shooting range seminar page 3 - wiwf · a final message from editor daniel a. gries wisconsin...
TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 2017VOLUME 44NUMBER 2
Former
DNR Secretaries
Weigh In on
Proposal
See Page 4
February 15• Coyote trapping season closes.*• Raccoon trapping and hunting seasons closes.*• Red and gray fox gun and trapping seasons close.*
February 20• Ice fishing shelters must be removed from Wisconsin-Iowa
boundary waters.*
February 26• Lake Winnebago Sturgeon Spearing Season closes unless
season closes early due to harvest caps being reached.
February 28• Cottontail rabbit season closes in northern and southern
zones.*• Mink trapping season closes in the northern, southern and
Mississippi zones.*
Dates to Remember
AwardCategories
Page 5
2017 Achievement Awards
2017 WWFAnnual Meeting
Page 7
Shooting RangeSeminarPage 3
WISCONSERVATION February 20172
WISCONSIN WILDLIFE FEDERATION COMMITTEE CHAIRSCOMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON PHONE EMAILAnnual Meeting Dave Verhage 715-344-3497 [email protected] Lil Pipping 920-876-4312 [email protected] Janet McLaughlin 262-252-4810Bylaws Betty Borchert 920-688-3122 [email protected] Bill Tollard 920-379-3429 [email protected] Leadership Corps Lil Pipping 920-876-4312 [email protected] Andy Lewandowski 262-527-1988 [email protected] Jim Huhn 920-718-2378 [email protected] Resources Larry Laehn 920-540-9927 [email protected] Jim Swanson 715-232-8266 [email protected] and Parks Jerry Knuth 715-344-0017 [email protected] Lakes Keith Pamperin 920-494-3990 [email protected] Fisheries Gordy Merz 262-695-0060 [email protected] Kevyn Quamme 608-209-3842Nominating Jerry Knuth 715-344-0017 [email protected] Betty Borchert 920-688-3122 [email protected] Range Bill Tollard 920-379-3429 [email protected] John Wetzel 608-526-4238 [email protected] Kevin MarquetteWisconservation Dan Gries 920-725-4092 [email protected]
OFFICE PHONE:800-897-4161 - Toll Free
WEB PAGEADDRESS:www.wiwf.org
OFFICEADDRESS:
213 N. Main St., Ste. 100PO Box 460
Poynette, WI 53955
WisconservationWISCONSERVATION (USPS 108-190 ISSN 0164-3649) is published monthly for $25 per year by
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, 213 North Main Street, Suite 100, PO Box 460, Poynette, WI 53955. Periodical post-
age paid at Poynette, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: WISCONSER-
VATION, 213 North Main Street, Suite 100, PO Box 460, Poynette, WI 53955. All communications regarding adver-
tising, editorial, circulation and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation matters should be sent to 213 North Main Street,
Suite 100, PO Box 460, Poynette, WI 53955. Permission to reprint articles is normally given providing proper credit
is given both publication and author. Views expressed by freelance writers are their own and do not necessarily
represent those of the publication or the WWF.
$25.00 of annual dues paid to Wisconsin Wildlife Federation entitles members to one year’s subscription
to Wisconservation. One year’s subscription to non-members—$25.00.
Printed by Ripon Printers, 656 S. Douglas St., Ripon, WI 54971.
WISCONSERVATION EDITORDaniel A. Gries
Phone: (920) 725-4092Fax: (920) [email protected]
ASSOCIATE EDITORRalph Fritsch
(715) 850-2456
* * * OFFICERS * * *
President George Borchert, 7420 US Hwy 45, Oshkosh, WI 54902, (920) 688-3122. Email:[email protected]
First Vice President Bill Tollard, 4630 Friedrich Ave., Omro, WI 54963, (920) 379-3429.Email: [email protected]
Second Vice President Gary Dieck, E2326 Crandall, Wonewoc, WI 53968, (608) 464-3290.Email: [email protected]
Secretary Amber Rappe, 1200 North Point Dr. Apt. D16, Stevens Point, WI 54481,(920) 901-3425. Email: [email protected]
Treasurer Dave Verhage, 2610 Lanaeh Lane, Plover, WI 54467, (715) 344-3497. Email:[email protected]
DISTRICT 7
Dave Chingway, Watertown, WI, (920) 261-0379.
Kevyn Quamme, Sun Prairie, WI, (608) 209-3842.
Mike Meyer, Watertown, WI, (920) 342-9439.
DISTRICT 8
Greg Kronschnabel, Dousman, WI, (262) 965-3057.
Don Camplin, North Prairie, WI, (262) 392-4183.
Steve Brasch, Dousman, WI, (262) 392-4196.
DISTRICT 9
Rick Lazarczyk, West Allis, WI, (414) 321-5750.
Janet McLaughlin, Menomonee Falls, WI, (262) 252-4810.
Gordon Merz, Pewaukee, WI, (262) 695-0060.
DISTRICT 10
Gary Dieck, Wonewoc, WI, (608) 415-9417.
Jeff Johnson, North Freedom, WI, (608) 434-3896.
Al Skemp, Kendall, WI, (608) 489-3209.
DISTRICT 11
Norb Moes, Green Bay, WI, (920) 434-1999.
Keith Pamperin, Green Bay, WI, (920) 494-3990.
DISTRICT 12
Bob Ellingson, Lakewood, WI, (715) 276-7129.
Mike “Oscar” Stueck, Crivitz, WI, (920) 323-9230.
Thomas Johnston, Niagara, WI, (859) 285-8978.
