Wisconsin Game Preserve Association's 2016 Spring Newsletter

Transcription

1 Wisconsin Game Preserve Association's 2016 Spring Newsletter WGPA SPRNG NEWSLETTER MAY 2016 President s Message - Tim Zindl Oak Ridge Pheasant Ranch Well I have good news and bad news. Good news - we had a mild winter and a nice spring. Bad news - we have to deal with the Presidential election until November. Thanks to all the hard work Gary has done, we will have the Economic Study done by the time we have our annual WGPA meeting. The meeting will be at Scott s Goetzka s, Woods and Meadows, August 21 and 22, As you know, this will be Gary s last year with the WGPA as our friend and Lobbyist. He has been a HUGE supporter and ally for hunting and helping the WGPA members with his expertise. Gary has been with us for over 30 years. So when we have our fall meeting, I am asking ALL members to come and say thank you to honor Gary and all the work he has done. Thanks and have a safe and prosperous year. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Elk Release in WI 3 New Electronic Licensing 4 Legislative Day Summary 5 Panfish rule proposal Beginning April 1, 2016 one of three regulations will be placed on 94 lakes across Wisconsin in an effort to identify the most socially acceptable regulation to improve underperforming panfish populations. These regulations are intended to increase panfish average size on lakes that are currently not meeting management objectives but have the growth potential to improve. The lakes will be evaluated by biologists and anglers by 2021 and the results discussed with the public. Ultimately, the best regulation will be selected as the standard regulation option for addressing similar issues. For a fact sheet and complete list of the lakes involved, visit

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3 Page 3 26 Elk from Kentucky released in Wisconsin By Paul A. Smith of the Journal Sentinel - March 28th 2015 Twenty-six elk were transferred from Kentucky to Wisconsin on Thursday, the first shipment in a multi-year effort to increase the population of the native animal in the Badger State. The elk were released into a holding pen in Jackson County where they will stay for at least the next 75 days. The holding period is designed to let the animals acclimatize and complete a quarantine required by animal health officials. "Everything has gone as well as we could have expected," said Kevin Wallenfang, big game ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources. "They trotted out of the trailers and are doing great." The transfer is part of the DNR's effort to add more animals as well as increase genetic diversity to the state's wild elk herd. Prior to Thursday, the state had about 160 elk near Clam Lake, the result of transfer of 25 elk from Michigan in Earlier this year Wisconsin entered into a five-year agreement with Kentucky to provide a maximum of 150 elk. The elk will be split between northern Wisconsin and the newly established elk range in Jackson County. The project is being funded by donations from groups including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (a minimum of $300,000), the Ho-Chunk Nation ($150,000) and Jackson County Wildlife Fund ($50,000). The department has committed to using only funds received from partner organizations. All of the elk from the 2015 transfer were used to establish the Jackson County herd. "The Ho-Chunk Nation is beyond excited to see the return of elk to Jackson County," said tribal spokesman Collin Price. "The elk is culturally significant to us and having these animals back to their homeland is special." The elk were trapped in Kentucky beginning in January. They underwent tests and completed the first part of the quarantine in Kentucky. The animals were put in two trailers on Wednesday and driven overnight to Wisconsin, Wallenfang said. The trip took about 14 hours. Tami Ryan, DNR wildlife health specialist, and Lindsey Long, DNR wildlife veterinarian, accompanied the caravan. The elk include three yearling bulls, six adult cows, three yearling cows and 14 calves (about evenly split between males and females). Blood tests showed seven of the female elk were pregnant. To help the elk get accustomed to their new home, they are being held in a seven-acre acclimation pen in the Black River State Forest near Black River Falls. The pen is surrounded by an 8 acre buffer zone and a fabric barrier. The enclosure and barrier is to help ensure the health and welfare of the elk during quarantine and provide for biosecurity, according to the DNR. The combined 15- area will be closed to all unauthorized personnel while elk are held within the quarantine pen, and "no entry" signs will be posted in a 100-foot perimeter around the pen. The DNR is providing food to the elk in the pen. The public is asked to avoid the general vicinity of the closed area until the elk are released in early summer. The DNR recently updated it elk management plan. It includes adding up to 75 elk to the existing Clam Lake herd with a long-term population goal of 1,400 elk; and bringing in up to 75 animals to establish a new elk herd in the Black River State Forest with a long-term population goal of 390 elk; allow for the assisted dispersal of elk to suitable habitat within the existing elk ranges; recognize the importance of quality habitat and the factors that correspond with reducing predator impacts; and increase the size of the current Clam Lake range to include more and better habitat.

