 (upbeat guitar music)
- Deer season is a
long-standing tradition
 that brings families and
 friends together each fall.
 Wisconsin bow and
 crossbow hunters have been
 out after deer for
 two months already
 and with several firearm deer
 seasons fast approaching,
 it's time to review what has
 changed since last season
 and take a look at this
 year's hunting opportunities.
 I'm Dan Small.
I'll be your host as we focus on
 the tradition of deer hunting,
get expert advice on
recruiting new hunters,
 look at efforts to combat
 chronic wasting disease,
 and provide a hunt forecast
 for each area of the state.
 Welcome to Deer
 Hunt Wisconsin 2019.
 (upbeat music)
 While the tradition of gun
 deer season remains strong,
deer hunting has
changed over the years.
 Most hunters still get
 out on opening day,
but fewer hunters now
spend the entire season
 with friends and
 family in deer camp.
Hunting styles have changed too.
 More hunters now sit
 in comfortable blinds
waiting for deer
to come to them,
 and fewer hunters conduct
 drives or still-hunt.
Another factor that
has caused some hunters
 to change their practice of
 shooting only mature bucks
is the spread of chronic
wasting disease or CWD,
 as hunter, landowner,
 and conservationist
 Doug Duren explains.
 When CWD was first discovered
 south of us about 70 miles,
 there was a big
 concern about it.
 We'd hoped that it
 would be a long time
 before CWD reached us here.
That happened last year.
 Our first positive
 was last year.
 We've been testing
 all of our deer
 for the last four
 years, five years,
 shows us that the
 disease is expanding.
 And now our prevalence
 countywide is about 12 to 13%.
 There are hotspots in the
 southern part of the county
 where it's closer to 50%.
I would like to be a
part of preventing that
 kind of prevalence
 from showing up here.
 Part of the reason
 we're doing that is
 to hopefully slow
 that disease down.
 Because really all
 we can do is buy time
 and pay for science.
And so now my only
rule is an ethical shot
 and please fill your buck tag.
Trying to reduce the population,
trying to reduce the demographic
 that's most apt to spread CWD,
 I've invited a lot more
 hunters onto our property.
 And quite honestly that's
 been a positive as well.
 I've gotten to meet a
 whole lot of new folks
 and really started
 to enjoy that.
 But, if I'm gonna call
 myself a conservationist,
 it was time to abandon that
 buck-management mentality
 when that is the demographic
 that's spreading the disease.
 We're shooting bucks
 now that 10 years ago
 you'd have worn the sombrero
 or even been run off
 the farm for shooting.
Changing that mentality has
kind of taken us back to the joy
 of deer hunting that
 we used to have.
 There's no more, "Oh,
 is it big enough,
 "Oh, I shouldn't be
 shooting that deer,"
 when what we're really
 doing is concentrating
on ethical shots no
matter what deer it is.
 Because this property has been
 in my family for 115 years
 and I'm the steward
 of this generation,
 I really look at conservation
 of this land and really
 of this area of, it's not
 ours it's just our turn.
Chronic wasting disease
fits right into that.
 When I was a kid, you know,
 deer hunting was something
 that we loved to do, enjoyed,
 there weren't a lot of deer.
 To shoot any buck
 was a big deal.
And then we went through
that whole arc of time
 of, you know, the big bucks,
 you know, the huge deer herds,
all of that and now this
is the next part of it.
 But over my 45 years
 of deer hunting
 I've really felt like
 I've seen it all,
and this is the next challenge.
And I think, well, who's taking
care of the next generation,
 of the next
 opportunity, you know.
 It's not ours it's
 just our turn.
 Should be making sure that
 the next generation gets
 the opportunity to say
 and do that as well.
 After all these years,
 it's still magical for me
 to see a white-tail
 deer in the woods,
to have the opportunity
to hunt them,
to have the opportunity
to eat them.
 It's a part of our landscape,
 it's a part of our culture,
 it's a part of our heritage,
 it's ingrained in us.
- Hunter numbers are declining,
but seasoned hunters willing
 to share their expertise
 can help stem the decline
 by becoming a mentor
 for a new hunter.