N.W.F. REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE
Jason Dinsmore, 199 Kristin Drive NW, Rochester,
MN 55901. Office: (507) 206-3732. Cell: (517) 204-
8962. Email: [email protected].
ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS
Craig Challoner, Omro, WI
Jim Huhn, Watertown, WI
Roxanne Taylor, Plymouth, WI
Bill Tollard, Omro, WI
Andy Lewandowski, Muskego, WI
Carolyn Brown, Milton, WI
Richard Baudhuin, Sturgeon Bay, WI
Dakota Johnson, North Freedom, WI
Connie Kadubek, Gleason, WI
Chris Leighty, Cottage Grove, WI
Matt Lallemont, Tomahawk, WI
Monica Banaszak, Stevens Point, WI
Carl Gierke, Shiocton, WI
Amanda Smith, Madison, WI
Amber Rappe, Stevens Point, WI
Molly O’Grady (CLC)
HONORARY DIRECTORS
Art Jorgenson
Catherine Koss, Land O’ Lakes, WI
Vern Mangless
Jim Mense, Menomonie, WI
Ray Rheinschmidt
J. L. Schneider
Betty Schneider-Borchert, Oshkosh, WI
Art Seidel, Brookfield, WI
Al Kube, Cochrane, WI
Joe Zanter, Sparta, WI
Bucky Kilishek, Menasha, WI
Martha Kilishek, Menasha, WI
Mary Cassidy, Plainfield, WI
Ken Zettlemeier, Waukesha, WI
Norm Moes, Green Bay
HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS
Joseph A. Gruber, Campbellsport, WI
Dr. Dan Trainer, UW-Stevens Point
Les Voigt
PAST PRESIDENTS
John Wagner
Chuck Matyska, Cecil, WI
Jack Nissen, Dousman, WI
Lil Pipping, Elkhart Lake, WI
Corky Meyer, Kewaskum, WI
Jerry Knuth, Plover, WI
James Weishan, Cambria, WI
Martha Kilishek, Menasha, WI
Russell Hitz, Wheeler, WI
Jim Baldock, West Bend, WI
Ralph Fritsch, Townsend, WI
Robert Miller, Sparta, WI
Doug Olson, Viroqua, WI
Doug Johnson, Hartford, WI
James Wareing, Sussex, WI
Leo Roethe
Bill Buckley
Dick Hemp
Bob Lachmund
Jerry Laudon
Ron Piskula
Harold Spencer
Les Woerpel
STATE AFFILIATESDIRECTORS/REPRESENTATIVES
American Wild Turkey Hunting Dog AssociationJon Freis, Maribel, WI, 920-776-1272
Challenge The Outdoors, Inc.Larry Laehn, Milton, WI, 920-540-9927
Izaak Walton League, Bill Cook ChapterRonald Macdonald, Stevens Point, WI, 715-344-0054
Sturgeon for Tomorrow, North ChapterWayne Hoelzel, Menasha, WI, 920-725-1206
Trout Unlimited, Aldo Leopold ChapterScott Allen, Reedsburg, WI, 608-524-1753
Trout Unlimited, Green Bay ChapterPaul Kruse, Green Bay, WI, 920-494-4220
Walleyes for Tomorrow, Inc.Michael Arrowood, Oakfield, WI, 920-922-0905
WI Association of Field Trial ClubsBilly Ploucher, Appleton, WI, 920-257-4816
WI Association of Sporting DogsRobbie Brooks, Cascade, WI, 920-602-1439
WI Association of Beagle ClubsJerry Knuth, Stevens Point, WI, 715-340-5414
WI Coon Hunters AssociationDennis Roehrborn, Plymouth, WI, 920-467-3845
WI Council of Sportfishing OrganizationsJohn Durben, Cecil, WI, 715-745-2248
WI Deer Hunters AssociationMark Toso, Roberts, WI, 715-781-4887
WI Deer Hunters Inc.Dennis Hoffman, Neshkoro, WI, 920-293-4098
WI Federation of Great Lake Sport Fishing ClubsMark Hasenberg, Kenosha, WI, 262-652-9503
WI Hunter Ed Instructor AssociationNorb Moes, Green Bay, WI, 920-434-1999
WI Muzzleloaders AssociationCarolyn Brown, Milton, WI, 608-868-2514
WI Sharp Tailed Grouse SocietyJim Evrard, Grantsburg, WI, 715-463-2446
WI Taxidermist AssociationBucky/Martha Kilishek, Menasha, WI, 920-734-8774
WI Trappers AssociationScott McAuley, Wisconsin Rapids, WI, 608-354-2725
WI Woodland Owners AssociationDale Zaug, Tigerton, WI, 715-754-5774
Wild Ones Natural Landscapers LTD.Donna VanBuecken, Neenah, WI, 920-730-3981
Wildlife Society, WI ChapterPat Kaiser, Lodi, WI, 608-592-7974
Wings Over WI
Burt Bushke, Mayville, WI, 920-387-5198
WI Chapter American Fisheries SocietyThomas Slawski, New Berlin, WI
WI Division – Izaak Walton League of AmericaGeorge Guyant, Amherst Junction, WI, 715-824-4205
WI Trapshooting AssociationBruce Stitely, Tomahawk, WI, 715-453-5271
WI Waterfowl AssociationPat Smith, Janesville, WI, 608-774-1157
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DISTRICT 1
Ken Lundberg, Lake Nebagamon, WI, (715) 374-3404.
Pat Quaintance, Bayfield, WI, (715) 779-5104.
Alex Mertig, Mason, WI, (715) 413-0213.
DISTRICT 2
Laurie Groskopf, Tomahawk, WI, (715) 453-6301.
Walt Camp, St. Germain, WI, (715) 891-2156.
Nick Schertz, Tomahawk, WI, (715) 966-6116.
DISTRICT 3
Jim Swanson, Menomonie, WI, (715) 232-8266.
Dean Borofka, Rice Lake, WI, (715) 234-6303.
DISTRICT 4
Delbert Dietzler, Rudolph, WI, (715) 421-2591.
Dave Verhage, Plover, WI, (715) 344-3497.
Dieter Golla, Milladore, WI, (715) 457-2139.
DISTRICT 5
George Borchert, Oshkosh, WI, (920) 688-3122.
Dan Gries, Menasha, WI, (920) 725-4092.
Kevin Marquette, Shawano, WI, (715) 851-4175.
DISTRICT 6
John Wetzel, Holmen, WI, (608) 526-4238.
Andy Chikowski, Taylor, WI, (715) 538-3392.
Michelle Graff, LaCrosse, WI, (608) 791-9204.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / LEGISLATIONGeorge Meyer, 201 Randolph Dr., Madison, WI 53717, (608) 516-5545. Email: [email protected]
BUSINESS MANAGERRuth Ann Lee, 213 North Main Street, Suite 100, PO Box 460, Poynette, WI 53955, (920) 623-9975. Email: [email protected]
WISCONSERVATION February 20173
President’s ReportFebruary 2017
Iwould like to thank all whohelped distribute and sell theWildlife Federation calendars
this year, without your help the Fed-eration could not be as successful aswe are. This is your organization andyou truly support it.
Again a reminder that the WWFAnnual Meeting is coming up onApril 21 & 22, at the Mead Confer-ence Center, in Wisconsin Rapids. Acopy of the invitation and registra-tion form has been sent to each affili-ate club and is printed in this paper.If you have any questions about themeeting, please call Ruth Ann Lee,WWF Business Manager, (608-634-0600). We hope to see many of youthere, it is a very informative eventand a lot of fun to boot.We are askingthat all of the Affiliate clubs have arepresentative at the meeting to rep-resent their clubs and let us knowabout their member’s views. Allclubs have voting rights on issues ofconcern and on the several conserva-tion and environmental resolutionsthat are presented. The resolutionsbecome the formal conservation poli-cies of the Federation. When adoptedwe work hard to convince the DNR,the Legislature and the Congress toadopt the policies for the state and
the nation.In addition, do not forget to send
in nominations to the WWF AwardsCommittee for individuals that havebeen for work well done in the fieldsof forestry, wildlife, fisheries, huntereducation, water or air or land pro-duction, conservation law enforce-ment and conservation educationand for affiliate club of the year.Nomination forms can be found onour website and in the Wisconserva-tion.
At the request of many of our af-filiates, the Federation is once againholding a Shooting Range Seminarthat will be held in Rothschild, Wis-consin on March 18, 2017, at theGrand Lodge and Water park start-ing at 8 am (registration) meetinglasting till 4 pm, a limit of 50 attend-ees, so please get your reservationsin early.
Affiliate Club renewals are go-ing well, but there are some clubsthat have not renewed as of yet. Re-member all club memberships aredue January 1st, each year, pleasereview with your club to see if theyhave renewed their membership.
Respectfully,George Borchert, President
Wisconservation Conversation
A Final Message from Editor Daniel A. Gries
Wisconsin waterfowl huntersare encouraged to attend the15th annual Wisconsin Wa-
terfowl Hunters’ Conference which willbe held on March 11 2017 at the HotelMead and Conference Center in Wiscon-sin Rapids. The Conference is designed,developed and managed by a committeeof independent waterfowl hunters. It issupported by individuals, conservationorganizations, private businesses andgovernment agencies. Our focus sincethe inception of this Conference hasbeen Preserving and Enhancing OurWaterfowl Hunting Heritage and howwaterfowl hunting in Wisconsin can beimproved. Attendees can have a hand indetermining the future needs of water-fowl management, research and huntingopportunities. Help determine thatdirection! The cost of the Conference isonly $35.00 if you preregister and $40.00at the door. The preregistration fee forUniversity wildlife ecology students andattendees 18 years old and younger isonly $15.00 ($20.00 at the door).
