DNR Weekly News Update for August 13, 2019
Published - August 13, 2019 by the Central Office
- Lake Superior permanent rule hearing scheduled for Sept. 4 in Ashland
- Pick your favorite park for recreation activities in the 2019 Gold Seal Contest
- Still time to enter photo contest for 2020 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Calendar
- Public meeting set for Central Sand Plains Ecological Landscape regional master plan
- Public comment sought on a new rule for cooling water intake structures
- Bonus fall turkey harvest authorizations on-sale Saturday, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m.
- Bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations available for purchase Monday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m.
- Learn to hunt with the DNR
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Lake Superior permanent rule hearing scheduled for Sept. 4 in Ashland
Contact(s): Brad Ray, Lake Superior fisheries team supervisor, 715-779-4036 OR Todd Kalish, fisheries management deputy bureau director, 608-266-5285
Voice your thoughts on rules affecting Lake Superior commercial fishing regulations Sept. 4 in Ashland, Wis.Photo credit: DNR
ASHLAND, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing to gather input on proposed permanent rules affecting Lake Superior commercial fishing regulations. The hearing will take place on Sept. 4, 2019 at 6 p.m. at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 29270 County Highway G in Ashland.
This permanent rule follows an emergency rule that became effective in March 2019. Both rules implement the 2018-2028 Lake Superior Fishing Agreement by updating the total allowable commercial harvest for lake trout. It also revises the requirements for using and marking nets and other gear, modifies certain areas in which commercial fishing is allowed, and makes minor revisions to harvest reporting requirements and the timeframe for returning unused trout tags. The rule will not modify hook and line fishing regulations.
"By carrying out the Lake Superior Fishing Agreement, this rule will help ensure the sustainability of important Lake Superior commercial fisheries--especially lake trout and whitefish--for commercial, tribal and recreational fishers," said Brad Ray, DNR Lake Superior team supervisor.
Those unable to attend the hearing may also submit written comments on the rule and its impacts through Sept. 9, 2019 to Meredith Penthorn, DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management FH/4, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 or by email to Meredith.Penthorn@wisconsin.gov
For more information on the rule, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords "proposed permanent rules." To learn more about Lake Superior fisheries management, search keywords "Lake Superior fisheries management."
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Pick your favorite park for recreation activities in the 2019 Gold Seal Contest
Contact(s): Patty Loosen, Friends of Wisconsin State Parks executive director, 608-294-0810 OR Missy Vanlanduyt, recreation partnerships section chief, 608-266-7617
From Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River and in between, Wisconsin State Park System properties offer some breathtaking bluff views. Vote for your favorite in the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks 2019 Gold Seal Contest.Photo credit: DNR
MADISON, Wis. - Does the Mississippi or Lake Michigan have the most scenic bluffs? Or are they found in the Coulee Region, Baraboo Hills or Central Sands region? And what Wisconsin State Park System property offers the best views of those bluffs?
That is one of the categories visitors to state park system properties are being asked to vote on in the 2019 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Gold Seal Award contest.
The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks runs the Gold Seal Award program each year to highlight Wisconsin's parks, trails, and forests. The organization is the umbrella organization for the more than 80 local friends groups that provide support for state park system properties. The organization's mission is preserving, promoting, protecting, and enhancing Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas.
"If you are a biker, hiker, swimmer, bird watcher, snowmobiler or just a regular park visitor, cast your vote for your favorite state park, forest, or trail in one of our new categories," said Patty Loosen, Friends of Wisconsin State Parks executive director.
The contest ends on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019 and the winning parks, forests, trails, or recreational areas will be honored with a Gold Seal Award at the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Awards Banquet on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2019.
The 2019 categories are:
- Best state park concession for ice cream
- Best state park for a family picnic
- Best state park with a handicap accessible trail
- Best state park with scenic bluffs
- Best state park nature center for children's activities
- Best state park trail to view wildlife
- Best state park beach to build a sandcastle
- Best state park with rustic campsites
- Best state park with a variety of fitness options
- Best state park/trail for winter recreation
More information, details on entering the contest and rules are available on the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks website by clicking on the tab for "Gold Seal Contest."
For more information about Wisconsin State Park System properties, search the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website, dnr.wi.gov, for keyword "parks."
