Hunting Archery Duck Deer

States that rely on tens of millions of dollars in hunting license fees annually to pay for environmental conservation are trying to boost a population they had never thought of protecting: the endangered American hunter.
The number of hunters has slid from a peak of 19.1 million in 1975 to 12.5 million last year, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

With that drop has come worries that states won’t be able to pay for the rising costs of conservation efforts and acquisition of open space.

States generated $724 million last year through hunting licenses and fees for wildlife management and conservation; taxes on guns and ammunition added another $267 million, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Sportsmen pay the bills, especially east of the Mississippi,” says Rob Sexton, vice president for government affairs at the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, a hunters advocacy group in Columbus, Ohio. “A vast majority of the public land where people go for walks, wildlife viewing or mountain biking, the vast majority is bought by sportsmen.”

Since 2004, 18 states have changed their laws to loosen restrictions on when children can hunt with parents, and to allow novice adult hunters to try hunting without a license, Sexton says. The effort has shown signs of working, Sexton says: The states have seen an additional 35,000 people apply for hunting licenses since 2004.

The decrease in hunters appears to be a result of modern living, says Nicholas Throckmorton, Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman. He says fewer Americans hunt because they are spending more time on work and organized sports for their children. Most Americans now live farther from wildlife areas than in the past, says Throckmorton, whose agency conducts a national survey of Americans’ outdoor activities every five years.

Officials are changing state laws because they are “trying to tear down the barrier for recruitment of new hunters,” Throckmorton says.

Mark Damian Duda, executive director of Responsive Management, a research firm focusing on outdoor recreation, says the modest increase in the hunter population has been good news. He says the vanishing hunters are “a long-term concern.”

“At some point, there’s going to be less dollars if current trends continue,” Duda says. “Is it a good thing for fewer and fewer people to be funding all wildlife conservation … protecting national resources enjoyed by 97% of the people?”

Among steps being taken:

•Kentucky allows new hunters to hunt for a year with a legal hunter before taking a hunter-safety course. Since July, 1,159 new permits have been issued.

•Oregon has a Mentored Youth Hunter Program that allows unlicensed children ages 9 to 13 to receive one-on-one hunting experience and training.

•Arizona implemented an online hunter-safety course that can be completed in three hours, instead of the standard 16. Big game, such as deer, are reserved for hunters 10 and up.

Thad Musser, 33, who bought a deer-hunting bow at B&B Archery Pro Shop in Manassas, Va., last week, says changing the hunting age in Virginia, now 12, would not lure more hunters; they’d merely start younger. His 4-year-old nephew wants to hunt now and will still want to in seven years, he says.

Larry Ralph, 16, of Gainesville, Va., who started hunting at 13, says it was the rite of passage — his father “passed on the 30-30 (rifle) to me” — that spurred his interest. “I guess the younger the better.”

More hunters also help states save money on certain expenditures, such as those linked to damage by foragers that are too plentiful, such as the Canada goose and whitetail deer.

“Rather than paying professional hunters to cull the herd, sportsmen would be happy to pay a fee to do it themselves,” Sexton says.

Some say the focus on hunter retention is not the way to go.

“The number of people who hunt has declined in recent decades, and the number of people who enjoy wildlife in other ways, like wildlife watching or bird-watching, continues to expand,” says Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society of the United States. “Efforts to reverse these trends are futile.”

Rachel Brittin, spokeswoman for the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, says hunters are a great source of revenue, but they can’t do it alone.

U.S. wildlife is threatened by more issues than ever: increasing urbanization, invasive species, climate change and new diseases. States receive $1.5 billion a year but need an additional $1 billion annually to accomplish goals, Brittin says.

Efforts to raise enough elsewhere have failed, says Dave Chadwick of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Lawmakers came up with a plan to buy land with $350 million a year in offshore oil and gas revenue, he says. Environmental groups squawked about taking money from the oil and gas industry, and property rights advocates balked at the land acquisitions, Chadwick says. The effort died in 2000.