4 Page 4 Wisconsin should have eased into electronic licensing B Y JERRY D AV I S Wisconsin s DNR has slowly, over last decade, forced users into becoming more computer, smart phone and technology savvy. Sometimes those strides worked well, other times they left some users frustrated, confused, and less trusting of the agency. conservation card, means users can usually, but not always, carry and present this card, if they purchase one for $3.50, as though it were their hunting license. But sportsmen have other means of presenting a license, too, via Go Wild, including a validated driver's license, or a PDF file on a smart phone, and most importantly, the option of still carrying an actual license, albeit a paper one. It seems to work better if the DNR gives users an opportunity to ease into the system, or even stay with the old system. Some practices have been detrimental to the DNR s role as a conservation agency, too. For example the deer e-registration took the chance of data collection away from the department s biologists. Whether that was a plan to downgrade the science of running a department that relies heavily on science or not may never be determined and, at this point, probably matters little because we re stuck with it. A better plan may have been, instead of saying firmly that all deer must be registered through e- registration, to encourage hunters to use the smart phone or computer, but to also feel comfortable going to volunteer stations the old fashioned way. Even though the stations were doing the same thing as an individual might do, this plan wouldn't have seemed so iron-handed. It was interesting how many more than 250 volunteer stations businesses took on the role of assistant" and did what I just suggested. Now we have Go Wild, a promotional gimmick of sorts, but one based on doing much of the customer service work on a smart phone or computer. But this system, based in part on a personal In some cases, such as boundary waters, the Great Lakes and some inland waters, the paper license is the only way to go for a variety of reasons. The DNR will insist that sportsmen carry paper licenses in those instances because federal wardens and game wardens from other states won t have the ability to check electronic versions of the licenses. During this process of Go Wild, but more of a political move, the deer hunter s backtag was eliminated. In some ways that backtag was a convenient way for a deer hunter to present his license to a warden, somewhat the way a vehicle, ATV or UTV license plate says to the state patrol who the driver is likely to be. I m here to forecast the eventual return of the backtag, maybe for more than just deer hunters, maybe just optionally, and maybe with a barcode instead of numbers or in addition to numbers. Then a warden could simply, by swiping his or her smart phone reader over the backtag, do what the conservation card is made to do. Or maybe next the DNR will simply insist that hunters wear bar codes on their outer clothing. Who knows, in the near future, wardens could be able to read a bar code on a sportsman's back from some distance away, and not have to disturb the turkey hunter or trout angler. -story taken from WI Outdoor News

5 Page 5 WGPA LEGISLATIVE DAY SUMMARY The WGPA held its annual legislative day on April 4th in the state capitol. Rob Sexton, Executive Director of the North Amercian Game Bird Association was present for the meeting. The Quail Bill is ready for the next legislative session in January. There should be no further issues and look forward Quail being moved to the Dept. of Ag. Details for the fall meeting to be held at Woods and Meadows this fall were discussed. Sunday s dinner will be held at the 400 club. Al Ott will be honored as the legislature of year. Gary Goyke will be retiring as our lobbyist this year. The fall meeting at Woods and Meadows will be his final meeting. Economic Impact Survey results were reviewed. 25% of the surveys were returned, which is an outstanding response. This survey shows the value gamebirds and gamebird hunting brings to our community. Gary will put a narrative of the survey together and we will be looking for professional help to put the pamphlet together. We should have a final product put together for the fall meeting. Tim Zindl updated various individuals on the history and backround of the WGPA. Rob sexton did the same on behalf the NAGA. Bill MacFarlane gave an update on the current status of avian influenza and what was being done in the state as well as around the country. The day concluded with a relaxing reception for Rob Sexton, Executive Director of the NAGA.

6 Tim Zindl - President Oak Ridge Pheasant Ranch (920) oakridge@netwurx.net Scott Goetzka - Vice President Woods and Meadows Hunting Preserve (608) woodsmeadow@centurytel.net Diane Redmann Secretary/Treasurer J&H Game Farm (715) jhclub@tds.net Officers and Directors Chris Theisen Information Director MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc. (608) chris@pheasant.com Jeff Rice - Director Rice Family Farms (262) ricefmly81@yahoo.com Jenny Cooley - Director Krug s Northwoods jnjcooley101@gmail.com Jerry Roethel - Director Badgerland Pheasants bdgroethel@mwt.net Jim Rubietta - Director Whispering Wings Game Farm (920) jrubietta@yahoo.com Mike Hack - Director Cranberry Creek Game Birds (715) mwhack@wctc.net Gary Goyke - Lobbyist (608) gary.goyke@gmail.com The Wisconsin Game Preserve Association is committed to protecting the rights of hunting preserves along with the producers who supply them. In addition, the WGPA has a strong commitment to educating young hunters as to the value of Wisconsin s rich hunting heritage. Wisconsin Game Preserve Association W5810 J&H Road Shiocton, WI If there are any questions, please feel free to contact any of the officers listed. They will be happy to answer your questions.

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