Complete Gallery of Rimfire

The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners general gallery

This is one of the boxes Federal Hi-Power 22 LR came in.

Wild Turkeys in Hot Dry Weather

July 13, 2012 by Charlie Leave a Comment

Wild turkey hen with a brood of poults.
Photo by Kevin Cole

Many hunters and other nature lovers are wondering; how all the hot, dry weather is affecting the wild turkeys? They are all going die off…
Not necessarily. Wild turkeys do not require very much water on a daily basis, as a matter of fact, they get most of their moisture from the food they eat even if this food appears dry to us. Dying plants produce more food for turkeys; some attract more insects, while others cast off seeds and nuts. There are a lot very arid habitats in the Western U.S. that have very healthy populations of turkeys. That being said, I don’t like the heat or the extreme dryness any more than anyone else but apparently, so far, the wild turkeys are loving it.

Wild turkey nesting success rates were high due to warm and dry spring
photo by charlie elk

If my observation of brood flocks and those of other hunters is any indication; we have an unprecedented nesting success rates here in Wisconsin. In most cases, wild turkeys do better in drier conditions rather than wet especially during the brood

season.

So how can all the dried and dying plants produce the food growing poults need?

There are hosts of insects, particularly beetles that feed on or under the dead plants. These dead and dying plants have seed pods, flower buds, catkins, pine cones, plus failing ag crops such as beans or peas, etc. are all eaten by turkeys, when there is a drought the bush, tree or plant sheds them early making an easy ground food source the turkeys relish. Depending on the area, failed ag crops may not get harvested at all; it’s very likely they may be plowed under sometime after the crop insurance has paid. If these are not turned under or cut for silage, the standing crop will provide food above the snow and valuable thermal cover.

We become dismayed as we watch the receding water levels of swamps, ponds, rivers & lakes. However, the wild turkey must celebrate as the water recedes a shoreline full of high protein dead aquatic delights (minnows, leeches, water bugs & all the different water plant buds and seed pods) are exposed for easy feeding.

The other day I was out in mid-Southeastern Wisconsin where it is currently arid, a particularly parched & wilted corn field was full of turkeys feeding on the immature dried out ears of corn. The farmer, of course, was very distressed, who can blame him as he watches his livelihood turn to dust. Fortunately, crop insurance will help him and perhaps some of our hunting organizations should pay some of these farmers to leave the destroyed crops in the field until next spring to benefit all wildlife and the soil if the drought continues.

Come this fall and the spring of 2013 there should be a bumper crop of turkeys. Wild turkeys continue to amaze me with their survival tenacity.

Survey Wisconsin Hunter Numbers are Dropping

July 10, 2012 by Charlie Leave a Comment

Hunters called to protect state’s hunting heritage

Hey, where did the hunters go?

By: Keith Warnke, DNR Hunting and Shooting Sport Coordinator

Survey: hunter numbers dropping

We had 11 hunters, including five kids, at our deer camp last year. Sleeping arrangements were a bit complex, but we made it work. In the moments before dawn, all 11 were up and dressed ready to venture out to their posts to play an assigned role in the group hunt.

That’s hunting in Wisconsin — steeped in tradition and family values. There are hunting families and camps that have persisted for generations. Others, like ours, can only claim a decade or two of fun stories. If you only talk with hunting friends – in person or electronically – it’s easy to get the feeling there will always be as many hunters as there are today.

A look at statistics gives a different picture, however. The total number of hunters the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported to the federal government has declined from 770,000 in 2000 to about 704,000 in 2010. A recent demographic analysis published in Population and Environment predicts the number of resident male deer hunters will decline by more than 25 percent in the next 18 years. The figures predict an average decline of 1.6 percent per year with the drop off accelerating in the later years.

Moreover, DNR surveys reveal the number of small game hunters has declined by an average 2 percent per year for the past eleven years and attendance at Hunter Education courses has dropped by an average of 2 percent per year since 2000.

The evidence indicates we are at the beginning of a long, steady decline in number of hunters in Wisconsin. With more than 700,000 still hunting in the Badger State, should we respond now? Yes.