Presentations are typically about 30minutes long and speakers include pro-fessional waterfowl staff, agency repre-sentatives, a legislative update, and nonprofessional speakers. We are striving
2017 Wisconsin WaterfowlHunters’ Conference
for an active agenda that provides oppor-tunities to learn and participate in wa-terfowling and waterfowl management.The Key Note speaker, Dr Jacob Straub,the Chair of the new Waterfowl/ Wet-lands Endowment at UW- Stevens Point,will talk about the goals and objectives ofthis 2 Million dollar endowment. We willalso have a number of breakout sessionsthat will provide timely information onimportant waterfowl/wetland issues andoffer participants an opportunity to pro-vide input on important waterfowl/wet-land issues. The Conference will host aWaterfowlers’ hospitality hour Fridayevening for those arriving Friday. Formore specific information about the Con-ference including how to preregister,lodging information, and the agenda, vis-it our website at www.wiswaterfowl-ersconf.org
Editors: News Release InformationContact: Jon R. [email protected]
orPatrice [email protected]
To the Wisconsin Wildlife Federa-tion membership! It has been myextreme pleasure to serve you
as Editor of Wisconservation for the pasttwenty years. Twelve WWF Presidents –Russ Hitz, Bill Buckley, Martha Kilishek,Jim Weishan, Jerry Knuth, Corky Meyer,Lil Pipping, Jack Nissen, Chuck Mytas-ka, John Wagner and George Borchertexpressed their confidence that I wouldmaintain the professional integrity of theFederation through our newspaper com-munication process and the now electronicversion. I am humbled by their confidence.The 240 monthly issues of my editor tenurepublished a variety of environmental/out-door topics from numerous sources.
The Federation was founded in 1949primarily because many hunters were dis-satisfied with Wisconsin’s deer huntingseason/regulations and wanted a voice at
the table. I know of no other subject thandeer hunting which routinely is publishedwithin Wisconservation. Surely deer hunt-ing related issues remains a “hot” topic –baiting vs no baiting, CWD presence withinthe wild herd and the captive herd – doe/buck county allotments. Enter, the newWWF Editor.
Attending many hearings and meetingsover the years, I interacted with like con-servationists from all over the state – Su-perior to Kenosha – Fish Creek to Prairiedu Chien. And on occasion, demonstratorsexpressing their positions in both silentand verbal protest – personal observation,some of these folks are definitely not rocketscientists. So as I move on within my seniorcitizen years, the WWF and Wisconserva-tion will serve the membership and affili-ate clubs well.
BE SAFE OUT THERE! …DAG
W.W.F.Business Membership
SilverSteve’s Southside Citgo, WatertownPaul R. Sommers, DDS, SC, WatertownAdvanced Building Corporation, Verona
BronzeBest Sound Service, WatertownKeck Furniture, WatertownDave’s Turf and Marine,
WatertownTheder Home Services and
Construction, WatertownCastle Rock Marine Inc.,
New Lisbon
Support Businesses ThatSupport Conservation
March 18th, 20178:30am – 4pm
Grand Lodge and Waterpark805 Creske AvenueRothschild, WI 54474
$15 fee (covers lunch) (Speaker fees,room rental and course materials cov-ered by WWF)
Signup Deadline is March 10, 2017Signup by emailing Ruth Ann Lee,WWF Business Manager at [email protected] or calling 608-635-0600
Topics Covered Include:How to Prevent Challenges to Range
Operation
The best way to stay openRange SafetyRange ProtectionFunding SourcesStandard Operating Procedures and
SignageTarget PlacementSecurity and safetySoundLead and Other Environmental FactorsClub Finances
Presenters: Jeff Nass, Nass Consult-ing, LLC and Keith Warnke, WisconsinDNR
The Federation will hold a ShootingRange Seminar for Southern Wiscon-sin in 2018
Northern and Central WisconsinWWF Shooting Range Seminar
The Wisconsin Department of Natu-ral Resources is kicking off an ef-fort to look at recreational oppor-
tunities and needs across Wisconsin. Theproject, officially called a Recreation Oppor-tunities Analysis, or ROA, aims to identifyfuture recreational needs across the state,and the role of DNR lands in helping to meetthose needs.
The ROA will rely on the same eightregions that the Statewide Comprehen-sive Outdoor Recreation Plan – known asSCORP – uses to evaluate outdoor recre-ation trends and issues. Recommendationsresulting from the Analysis will then beused to help inform decision-making aboutuse of DNR lands, including in future mas-ter planning efforts.
One element of the effort is to facilitatefull implementation of 2013 legislation re-quiring that roads on department propertybe designated as open or closed for motor-ized use. However, motorized recreationis not the primary purpose of the project.The department is using this opportunityto work with the public to evaluate the fullspectrum of recreational opportunities anddemands commonly sought on DNR lands.
“Taking a holistic view at the statewide
level while engaging stakeholders allowsthe department to better understand thecurrent opportunities and existing condi-tions, and position ourselves to make moreinformed decisions regarding the gaps, de-mands and where to best place recreationalinfrastructure to meet statewide needs,”said Diane Brusoe, DNR master planningsupervisor.
Initial steps of the phased project includegathering data on existing recreational op-portunities currently available to the public,and working with key statewide stakeholdergroups in developing the process to engageregional and local user groups. The goal is tocreate a regional-based recreational oppor-tunity analysis that is inclusive in designand holistic in approach.
Public involvement in this effort will beextremely important. Open house meetingsand outreach by the DNR early this yearto user groups and others with an interestin the recreational uses of public lands willprovide key opportunities for public involve-ment and ultimately the success of the proj-ect.
For more information about the State-wide Comprehensive Outdoor RecreationPlan, visit dnr.wi.gov and search “SCORP.”
DNR to Look at RecreationalOpportunities Statewide
WISCONSERVATION February 20174
January 10, 2017
Governor Scott WalkerState CapitolMadison, Wisconsin 53703
Re: Proposal to Split the Departmentof Natural Resources into Five StateAgencies
Dear Governor Walker:The following six former DNR Sec-
retaries serving for 36 years from 1975through 2011 urge you and the Legisla-ture not to adopt the current proposalto split the Department of Natural Re-sources into five state agencies. The sixSecretaries have served under severalRepublican and Democratic Governors.
The current unitary organizationalstructure of DNR was created under
Republican Governor Warren Knowlesand approved by a Republican Legisla-ture. The unitary organizational struc-ture was recommended by the KellettCommission chaired by Bill Kellett, theformer President of the Kimberly ClarkCorporation. The purpose of the Com-mission’s recommendations in creatingthe current Department of Natural Re-sources from a number of other agen-cies was to bring together all the closelyinterrelated conservation and environ-mental functions to increase governmentefficiency and effectiveness, reduce costsand to provide one focal point for Wiscon-sin citizens to have their conservationand environmental problems addressed.
It is our experience from administer-ing the agency that the issues that theDNR deals with on a daily basis requireconstant interaction between the De-partment’s 25+ Bureaus. Just a few ex-amples of the difficulties caused by theseparation of these programs into fiveagencies are:
1. There is a close interaction be-tween fisheries and water quality andwater regulation functions. This is bothat a policy level, an environmental per-mitting level and when specific problemsarise, just a few examples are dealingwith fish kills; setting lake and streamstandards; alteration of streams, lakesand wetlands; and dealing with urbanand agricultural runoff to name just afew. The strength of the Kellett Commis-sion Reorganization was the recognitionthat one agency should coordinate thatnecessary interaction to assure that wehad healthy lakes and streams to main-tain the quality fishery wish is impor-tant to sportsmen and women and thestate’s tourism.