 Here's Terri Roehrig, a woman
 who is active as a hunter,
 mentor, and delegate to both
 the Wisconsin
 Conservation Congress
 and the Buffalo County
 Deer Advisory Council
 to share her thoughts
 on mentoring.
- I got started hunting
when I was actually
 in my early 20's.
 I grew up in a hunting home
 but never went hunting.
 And one of my boyfriends at
 the time decided to take me
 out for a deer hunt, and
 I was hooked from then on.
 I got involved with mentoring
 and the Learn to Hunt programs
here in Wisconsin when a warden
in Calumet County came to me
and asked me to help out
 with the local Learn
 to Turkey Hunt.
They had over 50% women
involved in the course
 and asked me to come
 as a role model.
 So I was able to help out
 with the hunter education part
 of that program, and then
 I was able to take out
 a young girl on the
 Learn to Turkey Hunt.
 From there I got interested
 in, obviously, upland game
 because I was
 upland game hunting.
 And I started actually the
 Learn to Pheasant Hunt program
with Saint Anna Sportsmans Club.
 And then from there
 I was involved
 at Ox Bow Sportsmans
 Club in Hilbert,
and started up the Learn
to Pheasant Hunt program
 there as well.
 So I've had a lot of fun and
 had a lot success with that.
 The satisfaction and enjoyment
 I get out of this is one,
I never had children of my own,
 so being able to
 help other children,
and being able to share
the love of the outdoors
 and how much you can actually
 get out of the outdoors.
 That it's bigger than
 just harvesting an animal,
there's so much more out there.
Enjoying the day in the
field with your dog,
 even though you may
 never get anything,
just being out there and
watching your dog work.
 That's what drives me, and
 just having that alone time
 with the birds and all the
 animals that are out there,
 there's a whole new
 world out there.
 - The Midwest Outdoor Heritage
 Education Expo or MOHEE
is held each May at the
MacKenzie Environmental
Education Center near Poynette.
MOHEE introduces fourth
through seventh graders
from around the Midwest
 to many aspects of
 the outdoor lifestyle.
 (energetic music)
 - We appreciate
 the media coverage
for the Midwest Outdoor
Heritage Education Expo.
 But don't just take
 my word for it,
 enjoy the sights and
 sounds for yourself
as these students,
chaperones, and teachers
 discover a connection
 with nature.
 - Hi.
 - Wow!
 - Wow!
- I--
- A lot of fun,
 a lot, lot of fun.
 (upbeat guitar music)
 (water splashing)
160
00:07:44,997 --> 00:07:44,964
 (student speaking faintly)
 - Oh.
- This emphasis on
R3, recruitment,
retention, reactivation
 is great, and people
 see the activity here,
 where we're introducing these
 youth to outdoor skills.
 One very key thing to make
 sure is that your experience,
 be it hunting,
 fishing, deer, turkey,
 bluegills, whatever it is,
 is connected to
 another experience, so
 the whole connection
 along the Outdoor
 Recreation Adoption Model,
you know, from awareness
to interest to a trial
 to continuation, and this is
 what's important to remember,
 that we need to
 remain connected.
 So events like this are really
 that important first step.
 - [Students] Fire at will.
 (gun popping)
 - [Keith] Hunting and
 angling are widely dominated
by white males and this
opportunity at MOHEE to attract
and educate and
interest a diverse crowd
 in coming generations
 is important
 because our family structure,
 our society is changing
demographically rapidly.
 - These kids don't
 have mentors at home.
 It's not like it was when I
 was growing up 40 years ago.
 We were shown and we had
 someone that was always there,
 grandpa and dad and
you know, some of these
kids don't have dads.
 This is the first
 mentorship experience
 at outdoor activities that
 they have probably had,
and it's the only place they're
gonna get it, quite frankly.
- You'll find all the
deer hunting regulations
 on the DNR website
 and in the 2019 Deer
 Hunting Regulations booklet,
but let's cover the basics here.
 You can purchase your
 license and select
 your antlerless tags, now
 called harvest authorizations
 through the Go Wild
 system online or from
 a licensing agent.