Yes, because we still have a lot of hunters. And, hunters are the only ones who will be able to ensure our future by mentoring new hunters. Further, there’s no successful model to follow for recruiting new hunters and hunter numbers are declining around the nation. We need time to learn what works for hunter recruitment in the 21st century.

Efforts to slow the decline have been growing in popularity recently. Groups and partners around the state have offered the Learn to Hunt program where anyone 10 years old or older (including adults) can try hunting with a mentor, without passing hunter education. In addition, people participating in an organized Learn to Hunt event are not required to have a hunting license. Licenses are required for youth hunts and for mentored hunting outside of Learn to Hunt events. More than 10,000 people have participated in a Learn to Hunt program around the state since the first one occurred in 1997. Last year participation increased by more than 10 percent — a great sign.

Change is in the air as we continue to grow the hunter recruitment and retention program. We are actively recruiting more and more adults and families to learn to hunt events using the DNR website to open up registration to anyone looking for an event. (Search keyword “LTH” at dnr.wi.gov to find an event near you.) Streamlined access to hunter education courses will be made available for adults who are interested in starting up. We can track the successful recruitment of a new hunter over time and hopefully identify the factors that lead to lifelong interest. And, finally, we are piloting a course designed to teach interested adults to hunt and provide the first-time hunting experience at Madison College this fall.

Now comes the hard part: Sacrifice is required to make a new hunter. Maintaining our hunting heritage will only be successful if we all take it on. We can all increase the focus on mentoring adults and families into hunting. It takes time and commitment and I believe we have enough of both. Stay tuned for more information on what you can do and how you can be involved in protecting your hunting heritage.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke – 608-576-5243

Wisonsin Department of Natural Resources press release June 5, 2012

Hunters encounter mild weather, new registration options

Wisconsin Wild Turkey

MADISON – Turkey hunters took advantage of comfortable hunting conditions this spring, judging by the preliminary registration total of 42,612 turkeys, a 6 percent increase over the spring 2011 turkey season. A total of 201,984 permits were issued for this year’s hunt, down slightly from the 2011 total of 210,384.

Unseasonably warm weather characterized much of the season, in stark contrast to last year when snow, wind, and rain hindered hunters during the early time periods.

“It really was an amazing contrast, weather-wise, from last year’s hunt,” said Scott Walter upland wildlife ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources. “Last year, there was snow on the ground, below-freezing temperatures, and high winds during the first time period. This year, spring was at the other extreme, probably two or three weeks ahead of normal, and the green-up was already quite advanced by the first week of May. Those who hunted later in the season definitely had denser vegetation and more mosquitoes to deal with than they likely expected.”

Zone 1 again produced the highest overall turkey harvest at 12,075 birds, followed by Zones 2 and 3, where hunters registered 10,486 and 10,283 turkeys, respectively. The highest hunter success was in Zone 2 with a preliminary success rate of 26 percent, followed by Zone 3 at 21 percent and Zone 1 at 20 percent. Success rates were between 16 percent and 19 percent for Zones 4 through 7. Overall, the statewide success rate was 21.1 percent, up from 19.1 percent last year.

The very different weather conditions during the 2011 and 2012 seasons may also have influenced how hunter effort was distributed throughout the season. Harvest during the first time period was 29 percent higher in 2012 than in 2011, but tapered off more steeply throughout the season.

“After the first time period, I was expecting a big jump in overall harvest,” Walter noted. “We did end up 6 percent higher than last year, but we actually harvested fewer turkeys during the last two periods than we did in 2011.”

Turkeys spread quickly from the initial 1976 stocking in Vernon County, and today are found statewide in areas with suitable habitat. As the number of both turkeys and turkey hunters increased in the state, so have annual harvests. Turkey populations have now stabilized across the state, and Walter says hunters should expect to see annual harvest levels nudge upward and downward from year to year in response to factors that tend to regulate turkey populations; weather is one such influence.