2. Currently DNR has credentialedlaw enforcement staff in Parks, Forestryand the Bureau of Law Enforcement thathouses Wisconsin’s conservation war-dens who enforce both conservation andenvironmental laws. Secretary Stepp has
recently combined all these DNR law en-forcement functions into the Bureau ofLaw Enforcement to save costs and pro-mote more organizational effectiveness.Under the proposed agency split therewould be law enforcement responsibili-ties in the Fish and Game agency for fishand wildlife, in the Department of Agri-culture, Trade and Consumer Protectionfor Forestry, the Department of Tourismfor Parks and the new EnvironmentalAgency for civil and criminal environ-mental violations. It should be notedthat neither the DATCP nor Tourismcurrently has credentialed law enforce-ment experience. The law enforcementsplit would also be very confusing to citi-zens when they counter an environmen-tal or conservation violation and wish toreport the violation.
3. Forest management and wildlifemanagement are highly correlated re-source management functions. This ap-plies to both game management andnongame and endangered species. Themanagement of DNR’s 600,000 acres ofState Forest lands and policy oversightof 2.4 million acres of County ForestLands and 3.3 million acres of ManagedForest Law lands are critically impor-tant to maintaining and in some casesincreasing individual wildlife species.The involvement of the Forestry pro-gram with the Wildlife Bureau in gamemanagement programs and the NaturalHeritage Conservation Bureau in non-game and endangered species is criti-
cally important in setting policy for themanagement of forest lands and often ondaily land management decisions. Underthe proposed DNR split three agencies(Fish and Wildlife, DATCP and the De-partment of Environmental Protectionwould have to be involved in the longterm policy setting and daily operation-al decisions about the wildlife on theselands.
It should also be noted that the cur-rent DNR Forestry program also does allthe forestry management on Fishery ar-eas, Wildlife areas, State Natural Areasand State Parks. Under the DNR splitproposal you would have forest man-agement decision making and coordina-tion under four state agencies (Fish andWildlife, DATCP, DEP and Tourism).
One of the major examples given bythe DNR split proponent is the lowerdeer population in Northern Wisconsin.While there are other causes of the re-duced Northern Deer Herd such as win-ter weather and predators, the majorreason for the lower deer numbers inthe North is the maturity of the forest.The Legislature has sought to addressthis maturity in part by increasing thepercentage of acres in State Forests tobe actively harvested and by focusingDNR foresters’ responsibilities on DNRland management including park, for-estry, fish, wildlife and state natural arealands. Under the proposed DNR split youwould now have the Forestry Programand the Wildlife Program in two agen-cies complicating the ability to continuethe current DNR effort to increase deerhabitat in Northern Wisconsin. Thiswould clearly be counterproductive tothe proponent’s stated goal of increasingthe Northern deer herd.
4. Currently the DNR’s Bureau ofNatural Heritage Conservation has theresponsibility to set state nongame andendangered species (both animal and
plant) policies and for the managementof the 681 State Natural Areas which aremanaged for their nongame and endan-gered wildlife and for rare plant species.Under the DNR split proposal, policy andmanagement of those lands will be splitinto four agencies (Fish and Wildlife,
Tourism, and DATCP and DEP). Thiswould be costly and far less effective todo than under the current agency struc-ture.
Governor Walker, we have addressedjust a very few of the many policy andday-to-day management activities thatare closely coordinated by having a uni-tary Department of Natural Resources.There are scores of other such interac-tions that are critically important tomanage Wisconsin’s Natural Resourcesin and effective and efficient manner.
We would like to address three otherissues relating to the proposed DNRsplit:
1. The current Natural ResourcesBoard has oversight responsibilities overall state natural resource managementprograms and is able to assure that theDNR is managing those programs in acoordinated manner. The Natural Re-sources Board has provided average Wis-consin citizens direct access to the Boardas decision makers on all conservationand environmental policy decisions. Un-der the proposed DNR split, only the Fishand Wildlife Agency will have a conser-vation based board. While the Forestryprogram will have the DATCP board forcitizen access, that board undoubtedlywill have an agricultural direction andnot an integrated natural resource man-agement expertise. The Parks program,all of the state environmental programsand the Stewardship program will nothave citizen board oversight allowing di-rect citizen input. Along with citizens ingeneral, conservation and environmen-tal organizations that focus on broad in-tegrated natural resources management,including the Wisconsin ConservationCongress, will have to work with five dif-ferent state agencies in order to repre-sent their citizen members on conserva-tion and environmental matters.
2. Current information on the pro-posed DNR split plan indicates that thesplit will not have any additional coststo the Wisconsin citizens in taxes or li-cense fees. The Legislative Fiscal Bureauhowever indicates that there will be sig-nificant future costs from the split. Thestate of Michigan is a perfect example. In
1995 the Governor of Michigan, by Ex-ecutive Order, split the Michigan DNRinto two agencies, a conservation agencyand an environmental agency. The Mich-igan’s equivalent of our Legislative Fis-cal Bureau documented that the cost ofthe split was $4 million. However sinceno additional state funds were provided
to complete the split, the costs were ab-sorbed by cutting the agency’s front linestaff which provided direct services tothe public.
As pointed out by the Legislative Fis-cal Bureau the proposed Wisconsin DNRsplit will have significant personnel costs.The new DEP will have several new highlevel staff including a Secretary, DeputySecretary, and Assistant Deputy Secre-tary, Division Administrators and ad-ditional Bureau Directors and SectionChiefs for the typical agency administra-tive functions such as Human Resources,IT, Legal Services, Public Information,Budget and Fiscal Management. Alsothe movement of the Forestry program toDATCP will double the size of that agen-cy and the addition of the Parks programto Tourism will increase that agency ten-fold. The expansions of those agencieswill result in increased compensation forall of the above mentioned Office of theSecretary and administrative bureaus inboth of those agencies.
A DNR split into five agencies willalso lead to significant disruption to thefunctions of the current DNR as the splitis planned and implemented, all at lossof services to Wisconsin’s citizens.
3. Lastly, the proponent of the DNRsplit into five agencies correctly indicatesthat several other states have dividedtheir conservation and environmentalfunctions into two or more agencies.
As former agency Secretaries who hadfrequent interaction with other states’
Conservation and Environmental Direc-tors, the feedback we received from thoseindividuals was that they were jealous ofthe Wisconsin integrated agency naturalresource system since it allowed effectiveand efficient coordination of the manycomplex issues that are interrelated be-tween conservation and environmentalprograms. Wisconsin should not movebackward in natural resource manage-ment by splitting the DNR.
Governor, we hope that this infor-mation is helpful in your assessment ofthe proposal to split the DNR into fiveseparate agencies. We remain availableto you and your staff to address the infor-mation in this letter or any other relatedquestions you may have.
Sincerely yours,
Anthony S. Earl, Former Secretary1975-1980
Bruce Braun, Former Deputy SecretaryOn behalf of C.D. “Buzz” Besadny,Former Secretary1980-1992
George E. Meyer, Former Secretary1993-2001
Darrell Bazzell, Former Secretary2001-2003
Scott Hassett, Former Secretary2003-2007
Matt Frank, Former Secretary2007-2011
Cc: Wisconsin LegislatureNatural Resources BoardDNR Secretary Cathy SteppDOA Secretary Scott Neitzel
Past DNR Secretaries Against DNR Dissection!
C.D. “Buzz” Besadny
Scott Hassett
George E. Meyer Matt Frank
Darrell Bazzell
Anthony S. Earl
WISCONSERVATION February 20175
Final Call Final CallAffiliate Clubs and
Associate MembershipThe Federation’s Awards Committee solicits/invites your participation to nominate person(s)
and organizations for the 2017 W.W.F. Conservation Achievement Awards Program!
YOUTH CONSERVATIONISTOF THE YEAR
For the outstanding conservation effort by a person whodid not attain the age of 19 during the past year – Youthgroups acting together in a conservation program arealso eligible. The winner should have demonstratedability, leadership, and accomplishment in any phase ofconservation, either individually or as a group.
