OCTOBER 2013VOLUME 40NUMBER 10

Notice!Affiliates - Associate

MembershipEffective October 1, 2013, theWisconsin Wildlife Federation

business office operations will relocateto: 1540 W. James St. Suite 500,

Columbus, Wisconsin 53925

Phone: 920-623-9975Toll Free: 1-800-897-4161

PEMBINE, Wis. – People hunting onWisconsin state park properties willbe prohibited from shooting from

or across certain trails – those trails closedto hunting – and anyone trapping in stateparks will be limited to dog-proof or under-water traps.

These modifications to Wisconsin Act 168were adopted today as emergency rules bythe Natural Resources Board at its meetingin Pembine.

Act 168 was approved by the Legislatureand signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker in2012. The intent is to expand outdoor recre-ation opportunities and to make it easier forpeople to participate in hunting, trappingand fishing. Among other things, Act 168 ex-panded hunting opportunities on state parkproperties and opened them to trapping forthe first time.

Act 168 allowed the Department of Natu-ral Resources to prohibit hunting in desig-nated use areas. Following a series of publicmeetings, the state parks program preparedhunting maps for all state park propertiesindicating areas closed and open to hunt-ing. Closed areas include those parts of the

park within 100 feet of designated use areas,such as parking lots, campgrounds and picnicareas, as well as property within 100 feet ofcertain trails. The Natural Resources Boardapproved these maps at its December 2012meeting.

The emergency rule adopted today clari-fies that it is illegal for a hunter standingin an area open to hunting to shoot acrossa trail closed to hunting or across any areawithin 100 feet of such a trail.

Under its authority to restrict hunting inparks for safety reasons, the board previouslyspecified that hunting can take place in stateparks in the spring from April 1 throughthe Tuesday nearest May 3, and that hunt-ing and trapping can take place in the fallfrom Nov. 15 through Dec. 15. An exceptionallows archery hunting to continue throughthe Sunday nearest Jan. 6.

At that same meeting the board directedDNR staff to establish emergency rules pro-hibiting the discharge of firearms from oracross designated trails and to restrict trap-pers to the use of dog proof or underwatertraps.

“These are common sense rules that most

hunters would abide by anyway for safetyreasons,” said Dan Schuller, director of theWisconsin State Parks program.

The prohibition will prevent the dischargeof firearms, air-guns, bows and crossbowsfrom or across any designated hiking trail ona state park property map. The prohibitionwas already in place on any Ice Age NationalScenic Trail property.

The rules use an existing trap-type defi-nition known as “enclosed trigger trap” thatmeets the requirements of being a “dog prooftrap.” These are traps with a pull-activatedtrigger inside an enclosure with a recessedopening. The rules allow trapping under nor-mal regulations in certain situations wherethe traps are submerged in water.

The emergency rules will be in effectwhen hunting and trapping opens on Wiscon-sin state park properties Nov. 15. The DNR isin the process of promulgating a permanentrule that will contain language identical tothis rule. The permanent rule will be the sub-ject of public hearings and will need to be ap-proved by the Natural Resources Board at afuture meeting.

New Rules Prohibit Shooting From or Across Trails onWisconsin State Park Properties

Rules also allow only dog-proof or underwater traps

HORICON, Wis. – Hunters with dis-abilities are now able to reservean accessible hunting blind on the

Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area.The Jack Nugent Memorial Disabled

Waterfowl Blind can be reserved by callingHoricon Marsh at 920-387-7860. The blindcan be reserved one week in advance and isfor the exclusive use of disabled hunters anda single helper. There is no charge to reserveor use the blind and the hunter’s helper mayalso hunt.

Additional information on waterfowlhunting on Horicon Marsh is available onthe DNR website at dnr.wi.us using the key-words, hunting on Horicon Marsh.

“Thanks to the efforts of Ducks Unlimitedand Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, wewere able to construct this brand new blindon the Burnett Impoundment on Horicon,”said Paul Samerdyke, DNR wildlife biologistfor Dodge County. “The blind is named afterthe late Jack Nugent, who was an avid wa-terfowl hunter and conservationist.”

Accessible Waterfowl Hunting Blind NowAvailable on Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area

WISCONSERVATION October 20132

WISCONSIN WILDLIFE FEDERATION COMMITTEE CHAIRSCOMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON PHONE EMAILAchievement Awards Lil Pipping 920-876-4312 lpipping@wi.rr.comBanquet Advisory Ed Rollins 630-561-3099 ednangie@sbcglobal.net

Jack Nissen 262-370-8154 countyhighway@yahoo.comBy-Laws Betty Borchert 920-688-3122 geo44@charter.netCalendar Lil Pipping 920-876-4312 lpipping@wi.rr.comConservation Leadership Lil Pipping 920-876-4312 lpipping@wi.rr.com

Leah McSherry 608-576-8646 lmcsh525@uwsp.eduDog Andrew Lewandowski 262-527-1988 hcinc53150@aol.comEducation Ruth Ann Lee 608-635-2742 ruthann@wiwf.orgEndangered Resources Chuck Matyska 715-745-6382 mmatyska@yahoo.comEnvironmental/Wetlands Russ Hitz 715-632-2143 russellhitz@centurylink.netForest, Parks & Recreation Jerry Knuth 715-344-0017 knuth0628@sbcglobal.netGreat Lakes Fisheries Larry Freitag 920-458-4117Inland Fisheries Gordy Mertz 262-695-0060 fishb8s@aol.comMembership Jack Nissen 262-370-8154 countyhighway@yahoo.comScholarships Betty Borchert 920-688-3122 geo44@charter.netShooting Range Bill Tollard 920-379-3429Waterfowl John Wetzel 608-526-4238 john769@centurytel.netWildlife/State Affairs/Hunter Education Ralph Fritsch 715-850-2456 rsfritsch@hotmail.comWisconservation Dan Gries 920-725-4092 wwfedt@gmail.com

OFFICE PHONE:800-897-4161 - Toll Free

WEB PAGEADDRESS:www.wiwf.org

OFFICEADDRESS:

1540 W. James St.Suite 500

Columbus, WI 53925

WisconservationWISCONSERVATION (USPS 108-190 ISSN 0164-3649) is published monthly for $25 per year by

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, 1540 W. James Street, Suite 500, Columbus, WI 53925. Periodical postage

paid at Oshkosh, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: WISCON-

SERVATION, 1540 W. James Street, Suite 500, Columbus, WI 53925. All communications regarding adver-

tising, editorial, circulation and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation matters should be sent to 1540 W. James Street,

Suite 500, Columbus, WI 53925. 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) 725-1013wwfedt@gmail.com

ASSOCIATE EDITORRalph Fritsch

(715) 850-2456

* * * OFFICERS * * *

President John Wagner, 722A Silver Lake St., Oconomowoc, WI 53066, (262) 560-1230. Email:ext2022@sbcglobal.net

First Vice President George Borchert, 7420 US Hwy 45, Oshkosh, WI 54902, (920) 688-3122.Email: geo44@charter.net

Second Vice President Bill Tollard, 4630 Friedrich Ave., Omro, WI 54963, (920) 379-3429.Email: bill@adashunjones.com

Secretary Carolyn Brown, 8131 N. Oak Ridge Drive, Milton, WI 53563, (608) 868-2514. Email:brownc@centurytel.net

Treasurer Pat Ramirez, 3696 Blueberry Lane, Waldo, WI 53093, (920) 838-1266. Email:pmramirez05@yahoo.com

DISTRICT 7

Dave Chingway, Watertown, WI, (920) 261-0379.