Ohio’s young hunters have several opportunities to learn and practice their skills this fall. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, is offering expanded ways for families to hunt together

Small Game — Hunters age 17 and younger may hunt for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 27-28 statewide. Quail may also be taken in open counties.

Pheasant releases for young hunters will occur prior to these dates on the following state wildlife areas: Resthaven, Oxbow, Berlin, Killdeer Plains, Camp Belden, Grand River, Spencer, Wellington, Delaware, Dillon, East Fork, Caesar Creek, Rush Run, Fallsville and Darke — and at the Charlemont Metropark in Lorain County.

White-tailed deer — A youth deer-gun season will be open statewide, Nov. 17-18. Young hunters age 17 and younger who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult may take one deer of either sex during this season, in accordance with existing bag and deer zone limits.

Wild Turkey — It is not too early to plan for the spring youth wild turkey hunting for 2008. A statewide spring youth wild turkey season will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 19-20. This hunt is open to youths age 17 and younger.

The Division of Wildlife offers several controlled hunts for young hunters throughout the hunting season. Applications to participate in these hunts are accepted June 1 through July 31. Applications are available at district offices and on the division’s Web site and may be completed by mail or online. There are controlled youth hunts for white-tailed deer, wild turkey and waterfowl.

All young hunters must be accompanied by a nonhunting adult, and must abide by all regular hunting hours and bag limits. A valid 2007-08 youth hunting license, along with the appropriate permits, are required.

For details on all youth hunting seasons, refer to 2007-08 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet, call (800) WILDLIFE or (800) 945-3543

National Wild Turkey Federation starts local chapter.No doubt about it, the world is different for kids now than it used to be.Ray Cobb thought he could relax once his two kids were raised and through some of the difficult teen years, until his son became a law enforcement officer. The horror stories of his job and the people he takes to jail really made the senior Cobb think, especially in light of the fact he now has a grandbaby.

“The only thing I know to do about it is give them something positive to focus on,” Cobb said. “Some kids don’t have the opportunity to get involved with wildlife and the outdoors, except for what they see in books.”

Cobb is referencing the National Wild Turkey Federation, which is starting a Navarro County chapter. Paul Ferrell, East Texas regional director, met with interested parties last week to organize and plan. The NWTF is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency whose focus is to conserve wild turkeys and preserve hunting traditions.

Since it was founded in 1973, membership has grown from 1,300 members to 584,000 today. Along with programs like JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) for age 12 and younger, Xtreme JAKES for kids 13 to 17, Women in the Outdoors, and Wheelin’ Sportsmen for disabled outdoorsmen, the organization also raises millions of dollars which goes toward upholding hunting traditions and conserving wildlife habitat.

“Our fund-raising banquets dedicate 56 percent of the funds raised to that particular state for hunting heritage and conservation,” Merrell said. “We will also use part of the proceeds to purchase food for needy families in Navarro County. The banquets are our fund-raising mechanism for each state.”

Kids also benefit from education curriculum “in a box,” which is provided for elementary teachers, and uses conservation and turkeys for teaching tools. Scholarships for high school students are another part of the fund-raising, with each recipient receiving $500 toward college.

“We are losing kids to the immediate satisfaction of computers and video games and other bad stuff,” Merrell said. “Many kids don’t have this opportunity to get involved in outdoor activities … the National Wild Turkey Federation gives them some positive alternatives to some of the social pressures in today’s world.”

The first banquet is scheduled for May 2008, but meetings will be held on a monthly basis starting in November. The Corsicana Daily Sun will be given information for meeting dates and times, or you may call Ray Cobb at (903) 872-8434.

“We are trying to give kids something positive to do, involving the outdoors,” Cobb said. “There are a lot of positive ways to give back, and kids can get involved, too. We want to give them some positive goals, and who knows? They may find a career field they have interest in, as well.”

By Deanna Plemons

Fall hunting seasons get into full swing beginning Saturday and hunters are hopeful that the coming week will bring cooler — and wetter — weather that will make for much more enjoyable and successful hunts. Hunting in 80 degrees is less than comfortable and the summer’s drought has left hunting conditions less than favorable.