CONSERVATION EDUCATOR OFTHE YEAR
For outstanding efforts in conservation education overan extended period of time. The recipient may be anindividual or organization that has demonstratedsuccessful education techniques and accomplishmentsrelating to the use and/or conservation of naturalresources.
FOREST CONSERVATIONISTOF THE YEAR
For outstanding effort in forest conservation andmanagement over an extended period of time. Eligibleareas of effort include tree planting, timber standimprovement, and other forest management practiceswith emphasis on the development of multiple use onforest lands. The recipient may be a landowner, publicor private, individual or business or someone involved inthe administration of forestry programs.
CONSERVATION LEGISLATOROF THE YEAR
For outstanding legislative accomplishment during theircareer which has made a significant contribution to thepreservation and management of our state’s naturalresources.
WILDLIFE OR FISHERIESCONSERVATIONIST
OF THE YEARFor outstanding efforts and accomplishments in makinga significant contribution to the management and/orrestoration of wildlife resources in Wisconsin over thecourse of their career.
WARDEN OF THE YEARFor outstanding efforts relating to environmental andconservation law enforcement, community outreachand educational programs over their career.
CONSERVATIONIST OFTHE YEAR
For the outstanding overall conservation effortsand achievements in any field of natural resourcemanagement, for a significant contribution to thecause of conservation, or for meaningful progress orachievement toward a solution of a major conservationproblem in the state during the past year. Nomineesfrom all other categories can be considered for theConservationist of the Year Award.
CONSERVATIONORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR
For outstanding contributions to the conservation ofnatural resources by an organization in the state for anextended period of time.Statewide or local organizationsincluding sportsmen’s clubs or civic organizations areeligible. The recipient should have demonstrated keeninterest in projects and programs within the state whichdeal with significant natural resource or issues.
SOIL, AIR, AND WATERCONSERVATIONIST OF THE
YEAR(3 categories)
For outstanding contributions to the conservation ofour soil, air or water. Recipient could be a landowner,administrator, technician or organization involvedwith such things as watershed management, soilconservation measures, wetlands or estuarineconservation, wild rivers protection and protectionof surface or groundwater water quality or quantitystandards.
CONSERVATIONCOMMUNICATOR OF THE YEARFor outstanding conservation efforts by a person, group,newspaper, magazine or radio or television station or aform of social media in the state. The recipient of thisaward may be any recognized communication mediumwithin the state that has accomplished a high degree ofpublic awareness of the importance of natural resourceconservation.
HUNTER SAFETY EDUCATOROF THE YEAR
For outstanding efforts by an individual volunteeror organization over an extended period of time inthe education of hunter safety. Also such efforts byan individual or organization that has developed aninnovative and successful method of educating novicehunters in hunter safety.
OFFICIAL CALL FOR RESOLUTIONS!For presentation at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
What is a resolution?• A formal, written motion which follows a specific format.
Why submit a resolution?• To set a course of action for the WWF Board of Directors to follow.• To set and express an opinion of the WWF.
Who can submit a resolution?• Any affiliate organization of WWF, regardless of size.• Any member of the WWF Board of Directors.• Any individual associate or sustaining member – please contact an
Associate Director or District Director to submit it on your behalf.
How should a resolution be submitted?• Typed on official organization letterhead preferred.• Signed by the author and/or officer of the submitting organization.• Mailed to the WWF office.• Postmarked no later than March 17, 2017.
What topics should resolutions deal with?• Issues pertaining to natural resources and their management or the envi-
ronment.• Issues of importance to the entire state.
Mail your resolutions to:Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
Attn: Resolutions213 N. Main St., Suite 100
PO Box 460Poynette, WI 53955
Contact the office for additional information or for specific writing format guidelines.(800) 897-4161
Conservation Achievement AwardsWisconsin Wildlife Federation
213 N. Main St., Suite 100PO Box 460
Poynette, WI 53955
OFFICIAL NOMINATION APPLICATIONThe Wisconsin Wildlife Federation invites you to nominate a person or groupwho has shown outstanding conservation effort and achievement in any ofthe categories listed. To make a nomination, send one copy of this form anda copy of a résumé. Attach all supporting documents and send to the aboveaddress. Deadline for receiving nominations is March 17, 2017.
Name of Nominee __________________________________________ Phone _________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip_____________________________________________________________________
Award Nominated For ______________________________________________________________
(For each nomination you must use a separate form. Please specify one ofthe categories for which the nomination is made.)
Nomination Made By (Name) ________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip_____________________________________________________________________
Please Note Following Instructions:
1. Please read the general rules carefully.2. Follow the outline covering the category for which the nomination is being made.3. Attach typewritten copy of a résumé of achievements.4. Include organizational memberships, affiliations, past achievements for which nomination is based on.
WISCONSERVATION February 20176
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice has selected the Universityof Wisconsin-Stevens Point as
the site for its 2017 Federal Duck StampArt Competition. It is the first time thisrevered event will be held in Wisconsin.
The contest will be held Sept. 15-16, 2017. It typically attracts art fromnationally recognized wildlife artiststhroughout the country.
Formally known as the MigratoryBird Hunting and Conservation Stamp,the Federal Duck Stamp is a requiredpurchase for waterfowl hunters age 16and older. As the longest-running, single-themed U.S. postal stamp, it is valued asa collector’s item. Many birders and otheroutdoors enthusiasts also buy the stampsas a way to support wildlife conservation.Proceeds from the sale of duck stamps areused to buy or lease wetlands and associ-ated upland habitats for inclusion in theNational Wildlife Refuge System.
The Federal Duck Stamp Art Contestis the only legislatively mandated federalart competition in the nation. Thousandsof wildlife artists have entered since thefirst open competition in 1949. A panel ofart, waterfowl and philatelic authoritiesjudges the art and selects the work forthe next stamp. Judging will take placeover a two-day period and is free andopen to the public.
Outstanding wildlife art will be avail-able for public viewing during the event.The winning art work will be featured onthe federal duck stamp on sale from July1, 2018, to June 30, 2019.
Various activities are being plannedin Stevens Point before and during thecontest, including:
• The first duck decoy carving contestand exhibition, hosted by the WisconsinWaterfowl Association
• A learn to hunt program offered byUW-Stevens Point’s Wisconsin Center forWildlife, Becoming an Outdoors Woman,the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association andthe Wisconsin Department of NaturalResources
• Phantom Gallery Party offered byCREATE Portage County, with a fantasyduck stamp league.
“We’re excited to host the duck stampcontest and pleased with the amount ofinterest and creative ideas being pur-sued by the arts community, conserva-tion groups and Stevens Point leaders,”said Rhonda Sprague, interim dean of
2016 Federal Duck Stamp artwork by JamesHautman.
2017 Federal Duck Stamp Art Competitionto be held at UW-Stevens Point
the College of Fine Arts and Communi-cation, which is also a host.
The contest moves around the countryto generate interest in wetlands and wa-terfowl, and to allow more people to seethe exceptional wildlife artwork. Amongplaces it has been held are Minnesota,Ohio, West Virginia, Utah, California,Tennessee, Florida and, most recently, inPennsylvania.
“As a long-time Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice employee in the Midwest Region andas an alumnus of UW-Stevens Point, it’san honor to host the Federal Duck StampContest in the Midwest once again,” saidDeputy Regional Director Charlie Wool-ey. “I also thank College of Natural Re-sources Dean Christine Thomas for hervision, determination and efforts to helpbring the contest to Stevens Point.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicehas a rich history of waterfowl conser-vation. The Federal Duck Stamp, one ofthe world’s most successful conservationprograms, is a testament to that success.Millions of dollars are raised annuallyfor wetland conservation when hunters,bird watchers, other outdoor recreation-ists and art and stamp collectors buyFederal Duck Stamps.