Don Hammes, Middleton, WI, (608) 836-1205.

Mike Meyer, Watertown, WI, (920) 342-9439.

DISTRICT 8

Doug Kurth, Big Bend, WI, (414) 350-0940.

John Wagner, Oconomowoc, WI, (262) 560-1230.

Mike Rynearson, Oconomowoc, WI, (414) 313-2079.

DISTRICT 9

Rick Lazarczyk, West Allis, WI, (414) 321-5750.

Roger Borkowski, Milwaukee, WI, (414) 571-0002.

Gordon Merz, Pewaukee, WI, (262) 695-0060.

DISTRICT 10

Gary Dieck, Wonewoc, WI, (608) 464-3290.

DISTRICT 11

Norb Moes, Green Bay, WI, (920) 434-1999.

Keith Pamperin, Green Bay, WI, (920) 494-3990.

Steven Kettenhoven, Clintonville, WI, (715) 250-0077.

DISTRICT 12

Chuck Matyska, Cecil, WI, (715) 745-6382.

Jim Weishan, Wabeno, WI, (715) 473-6013.

Mike “Oscar” Stueck, Crivitz, WI, (920) 323-9230.

N.W.F. REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

Jason Dinsmore, 199 Kristin Drive NW, Rochester,

MN 55901. Office: (507) 206-3732. Cell: (517) 204-

8962. Email: dinsmorej@nwf.org.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS

Craig Challoner, Omro, WI

Mike Arrowood, Oakfield, WI

Bob Chojnowski, Plover, WI

Roxanne Taylor, Plymouth, WI

Bill Tollard, Omro, WI

Jim Huhn, Watertown, WI

Pat Ramirez, Waldo, WI

Andy Lewandowski, Muskego, WI

Carolyn Brown, Milton, WI

Jacob Marty, Stevens Point, WI

Andrew Voight, Stevens Point, WI

Richard Baudhuin, Sturgeon Bay, WI

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

HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS

Joseph A. Gruber, Campbellsport, WI

Dr. Dan Trainer, UW-Stevens Point

Les Voigt

PAST PRESIDENTS

Chuck Matyska, Cecil, WI

Jack Nissen, Dousman, WI

Lil Pipping, Elkhart Lake, WI

Corky Meyer, Kewaskum, WI

Jerry Knuth, Plover, WI

James Weishan, Wabeno, 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 AFFILIATES

DIRECTORS/REPRESENTATIVESAmerican Wild Turkey Hunting Dog AssociationJon Fries, 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 ChapterMichael Barniskis, Beaver Dam, WI, 920-356-0081

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 ClubsJim Gleash, Madison, WI, 608-257-3089

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, 715-423-3229

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

Pat Quaintance, Bayfield, WI, (715) 779-5104.

Ken Lundberg, Lake Nebagamon, WI, (715) 374-3404.

DISTRICT 2

Walt Camp, St. Germain, WI, (715) 542-3856.

Laurie Groskopf, Tomahawk, WI, (715) 453-6301.

DISTRICT 3

Jim Swanson, Menomonie, WI, (715) 232-8266.

Dean Borofka, Rice Lake, WI, (715) 234-6303.

John Tully, Cameron, WI, (715) 859-6775.

DISTRICT 4

Dale Zaug, Tigerton, WI, (715) 754-5774.

Delbert Dietzler, Rudolph, WI, (715) 421-2591.

Dave Verhage, Plover, WI, (715) 344-3497.

DISTRICT 5

George Borchert, Oshkosh, WI, (920) 688-3122.

Kevin Marquette, Shawano, WI, (715) 851-4175.

Dan Gries, Menasha, WI, (920) 725-4092.

DISTRICT 6

Dennis Reinhardt, Osseo, WI, (715) 597-3535.

John Wetzel, Holmen, WI, (608) 526-4238.

Ed Rollins, Humbird, WI, (630) 561-3099.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / LEGISLATIONGeorge Meyer, 201 Randolph Dr., Madison, WI 53717, (608) 516-5545. Email: georgemeyer@tds.net

BUSINESS MANAGERJennifer Evans, 1540 W. James Street, Suite 500, Columbus, WI 53925, (920) 623-9975. Email:jennifer@wiwf.org

WISCONSERVATION October 20133

President’s MessageVol. I Part V

October is one of the bestmonths of the year. WhenOctober comes around the

leaves start turning colors, geesestart flying their migration south,some mornings there’s frost on thepumpkin, some snow storms maysprawl and hunting is starting toget into full swing. If you’re hunt-ing grouse, ducks, pheasant, tur-key, deer, bear, wolf and/or trappingyou’re probably enjoying what youlove best. One of my best hunts is ar-chery for the elusive whitetail buck.Every year I can’t wait for the rut tostart during the archery deer season.

This year starting October 15thwill be the second hunting/trap-ping season for wolves in the stateof Wisconsin ever. Federal delistingof wolves occurred on January 27,2012, following years of de-listingsand re-listings resulting from a num-ber of court cases, even though theMidwest wolf population exceededrecovery goals for many years. The2013 Wisconsin wolf count indicatesthere are a minimum of 809 to 834wolves in the state, including 215packs and 15 lone wolves, accordingto Department of Natural Resourcesofficials. This count compares to the2012 count of a minimum of 815 to880 wolves, including 213 packs and

20 lone wolves. The NRB adopted atotal harvest quota of 201 for 2013season.

Mentoring a youth or an adulton a hunt is a great experience forboth. If you get the chance take someone that hasn’t hunted before out fortheir first hunt and give them thepleasure of enjoying the same privi-lege and right that you have enjoyedfor so many years, pass it along. Af-ter all you and I are the Ambassa-dors of our sport.

There’s something special abouthunting and at the same time hunt-ers do need to keep safety in mindat all times during the hunting sea-sons. Let me remind you of the 4 Ba-sic Rules of Firearms Safety. T - Thefirst rule is to treat every firearm asif it is loaded. A - Always point themuzzle in a safe direction. B - Becertain of your target and what’s be-yond it. K - The 4th and last rule ofbasic firearms safety is the practiceof keeping your finger outside thetrigger guard until you are ready toshoot. I hope everyone follows theserules and has a safe hunt this fall.Have a great hunt this October!