“Successful reproduction by turkeys is dependent upon suitable conditions during the May nesting and June brood-rearing periods, and turkeys in the northern part of the state can be impacted by severe winter weather,” stated Krista McGinley, assistant DNR upland wildlife ecologist. “Given dry spring weather and mild winters, turkeys can increase quickly in number, but wet springs and harsh winters can slow population growth from one year to the next. Hunters should expect to see this sort of annual variation in turkey numbers and annual harvests now that turkeys have saturated the available habitat.”

“With the weather cooperating as it did, the 2012 spring season was exceptional in the opportunities it created for camaraderie with friends and family,” Walter said.

That was reflected in a 16 percent jump in the number of turkeys registered during the two-day Youth Hunt.

“The legion of folks out there who served as mentors or in other capacities to introduce folks to hunting this spring really deserve credit,” Walter added. “They really cast hunting in its most positive light. Their actions serve not only to introduce people to the outdoors, but also to the experiential, spiritual, and community-building aspects of hunting that are all too often neglected in the public’s eye. The National Wild Turkey Federation and its members perhaps best exemplify this emphasis, through their strong support of hunter education and Learn to Hunt programs around the state.”

Telephone, online registration working well

This season was the first spring turkey hunt in which hunters didn’t have to transport their turkey to a registration station to get it registered due to phone-in and online registration systems, first introduced with the fall 2011 turkey hunt. Hunters seem to have transitioned to the new systems well.

“The majority of hunters have expressed satisfaction with the new systems, frequently citing their convenience; quite a few stated that they were able to register their turkey via cellphone right in the field,” McGinley said.

Hunters are reminded that these remote registration systems will be in place for all future spring and fall turkey seasons. No in-person registration will be available.

2012 fall season

Biologists say the recent mild winter bodes well for turkeys in Wisconsin, as well as prospects for this fall’s season.

“The fact that hunters were frequently harvesting exceptionally heavy gobblers this spring suggests that turkeys came out of the winter in good condition. This is especially important in the northern zones, where harsh winters can lead to mortality, and suggests that turkeys statewide likely entered the spring in good condition for breeding,” McGinley said.

A successful nesting and brood-rearing season will help propel turkey numbers upward. Generally speaking, dry conditions during June keep newly-hatched chicks from getting chilled and suffering from exposure, and lead to good production in all upland game bird species.

“Things were relatively dry during the nesting season. Most turkey nests hatch around the first of June in Wisconsin, and though we’ve had a bit of rain lately, dry weather over the next few weeks will help those chicks survive the critical first few weeks,” said McGinley.

The 2012 Fall Turkey and 2013 Spring Turkey regulations are included in the 2012 Wisconsin Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, available on the Hunting Regulations page of the DNR website and in hard copy at DNR Service Centers and license vendors. For more information search for “turkey” on the DNR website.

The fall 2012 wild turkey season will run from Sept. 15 through Nov. 15, with an extended season in Turkey Management Zones 1-5 only from Nov. 26 through Dec. 31. The deadline for applying for a fall permit through the lottery process is August 1. Applications cost $3 and can be purchased over the internet through the Online Licensing Center, at license sales locations, or by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4263).

State turkey management plan revision underway

DNR staff are currently summarizing results of a survey of public attitudes and opinions regarding turkey management in the state. The goal is to incorporate this information into a revision of Wisconsin’s Wild Turkey Management Plan, a document that will essentially serve as the foundation for turkey management in the state for the next decade. Surveys were administered to attendees at eleven public input sessions held at various locations throughout Wisconsin in late April and early May, and an online version of the survey was available through May 31.

The survey asks for input regarding hunter satisfaction with various components of our current turkey hunting season structure, with respondents able to provide their reactions to a variety of possible alternatives.

“Data are still being analyzed but hunters who attended the sessions expressed very strong support for the six separate spring time periods, largely I think concerned by the threat of interference and competition that would occur if we had a single spring season,” McGinley said.

The full revision process will likely extend well into 2013.

“If all goes well, we’ll work with all of our partners to move forward with the plan, hopeful of taking it to the Natural Resources Board for approval sometime next spring,” Walter said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Walter, Upland Wildlife Ecologist: 608-267-7861 or Krista McGinley, Assistant Upland Wildlife Ecologist: 608-261-8458

Hunters register 5,433 birds in 2011 fall wild turkey hunt