 With each deer hunting
 license you'll receive
one buck harvest authorization,
valid in any unit statewide
 and one or more farmland
 zone antlerless deer harvest
authorizations, valid in
the deer management unit
 and land type of your choice.
 You no longer have to validate
 a carcass tag in the field
 or attach it to your deer,
 but while hunting you
 must still carry proof
that you have a license
 and the appropriate
 harvest authorizations
 for the area where
 you're hunting,
 and the type of deer, buck or
 antlerless, that you shoot.
 This can be in the form of
 a Go Wild conservation card,
 your authenticated
 Wisconsin driver's license,
 printed copies of your license
 and harvest authorizations,
 or a digital copy
 of these documents
 displayed on a
 smartphone or tablet.
 For smartphone users
 the DNR Hunt Wild app
 makes all these steps
 easier even in the field.
With each license they purchase,
 youth hunters ages 17
 and under will receive
 a junior antlerless deer tag,
valid for taking one antlerless
deer in any unit statewide.
 Youth hunters are not required
 to specify the zone or unit,
 but they must indicate
 whether they plan
 to hunt private or
 public access land.
There are special opportunities
 for Class A and C
 disabled hunters as well,
 and these are spelled out in
 the regulations and online.
 Bonus antlerless harvest
 authorizations went on sale
 in August, and they
 may be sold out
 for some units and land types.
They may be purchased at
the rate of one per day
until the unit is sold
out or the season ends.
 All deer taken must be
 registered by 5 p.m.
 on the day after harvest,
 and you'll need your
 harvest authorization number
 to do that.
 You can register a deer
 easily online or by phone.
Instructions are printed
 right on the harvest
 authorization tag.
 You may also register a deer
 at participating
 walk-in stations.
 Search for these
 on the DNR website
or look for one of these
deer registration signs.
 (leaves rustling)
 This year the nine day
 firearms deer season runs
 from November 23rd
 through December 1st.
The muzzleloader
season runs for 10 days
 immediately following
 the gun season
 December 2nd through the 11th.
 In all metro zone sub-units
the firearms season runs
through December 11th.
 Some metro sub-units
 offer free antlerless
harvest authorizations,
so check the regulations
 for these changes
 before you hunt.
 The four-day statewide
 December antlerless deer hunt
 will run from December
 12th through the 15th.
 The antlerless-only
 holiday hunt runs
 from December 24th through
 January 1st in all or part
 of the 29 farmland zone
 counties shown on this map.
 To participate you or someone
 in your party must have
 an unused antlerless
 harvest authorization
 for the unit where
 you're hunting.
 (gentle guitar music)
 With an estimated
 1.8 million deer
 on the landscape statewide,
more and longer hunting
opportunities than ever,
 and an abundance of antlerless
 harvest opportunities
 all indications point to a
 great deer season this year.
 Despite some areas of deep
 snow and cold temperatures
 last winter didn't really
 settle in until late January
 and it didn't have a great
 impact on our deer herd.
Some winter losses are
experienced every year,
 but last winter they were
 not very significant.
 Here's a forecast for the
 upcoming gun deer season
 provided by DNR biologists
 from around the state.
 (gentle guitar music)
 (water splashing)
 Across the southern district
 wildlife biologists
 are very optimistic
 about the 2019 deer season.
Thanks to lower antlerless
harvests over the past few years
 and excellent habitat
 you should see more
 deer than last fall
throughout the
southern farmland zone.
 Fawn production was
 good this past spring
 and most units offer
 multiple antlerless permits
 for both private and
 public access lands.
 10 more counties have
 elected to participate
in the holiday antlerless hunt.
 Deer habitat types range
 from the high-wooded ridges
 and coolies in the southwest
to the flatter, urbanized
landscapes of Waukesha, Racine,
 and Kenosha counties
 in the southeast.
 The district also has the
 rolling southern kettles
 in the east and the extensive
 wetland and woodland areas
 in Dodge, Jefferson,
 and Columbia counties.
 This high level of
 variation and habitat
types and conditions
results in deer numbers
 that vary dramatically from
 one square mile to the next.