President of theWisconsin Wildlife Federation

John Wagner

Executive Director Activity

Mr. Larry LynchSenior HydrogeologistBureau of Water and Materials ManagementWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesMadison, WI 53717-1615

Re: Comments Regarding Gogebic Taconite’s Proposed Iron Mine in Ashland and IronCounty

Dear Mr. Lynch:

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation is comprised of 185 hunting, fishing, trappingand forestry-related groups located across the state including Ashland and Iron Coun-ty. The Federation’s obvious interest in this project relates to the fish and wildlife habi-tat on the proposed project site including it’s forests, wetlands, streams and lakes. Ourinterest extends outside the project boundary to include the entire Bad River water-shed, the finest remaining watershed in the state that has outstanding fish and wild-life habitat. This interest has recently been shown by the fact that 42 members of ourBoard of Directors did a three-day tour and seminar on the project in Ashland and Ironcounties in August of this year. The Federation, although having deep concerns for thefuture of the natural resources that may be impacted by the project, has to this dateremained neutral on the project. We pride ourselves on being a fact-based organizationdriven by scientific information. As you will see from our comments, that is why it is soimportant for the Department of Natural Resources to do a superlative job in gather-ing facts about the site and the impacts of the project on the site’s natural resources.

We will shorten our comments and your reading workload by endorsing and as-sociating ourselves with the detailed comments filed by our partners the WisconsinWetlands Association and Clean Wisconsin.

We are focusing our comments on the following areas related to the needed pre-application field work that needs to be done. In street jargon, in our opinion, it is thewhole ball game. If done correctly, the state and federal governments will be able tomake the correct ultimate decision, if not; some of the most valuable natural resourcesin this state are subject to severe degradation.

1. A thorough and complete hydrogeological survey of the project site and areas upand down the watershed. It is our belief that the ground water hydrology in this areais extremely complex with both macro watershed and micro watershed impacts. Thereneeds to be thorough knowledge of the impacts of the mine and its affiliated compo-nents both on the Bad River downstream, the valuable streams lying in and adjacentto the open pit and also the potential groundwater surcharge from the tailings disposalarea on adjacent wetland and lakes. The ground water model for this project must beinformed by numerous strategically placed wells and after the model is completed bythe company, the DNR must insist that the model be fully calibrated and verified byactual pumping tests. Until this occurs DNR should not allow the project applicationto go forward.

2. The Federation is calling for a complete and thorough study of the ore body andits overburden. The WWF has been informed by seasoned and credible geologists, thatthe ore body and its overburden have lenses throughout the ore body that differ fromone location to another. One example is the possibility of a gunnerite lens in part of theore body with its potential asbestos concerns. While the company has access to exten-sive borings, it has not made them available to public scrutiny and apparently not toDNR either. In lieu of sharing that information, the Federation is asking that as partof its pre-application process, the DNR require that the company do additional boringsthroughout the proposed ore body so that an accurate chemical analysis can be doneto determine the content of any waste material that will be disposed of in this highlysensitive watershed.

3. The Federation is calling for a thorough analysis of the wetlands and small tribu-taries and pond on the project side that provide a valuable source of cold water toTylers Fork and Bull Gus Creek. These are extremely valuable streams used by sportsanglers and it is our belief that by elimination of the wetlands, ponds and streamsfeeding those bodies of water, there will be major impact on the quantity and quality ofthe water in those streams. With having that data, the impacts of the project on themcannot be measured.

4. The Federation is calling for a thorough investigation of the fauna and flora onthe site.

5. The Federation is calling for a detailed study of the recreational uses of the proj-ect site, including hunting, fishing and trapping. Sportsmen and women will be veryinterested in seeing what the loss of this area means to them in the most direct way.

Mr. Lynch, the sportsmen and women in this state have great confidence in theprofessional staff of the Department of Natural Resources and are counting on you toassure that the best possible studies are done to determine what natural resources areat stake in this project and what impacts the project will have on those resources. Thelegislature has put tight time constraints on how you do your job, but the Federationis counting on you to take whatever time is necessary to reach a final decision in thismatter.

Sincerely yours,George Meyer, Executive Director

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federa-tion today applauds GovernorWalker’s decision directing the

Department of Natural Resources to re-scind the recently issued Sporting Heri-tage Grant. The purpose of the grant toincrease the recruitment and retentionof hunters, anglers and trappers in theState of Wisconsin is of major concernand importance to the Wisconsin WildlifeFederation, its members and all of theexcellent sporting groups in the state.

Unfortunately the highly question-able legislative process, the narrowcriteria for grant applications and theinadequate public noticing of the grantby the DNR raised substantial concernsamong a large number of sportsmen andwomen across the state. Continuationof the grant under these circumstanceswould have resulted in this importantnew initiative being started under a seri-ous cloud of suspicion and distrust in thesporting community.

The WWF calls on the legislature torewrite the statutory language for thesporting heritage grant to allow the DNRto reissue the $500,000 in a manner thatinvolves the great breadth of Wiscon-sin’s sporting organizations involved inhunter, angler and trapper retention andrecruitment in the state. The fundingshould be used to bring sporting organi-zations together in this critical endeavorand not divide them.

The WWF also in a letter today toDNR Secretary Cathy Stepp requestedthat the DNR bring together and hosta meeting or workshop with the ma-jor sporting organizations interested inretention and recruitment to outline acooperative effort to involve many stateand local organizations in an effectiveand cost-effective approach to solve thisserious issue. Such organizations should

WWF Applauds Governor’s Decision toRescind Sporting Heritage Grant

include at a minimum the WWF, the Con-servation Congress, Kids and MentorsOutdoors (KAMO), Pheasants Forever,the NWTF, Ducks Unlimited, WisconsinTrappers Association, Wisconsin Water-fowl Association, Wisconsin Bear Hunt-ers, Wisconsin Bow Hunters Association,Safari Club International and Friends ofthe State Game Farm.

As just one illustration of many po-tential recruitment and retention efforts,in the last year the WWF and KAMOhave entered into a strategic partner-ship to spread the highly successfulhunter recruitment strategy that hasbeen put into place by Kids and MentorsOutdoors. This strategy involves goingbeyond youth learn to hunt programsand outdoor skills days and has createdseveral local chapters of KAMO that con-nect long-term adult mentors with youngmen and women in hunting and relatedoutdoor pursuits. The Wisconsin Wild-life Federation is working with KAMOin holding joint workshops with the 185hunting, fishing and trapping relatedclubs that belong to the Federation to getthem interested in starting local KAMOchapters. Non-WWF sporting clubs willbe openly invited to the workshops.

Now is the time to move forward fromthis unfortunate event and come upwith a positive and cooperative recruit-ment and retention strategy that unitesWisconsin’s sporting community andmaximizes the financial and manpowerresources of the hundreds of hunting,fishing, trapping organizations in thestate. The $500,000 that the legislaturehas appropriated could be of a majorboost in advancing such an effort witha well-developed strategy involving allof Wisconsin’s hunting, fishing and trap-ping community.

PRESS STATEMENT FROM JOHN WAGNER,WWF PRESIDENT

* * *

“Tell People You Read It In Wisconservation!”

