States count on hunters to trim herds

Drizzt · September 9, 2002, 05:07 PM

Duluth News-Tribune

September 8, 2002 Sunday

SECTION: OUT

LENGTH: 739 words

HEADLINE: States count on hunters to trim herds

BYLINE: SAM COOK NEWS TRIBUNE OUTDOORS WRITER

BODY:
Wildlife managers in Minnesota and Wisconsin are unified in their message to hunters this fall: Shoot deer.

Both states' deer herds are abundant, and state officials are counting on hunters to trim the herds to keep them at manageable levels.

Minnesota will issue more antlerless deer permits than ever before this fall and Wisconsin has expanded the number of Zone T units to encourage the harvest of more antlerless deer.

"The top of my agenda is that we need to shoot a lot of deer," said Steve Merchant, forest wildlife program coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Merchant is hoping for a record deer kill in Minnesota this fall, which would top the previous record of 243,000 in 1992. That year, the state offered 322,000 antlerless deer permits, as compared to this fall's 363,765 permits.

Last year, Minnesota hunters took 217,000 deer.

In Minnesota's Zone 1 (Northeastern Minnesota), the number of antlerless permits increased 55 percent, from 71,850 last year to 111,250 this fall.

"You don't have to look far to our neighbors to see what kind of problems you have when you get too many deer," Merchant said. "If we have another mild winter and don't have a decent deer harvest, there comes a point where it can become really difficult to get a handle on your deer population."

If the deer population grows out of control and a severe winter hits, thousands of the animals will die.

"(A severe winter) is a blunt instrument," Merchant said. "Hunting is a finer instrument."

New this fall for Minnesota deer hunters is the All-Season Deer License, which costs $76 and allows a hunter to take two deer -- one buck and one antlerless deer. The hunter may hunt in any open archery, regular firearms (except Zone 3B) or muzzleloader season. All-Season Deer License holders may not "party hunt." They must shoot and tag their own deer. They may hunt with other hunters with valid deer licenses and may help drive, spot, trail or retrieve deer, but "cross-tagging" is not allowed.

All-Season Deer License holders may shoot both deer in one season, or shoot one each in any two combinations of seasons (such as one during bow season and one during the regular firearms season).

Earlier this year, Minnesota DNR wildlife officials had said they might look at rewording the language regarding the prohibition of baiting in the state. But no changes have been made so baiting remains illegal.

WISCONSIN'S OUTLOOK

An estimated 1.6 million deer roam Wisconsin, and the state hopes hunters will trim 400,000 from the herd this fall, said Fred Strand, DNR wildlife biologist in Superior.

"We're counting on hunters to continue supporting their sport and our natural resources," Strand said. "We need hunters to continue deer hunting and to harvest deer and make those deer available for health sampling."

Health sampling refers to Wisconsin's aggressive plan to sample 40,000 to 50,000 deer this fall for chronic wasting disease. (See cover story.)

Last year's gun harvest in Wisconsin was 361,264, the fifth-largest on record.

To increase the harvest of antlerless deer, the DNR has expanded the number of Zone T units, in which hunters must shoot antlerless deer. In northern Wisconsin, nearly all units will be included in the Zone T hunt on Oct. 24-27. No December hunts will take place in Zone T units.

The biggest change for many Wisconsin deer hunters is that baiting has been prohibited. The state also has prohibited all residents from feeding deer. Those restrictions were put in place in July as part of the state's effort to control chronic wasting disease and reduce the chances that it will spread to new areas of Wisconsin.

"Any practice that concentrates deer -- including baiting and feeding -- is likely to increase the spread of CWD," said Bill Vander Zouwen, chief of the DNR's wildlife and landscape ecology section.

Any bait used to attract deer for hunting is prohibited. This includes mineral blocks and supplements, but does not include the use of liquid scents such as doe urine. Liquid scents are defined as any nonsolid material (except honey) that takes the shape of the container at 70 degrees.

"The difference in success rates among gun hunters with and without bait is negligible," Vander Souwen said. "The difference in success rates for archers is greater, but the overall impact of hunting without bait is expected to be minor."

Art Eatman · September 9, 2002, 07:00 PM

Too many people don't understand the population dynamics of deer. If food supply is no great problem, a doe will have twins; one buck, one doe. The doe fawn will be ready to breed in 1-1/2 years. A mature doe can have some five birthings during a lifespan.

The machismo inherent in "I only shoot bucks." is merely a foolish way of saying, "I'm uninterested in a healthy deer herd."

Leaving bucks out of the population equation, first you have Doe #1. 24 months later, you have Doe #1 and #2 plus new-born #3 (from #2) plus another daughter of #1. Further math is left as an exercise for the student.

Eventually you have despoiled habitat, runty deer, and then a helluva crash in numbers.

Study up on "carrying capacity" of deer habitat...