When the ground and low cover is dry, it doesn’t hold the scent from game birds and animals like damp earth and foliage does, making it difficult for gun dogs to find game. Deer tracks have only been visible at the muddy edges of watering holes and disappear on the dry ground (which way did they go?). Many ponds, shallow coves and rivers are low, leaving duck and goose hunters high and dry, searching for new areas. So, pray for rain and those cool, crisp autumn days that New England is famous for.

Pheasant, quail and ruffed grouse seasons begin Saturday and run to Nov. 24 (quail hunting is allowed in Zones 11-14 only). MassWildlife supplements the native pheasant population by stocking areas with birds raised for that purpose. They are no less wild and wily than their native counterparts, flushing with a blur of wings and firing up the afterburners for a fast getaway.

A total of 40,000 pheasants will be stocked statewide on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and other public hunting lands with suitable habitat. Of those, 8,000 will be released in our Southeast District, 4,000 in the Western District, 10,000 in the Connecticut Valley District, 13,000 in the Central District and 5,000 in the Northeast District.

Another 4,000 birds will be stocked by rod and gun clubs through the Club Pheasant Program where sportsmen’s clubs raise birds (or cooperate with county correctional facilities for bird raising) then stock the birds on lands open to the public. Bobwhite quail are also stocked in some of the Southeast District WMAs.

The wearing of a hunter orange cap is required during the pheasant and quail season on public hunting areas or WMAs where pheasant or quail are stocked. The only exemption is if you’re night-hunting for raccoons or while hunting waterfowl from a blind or boat. Hunting is permitted from sunrise to sunset on WMAs. On all other property, hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset.

The daily bag limit on pheasants is two with a season limit of six. The daily bag on quail is four with a season limit of 20. The daily bag on ruffed grouse is three with a season limit of 15.

To be effective in the field, consider that pheasants are big, tough birds that usually require high velocity shells loaded with shot sizes No. 5 and No. 6. Keep in mind that some private hunting preserves prohibit shot sizes larger than No. 6. Quail are much smaller so you can use standard field loads with smaller shots sizes No. 7½ and No. 8 that deliver a denser pattern. Grouse are in-between sized birds and Nos. 6 and 7½ work well.

The choke you use depends on the cover you’re hunting. Improved cylinder is best for close-in shots in thick cover while full choke is for long shots in open country. The modified choke, which falls between imp. cyl. and full is the standard all-around choke.

In my opinion, double-barreled shotguns, whether side by side or over and under are the best choice for upland hunting because they have shorter receivers than pumps and semi-autos, making them short, light and fast handling, along with offering the hunter a choice of two chokes. For the average hunter, either 12-, 16- or 20-gauge guns with the appropriate load and choke will drop upland birds quickly and cleanly. Generally, the smaller the gauge (the higher the number), the lighter the gun, which is a big consideration of some hunters. The smaller 28-gauge has been gaining popularity in recent years, but given the disadvantage of the smaller shot charge, I’m still of the opinion that it should be reserved for experts.

WMAs that are stocked with pheasants in our Southeast District are (the number following each listing denotes the stocking frequency per week): Freetown State Forest, Freetown, 2; Noquochoke WMA, Dartmouth, 2; Francis Crane WMA, Falmouth, 3; Myles Standish State Forest, Plymouth and Carver, 3; Erwin Wilder WMA, Taunton and Norton, 3; and Hockomock Swamp WMA, West Bridgewater, 2. Pheasant stocking also will resume at the Cape Cod National Seashore this fall.

For a complete listing of other public hunting areas stocked with pheasants in this district, and WMAs and public hunting lands in the other districts, visit the hunting section at mass.gov/masswildlife.

Cottontail rabbit season is open from Oct. 13 - Feb. 29 (leap year) in Zones 1 - 12 and from Nov. 15 - Feb. 29 in Zones 13 and 14. Snowshoe hare season is open Oct. 13 - Feb. 28 in Zones 1 - 4, Oct. 13 - Feb. 5 in Zones 5 - 12 and Nov. 15 - Feb. 5 in Zones 13 and 14.