WISCONSERVATION October 20134

2013 sight in activity

The opening of the archery deerseason on Sept. 14 marks thebeginning of the 2013 Deer

Hunter Wildlife Survey.“Deer hunters often ask if there is a

way they can tell state wildlife officialswhat they are or are not seeing fromtheir deer stand, this survey providesthem with the means to do that” said JayWatson, wildlife survey technician withthe Department of Natural Resources.

“With the Deer Trustee report recom-mending more input from the huntingpublic on herd status, this tool providesthe hunter with an excellent way to com-municate their sightings,” Watson said.“All they need to do is record the date,number of hours, county, deer manage-ment unit, weather conditions, and thetype and number of animals observedeach day of deer hunting. Hunters canalso enter their email address along withtheir observations and I will send theman email summary of their hunting ac-tivity at the end of the survey period.”

Hunters can find survey instructions,record sightings, and view survey resultsonline at the Wisconsin Deer HunterWildlife Survey page by searching theDNR website for “deer hunter wildlife.”A tally sheet is also available for timeswhen hunters do not have access to acomputer.

Wildlife officials ask that hunt-ers record all of their hunting activitythroughout the deer season, even if nowildlife sightings were made during ahunt. The survey period ends January2014. These observations have providedthe DNR with an index to abundance formany wildlife species.

Many other states in the Midwest andaround the country use these types ofsurveys to gather hunter input into deer

and other wildlife abundance.This is the fifth year of the survey and

deer hunters are asked to report theirfield observations of a variety of wildlifespecies, hunting conditions and hoursspent pursuing game. This year 17,000deer hunters were selected at randomand sent a letter inviting them to par-ticipate in Deer Hunter Wildlife Sur-vey. However, if you were not one of thehunters selected to participate we stillencourage your participation to help pro-vide insight into Wisconsin’s deer herd.

“Whether you hunt opening weekendor all season long, this extra monitoringof our state’s wildlife provides us withthousands of observations,” Watson said.

The Deer Hunter Wildlife Surveyoverlaps another citizen-participationsurvey. Operation Deer Watch startedAug. 1 and runs through Sept. 30. Theprimary objective of Operation DeerWatch is to determine trends in deer re-productive success by reporting does andfawns seen together during the late sum-mer and early fall.

Trail Camera Photos WantedThe wildlife surveys program is also

interested in photographs of rare orendangered species hunters may havecaptured on their trail cameras. Photoscan be emailed to DNR Wildlife Manage-ment. This information will help docu-ment their existence and location withinthe state. Trail camera photos can beviewed the DNR online trail camera gal-lery.

Questions about the Wisconsin DeerHunter Wildlife Survey, accessing thetally sheet, reporting your observation,or the results of the survey, can be re-ferred to Jay Watson at 608-221-6360.

2013 Deer Hunter Wildlife Survey Begins

BLACK RIVER FALLS – Thestate Department of NaturalResources is enlisting the help

of deer hunters in Adams, Juneau andPortage counties to assist in chronicwasting disease surveillance in the deerherd this fall.

“Last fall CWD was discovered for thefirst time in three wild white-tailed deerin Adams, Juneau and Portage Coun-ties, all outside our CWD managementzone,” said DNR area wildlife supervisorKris Johansen. “To better define the geo-graphic extent of CWD, we will be focus-ing additional surveillance during the2013 fall deer seasons within a 10-mileradius of where we found each of thethree positive animals last fall.

“Hunters can assist with our surveil-lance efforts by having any adult deerharvested within one of these 10-milefocus areas tested for CWD.”

During the 2013 deer seasons DNRstaff will be working with local taxider-mists and other cooperators to providecollection points near or within the sur-veillance areas for hunters to bring deerto have heads removed or have lymphnode samples removed. A list of coopera-tors and a detailed map will be providedto the public in early October as the ar-chery season starts to ramp up.

In the meantime, hunters can get a de-cent look at the areas being surveyed bygoing to the DNR web page at dnr.wi.govand typing the words “CWD sampling”into the search box. The “sampling” linkwill be one of the first two suggestionsand that page will contain a link to amap. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabi-tat/registersample.html

Bow hunters who harvest adult deerin one of the surveillance areas prior toOctober 10 can help the surveillance ef-fort, and get their deer tested for free,by removing the deer head with at leastthree inches of neck attached, freezingthe deer head and contacting DNR. Theycan then call ahead and arrange to dropoff the head at one of these three offices:

• Mead Wildlife Area Headquarters,S2148 County Road S, Milladore, 715-457-6771.

• WI Rapids Service Center, 473Griffith Avenue, WI Rapids, 715-421-7813.

• Adams-Friendship Ranger Station,532 N. Main Street, Adams, 608-339-4819.

Prior to Oct. 10, DNR will publish alist of cooperators in these surveillanceareas who will take samples from whole,field-dressed deer after that date.

Some cooperating taxidermists canremove a lymph node for sampling with-out having to remove the head. Othercooperators will sample by removing thehead. Locations and hours of service willbe published, given to the news mediaand posted on our “CWD sampling” webpage.

The CWD tests are free for thesehunters. Anyone submitting a head fortesting will receive their test results inthree to four weeks. Individuals inter-ested in learning more about the diseasecan visit the DNR web page at dnr.wi.govand type “CWD” into the search box. In-formation regarding collection stationswill also be made available throughoutthe season on the DNR website.

Central Wisconsin Bow Hunters Can Assistwith CWD Testing in Three New Focus Areas

2013FirearmsSight In

Locations

Twin City Rod & Gun ClubW7832 Winnegamie Dr.

Neenah, WI 549579am - Sunset

Oct. 1-31 • Nov. 1-22

Outagamie Conservation ClubN3502 Mayflower Rd.Hortonville, WI 54944

9am - 3pmNov. 9, 10, 16, 17

Nicolet Rifle Club2710 St. Pats Rd.

Suamico, WI 543139am - 4pmNov. 11-21

Brown County Rifle Range2227 Brown Rd.

Green Bay, WI 543138am - 4pm

Oct. Sat & Sun onlyNov. 2-3 & 5-21

Prairie Rod & Gun ClubMill Coulee Range

Prairie du Chien, WI 53021Noon - 4pm

Nov. 16-17 & 20-22

North Bristol Sportsmans Club7229 N. Greenway Rd.Sun Prairie, WI 53590

10am - 2pmNov. 3, 10, 16, 17

WISCONSERVATION October 20135

WOODRUFF – The WisconsinWalleye Initiative is on a roll!State stocking trucks head

out on the highways this week with thefirst loads of larger walleye to be deliv-ered to lakes under the initiative, a fund-ing package aimed at increasing popula-tions of walleye, anglers’ favorite catch.

Over the next few weeks, state fishhatcheries are expected to stock out300,000 to 400,000 of the 4- to 7-inchwalleye, more than four times as manyas normal. The two-year, $13 millionWisconsin Walleye Initiative allows DNRto expand stocking of the larger walleye,known as “large fingerlings,” which aremore expensive to produce but survivebetter, and to buy walleye from private,tribal and municipal hatcheries.

