Charlie Elk

pseudonym of a man

Deadline; Wisconsin Hunting & Trapping August 1

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In Wisconsin hunters and trappers have deadlines to meet.  August 1 is approaching fast; it is the fall permit deadline for wild turkey, bobcat, sharp-tailed grouse, fisher, and otter.

MADISON – August 1 is an important deadline for fall hunters and trappers pursuing wild turkey, sharp-tailed grouse, bobcat, fisher and otter.
Permit applications for fall hunting can be purchased for $3 ($6 for bobcat applications) online at gowild.wi.gov, at Department of Natural Resources service centers, and at all license agents. License sales are no longer available by phone, but the live operators at the DNR Call Center can help answer any questions hunters may have about the permit application process. The Call Center is available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, and can be reached at 888-WDNR-INFo (1-888-936-7463).

Fall wild turkey

Unit 1-5

  • Sept. 17 through Dec. 31

Zones 6 & 7

  • Sept. 17 through Nov. 18

Sharp-tailed grouse:

  • Oct. 15 through Nov. 6

Bobcat hunting and trapping

  • Season 1 – Oct. 15 through Dec. 25
  • Season 2 – Dec. 26 through Jan. 31, 2017

Fisher trapping

  • Oct. 15 through Dec. 31

Otter trapping

  • North Unit; Nov. 5 through Apr. 30, 2017
  • Central & Southern Units; Nov. 5 through Mar. 31, 2017

Fall Turkey info;

  • There will be 101,300 wild turkey permits available to hunters for the fall 2016 turkey hunting season.
  • Permit availability was increased by 200 in each of the three northernmost turkey management zones (Unit 5, 6 & 7) to meet hunter demand better.
  • Any fall turkey permits remaining after the initial drawing will go on sale beginning at 10 a.m. on August 27.
  • Leftover fall turkey permits will be sold by unit until sold out or the season ends.
  • Units 1-5 – 2016 is the first year fall turkey hunting will be open statewide on the Friday before the opening of the firearm deer season.
  • Hunters may use dogs to hunt wild turkeys during the fall season throughout the state of Wisconsin.
  • The bag limit is one turkey of any age or sex per fall turkey hunting permit.

Sharp-tailed Grouse info;

  • 25 sharp-tailed grouse hunting permits will be available for Unit 8 only.
  • Represents a 75 percent decrease from 2015.
  • Permit levels were decreased to balance hunter opportunity with a more prudent level of harvest.
  • Sharp-tailed grouse management units use the same boundaries and designations as game management units (GMUs); a map is available on the sharp-tailed grouse page on the WDNR website.
  • Hunters are reminded to review the zone map carefully and apply only for the open unit.

River Otter, Fisher & Bobcat Info;

    • Approved quotas for river otter, fisher, and are available on the trapping page of the Wisconsin DNR website.
    • Quotas for most zones are similar or slightly higher than 2015.
    • Permit numbers, based on success rates, and drawings for all three species will take place in August 2016
    • Permits will be available in early September.
    • Applicants need to check their online Go Wild account early September for an awarded a permit.

 

 

South Wisconsin Bobcat Hunting and Trapping Season 2014

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New southern zone bobcat hunting and trapping season will be offered in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources press release regarding Bobcat Hunting and Trapping during fall 2014:

MADISON – Wisconsin will offer a southern zone bobcat hunting and trapping season beginning in fall 2014. State wildlife officials say the creation of a southern management zone will make new opportunities available for people to hunt and trap bobcats.

The southern management zone, which includes all of Wisconsin south of Highway 64, is the result of recent research regarding bobcat population density and habitat use in central Wisconsin conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The effort was supported by hunters and trappers who asked for a surcharge on the fee for bobcat permit applications; these charges were used to fund the research.

The northern harvest zone will remain unchanged.

Bobcat hunting and trapping period dates will remain the same, and are as follows:
• Period 1: Oct. 18 to Dec. 25.
• Period 2: Dec. 26 to Jan. 31, 2015.

Those interested in hunting and/or trapping bobcats will need to apply to a specific zone (north or south) and time period (period 1 or 2) for the upcoming season. The application deadline for bobcat permits is always August 1. It is important to note that applicant preference points will continue as in the past.

Since the number of people who would like to hunt or trap bobcats exceeds the number of permits that are available, a lottery system is in place to distribute permits. Those who were unsuccessful in a previous year’s drawing are awarded a preference point each year. Previously accumulated preference points can be used in applying for either a southern or northern zone permit.

Those who have already applied for a 2014-15 bobcat permit will be allowed to change their application and will be notified via mail with instructions explaining how to do so. Final permit numbers for each zone will not be known until early August and will be published on the DNR website once finalized.

While education requirements are not necessary to apply for a harvest tag, all hunter education and trapper education requirements apply in order to legally harvest a bobcat. For more information on bobcat hunting and trapping in Wisconsin, please visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword “trap.”