The standard shot size for hunting cottontails is No. 6, while the larger, tougher hare often requires larger Nos. 4 or 5. The daily bag on cottontails is five with no season limit and the daily bag on hare is two with no season limit.

The archery season for deer begins Oct. 15 and runs to Nov. 24. Like I mentioned earlier, deer sign is sketchy and the warm weather isn’t helping. They’re not out in the fields at dawn and dusk like they usually are this time of year and it’s difficult to tell how fresh the sign is in the woods. Acorns, a favorite of deer, are just starting to drop in the areas I’ve scouted, but there doesn’t seem to be many. Hope your areas are better.

Hunters have had no choice but to get their stands up in the heat, sweating like pigs and leaving human scent all over the place. I hope the season proves to shape up better than it’s starting.

The coyote season regulations changed this year, expanding the season by five weeks. It now begins two weeks earlier on Oct. 13 and will end a week later on March 8. Hunters also will be allowed to shoot coyotes during the two-week shotgun season, which totals the five-week extension.

The “rifle ban” in the southeastern counties also has been lifted. Hunters in those five counties will now be able to use rifles chambered equal to or larger than .22 caliber during daylight hours. But during the period from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, rifles are restricted to those chambered not larger than .22 long rifle and rifles of any kind may not be used on WMAs stocked with pheasant or quail during the pheasant and quail season.

Legal shot sizes also were increased. For hunting coyotes, hunters now may use shotguns loaded with shot sizes up to and including FF (.230 inches diameter). However, shot sizes larger than No. 1 birdshot may not be used for hunting other game birds or mammals (including fox and bobcat), except for waterfowl as provided in the annual Migratory Game Bird Abstracts. Shells loaded with slugs, single balls or buckshot may be used for hunting deer or coyotes only during the shotgun deer season.

HUNTER EDUCATION CLASS IN ROCHESTER
A Basic Hunter Education Course will be held at the Sippican Rod and Gun Club on Dexter Lane in Rochester on Oct. 8, 10, 12, 15, 17 and 19 at 6:30 p.m. The club is handicapped accessible.

I received this info just before press time and the glitch is that pre-registration is required, but seeing as the course starts tomorrow, pre-registration may be impossible as there may not be anyone at the Hunter Education office on the holiday to take your name.

There haven’t been many Hunter Education courses scheduled for this area and this probably will be the last one for the year. The class is not yet listed as “full” so I suggest calling (978-632-7648) to register on Monday and if there’s no answer, just show up and hope to get in.

Recent turkey population trends, relative hunting pressure, public access opportunities and other factors must be considered in ranking New York’s best fall turkey-hunting destinations.

Taking all of this into account, no one will dispute that the following counties merit special attention from gobbler-getters this season:

CATTARAUGUS COUNTY
For the first four years of this century, autumn hunters bagged an average of 693 turkeys in Cattaraugus County, and a year before that in 1999, the county produced a state high of 1,537 fall-season birds.

But Cattaraugus County hunters have more than 100,000 acres of public hunting areas to spread out on, including the 65,000-acre Allegany State Park south of Salamanca.

The park offers a near-wilderness experience for hunters willing to hike half a mile or so from the park roads. The county also has one large wildlife management area in 4,571-acre Hanging Bog WMA off Route 305 in the town of Hudson, plus 33,000 acres of state forests, all of which offer turkey hunting ranging from fair to good.

Check out the two South Valley forests totaling more than 4,100 acres in the town of Randolph, immediately west of Allegany Reservoir. They feature the same sort of steep, heavily wooded hills — some might say “mountains” — that dominate the state park’s landscape and offer similar numbers of turkeys.

If you prefer to hunt in the park, you must obtain a free hunting permit in addition to your state license before going afield. Permits are available by calling the park police office at (716) 354-2535.

The folks at Cattaraugus County Tourism, at (716) 938-9111, will suggest alternate accommodations in the area.

MADISON COUNTY
Blessed with a mix of forested hills and farmlands, perfect habitat for the Eastern wild turkey, Madison County typically produces 400 roasting birds each fall for its devoted hunters. In 2001, the autumn tally was the 10th-highest among the state’s counties — an impressive 778 birds.