In Wisconsin, the Horicon and Nece-dah national wildlife refuges, as well asnumerous waterfowl production areas,have benefited from duck stamp rev-enues.
These lands are open to birders andhikers throughout the year and to hunt-ers in the fall. In spring, they serve asimportant nesting areas for waterfowl,pheasants and non-game birds, such assongbirds and cranes.
For more information about the DuckStamp Program, to buy stamps, or toview images of previous winners, visit:http://www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp.php.
By Marie Zhuikov UW Sea Grant
During summer, beaches aroundthe Great Lakes are sometimesposted as “closed” due to high
levels of bacteria. Unfortunately, mostclosures are based on data from watercollected the previous day, so by the timea beach is closed to the public, the pollu-tion could already be dissipated, and thethreat to public health gone – makingthe closure needless. Not to mention thatswimmers were most likely frolicking inpolluted water the day before the testing.
The processing time for the water-quality samples is one associated prob-lem. Wisconsin Sea Grant researchersfrom the University of Wisconsin-Osh-kosh are working on ways to speed upthe processing time and accuracy ofbeach water-quality samples to helppublic safety and avoid unnecessarybeach closures. Better testing can evenhelp local economies that rely on beachtourists. The researchers have also foundthat water-quality testers don’t need aPh.D. in microbiology to perform accu-rate analyses. The results of their studywere published in the Journal of GreatLakes Research.
Working from a lab at the Crossroadsat Big Creek Center in Sturgeon Bay,Wis., Greg Kleinheinz, a professor ofenvironmental engineering technologyat UW-Oshkosh, and his team studieda new method of beach water qualitytesting: quantitative polymerase chainreaction, or qPCR for short. The U.S. En-vironmental Protection Agency recentlyapproved qPCR as a method to makesurface water regulatory decisions, suchas beach closings.
Instead of the traditional method ofhaving to grow and incubate E. coli orEnterococcus bacteria for 18-24 hours,qPCR testing involves simply filteringthe water sample and extracting the fil-tered DNA. Then the DNA is analyzedto determine what organism the geneticmaterial came from. “That could takeonly two hours, if you’re moving quickly,”Kleinheinz said.
Sea Grant Researchers Tackle Issueswith Beach Water Quality Testing
National Wildlife Federation
Our public lands are part ofthe American identity – theysustain fish and wildlife, and
provide outdoor recreation and clean airand water. Your national parks, forests,wildlife refuges and other public landsare under attack. During the past sever-al years, a small group of legislators andland grabbers have been trying to handyour land over to states or private in-terests. Across the country, public landssupporters have joined the fight to pro-tect and defend our American birthright– and we are winning. We must ask Con-gress for help.
1 Part of our American IdentityOur public lands have a long and rich
history in the United States dating backto 1872. These cherished lands providehabitat for fish and wildlife and enjoy-ment for all Americans. You may be sur-prised to learn how many of your favoriteoutdoor destinations are part of our pub-lic lands system
2 Under AttackDespite overwhelming support, there
is a long history of efforts to dismantlethe public lands system by transferringpublic lands out of American ownershipto state or private interests. Decadeshave passed between movements, but the
America’s Public Lands:Too Special to Sell Off:6 Reasons to Keep Public Lands in Public Hands
motivations have been the same: privati-zation and profit from exploitation.
3 Not For SaleAmericans don’t want to see public
lands seized and sold to the highest bid-der. No buzz words, rhetoric, or publicrelations spin can change the basic facts:Selling or transferring America’s publiclands just won’t work.
4 The Places Fish & Wildlife Call HomePublic lands provide critical habitat
for America’s brilliant array of wildlifethat cannot be found elsewhere. Theselands are vital for the survival of our na-tion’s fish and wildlife. Pronghorn are oneof many species whose survival dependson the existence public lands. Herds ofpronghorn embark on the second longestland migration in North America everyyear.
5 Our Outdoor HeritagePublic lands are not just vital for
wildlife: Family albums are filled withimages of camping trips in nationalparks, a father teaching a son to fish ina national forest, or a school trip to a na-tional monument. These lands providean important economic engine, and thefight for public lands is also a fight forour continued cherished memories.
6 This Land is Your LandTogether we are the owners of mil-
lions of acres of lands that make up ournational parks, wildlife refuges, monu-ments and vast wild and working landsacross the country. Extremists in Con-gress and state legislatures are tryingto serve the American public an evictionnotice and sell our public lands to thehighest bidders. What happens next isup to us -take the pledge and keep publiclands public!
The researchers’ study area encom-passed eight beaches in Door County,Wis., and compared qPCR testing to themore traditional methods.
“The advantage of this molecularmethod is that it’s faster,” said Klein-heinz. “If there was a problem with thewater quality, you could close the beachthat same day, take another test, andopen it up the same day if the elevatedbacteria reading was just from someshort-term environmental factor.”
With more beach testing programsswitching to the faster qPCR method,Kleinheinz wanted to ensure that theinvestment in the associated technologyand new infrastructure is worth it, espe-cially for rural areas like Door County.
They found that about 60 percent ofthe time the results of the various testmethods agreed with each other in termsof beach openings and closing. In par-ticular, the highest agreements were be-tween the qPCR test and the E. coli test(known to beach managers as Colilert).
“That was a really good thing,” Klein-heinz said. The majority of the tests of-fered true negative or true positive re-sults. “The moral of the study is, eachbeach behaves a little bit differentlywith these different testing methods. Ifyou’re contemplating switching methods,it’s important to evaluate each locationon its own to understand how the changein methods may influence how a beach ismanaged,” Kleinheinz said.
Accuracy with beach closures is im-portant, especially in an area like DoorCounty, which attracts more than 2 mil-lion visitors per year and has 30 beacheswithin a half-hour’s drive of each other.Kleinheinz said that such visitors typi-cally spend about $50 per person per day.This can have a significant impact onthe local economy because beaches oftenaverage hundreds of visitors throughoutthe day in summer. “If we don’t have toclose beaches unnecessarily, that’s im-portant for the local economy,” he said.
The Crossroads Lab research staff ismade up of undergraduate and graduatestudents, mainly from UW-Oshkosh, who
do not have extensive molecular biologytraining. Despite this, they were ableto accurately perform the qPCR tests,which suggests the method can be usedby minimally trained individuals in thesmall labs that are often found in morerural and remote communities.
“Beach work is exciting because itcombines environmental, public health,
economic and social benefits. Everyonein Wisconsin can go use the beach. Noteverybody can go to a water park. Sowe need to ensure that we have healthyplaces that are accessible to all socioeco-nomic groups of people in Wisconsin, andthat’s the goal of the beach work we andother researchers are doing,” Kleinheinzsaid.
TELL PEOPLE YOU
READ IT IN
WISCONSERVATION
W.W.F.Grouse
Ol’ Ruff
… Don Balke, Thiensville1973
WISCONSERVATION February 20177
Buck LakeSportsman’s Club, Inc.
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Mark your calendars…
2017WisconsinWildlife Federation’s
Annual Meeting!
Who’s invited: All WWF Directors, Affiliate ClubRepresentatives, WWF Members
When: April 21-22nd, 2017Location: Hotel Mead, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
This annual gathering is a critical part of the Wisconsin Wildlife
Federation. Network with like-minded individuals; and share/receive
information about Wisconsin natural resources, conservation efforts,
environmental education, advocacy, and more.
During this annual event, natural resource policy resolutions are introduced forinput and then voting members which includes affiliate clubs, help shape theWWF policy and a course of action for the organization for the coming year. Inaddition, learn about the recent accomplishments of WWF, gain insights fromsome of our featured presentations and help celebrate leaders in conservationwith our awards banquet on Saturday evening.