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Still time to enter photo contest for 2020 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Calendar
Contact(s): Patty Loosen, Friends of Wisconsin State Parks executive director, 608-294-0810 OR Missy Vanlanduyt, recreation partnerships section chief, 608-266-7617
Enter your photo to be included in the 2020 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks calendar collection.Photo credit: DNR
The December 2019 issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine will include the 2020 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks calendar.
MADISON, Wis. - There is still time for people who love to take photos and love Wisconsin State Park System properties to enter their favorite photographs in a contest to be included in the 2020 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Calendar. The deadline for all submissions is Sept. 3, 2019.
In addition to being available for purchase, the calendar will be distributed to more than 80,000 subscribers of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine in the 2019 winter issue.
"There are so many opportunities to enjoy the Wisconsin state parks during all four seasons," said Patty Loosen, state coordinator for FWSP. "We are looking for photo entries that include beautiful scenery along with people recreating and enjoying activities like hiking, picnicking, cross-country skiing, kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, biking and exploring."
Submissions are only accepted from amateur photographers ages 14 and over. Professional photographers who earn more than half of their income taking pictures are not eligible. Employees of the DNR and board members of the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks and their immediate family members are not eligible to win. Photographs must have been shot within the past three years (since Jan. 1, 2017) and taken in a Wisconsin state park, forest, trail or recreation area. Only horizontal photos are accepted and no more than four photos may be entered.
A panel of Friends of Wisconsin State Parks board members and staff will review accepted entries and select the winning photos. The 2019 Photo Contest Award winners will be announced in October 2019.
More information and details on entering and contest rules are available on the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks website by clicking on the tab for "photo contest."
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Public meeting set for Central Sand Plains Ecological Landscape regional master plan
Contact(s): Yoyi Steele, planner, 608-266-3568; Mitch Horrie, planner, 608-266-2698
Stopping by the office at Black River State Forest is just one way you can learn more about the regional master planning process for properties located in the Central Sand Plains Ecological Landscape.Photo credit: DNR
Public comment period open through September 27
ADAMS, Wis. - The public has an opportunity to learn more about the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' regional master planning process for properties located in the Central Sand Plains Ecological Landscape. More information is available at an upcoming open house, during office hours, and online about this landscape that encompasses portions of Adams, Clark, Eau Claire, Jackson, Juneau, Monroe, Portage, Waushara, and Wood counties.
A master plan, guided by Chapter NR 44 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, establishes the level and type of resource management and public use permitted on department-managed properties. Under the regional master planning process, department staff will develop a plan for all properties located within a defined region. The regions are based on 16 previously defined ecological landscapes in Wisconsin, distinct areas of the state that present different ecological attributes and management opportunities. The Natural Resources Board approved the regional planning process at the June 2017 board meeting.
Approximately 45,000 acres of DNR-managed lands will have new master plans developed as part of this planning process. Properties within the Central Sand Plains that already have NR 44-compliant master plans will have these existing plans referenced during the planning process. The DNR will evaluate whether any updates need to be made to these existing plans; any necessary updates will be included in the regional plan to be developed.
The Central Sand Plains properties contain a wide variety of habitats and natural features, including extensive deciduous-coniferous forests, pine-oak barrens, rivers and streams, forested and non-forested wetlands, extensive grasslands, and unique geological features such as sandstone cliffs and gorges.
The properties in the Central Sand Plains also provide important recreational opportunities. Wildlife and Fishery Areas and State Natural Areas, such as Buena Vista Wildlife Area, Colburn Wildlife Area, Big Roche-a-Cri Fishery Area, and Quincy Bluff and Wetlands State Natural Area offer extensive tracts for hunting and trapping. The Fishery Areas provide a coldwater fishery for brown and brook trout as well as paddling opportunity. Mill Bluff, Roche-a-Cri, and Rocky Arbor state parks offer camping, swimming, picnicking, and hiking trails. These properties are among those that will have new plans developed.
People can learn more about and engage in the planning process for the Central Sand Plains regional master plan online by searching the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keywords "property planning" and then selecting Central Sand Plains. In addition to information about this ecological landscape and the department properties within it, people will also find opportunities to offer their input on the planning and management of the properties. A public meeting and office hours will be held on August 28, 2019 for the public to learn more about the planning process and to submit comments on the properties' future management and use:
- Black River State Forest, Castle Mound office, W10325 Highway 12, Black River Falls, WI 54615
- Mirror Lake State Park office, E10320 Fern Dell Road, Baraboo, WI 53913
- Adams Community Center, 569 N. Cedar Street, Adams, WI 53910
"We welcome and encourage people to visit our website and attend the office hours and public meeting to learn about the department's property master planning process and share their suggestions for future management and use of these properties," said Diane Brusoe, property planning section chief.