Art

September 9, 2002, 05:07 PM	#1
Drizzt Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2000 Location: Moscow on the Colorado, TX Posts: 2,560	States count on hunters to trim herds Duluth News-Tribune September 8, 2002 Sunday SECTION: OUT LENGTH: 739 words HEADLINE: States count on hunters to trim herds BYLINE: SAM COOK NEWS TRIBUNE OUTDOORS WRITER BODY: Wildlife managers in Minnesota and Wisconsin are unified in their message to hunters this fall: Shoot deer. Both states' deer herds are abundant, and state officials are counting on hunters to trim the herds to keep them at manageable levels. Minnesota will issue more antlerless deer permits than ever before this fall and Wisconsin has expanded the number of Zone T units to encourage the harvest of more antlerless deer. "The top of my agenda is that we need to shoot a lot of deer," said Steve Merchant, forest wildlife program coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Merchant is hoping for a record deer kill in Minnesota this fall, which would top the previous record of 243,000 in 1992. That year, the state offered 322,000 antlerless deer permits, as compared to this fall's 363,765 permits. Last year, Minnesota hunters took 217,000 deer. In Minnesota's Zone 1 (Northeastern Minnesota), the number of antlerless permits increased 55 percent, from 71,850 last year to 111,250 this fall. "You don't have to look far to our neighbors to see what kind of problems you have when you get too many deer," Merchant said. "If we have another mild winter and don't have a decent deer harvest, there comes a point where it can become really difficult to get a handle on your deer population." If the deer population grows out of control and a severe winter hits, thousands of the animals will die. "(A severe winter) is a blunt instrument," Merchant said. "Hunting is a finer instrument." New this fall for Minnesota deer hunters is the All-Season Deer License, which costs $76 and allows a hunter to take two deer -- one buck and one antlerless deer. The hunter may hunt in any open archery, regular firearms (except Zone 3B) or muzzleloader season. All-Season Deer License holders may not "party hunt." They must shoot and tag their own deer. They may hunt with other hunters with valid deer licenses and may help drive, spot, trail or retrieve deer, but "cross-tagging" is not allowed. All-Season Deer License holders may shoot both deer in one season, or shoot one each in any two combinations of seasons (such as one during bow season and one during the regular firearms season). Earlier this year, Minnesota DNR wildlife officials had said they might look at rewording the language regarding the prohibition of baiting in the state. But no changes have been made so baiting remains illegal. WISCONSIN'S OUTLOOK An estimated 1.6 million deer roam Wisconsin, and the state hopes hunters will trim 400,000 from the herd this fall, said Fred Strand, DNR wildlife biologist in Superior. "We're counting on hunters to continue supporting their sport and our natural resources," Strand said. "We need hunters to continue deer hunting and to harvest deer and make those deer available for health sampling." Health sampling refers to Wisconsin's aggressive plan to sample 40,000 to 50,000 deer this fall for chronic wasting disease. (See cover story.) Last year's gun harvest in Wisconsin was 361,264, the fifth-largest on record. To increase the harvest of antlerless deer, the DNR has expanded the number of Zone T units, in which hunters must shoot antlerless deer. In northern Wisconsin, nearly all units will be included in the Zone T hunt on Oct. 24-27. No December hunts will take place in Zone T units. The biggest change for many Wisconsin deer hunters is that baiting has been prohibited. The state also has prohibited all residents from feeding deer. Those restrictions were put in place in July as part of the state's effort to control chronic wasting disease and reduce the chances that it will spread to new areas of Wisconsin. "Any practice that concentrates deer -- including baiting and feeding -- is likely to increase the spread of CWD," said Bill Vander Zouwen, chief of the DNR's wildlife and landscape ecology section. Any bait used to attract deer for hunting is prohibited. This includes mineral blocks and supplements, but does not include the use of liquid scents such as doe urine. Liquid scents are defined as any nonsolid material (except honey) that takes the shape of the container at 70 degrees. "The difference in success rates among gun hunters with and without bait is negligible," Vander Souwen said. "The difference in success rates for archers is greater, but the overall impact of hunting without bait is expected to be minor." __________________ "That a free citizen should have to go before a committee, hat in hand, and pray for permission to bear arms - fantastic! Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats." Robert Heinlein - Red Planet

September 9, 2002, 07:00 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Too many people don't understand the population dynamics of deer. If food supply is no great problem, a doe will have twins; one buck, one doe. The doe fawn will be ready to breed in 1-1/2 years. A mature doe can have some five birthings during a lifespan. The machismo inherent in "I only shoot bucks." is merely a foolish way of saying, "I'm uninterested in a healthy deer herd." Leaving bucks out of the population equation, first you have Doe #1. 24 months later, you have Doe #1 and #2 plus new-born #3 (from #2) plus another daughter of #1. Further math is left as an exercise for the student. Eventually you have despoiled habitat, runty deer, and then a helluva crash in numbers. Study up on "carrying capacity" of deer habitat... Art