Deer are more abundant
in the western portions
of the district, but
excellent opportunities
 to harvest multiple deer
 can be found in all counties
that make up the
southern farmland zone.
 (gentle guitar music)
With its rolling hills,
fertile farmland,
 big rivers, and
 wooded ridgetops,
 west central Wisconsin
 offers some of
 the most productive white-tail
 deer habitat found anywhere.
 The district's
 western counties lie
 within the driftless area
characterized by steep hillsides
 dominated by oak and hickory
 and fertile ridges
 and valleys planted
to alfalfa, corn, and soybeans.
 This area has some of the
 highest deer densities
 in the state.
 And it's known for
 exceptional antler growth
 with some of the greatest
 numbers of Boone and Crockett
and Pope and Young
entries year after year.
 The district also has a
 great mix of public lands
 within the central
 forest zone counties
 where deer populations
 are not as high
 but hunters still have a
 good chance at a nice buck
and ample opportunities
for antlerless deer.
 Despite record snow fall and
 extremely cold temperatures
last winter fawn
production was very good
 with many reports of
 twins and triplets.
 Acorns were abundant
 across the region
providing a good source
of natural nutrition
 to supplement
 agricultural crops.
 Persistent wet weather
 has caused flooding
 in some low-lying
 public hunting areas
 which may push deer to
 higher ridges and woodlots.
 (gentle guitar music)
A fifth consecutive
mild to moderate winter
 in most of the
 northeast district
 contributed to strong
 fawn production this year.
Antlerless deer permits
have been increased
in Shawano, Marinette, Kewaunee,
and Marquette counties,
 and nine district
 counties will offer
 a holiday hunt this year.
In Marinette County the
boundary between forest
 and farmland zones
 has been modified,
and a new metro sub-unit
has been created
 in Manitowoc and
 Sheboygan counties.
 So be sure that your
 antlerless tags are valid
 for the area where
 you plan to hunt.
 The northern forest
 portions of Marinette
 and Oconto counties
 registered moderate levels
 on the winter severity
 index last winter,
 and the deer populations in
 both counties forest zones
is still increasing but
fewer antlerless permits
 will be available this fall.
 (gentle guitar music)
 Last winter the northern
 district registered its first
 region wide severe
 winter in five years.
Deep snow and cold
temperatures forced deer
 into traditional deer yards
but did not cause large
population declines.
An early spring helped
surviving deer recover,
but this will be the first year
 of little or no population
 growth since 2014.
 Fawn production this
 year was average,
 and bucks that
 survived last winter
 may sport smaller
 antlers this fall.
 Overall, however, the northern
 herd came through winter
 in good condition,
 which is a sign
 of a balanced herd
 with enough habitat
 to support it.
There's abundant public
land in county, state,
 and national forests, and
 active forest management
 in most counties provides
 good habitat for deer.
Areas of prime habitat are
centered around aspen clearcuts
 where regeneration provides
 excellent deer cover.
Hunters should lool for
any changes in habitat
 from last year, particularly
 around timber harvests
 and oak woodlots.
 If you don't already
 have a place to hunt,
 let's take a quick look
 on how to find a location
 on public land all
 across Wisconsin.
 Most areas of federal,
 state, and county forest land
 are open to public hunting.
 Other public access lands
 include Managed Forest Law
 and Forest Crop Law lands
 open for public hunting
and Voluntary Public Access
lands leased for public hunting.
All other properties are
considered private land
 and you must have
 permission to access them.
 You'll find public
 land open to hunting
 in the Public Access Lands
 Atlas available in book form
 and on the DNR website
 under keyword, maps.
 Unless you're new to
 deer hunting in Wisconsin
you've no doubt heard of
chronic wasting disease,
an always fatal disease of
deer, elk, and related species.
 Here's Bryan Richards,
 CWD project leader
 for the National Wildlife
 Health Center in Madison
 to remind us how
 CWD is transmitted
 and offer advice on how we
 can help reduce its spread.
 - Chronic wasting
 disease is transmitted
via uptake of infectious agent.
CWD-positive animals are
shedding that infectious agent,
 or rogue prion protein
 throughout their bodily fluids
 including saliva,
 urine, and feces.