Contact the office for registration materials at [email protected] or by calling 800-897-4161.
WASHINGTON (January 6,2017) – The U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers (USACE) an-
nounced today revised and renewed na-tionwide permits (NWPs) necessary forwork in streams, wetlands and other wa-ters of the United States under Section404 of the Clean Water Act and Section10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.The new NWPs will take effect March19, 2017, and replace the existing per-mits, which expire on March 18, 2017.
“Our goal in developing and authoriz-ing nationwide permits every five yearsis to update them, and provide clarityand certainty for the regulated publicwhile protecting the aquatic environ-ment. Our nationwide permits are an im-portant tool in encouraging project pro-ponents to avoid and minimize impactsto wetlands, streams, and other aquaticresources,” said Maj. Gen. Ed Jackson,USACE Deputy Commanding Generalfor Civil and Emergency Operations.
The updated permits streamline therequirements of the Clean Water Act,and are informed by extensive feedbackfrom the public and other key stakehold-ers. USACE is reissuing 50 permits andadding two new ones. These permits pro-vide expedited review of projects thathave minimal impact on the aquatic en-vironment. Categories of activities thatmay be covered under the NWPs includelinear transportation projects, bank sta-bilization activities, residential develop-ment, commercial and industrial devel-opments, aids to navigation and certainmaintenance activities.
The two new nationwide permits areNWP 53 and NWP 54. NWP 53 pro-vides an appropriate mechanism for anefficient authorization process for theremoval of low-head dams to restorestreams and enhance public safety. NWP54 covers the construction and mainte-nance of living shorelines to control ero-sion in coastal areas.
Notification requirements and impactlimits have been revised for some permitsto provide greater national consistencyand foster making timely decisions forthe regulated community. Effective de-cisions will be enhanced by interagencycoordination on certain activities while
Army Corps of Engineers Revises andReviews Nationwide Permits
continuing to maintain an expeditiousprocess for all permit evaluations. Allimprovements, additions, and revisionsto the package are consistent with theUSACE commitment to evaluate minoractivities efficiently while ensuring ap-propriate environmental protection forour nation’s aquatic resources.
Most of the nationwide permits an-nounced today have no major changesfrom 2012, the last time the nationwidepermits were authorized in accordancewith the law.
USACE division commanders mayadd, after public review and consulta-tion, regional conditions to nationwidepermits in order to protect local aquaticecosystems such as fens or bottomlandhardwoods, or to minimize adverse ef-fects on fish or shellfish spawning, wild-life nesting or other ecologically criticalareas.
Division and district commanders arealso charged with ensuring appropriatecoordination and consultation occurswith federally-recognized American In-dian and Alaska Native governments.
Highlights of the revised and new na-tionwide permits include:
• USACE reissued 50 existing per-mits and added two new ones.
• NWP 48 – The NWP 48 for ExistingCommercial Shellfish Aquaculture Activ-ities is revised to provide greater flexibil-ity in its use. For example, NWP 48 nowincorporates provisions that authorizeactivities that are consistent with otherfederal, state, tribal and local regulatoryauthorities. Incorporating these alreadyauthorized activities will reduce thenumber of activities that require reviewby individual USACE districts.
• NWP 53 – This new NWP coversthe removal of low-head dams. The re-moval of these dams will restore riversand streams, and will improve publicsafety by removing dams that can posehazards to swimmers and to users ofsmall recreational craft.
• NWP 54 – This new NWP coversthe construction and maintenance ofliving shorelines, a technique to protectcoastal property from erosion while pro-viding some aquatic habitat and waterquality benefits.
GRANTSBURG, Wis. – Winterweather means fun winter eventsat Crex Meadows State Wildlife
Area – join Department of Natural Resourcesstaff and the Friends of Crex for upcomingevents in February and March.Feb. 6, Feb. 20, March 6 and March 20(Mondays) from 5-7:00 p.m. - Crex Con-servation Book Club
Join a DNR wildlife conservation educatorthis winter for bi-monthly Conservation BookClub events. As a group, attendees will readconservation-related book per month and dis-cuss personal and societal connections. Thisevent is for participants ages 16 and older -pre-registration is required. Books will be pro-vided at cost.Feb. 3 and Feb. 17 (Fridays) from 10-11:00a.m. - Snowshoe Hikes
Join DNR staff for a series of guided snow-shoe hikes on the trails at Crex MeadowsState Wildlife Area. Participants will learnmore about winter wildlife and skills and de-velop confidence hiking in snowshoes. Snow-shoes will be provided.Saturday, Feb. 4, 6-8 p.m. - Crex Candle-light Snowshoe Hike
Enjoy a peaceful evening walking or snow-shoeing on the 1.25 mile trail behind the Crex
Head to Crex Meadows in February andMarch for a Number of Fun Events
Visitors Center. Luminaries will light theway through the woods, and hot chocolateand baked goods will be available afterward.Snowshoes will be available on a first come,first served basis. Participants may also bringshow shoes from home - all ages are welcome.March 13-16, 9a.m. to 12 p.m. - Kids Win-ter Recreation Days
This day camp offers a unique opportunityto learn science and conservation throughhands-on outdoor experiences, includingsnowshoeing, finding winter wildlife sign,tracking and challenge courses. This event isrecommended for youth ages 8 to 15 and par-ents are welcome to join. , Class size is limitedto 20 students - pre-registration required.
For more information, contact LaurenFinch, DNR wildlife educator/ technician, at715-463-2739. Crex Meadows State WildlifeArea is located at 102 East Crex Ave., Grants-burg, Wis.
Wildlife conservation education programsare supported by Friends of Crex. For moreinformation, visit www.crexmeadows.org orfollow the group on Facebook, Twitter, andPinterest.
Please report your Crex wildlife observa-tions via email: [email protected].
MADISON – Wisconsin residentsshould consider the impacts ofwildlife feeding as well as poten-
tial alternatives that provide long-term ben-efits to help wildlife through a cold and snowywinter season.
“People want to see healthy deer on thelandscape, but feeding is not the only solu-tion,” said Tim Marien,Wisconsin Departmentof Natural Resources wildlife health special-ist. “Improving habitat can support deer andmany other types of wildlife year-round.”
Even a mild Wisconsin winter can causeconcerns for those living alongside deer andother wildlife, but deer and other wildlife com-monly seen in Wisconsin adapt both physi-cally and behaviorally to winter weather.Animals with adequate fat reserves and goodwinter cover are more likely to survive in goodcondition.
“Deer start preparing for winter duringthe summer, when nutritious natural foodsources are abundant,” said Marien. “Whenwinter arrives, they seek out shelter in standsof pine, cedar and fir that provide cover fromsnow and wind, and search for winter foods inthe vicinity until spring.”
However, some winters can overly stressindividual animals, and this can reduce theirchances of survival. Especially during hardwinters, concerned citizens may turn to feed-ing to help deer through the winter. While thiscan benefit individual animals, feeding oftenoccurs on a scale too small to affect the overallcondition of the deer herd. Feeding can alsohave a negative impact on deer, as it drawsthem out of winter range that offers the bestfood and cover to help deer conserve energy.Feeding also increases the risk of diseasespread and severe digestive issues.
As a reminder, deer feeding is illegal incounties affected by chronic wasting disease.Where it is legal, regulations restrict howmuch food may be placed and where feed-ing sites may be placed. Feeding deer is also
Focus on Habitat Rather than Feeding toHelp Deer through Winter
prohibited when elk and bear are using thesite. For a full list of wildlife feeding regula-tions, visit the DNR website at dnr.wi.gov andsearch “feeding regulations.”