“The Wisconsin Walleye Initiative isunder way and we’re excited to makethese first investments in giving anglersmore of what they want: walleye,” saysDepartment of Natural Resources Secre-tary Cathy Stepp. “Stocking trucks arerolling this week from our cool-waterhatcheries in Woodruff, Wild Rose andAlbion, with more fish to come in thenext few weeks from our Spooner andLake Mills facilities.”

The fish being stocked now will takeseveral years to grow large enough to belegally kept by anglers, but with themDNR is starting to build the foundationfor an effort to jumpstart an increase inwalleye populations in many lakes, saysMike Staggs, DNR fisheries director.

“We believe we can increase walleyepopulations in many lakes with target-ed stocking efforts,” Staggs says. “We’vegeared up on short notice in 2013 to qua-druple our larger fingerling productionand we’re well into the planning thatwill help us produce even more in com-ing years.”

The best, most-cost effective walleyefisheries are universally self-sustaining

through natural reproduction and pro-duce populations two to three timeshigher than those waters stocked evenat the highest levels, research shows.But stocking can create significant andlocally important fisheries, and stockinglarger fish is the quickest way to increasewalleye populations on the broadestscale where natural reproduction is notadequate, Staggs says.

Normally, DNR stocks 3 to 4 millionsmaller walleye and 60,000 to 70,000of the larger fingerling walleye, a splitdictated by limited budgets, becausethe smaller walleye are much cheaperto produce. The smaller walleye, knownas “small fingerlings,” are 1 to 2 inchesat stocking and are cheaper to producebecause they feed on plankton that growin the fertilized hatchery ponds wherethey are kept. To keep walleye longer atthe hatcheries so they grow to large fin-gerling size, DNR must buy and feed theyoung walleyes minnows and keep thefish at lower densities in DNR ponds.

The Wisconsin Walleye Initiativegives DNR the money to keep more wall-eye longer at the hatcheries and stockthem out at the large fingerling sizewhere they stand a better chance of sur-viving.

The Walleye Initiative was adoptedin the 2013-15 budget approved in June,which started July 1.

The walleyes will be stocked in watersfisheries biologists previously identifiedfor stocking. This fall, DNR will be ableto go deeper down the list in filling biolo-gists’ requests for certain select watersand also will be able to provide morelarger fish.

For stocking in future years underthe Wisconsin Walleye Initiative, DNRwill be launching a public involvementprocess this October to help understandwhat the public wants from walleye fish-ing in the state.

State Stocking Trucks Rolling withWalleye Funded by State Budget Initiative

More and larger fish headed to more Wisconsin waters

Aproposal to modify Wiscon-sin’s captured wildlife lawsand policy is ready for review.

It comes after Gov. Scott Walker calledon the secretaries of the Departmentof Natural Resources and the Depart-ment of Agriculture, Trade and Con-sumer Protection to examine the cur-rent laws and policy.

The proposed changes that will gobefore the Natural Resources Board inSeptember include:

• Immediate reintroduction ofwild animals into the wild

After voluntarily collecting an ille-gally captured wild animal, DNR staffwould reintroduce the animal to thewild if it does not pose a threat to pub-lic health, the health of wildlife, or tothe animal itself. In the case of deer, ifa deer originates in a Chronic WastingDisease zone, it could only be reintro-duced in a CWD zone.

• Ability of a licensed rehabili-tator to rehabilitate wild animalsfor reintroduction to the wild

If a wild animal cannot be immedi-ately released into the wild, but couldbe safely released after rehabilitation,it would be taken to a licensed rehabili-tator. In the case of deer, following re-habilitation, a deer which originated ina CWD zone could only be reintroducedinto a CWD zone.

• Restricted use of euthanasiaDNR staff would only euthanize a

wild animal if it is sick, highly likely tobe diseased, or a threat to public healthor the health of other wildlife. Addi-tionally, the proposal calls for the fol-lowing change which would require ac-tion by the state legislature to changestate law:

• Ability of an individual tocare for a captured deer with prop-er health and disease protections

Individuals who illegally hold acaptured wild deer would still face ci-

Proposals Outlined to Modify CapturedWildlife Laws and Policies

tations and penalties for illegally pos-sessing the deer. They may be able tokeep the deer if they meet a series ofregulations to ensure the health of thedeer and the state’s deer population asa whole. These include, but are not lim-ited to, specific size and space require-ments for an enclosure, health tests ad-ministered by a licensed veterinarian,and a notification process to both DNRand DATCP.

“Removing illegally-held wildlifetakes an emotional toll on those hold-ing the animal as well as those whosejob it is to enforce the law,” said DNRSecretary Cathy Stepp. “Ideas andopinions from citizens of this state,along with sound science, shape ournatural resource laws and policies. Ilook forward to working with policymakers to improve the way Wisconsinmanages wildlife.”

“We at the Department of Agricul-ture, Trade and Consumer Protectionbelieve these policy changes, with re-spect to the capture of wild deer, willnot only help difuse future situationsbut will protect the state’s $35-billiondollar livestock industry from diseasessuch as TB and the spread of CWD,something our agency takes very se-riously,” said DATCP Secretary BenBrancel. “We hope the legislature willmove forward to address these recom-mendations. It is important to remem-ber that any interstate movement ofwild deer would continue to be a feder-al violation under the Lacey Act. A Wis-consin rehabilitator should not accept awild deer that was imported illegally.”

The proposal is not designed to en-courage individuals to take animalsfrom the wild, stressed SecretaryStepp. For example, fawns often appearto be abandoned when, in reality, theirmothers are finding food nearby. Wildanimals should always be left in thewild.

MILWAUKEE – Anglers fish-ing Lake Michigan’s open wa-ters and tributaries for chi-

nook and lake trout are being asked todonate the heads of the fish they harvestto aid research critical to keeping fishingstrong.

“With the help of the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, more tagged fish arebeing stocked now than ever before,”says Cheryl Masterson, a Departmentof Natural Resources fisheries techni-cian. “The tag in the fish’s snout has anumber that tells us when and where thefish was stocked. To learn as much as wecan about the behavior of the fish in thelake, we would like to collect heads fromtagged sport-caught fish.”

Only those harvested fish missing thesmall back top fin, known as the adiposefin, are being sought, because the missingfin is a sign that the fish likely receiveda tag in its snout. For several years now,federal and state natural resource agen-cies have been marking hatchery-raisedchinook and trout by safely implanting atiny steel tag etched with a number re-lating to where and when the fish washatched and stocked. Now that the fishare growing large enough to be kept byanglers, researchers are collecting chi-nook salmon and trout heads to look forthe steel tags.

DNR has partnered with local busi-nesses in most major ports along thelakeshore where anglers can drop off fishheads, Masterson says. Each businesshas been given a supply of forms for an-glers to fill out and bags to use for freez-ing the head. Anglers should includethe following information with eachhead – date of capture and capture loca-tion, along with the fish species, length,weight, and gender, she said.

Nick Legler, DNR fisheries biologistin Sturgeon Bay, said the informationassociated with the number on the tagin the fish can help answer how manyfish are in Lake Michigan, how manyare wild instead of raised in a hatchery,and where they are caught in relation towhere they were stocked. Data also willbe used to measure fish growth and ageat capture and to evaluate hatchery andstocking practices.