They tend to run big, too, partly because they have no need to tighten their belts in the winter. Unlike turkeys residing in more densely forested counties, the flocks in Madison County often feast on the undigested grain and other tidbits served up by local manure spreaders.

Wes Stiles, a retired New York Department of Environmental Conservation biologist, referred to the spectacle of farm tractors delivering these snacks on the snow as “the American Dairy Association’s free-lunch program.”

Many local farmers grant permission to polite fall turkey hunters. But Madison County also has more than 28,000 acres of public hunting areas.

In fact, the National Wild Turkey Federation’s state chapter thought so highly of the 3,605-acre Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area that it helped fund a DEC habitat-enhancement project on the premises, which lie east of New Woodstock off Damon Road.

Other good bets for turkey hunters in Madison County include the 3,430-acre Beaver Creek forest in the town of Brookfield off Beaver Creek Road and Fairground Road; and the 9,414-acre Charles Baker forest, also in the town of Brookfield east of Route 12 off Moscow and Quaker Hill roads.

For assistance in finding lodging in Madison County, contact the county tourism office at (315) 684-7320.

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY
New York’s biggest county in geographic terms, St. Lawrence is an up-and-coming turkey-hunting destination. In the 1990s, its reported fall-season kills averaged about 75 birds a season, but the DEC believes its actual yearly harvest amounted to four or five times that many.

Since the turn of the 21st century, the calculated kills have ranged from a low of 131 to a high of 640 per season, and the countywide flock appears to be in an expansion mode.

Getting in on the fun in St. Lawrence County means a visit to one of several state wildlife management areas, the public lands on the northern fringes of the Adirondack Park, or else knocking on farmhouse doors.

The 70,000 acres of public hunting grounds within its borders are a big reason why Chenango County’s fall turkey harvest has been so rich lately. Calculated kills in recent years have ranged from a low of 341 turkeys in fall 2000 to a high of 939 a year later. (That one-year range — owing to a bumper crop of poults in the spring, 2000, reproductive season, illustrates the ability of turkey populations to bounce back in a hurry.)

Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area is a 4,500-acre mix of rolling hills, timber and small clear-cuts off Route 23 between Sherburne and Norwich. It’s probably the most heavily hunted of Chenango County’s public parcels. But several other spots also merit attention from fall turkey hunters.

For example, check out the 3,254-acre Long Pond State Forest on either side of Route 41 in the town of Smithville; the 9,120-acre New Michigan State Forest off Center Road in Pharsalia; and the 3,469-acre Melondy Hill forest southwest of Bennettsville on Melondy Hill Road in the town of Afton.

Each of these is characterized by moderately steep, mostly wooded terrain and harbors better than average turkey populations.

Chenango County’s Chamber of Commerce, at (607) 334-1400, is the place to inquire about accommodations for visiting hunters.

It’s turkey season, but how many of you are thinking turkeys?

It’s not springtime, when the toms are gobbling and strutting. And with all the other seasons getting under way, turkeys aren’t on many hunters’ lists — mine included — of things to chase.

I do have a tag for turkeys, but really don’t focus on them. I personally regard them as a bonus, should one bumble into my shooting lane while I’m bowhunting.

That seems to be the approach many hunters have, as far as turkeys go. But if you are interested in specifically getting a bird for your Thanksgiving dinner, there are several different ways to go about it.

I recently spoke with Jim Schlender, one of the editors of Turkey & Turkey Hunting magazine. I asked him about fall turkeys and how to approach things this time of year as opposed to the spring.

He mentioned flock busting.

Turkeys, hens in particular, will flock in large groups in the fall and will stay together until spring.

According to Schlender, if you know where a flock is roosting, go there early in the morning and get the birds to scatter from their roost and then get settled in against a tree or some other brush to conceal yourself. Wait about 15 minutes, then take a mouth call, slate or a box call, and let out some soft yelps or “ki-ki’s” to draw them back. Hens will likely return to search for what they believe to be a lost hen. The same thing can be done later in the day if you know where a flock is hanging out.