In addition to opportunities to offer input online, at the public meeting, or during the office hours, people may also contact Yoyi Steele, DNR planner, by email at yoyi.steele@wisconsin.gov or phone at 608-266-3568, DNR Planner Mitch Horrie by email at mitchell.horrie@wisconsin.gov or phone at 608-266-2698, or either planner by regular mail at Wisconsin DNR, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921. The public comment period will be open through September 28, 2019.
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Public comment sought on a new rule for cooling water intake structures
Contact(s): Emma Lorenzen, wastewater engineer, (608)-267-7643
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on a proposed new rule to adopt federal regulations for cooling water intake structures at wastewater treatment facilities. The public comment period opened on Aug. 12 and will continue through Sept. 18. Public hearings are scheduled on Sept. 9 and 11. An informational webinar will be held on Sept. 3.
Under the Clean Water Act, a federal water pollution control act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a responsibility to implement rules addressing aquatic organisms at cooling water intake structures. The EPA adopted rules in 2002 and 2014 that specify requirements for new facilities and existing facilities that address the issue. To be consistent with the EPA's rules, the Department of Natural Resources is proposing to create NR 111 in the Wisconsin Administrative Code, though some modifications will be made to clarify details of implementation.
The proposed rule language can be found under Board Order WY-19-14 on the department's proposed permanent rules site.
Written comments may be submitted to Emma Lorenzen, Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53703, 608-267-7643, or to emma.lorenzen@wisconsin.gov or DNRAdministrativeRulesComments@wisconsin.gov.
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Bonus fall turkey harvest authorizations on-sale Saturday, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m.
Contact(s): Alaina Gerrits, assistant upland wildlife ecologist, 608-261-8458
Fall turkey harvest authorizations will be available for purchase beginning Saturday, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m.Photo credit: DNR
MADISON, Wis. - Fall turkey harvest authorizations will be available for purchase beginning Saturday, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. One turkey harvest authorization will be issued to each person purchasing a fall turkey license or conservation patron license, instead of being issued through a drawing.
Hunters can choose the zone for which their harvest authorization will be valid at the time of purchase.
Bonus fall turkey harvest authorizations can be purchased in addition to the fall turkey harvest authorization included with a license purchase. The bonus harvest authorization sale begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 17, availability is as follows:
- Zone 1: 5,000
- Zone 2: 2,000
- Zone 3: 5,000
- Zone 4: 2,000
- Zone 5: 0
- Zone 6: 0
- Zone 7: 0
Bonus harvest authorizations are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be purchased at a rate of one per day until the zone sells out or the season ends. The cost is $10 for residents, $15 for nonresidents and $5 for hunters under 12 years old. An annual turkey stamp authorization is required to hunt turkeys.
Hunters can purchase their bonus harvest authorization online at GoWild.wi.gov or in person at any license agent. Hunters can purchase their fall turkey license and claim their fall harvest authorization anytime throughout the fall turkey season. Please note that customers who wish to purchase a bonus authorization will need to first purchase a fall turkey license and claim their harvest authorization.
The fall 2019 wild turkey season for Zones 1-5 is Sept. 14 to Jan. 5, 2020. For zones 6 and 7, the season will run from Sept. 14 to Nov. 22.
Availability for bonus harvest authorizations is determined by a variety of factors, including hunting pressure, customer demand, habitat availability, turkey population densities and turkey distribution in each zone.
The fall turkey regulations can be found within the 2019 Wisconsin Small Game Hunting Regulations [PDF]. For more information regarding turkey hunting in Wisconsin, visit dnr.wi.gov and search "turkey."
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Bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations available for purchase Monday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m.
Contact(s): Bob Nack, DNR big game section chief, 608-264-6137
Get ready for the fall season - make sure to get your bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations when they go on sale Aug. 19!Photo credit: DNR
MADISON, Wis. - The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that bonus antlerless harvest authorizations (formerly known as tags) will be available for purchase starting Monday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. through the Go Wild website and license sales locations. Hunters will need to know the deer management zone, unit, and determine whether they will hunt on public or private land in order to make their purchase.