Preliminary findings from the fishthat anglers provided last year suggestthat during the summer months, salm-on roam all over lake, which at 22,300square miles is the second largest ofthe Great Lakes and is the largest lakewithin U.S. borders. Fifty-nine percent ofthe hundreds of wire tags recovered fromchinook caught by anglers over the sum-mer in Wisconsin’s open waters of LakeMichigan in summer 2012 had beenstocked by Michigan, Illinois or Indiana,preliminary results show.

In contrast, initial results from fishheads recovered during the fall spawn-

ing runs at DNR egg collection facili-ties suggest that the fish tend to returnhome to the water where they were firststocked to complete their spawning run.

This year, DNR and the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service have been collecting fishheads and biographical data from an-glers during the summer fishery and willcontinue to collect more data into thefall, Legler says.

DNR has partnered with local busi-nesses in most major ports along thelakeshore where anglers can drop off fishheads, Masterson says. Each businesshas been given a supply of forms for an-glers to fill out and bags to use for freez-ing the head. Anglers should includethe following information with eachhead – date of capture and capture loca-tion, along with the fish species, length,weight, and gender, she said.

• Algoma - Algoma True Value, 4102nd St., 920-487-3374

• Green Bay - Department of NaturalResources, 2984 Shawano Ave., (Hours -Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.) 920-662-5100

• Kenosha - Gander Mountain, 6802118th Ave., 262-857-3757

• Kewaunee - Accurate Marine andStorage, 203 Dodge St., 920-388-2326

• Marinette - A&K Feed, Seed, &Bait, 1616 Shore Dr., 715-732-6100

• Milwaukee area - R&R Sports –Fishin’ Hole, 3115 E. Layton Ave., Cu-dahy, 414-481-6888

• Milwaukee - DNR, UW-MilwaukeeSchool of Freshwater Sciences, 600 E.Greenfield Ave., (Hours vary - Monday-Thursday - call ahead), 414-382-7929

• Peshtigo - Peshtigo Shell Gas Sta-tion, 815 French St., 715-582-3681

• Peshtigo - Department of NaturalResources, 101 N. Ogden Rd., (Hours -Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.), 715-582-5000

• Port Washington - The Bait Box,215 E. Washington St., 262-284-9355

• Racine area - Turk’s Bait, 295093rd St., Sturtevant, 262-886-3061

• Racine area - Department of Natu-ral Resources, 9531 Rayne Road, Suite 4,Sturtevant, (Hours - Monday-Friday, 11a.m. – 2 p.m.), 262-884-2300

• Sheboygan - The Wharf, 733 River-front Dr., 920-458-4406

• Sheboygan area - Department ofNatural Resources, 1155 PilgrimRoad, Plymouth, (Hours - Monday-Fri-day, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.), 920-892-8756

• Sturgeon Bay - Howie’s Tackle,1309 Green Bay Road, 920-746-9916

• Sturgeon Bay - Department ofNatural Resources, 110 S. Neenah Ave.,(Hours - Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. – 2p.m.), 920-746-2860

• Two Rivers - Seagull Sports Mari-na, 1400 Lake St., 920-794-7533

Lake Michigan Anglers Asked to AidChinook and Lake Trout Research

Chinook Salmon with Coded Wire Tag (CWT) and missing adipose fin.WDNR Photo

TELL PEOPLE YOU

READ IT IN

WISCONSERVATION

W.W.F.Grouse

Ol’ Ruff

… Don Balke, Thiensville1973

WISCONSERVATION October 20136

MADISON – Landowners whohave experienced a signifi-cant loss this year in trees

planted in 2008 through 2012 may beeligible to receive a grant for replantingthe trees lost under the Wisconsin ForestLandowner Grant Program. EmergencyFunds have been designated again thisyear for tree planting failures of greaterthan 25 percent due to the 2012 droughtin 49 counties.

A Department of Natural Resourcesforester must verify that the loss is di-rectly related to the 2012 drought, saidCarol Nielsen, DNR private forestry spe-cialist. Grants awarded will cover up to60 percent of the costs for preparing thesite and replanting trees where the DNRForester has determined there is a need.

“The emergency grants are awardedas the applications are received insteadof waiting until the next regular awarddate,” Nielsen said. “Emergency grantswill be available until May 1, 2014 or un-til all of the designated funds have beenawarded whichever comes first.”

All other Wisconsin Forest Landown-er Grant Program eligibility rules stillapply, including:

• owns at least 10 acres but not morethan 500 acres of forest land in Wiscon-sin;

• must have a written and approvedForest Stewardship Plan that includesthe tree planting practice; and

• does not exceed the $10,000 maxi-mum in grants per year.

Emergency Funds Available to Replace2012 Drought-Killed Tree Seedlings

MADISON – Now is the timefor private landowners tofinalize plans to create wild-

life habitat, establish windbreaks, ero-sion controls and more in preparation oftree and shrub sales beginning Sept. 27at the three Department of Natural Re-sources nurseries.

“This is a great program that giveslandowners opportunities to create fu-ture forests with the help of our cost-sharing program,” said Pat Murphy,DNR nursery team leader. “The mini-mum purchase is 300 trees or shrubsand the purchase must be for conserva-tion purposes.”

The cost-sharing program reduces the

costs of creating these conservation ar-eas. Contact local DNR foresters to learnmore about this financial benefit.

Seedlings in October are distributedin April and May.

Phone numbers for the three statenurseries are:

• Griffith Nursery in Wisconsin Rap-ids: 715-424-3702

• Wilson Nursery in Boscobel: 608-574-4904

• Hayward Nursery in Hayward:715-492-1204

• Or call toll free 1-800-875-9050For information, search the DNR web-

site for “tree planting.”

Tree and Shrub Seedlings from DNRNurseries Go on Sale

MADISON The 2014 NationalArchery in the Schools Pro-gram® World Tournament

will be held July 11-13, 2014 at the Al-liant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.,the Wisconsin Department of NaturalResources and the Madison Area SportsCommission have announced.

The National Archery in the SchoolsProgram is an in-school curriculum forstudents in grades 4 through 12. Manyparticipating NASP schools create afterschool programs and archery teams, inaddition to their in-school archery pro-gram. These archers and teams fromparticipating NASP® schools then par-ticipate in various local, regional andstate tournaments.

This is the 6th annual NASP WorldTournament. Archers and teams qualifyfor the NASP national tournament basedon scores they achieve at their statetournaments. United States archers andteams then qualify for the NASP worldtournament based on their scores at the

NASP national tournament. Archers andteams from other NASP participatingcountries follow a similar qualificationprocess through their respective provin-cial and national tournaments.

“We expect archers from approximate-ly 25 states to participate in the 2014NASP Worlds as well as archers from,Canada, South Africa, Namibia, Zimba-bwe, and Mongolia,” said Dan Schroeder,NASP coordinator for the DNR.