Schlender said early morning flock busting offers a better chance, as the birds won’t have their wits about them and will have more of a sense of urgency to reunite.

If getting a tom is the only turkey you want to bag, it will require a much different approach now than in the spring. Toms aren’t as social as the hens and will either be alone or hanging out with one or two other toms.

The spring is when they are most vocal, obviously, but according to Schlender, toms will in fact gobble in the fall, but more for territorial purposes. Schlender said using a gobble shaker call is the best method for bagging a tom, as the local gobblers are familiar with the other birds in the area. Gobble shakers will make the other toms in the area think there is an intruder and should come looking for them where you should be waiting.

Flock busting may be effective for hens in the fall, but it won’t work quite as well for toms.

Schlender said it could be done, but toms don’t necessarily find it as urgent to get back together as the hens will. Toms simply aren’t as social as the hens and they may get back together at some point (it could very likely be a day or two).

So if you are fortunate enough to have a fall turkey permit in your pocket and want to try something a little different, or maybe the deer in your area aren’t cooperating yet, why not make an honest effort to get a turkey for your holiday feast?

The fall season is much longer than the spring and the best deer hunting is still to come.

Shawn Clark is a local hunting and fishing enthusiast.

So, do you want heart-pounding excitement? Do you want to be shaking in your tree stand? Do you want to feel unlike ever before as the deer of your dreams steps out and gives you the perfect shot? Do you think you can handle it?

Well then, you need to know where to go during Wisconsin’s bowhunting season. The deer you want is walking around right now, his nose cautiously sniffing around the woods, ready to sense the ultimate predator. However, to find him, you have to do your homework.

When it comes to location, there are essentially two kinds of bowhunters: those who are limited to a tract of private land they own or have permission to hunt, and those who hunt public land. In both cases, you may already know where you will hunt this fall. This article will show you how the population numbers look for your area. And while these numbers are the most accurate estimates the Department of Natural Resources has to offer, nothing can substitute for good scouting.

The key to any good hunt is stand placement. You need to know the land you are hunting. You need to identify the structures on the land that funnel deer. You need to know where they bed, where they eat and where they drink. This is not something you should do, but rather something you must do. Chances are the buck you are after has a routine. The rut has not started yet. He is doing the same thing he has been doing every day for the past few months. You need to figure out his patterns, especially where he is hanging out during hunting hours. Often, the big boys won’t move until dusk or dark. If you don’t put your tree stand at a point along his route, you will never see him. You’ll come home night after night discouraged about deer hunting, you’ll be angry with the DNR deer estimates, you’ll blame the weather, you’ll blame the wind — and a whole set of other emotions. Yet, a tree stand in the correct spot can make all the difference in the world.

If you are after a few does and fawns for the freezer, 2007 should be a very good year. Biologists say that for every deer you see in January, there will be three in September. Early in the season, the fawns are still with the does, so when you see one deer, you will likely see more. The trick here is staying still and having good scent control. With all those eyes in the woods, even the slightest movement can bust your hunt.

” Wisconsin deer hunters can look forward to a terrific deer hunting opportunity statewide again this fall,” said DNR wildlife biologist Keith Warnke. “There was a strong deer population after last fall’s hunting season and a very mild winter that has left us with a herd that is quite a bit higher than it should be.”

As a result, 35 deer management units (DMUs) will have Earn-A-Buck (EAB). In order for a DMU to be designated as EAB, it must first have two consecutive years of “herd control.” If the population model indicates that a third year of herd control would not reduce the deer population to within 20 percent of the unit’s overwintering goal, then the DNR could recommend EAB regulations for that unit. EAB has proved over the years to be a very effective management tool. EAB units greatly increase the antlerless kill in those regions.

“Moving the deer herd toward goal is difficult, and it will take several years to get where we need to be, but we are making progress,” Warnke said.

For 2007, there will be 60 Herd-Control Units, 35 EAB units, 22 chronic wasting disease (CWD) units and 16 regular units. There will be unlimited $2 antlerless tags available for Herd-Control Units, plus two free antlerless tags with each deer license.