“Feeding restrictions are in place to pro-tect the health and safety of both humansand wildlife,” said Marien. “In areas where elkand bear are present, feeding can present asafety risk when these animals acclimate topeople. Also, elk are susceptible to several dis-eases that deer carry, which can weaken theelk herds that Wisconsin has been working togrow over the past few decades.”
DNR staff do not recommend feeding deer,and the practice is currently prohibited inCWD-affected counties. For counties wherefeeding deer is allowed, the department pro-vides guidance for feeding techniques at key-word “deer.” To view current baiting and feed-ing regulations, search keyword “bait.”
Citizens are encouraged to contact a localDNR wildlife biologist for additional informa-tion - contact information can be found at key-words “staff directory” - enter “wildlife biolo-gist” in the subject line.
Improve habitat to help deer througha tough winter
Creating and improving habitat can givedeer and other wildlife the resources theyneed during summer months and sustainthem during the winter. Maintaining nutri-tious natural food sources, like oak, aspenand crabapple provides summer and fall food,while evergreen stands create winter coverand food for deer. Good habitat fulfills theneeds of many deer, rather than individuals.
A variety of resources are available to helplandowners improve their land for wildlife,including the Deer Management AssistanceProgram, Young Forest Initiative and theLandowner Incentive Program. More informa-tion on these programs and additional publi-cations is available on the DNR website bysearching keyword “landowner.”
WISCONSERVATION February 20178
2017 WWF BANQUET CALENDARDISTRICT CONTACT DATE LOCATIONDistrict 3 North Brian Hobbs March 11, 2017 Crickets Bar & Grill(Osceola) 715-417-0940 Amery, WI
[email protected] 4 East Gary Fitzgerald Sept. 7, 2017 Shooter’s(Plover) 715-824-6310 Plover, WI
[email protected] 4 West Randy Teresinski April 1, 2017 American Legion(Neillsville) 715-897-8832 Loyal, WIDistrict 5 Jerry Lingnofski April 6, 2017 Darboy Club(Fox Valley) 920-841-8427 Darboy, WI
[email protected] 6 Michelle Graff Feb. 4, 2017 Fox Hollow Banquet(LaCrosse) 608-797-1292 Facility
[email protected] 6 Christine Schultz March 4, 2017 Castle Hill Supper Club(Black River Falls) 715-299-4414 Merrillan, WI
[email protected] 8 Jack Nissen March 24, 2017 Olympia Resort(Oconomowoc) 262-370-8154 Oconomowoc, WI
[email protected] 9 Janet McLaughlin March 18, 2017 Hilton Garden Inn -(Milwaukee) 262-252-4810 Park Place
[email protected] Milwaukee, WIDistrict 10 Gary Dieck April 29, 2017 Club Chapparal(Wonewoc) 608-464-3290 Wonewoc, WI
[email protected] Wayne Thayer Jan. 28, 2017 Chula Vista Resort(WI Dells) 608-754-4965 Wisconsin Dells, WI
Take Note!Officers/Directors/Committee Chairs. Page 2
2017 Waterfowl Conference. Page 3
DNR Secretaries Speak Out. Page 4
WWF Achievement Awards. Page 5
Editor D. A. Gries
January 2016CalendarWinners
1 $1000 Cash Charlie Niesen, Waukesha, WI 11272 Snow Goose Hunt for up to 8 people Justin Switlick, Marathon, WI 29453 Franchi Instinct Shotgun Erica Krahn, Greenleaf, WI 28964 $100 Cash Barry Halsey, Kimberly, WI 98525 Thompson Center Icon Rifle Chris Hayden, Milwaukee, WI 3896 Becoming an Outdoor Woman for 2 Jeff Johnson, North Freedom, WI 26067 Gander Mountain Card $100 Joshua J Wulff, Cedar Grove, WI 6818 Remington 700 SPS Rifle Pat Richter, Watertown, WI 15849 $100 Cash Rachel Thomas, Frederic, WI 4808
10 Gander Mountain Card $100 Nate Ellingson, Fitchburg, WI 196411 Browning A Bolt Rifle Don Kuehl, Watertown, WI 171212 Gander Mountain Card $100 Marty Bilicki, Silver Lake, WI 342213 $100 Cash CT Field, Fond du Lac, WI 83814 Remington 770 SS 7mm mag w/Bushnell scope Jay Schaefer, Manchacha, TX 537515 Gander Mountain Card $100 Nate Smith, West Allis, WI 1076416 $100 Cash Donald Holst, Racine, WI 384517 Savage 93-17 Package Bruce Romberg, Appleton, WI 985318 Gander Mountain Card $100 Michael T Hunstiger, Jefferson, WI 141619 $100 Cash Ryan Johnson, Berlin, WI 821020 Gander Mountain Card $100 Gary Bedient, Barron, WI 704321 Henry Golden Boy 22 Rifle Gregory Lambert, Mishicot, WI 884922 Gander Mountain Card $100 Ray Cray, Milwaukee, WI 288123 $100 Cash Mary Lou Drew, Ripon, WI 581424 Ruger American Rifle Kim Lang, Fall River, WI 1091025 Gander Mountain Card $100 Jason Bruno, Brown Deer, WI 400526 $100 Cash Therese Lutzke, Sheboygan, WI 122827 Weatherby Upland Pump Shotgun Trent Willfahet, Stratford, WI 869128 Gander Mountain Card $100 Tim Hill, Sheboygan, WI 65029 $100 Cash Tim Christensen, Star Prairie, WI 484430 Stevens 12 Gauge Model 320 Pump Daryl Johnson, Brown Deer, WI 132031 Black River Pro Rod 6’ Med. Action Pete VanDuyse, Green Bay, WI 4628
Watertown Conservation Club, Inc.Annual Spring Banquet
Saturday March 18, 2017At Turner Hall 300 S. 4th St.
Watertown, Wi. 53904Doors Open at 5:30pm, Dinner 7:00pm
Raffles: Sportsman’s, Gun, Silent, 50/50 CashScholarship, Midshow, Silent Auction
Tickets: $40.00 Donation: Call Jon 920-988-1170or Wayne 920-988-4430
SPORTSMAN’SRUMMAGE SALE
★★★★★
Sat., April 8, 20179:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
JOHN’S1201 Madison Street, Beaver Dam
General Admission $2.00 • Vendor Space: $15.00Various vending options. Must register for tables by 4/1/17.
Contact: Harold Drake (920) 386-2831 for reservations or questions
Sponsored by the Dodge Co. Sporting &Conservation Alliance
“Millpond Opening Day”Mark L. Kanitz
Edition Size: Signed and Numbered 350Image Size: 14” x 10”Price: $25.00Remarques are available for additional cost.Shipping and Handling: $5.00
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation2016 Print of the Year
ABOUT THE ARTISTMark grew up in Milwaukee, but has always enjoyed and been fascinated by
nature and the outdoors. He wanted to learn more about it, so he earned a degree inWildlife Management from UW-Stevens Point. Mark was inspired by other wildlifeartists’ works which gave him the motivation to try painting himself. Recognitionand compliments helped him continue with his artwork.
He found his niche as a wildlife artist when he combined his hobby of shedantler hunting with painting. It’s very fulfilling for Mark to search for and find aspecial antler and then use his much appreciated God given talent to create a uniquepiece of art by painting on the antler. Adding sculpture and replication have madethe possibilities endless.
Mark feels very blessed by his talent and enjoys sharing it with others. He feelshonored to have his painting chosen by the WWF as the 2016 Print of the Year.
ORDER FORM 2016 “Millpond Opening Day”
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Wisconsin Wildlife Federation1540 W. James St., Suite 500
Columbus, WI 53925(920) 623-9975
Make checks payable to Wisconsin Wildlife FederationMaster Card and Visa Accepted