The 2013 NASP world tournamentwas held in St. Louis Missouri. The fourprior world tournaments were held inthe ESPN Wide World of Sports Com-plex at Walt Disney World, near OrlandoFlorida. Participation from 2012 to 2013increased by 134%. There were 2,907 ar-chers at the 2013 world championship.

For information about the NationalArchery in the Schools Program searchthe DNR website “NASP,” or visit www.naspschools.org for NASP tournamentinformation please visit www.nasptour-naments.org.

2014 National Archery in the SchoolsWorld Tournament to be Held inMadison

Letter to Warden Joe J. PaulOconto River Kids Project

Hi Joe,I just wanted to say thank you so

much for what you have done for Jacoband “thank you” truly doesn’t even comeclose to telling you how we feel. I can’tbegin to tell you how much it has meantto us what you have done for him. Yougave him a once in a lifetime opportunitythat we would never have dreamed hewould have been able to do. His crappysummer of chemo and not feeling well,among other things, turned into the bestsummer of his life!!

There have been so many things hehasn’t been able to do that other kids hisage are doing and it has been really hardfor him. He is 18, but really can’t do what

other 18-year-old kids do. This is some-thing he can say he did with a great bigsmile and that means so much!

Words cannot express how gratefulwe are to you and everyone else who hashelped to give Jacob this memory he willnever, ever forget!!!!

He is looking forward to deer hunt-ing and can’t wait to try his luck at that.We keep telling him that hunting usu-ally isn’t like this and not everyone getsa bear or deer their first time, but hedoesn’t care he just knows he wants to doit and see what happens.

THANK YOU AGAIN, WE TRULYCAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH!!

Butch and Brenda Van Schyndel

Josh Nett Age 11 Cedar Grove, harvested his first bear utilizing transferred bearpoints accumulated by his deceased grandfather. Mentor Grandfather Hubert Nett(above) of WWF affiliate Sauk Trail reports Josh has also harvested a doe and Tomturkey. Next, A BIG BUCK !

Jacob Van Schyndel and father Butch – Jacob’s successful ORKA hunt utilized abear tag donated by the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.

Youth Bear Hunt Success

“ORKA”Oconto River Kids Adventures is a group of dedicated outdoorsmen and womenwhose focus is assisting kids with life threatening illnesses attain their outdoordreams through hands on outdoor adventures in northern Oconto county. (Ad-ditional ORKA information can be found in the March 2013 issue of Wisconser-vation pages 6&7 – wiwf.org)

Successful First Hunt!

WISCONSERVATION October 20137

ConservationCalendar

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Pat Quaintance...............................................................BayfieldShirley Schroeder...............920-382-7948 ..............Beaver DamEd Dolata ...........................920-361-1262 ........................ BerlinDoug Kurth ...................................................................Big BendChet & Emil’s ....................715-499-2226 ............BirnamwoodChristine Schultz .............................................. Black River FallsJohn Tully .....................................................................CameronCascade Sportsmen Club..........................................CascadeChuck Matyska...................715-745-6382 ..........................CecilWhite Clay Lake Lodge....715-745-6254 .........................CecilSauk Trail Conservation Club............................. Cedar GroveSteve Kettenhoven .................................................... ClintonvilleDave & Tami’s Marsh Inn...............................................CollinsOscar Stueck.................................................................... CrivitzRev’s Windbreaker ..................................................DeerbrookGreat River Roadhouse ...............................................DeSotoJack Nissen................................................................. DousmanHermitage Club.................................................... Elkhart LakeLil Pipping...........................920-876-4312 ............. Elkhart LakeTom Dahlen ....................................................................GrantonNorb Moes................................................................. Green BayKeith Pamperin.......................................................... Green BayDon Klum / Deerview Bar............................................. HatfieldJohn Wetzel.................................................................... HolmenJim Meinnert ......................................................Howards GroveJanet Fischer................................................................. JacksonWayne Thayer .............................................................JanesvilleJohnsonville Rod & Gun Club............................JohnsonvilleEd Coppersmith .................920-388-4484 .................KewauneeKiel Bait & Gun...................................................................KielGreg Kloss ................................................................. La CrosseDanz Bar..........................................................................LaonaKen Lundberg................................................. Lake NebagamonJim Falish ..................................................................LuxemburgGeorge Meyer ...............................................................Madison

Debra Schotten ..................608-381-0654 ....................MaustonDan Gries .....................................................................MenashaJohn Koester ................................................................MenashaLouie Quella .................................................................MenashaBruce Terwilleger..........................................................MenashaJim Swanson............................................................MenomonieDon Hammes ..............................................................MiddletonCarolyn Brown...................................................................MiltonRoger Borkowski ........................................................MilwaukeeCastle Rock Inn ................608-943-8525 ..................MuscodaAndy Lewandowski.......................................................MuskegoAll Seasons Sports ..........715-753-4900 .................NeillsvilleTimberline Taxidermy.......715-743-6406 .................NeillsvilleJim’s Sporting Goods......262-567-6013 ..........OconomowocJohn Wagner .........................................................OconomowocCraig Challoner ..................................................................OmroBill Tollard ...........................................................................OmroOmro Building Center.....................................................OmroTanner’s Tap.....................................................................OmroBetty Borchert .............................................................. OshkoshDennis Reinhardt ............................................................. OsseoGordon Merz .............................................................. PewaukeeOld Mill .............................................................................PhloxJerry Schuh’s Sportsman Lodge...............................PickerelJerry Knuth....................................................................... PloverDave Verhage................................................................... PloverDorothy Behr ......................920-893-5497 ...................PlymouthRhine Plymouth Field & Stream.............................. PlymouthRoxanne & Dave Taylor ......920-565-2664 ...................PlymouthTri-County Sportswomen, LLC................................ PlymouthWWF Office .......................1-800-897-4161................PoynetteBev’s Saddle MoundTap ...715-884-7355 ..........................PreyDean Borofka ..............................................................Rice LakeDelbert Dietzler ............................................................. RudolphKevin Marquette ...........................................................Shawano

Between the Lakes Muskies Inc........................... SheboyganCrystal Lake Sportsmen Club.............................. SheboyganFarmers & Sportsmen’s Conservation Club....... SheboyganLarry Freitag............................................................. SheboyganSheboygan County Conservation Association.... SheboyganSuscha Fale ........................................................... SheboyganKoenig’s Conservation Club ....................... Sheboygan FallsSmerke’s Sportsmen’s Club........................ Sheboygan FallsJ&H Game Farm ...............715-758-8134 .................. ShioctonSnarly’s Bar ................................................. South MilwaukeeWalt Camp............................................................... St. GermainJon Schaefer .................................................................StratfordSullivan Saloon ...........................................................SullivanMcMahon’s Irish Waters...920-842-9845 ...................... SuringDale Zaug...................................................................... TigertonSue Murphy........................608-372-3890 .......................TomahLaurie Groskopf......................................................... TomahawkDan Seliskar.......................715-966-1894 ................ TomahawkRalph Fritsch .............................................................. TownsendBackhaus Retreat........................................................WabenoPat Ramirez........................920-838-1266 ....................... WaldoDave Chingway ......................................................... WatertownJim Huhn ................................................................... WatertownWonderland Tap.......................................................WaukeshaRick Lazarczyk ............................................................West AllisScott Densow .....................262-483-5416 ................West BendMike Schwai .............................................................. West BendRuss Hitz....................................................................... WheelerScott Dempewolf .......................................................White LakeGary Dieck ..................................................................WonewocSlim & Mary Ann’s...........................................................ZittauEd Rollins ....................................................Hoffman Estates, ILJim KaddatzChris Starich

After a nearly four-monthDepartment of Natural Re-sources investigation into

the cause of the Germann Road Fire,a commercial logging company willbe billed for more than $600,000 afterthe investigation determined the com-pany’s negligence caused the forest fireto start and spread.