At the time of this writing, it appeared very likely the October early gun hunt will be in place again in 2008. There will likely be much debate about this going forward.

2006 HARVEST FIGURES
Last year was a record one for archery harvest. The total bowhunting kill was 113,884 deer, including 40,070 with antlers, which was up from 35,842 in 2005. An estimated 72,607 antlerless deer were registered last year, which is way up from 40,840 in 2005. The total number of bowhunting “unknown sex” deer was 1,207. When you add it all up, bowhunters arrowed 4,228 more antlered deer last year, and about 32,000 more antlerless animals. That’s quite a jump in the kill!

Best Counties In 2006
Wisconsin’s top 10 counties last year for early bow season were Waupaca, Marathon, Shawano, Buffalo, Marinette, Clark, Jackson, Oconto, Oneida and Polk. Six of those counties have been in the top 10 list for the past three years — Waupaca, Shawano, Marathon, Marinette, Buffalo and Clark. These are clearly our best counties in terms of deer numbers.

The top 10 early-archery season DMUs last year were 61, 62B, 63A, 59C, 65B, 59B, 58, 53, 63B and 51B. Four of these units — 61, 62B, 63A and 65B — have been in the top 10 for the past three years, while 59C, 58 and 59B were also in the top 10 last year.

The first of the fall deer hunting seasons is set to open on Sept. 15 with the start of archery deer hunting. The early archery season runs Sept. 15 through Nov. 15 and the late archery season runs Nov. 26 through Jan. 6, 2008. Archery hunting in both Chronic Wasting Disease management zones is open continuously Sept. 15-Jan. 6, 2007.

State wildlife officials say the statewide preseason white-tailed deer population projection is between 1.6 to 1.8 million animals, which should provide plenty of opportunity for hunters who have scouted hunting spots, renewed permissions from landowners if they hunt on private lands, and have equipment ready.

“Deer hunting opportunity should be great again this season,” said Keith Warnke, deer and bear ecologist with the state Department of Natural Resources. “Hunters put in a great effort last year and archers set a new state harvest record for bow-killed deer. The potential is good again this year as populations are above goals in most deer management units across the state and there are an unlimited number of inexpensive antlerless deer tags available for all herd control and earn-a-buck units.

“But remember, high deer populations don’t make them any easier to kill. Deer will still use the best available habitat and they continue to make every effort to avoid hunters. To be a successful hunter requires scouting and patience.”

With the exception of the statewide youth deer hunt on Oct. 6 and 7, and the CWD units, there is no gun deer hunting in October again this year. This is the second year of a trial moratorium on October gun hunting and archers who do their scouting should be successful in filling earn-a buck requirements.

The return of October gun hunting hinges on meeting a two antlerless deer for every buck ratio in herd control and earn-a-buck units. Hunters met that goal in the central forest area last year but fell short in other areas. “It will take well more than two to one antlerless to antlered ratio this year in herd control units (not including EAB) or October gun hunting will return in 2008.”

Hunters can donate extra venison to the venison donation program so nothing goes to waste, remind officials. Details of the donation program are available on the DNR Web site and at DNR service centers. Due to impending budget cuts there will not be a donation program for deer from the CWD zones.

“Each archery license will come with an antlerless carcass tag good in any herd control or EAB unit in the state,” Warnke says. “And there are unlimited inexpensive antlerless tags for the herd control and EAB units available over-the-counter. For those archery hunters who also gun hunt and plan on gun hunting in an EAB unit, archery season is a great time to prequalify for a buck sticker. That way you can hit the woods opening morning of the gun deer season with a buck sticker in your pocket giving you the option of shooting any deer of your choice right off the bat.”

Archers need to keep in mind that in any area of the state where a firearm deer season is open, including the regular nine-day hunt, muzzleloader season, Oct. 7-8 youth hunt, December four-day antlerless only hunt or CWD hunts, all hunters except water fowl hunters must meet blaze orange clothing requirements. Officials also remind hunters to be careful in the use of tree stands.

The 2007 deer hunting regulations are available on the Department of Natural Resources Web site and at DNR service centers as well as most license vendors.