The first three days of bonus sales are management zone-specific and will be available as follows:
- Aug. 19, 10 a.m. - Northern and Central Forest (Zone 1);
- Aug. 20, 10 a.m.- Central Farmland (Zone 2);
- Aug. 21, 10 a.m.- Southern Farmland (Zone 2); and
- Aug. 22, 10 a.m. - remaining bonus harvest authorizations (all zones).
Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations will be sold at a rate of one per person per day until sold out or until the 2019 deer hunting season ends. The cost is $12 each for Wisconsin residents, $20 each for non-residents and $5 each for youth ages 11 and under.
For a list of units with bonus antlerless harvest authorizations available for purchase, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords "bonus availability." These and all other deer hunting licenses and harvest authorizations are available online through the Go Wild website, GoWild.WI.gov [exit DNR] or at any of more than 1,000 Go Wild license sales locations.
To prepare for the sale, each day at 9:45 a.m., an online queuing system will be put in place to manage volume in the Go Wild system. At 10 a.m. all online users that are on the site will be randomly assigned a number and staged into a "virtual" line regardless of the actual time you entered into the system. There is no advantage for customers who enter the site before 9:45 a.m. Please note that customers who enter the site after the randomization that occurs at 10 a.m. will be added to the end of a "virtual" line in the order in which they arrive. All visitors to the site during this time period will experience the queuing system.
To make the online purchasing process easier, the department recommends customers log into their Go Wild account before Aug. 19 to be sure login details are current. Customers may also take this opportunity to purchase their deer hunting license in advance of the bonus antlerless harvest authorization sale, saving themselves time.
On the days of the bonus antlerless harvest authorization sale, customers can access the Go Wild site and follow the prompts to reach their personalized dashboard. To purchase a bonus antlerless harvest authorization, click the "Buy Licenses" button from the dashboard to open the sales catalog - from there, find the Bonus Antlerless Harvest Authorization at the very top of the list. If you haven't had the chance to get your license in advance, Go Wild can help you purchase one after you select the Bonus Antlerless Harvest Authorization.
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Those interested in receiving occasional email reminders can sign up to receive messages about season dates, license and harvest authorization types, and other information. Visit dnr.wi.gov and click on the email icon near the bottom of the page for "subscribe for updates for DNR topics," then follow the prompts and select a list of your choice.
For more information regarding deer hunting in Wisconsin, search keyword "deer."
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Learn to hunt with the DNR
Contact(s): Emily Iehl (pronounced "eel"), R3 Coordinator, emily.iehl@wisconsin.gov, 608-445-8168
Students learn basic gun safety, sportsmanship, ethics and about hunting rules and regulations in Learn to Hunt classes.Photo credit: DNR
MADISON, Wis. - Try your hand at hunting through the Department of Natural Resources Learn to Hunt program.
Learn to Hunt combines classroom and field instruction for beginners before pairing participants with an experienced hunter. Participants will learn hunting rules and regulations, sportsmanship and ethical hunter behavior, and basic gun safety.
"Providing opportunities like this for people who would not otherwise have the chance to explore hunting is key in preserving Wisconsin's hunting heritage," said Emily Iehl, DNR Learn to Hunt Coordinator. "As more people move to cities and suburbs, it's important to share hunting as a way to remain connected with wild spaces and as a source of local, sustainably-raised protein."
Help protect Wisconsin's hunting heritage and enjoy the thrill of helping someone experience their first hunt by hosting a Learn to Hunt. The streamlined process makes it easy for your group to host these events. The DNR can help cover costs and assist you in finding insurance.
"Many organizations plan Learn to Hunt programs for kids," Iehl said, "but adults and families are an often-overlooked group of people eager to learn a new way to appreciate nature," said Warnke.
Those interested in hosting a Learn to Hunt should provide a completed authorization form and mentor list to a local wildlife biologist at least 30 days before the date of the hunt. To become a Learn to Hunt mentor, individuals must have at least five years of hunting experience and complete a background check. You can find appropriate forms and additional information on steps for hosting on our Learn to Hunt web page.
"Many adults and kids who do not come from hunting families are interested in hunting but don't know how to get started," Iehl said. "Our Learn to Hunt program is a great way to get started in a controlled environment with an experienced mentor."
Upon completion of a Learn to Hunt program, hosting organizations may apply for the Learn to Hunt reimbursement program of up to $25 per student.
Visit the DNR website for more on the Learn to Hunt program.
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