The fire was the state’s largest in 33years and burned 7,442 acres in Doug-las County. The fire began about 2:45p.m. May 14 and burned an area near-ly 10 miles long and a mile and a halfwide before it was contained about 9p.m. on May 15. Forty-seven structureswere destroyed, including 17 homes orcabins, in the Towns of Gordon andHighland.

A logging crew was harvesting tim-ber on industrial timber lands whenthe fire began. At the time, the crewacknowledged the fire had started atthe work site and that they had unsuc-cessfully attempted to contain it. How-ever, the investigation found that thecrew and company, Ray Duerr Logging,

withheld information from depart-ment law enforcement officials.

The investigation determined thecrew had attempted to contain the fireusing a fire extinguisher and a pres-surized water system installed on theharvesting equipment and called 911,but the company was negligent for fail-ing to maintain equipment at the log-ging site that could have prevented, orcontained the fire, which was startedby the cutting head of a Timberjack840. Logging company owner Ray Du-err bought the used machine in 2013.

The logging crew was interviewednumerous times by conservation war-dens and forestry law enforcementspecialists. The focus of the interviewswas the operator and his actions thatled up to the fire and his attempts tosuppress the fire.

During interviews with the DNR of-ficials, company officials and the crewfailed to mention there was a pressur-ized water system on board the Tim-berjack 840. This manufacturer of theTimberjack 840 intends the water sys-

tem to be used for extinguishing firescaused by the equipment. The pres-ence of this system and the attempt touse it was basically concealed from in-vestigators until June 27 when it wastested with the department, insuranceinvestigators, attorneys, and engineerspresent. At that time it was discoveredthat the water tank was full and thehose and nozzle stretched approxi-mately 9.5 feet in front of the cuttinghead. However when tested, the airpressure system was at 2 pounds persquare inch. The owner’s manual indi-cated a pressure of 55 psi to operateproperly. The machine was also mobile.

The investigation determined thatthe crew had attempted to use the wa-ter system to extinguish the fire andwater “dribbled out” since it had notbeen pressurized. The logging com-pany officials also said they didn’tknow if the pressurized water systemworked as they had never tested it.

On July 24, the equipment was test-ed again with insurance investigators,engineers, attorneys, and company of-

ficials present. The pressurized watersystem was charged to just over 50 psi.The system sprayed water for 5 min-utes and 40 seconds. The maximumdistance was 15-plus feet from the endof the nozzle, the system sprayed wa-ter at 10 feet for almost two-and-a-halfminutes before it started to weaken

The fire extinguisher on the Tim-berjack 840 was manufactured in2001. It appears to have had its sixyear service done in 2007. The lastrecorded inspection was May 2010. Itwas supposed to be inspected annually.According to a fire extinguisher expert,it appears the fire extinguisher workedmechanically; however, it was not clearif it was used properly.

The investigation finally deter-mined that while the cause of theforest fire was accidental and effortswere made to suppress the fire by thelogging crew, steps should have beentaken in the preparedness and main-tenance of the equipment.

Logging Company Billed $600,000 for Negligence in Germann Road Fire

WISCONSERVATION October 20138

Take Note!New WWF Office Information. Page 2

Executive Board Activity. Page 3

Sight In Locations/Dates. Page 4

2014 WWF Calendar Sales. Page 7

Editor D. A. Gries

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Join Today! We speak to all outdoors issues.A membership fee of $25.00 per year also entitlesyou to a 12 month subscription of Wisconservation,

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September 2013CalendarWinners

1 $1000 Cash Sheryl Seifert, Slinger, WI 68112 Remington 1187 12 ga Bill Dickman, Tomah, WI 70993 $200 gas card Bernard Lenz, LaCrosse, WI 74874 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Thomas Droste, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 10745 Ruger Hawkeye 30.06 Dan Rassbach, Chetek, WI 56006 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Kelly Kurtzbach, Crivitz, WI 76777 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Jim Wegner, Sparta, WI 29488 Weatherby Vanguard 30.06 Larry Beilfuss, West Allis, WI 72529 $100 Cash Misty Testin, Wild Rose, WI 3516

10 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Larry Armstrong, Weyerhaeuser, WI 555211 Marlin 1895 45-70 Gary Fischer, Sheboygan, WI 127012 $100 Cash Thomas Kaifesh, West Allis, WI 756413 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Mac McGuire, Stoddard, WI 7514 Benelli Super Nova 12 ga David Mielke, Kewaunee, WI 138315 $100 Cash Mike Krueger, Hortonville, WI 279016 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card E.G. Becker, Fort Atkinson, WI 40017 Mossberg Silver Reserve 20 ga Adam Johnson, Greenfield, WI 719118 $100 Cash Bill Voss, Sheboygan, WI 539519 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Paul Streich, Watertown, WI 412620 Henry Golden Boy 22lr Allan Stowell, Hillsboro, WI 917121 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Brad Ericksen, Helenville, WI 647622 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Mike McCormick, Blue River, WI 319123 TC Omega syn/blue 50 Cal Larry Laehn, Milton, WI 226324 $100 Cash Ron Matuszak, Pulaski, WI 16825 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Mason Walling, Belvidere, IL 972926 NEF A5 12 ga Dan Krone, Waukesha, WI 444527 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Dave Hamilton, Portage, WI 914328 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Gutt Boy’s, Bowler, WI 46529 Marlin 925 Mike Tank, Genesee Depot, WI 614830 $100 Gander Mountain Gift Card Daniel Keeser, Watertown, WI 9994

OUTAGAMIE CONSERVATION CLUB

HAUNTED HAYRIDEOCTOBER 18-19 & 25-26TH

Registration begins at 6pm until 9:30pm

Rides start around 6:30pm

Cost: $6 per person

$5 per person with each can good donated

$3 per child 12 & under with a coat donated(ONLY 1 DISCOUNT PER PERSON)

INDOOR AND OUTDOORFOOD, FUN, FEAR

The event will run, weather permitting.For cancellations, call the club directly.

Directions: Take Hwy 41 to Hwy 15 WEST towards Greenville for 1.5 miles.Turn right onto Mayflower Rd. Go NORTH for 5.5 miles club will be on

right hand side. Be sure to look for signs at the intersections.

N3502 MAYFLOWER ROAD, HORTONVILLE, WI

920-739-9211 - WWW.WIOCC.COM

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