Turkey vultures house-hunting in Sask.

A farmer ran in terror from an abandoned farmhouse on his land earlier this summer.

New residents had taken over the house — giant turkey vultures. The birds have a six-foot wingspan, look like chubby hunchbacks and eat the dead.

“The vulture jumped out from the top of the stairs,” said Dr. Stuart Houston, a Saskatchewan bird expert. “(The farmer) got the living daylights scared out of him.”

Houston has chased birds for 65 years and turkey vultures are the latest in his ornithological adventure. The population is on the rise in recent years.

“They are hellishly big birds, and ugly as sin up close, but they are beautiful in flight,” said Houston. “They fly with grace and soar like gliders on the thermals.”

The protected birds have been taking up residence in old, abandoned farmhouses and using them to nest instead of traditional nesting locations like caves.

Observers noticed the farmhouse phenomenon in 2002. Three pairs of turkey vultures set up shop in farmhouses in the Saskatoon area. Houston said it was a rare change in the usual habit of the animal. Caves are exceedingly hard to find, so the birds are turning closets and attics into makeshift abodes.

“It was just what the vulture ordered,” said Houston.

A house also offers better protection for eggs. The birds don’t make nests with twigs and brush or soft materials. In a house they lay eggs on hardwood, cardboard or concrete, Houston said.

Houston and his team are tagging the vultures to study migration habits and learn more about the life cycle.

Last week, the team ventured into houses that smelled of rotting carrion — a staple of the vulture diet. Coveralls and a gas mask were needed to make it through the lair with sinuses relatively untraumatized.

The scientists know the vultures soar during the day, riding the hot air stream rising from the earth. The osprey can fly across the United States in less than two days, but the vulture is slower, travelling approximately 300 miles per day.

“They’ve got better union hours. They start at 10 in the morning and stop at five in the afternoon,” said Houston.

The team has tagged 40 vultures this summer, and a total of 180 over the past four years. Birds with Houston’s tags have been spotted in Venezuela, North Dakota, Florida and Montana.

Lorne Scott, a Regina-area farmer and conservationist, invited Houston to tag the vultures on his farmland last weekend.

“He’s the foremost ornithologist in Saskatchewan,” said Scott.

People should not shoot the birds when driving past them on the road. The vultures save authorities money by cleaning carcasses off the side of the road, according to Houston.

Banding efforts have proven useful in the past. His work helped track pesticide poisoning of Swainson hawks in the 1990s.

If you have a son or daughter between the ages of 12 and 15, who might be interested in real duck hunting there are some the folks who’d like to talk with you.

The 2007 Youth Hunt will be held at Pointe Mouillee on the morning of Sept. 15.

This special hunt is designed to open well before the actual regular Michigan duck hunting season and the participants generally have lots of great shooting. On top of that, it’s free.

Plus, after the morning hunt at Pointe Mouillee, the kids are welcome to join in these activities to also be held there:

•After Hunt BBQ Lunch

•Duck Cleaning Demonstration

•Duck-Goose calling demonstration

•Lots of prizes to be given away to the young hunters

Matthew LaCombe, President of GDHA asks, “Do you know of a Youth who does not have an opportunity to participate in the 2007 Michigan State Youth Waterfowl Hunt Weekend but would enjoy doing so? Please read on.”

Volunteers from the Gibraltar Duck Hunters Association will be available to provide young hunters with an opportunity to participate in the Youth Hunt. No Boat, No Decoys, No Problem!

One legal guardian or responsible party must accompany each youth attending this event. Each youth must be 12 to 15 years of age with a Hunters Safety Certificate and a valid Small Game License to participate in the Michigan State Youth Waterfowl Hunt.

To set up a hunt for a youth or if you have any questions regarding the event please contact Matthew LaCombe at 313-414-1001.

This is a well-run activity where the emphasis is always on safety, especially for the kids.

I would allow my grandkids to hunt with these guys if they were only old enough. However it’s up to you as a parent or guardian to get those kids to a hunter safety program and make sure they have proper licenses.