 So through close
 physical contact,
including nose-to-nose contact,
it's fairly easy to see how
 that infectious agent
 can be picked up
 by a healthy, naive,
 susceptible animal.
 So, if you are doing anything
 including baiting or feeding
 which brings inordinately
 large numbers of deer
 into the same space and time,
 if one of those animals has
 CWD and is actively shedding
 that agent out into
 the environment,
 we enhance greatly the risk of
 transmission at those sites.
To date there are no known
instances where CWD has breached
that barrier and caused
disease in humans,
 however, the bulk of
 the science conducted
suggests that there is
a small, positive chance
 that CWD could cross
 over into human hosts.
 It does not, however, indicate
 that CWD will transmit
 into a human disease.
Hunters are often asked whether
they should be concerned
 and what type of
 precautions they should take
 regarding the consumption
 of CWD-positive meat.
 The World Health Organization
 has been very consistent
 since the 1990's and
 recommends that no portion
of any animal with a
transmissible spongiform
encephalopathy
 including CWD enter the human
 and/or animal food chains.
 The United States Centers
 for Disease Control
 also has published guidelines
 and recommendations
 out there for hunters.
 Their recommendations are
 that if you hunt in an area
 where CWD is known to exist,
 that you strongly consider
 getting your deer tested,
 and if that deer tests
 positive for CWD,
 that you should not consume
 any portion of that animal.
One of the most
significant precautions
 that hunters can take is with
 regard to carcass management.
 It's very possible that a
 hunter from northern Wisconsin
 could come down and enjoy deer
 hunting as they always have
 in north central Iowa County.
 Very easy to suggest
 that if they kill
 that big 3 1/2, 4
 1/2-year-old buck
 that that deer may
 be carrying CWD.
 If they take that deer back
 home to northern Wisconsin,
 butcher it up the
 way they always have
and then discard carcass parts,
 bones, hide, things like
 that out in the environment,
there's a strong potential
that action could inadvertently
move CWD to northern Wisconsin.
 We suggest that they take
 carcass parts to a landfill.
 Make sure those parts
 end up underground
as opposed to out on the ground
 where they constitute a
 disease transmission risk.
 - To find a landfill
 or other approved site
 where you can dispose
 of deer carcass waste,
 visit the DNR website,
 keywords, deer waste disposal.
 Some of these sites are paired
 with CWD sampling stations,
 and as we mentioned
 in the forecast,
 DNR staff will offer
 in-person sampling
 at several locations
 on opening weekend.
Elsewhere there are self-service
kiosks for CWD sampling
 and dumpsters for
 carcass disposal,
 some of them funded through
 the Adopt-a-Dumpster program.
 Doug Duren explains
 how the kiosks
 and dumpsters make it easy to
 provide a sample for testing
 and dispose of carcass waste.
- So what we have here is a
self-service CWD testing kiosk.
 DNR was looking for
 volunteers and places
 to be able to put
 one of these kiosks,
and then along with that
we raised some money
 to put dumpsters out
 for deer carcasses
so that we weren't leaving those
possibly infected carcasses
 out on the landscape.
 Simple directions
 that you follow,
 hunters bring their
 deer in, tag it,
remove the head,
(saw scraping)
 fill some information out,
 put the head in the bag,
 put that information
 in there with it,
zip tie it shut,
drop it in here,
 and then I take it to
 Black Earth to the lab
or over to Rock Ridge to
one of the cooperators
 who does the extractions.
 The reason it's important
 to have the right location
 is so that they can map
 the spread of the disease
 and the prevalence
 in particular areas.
 If a hotspot shows up where
 suddenly there's a lot
 of positives in a
 particular location
they're going to examine
that a little bit more.
 So once a hunter
 processes their deer,
 often they're looking for
 a place to get rid of their
 the bones, the carcass, the
 head, and those are the,
 the spine and the head are
 the things that we don't want
out on the landscape if
they're CWD positive.
 So what we did with the
 dumpsters is give 'em a place
 to dispose of that properly.
 On the DNR website each one
 of the kiosks was listed,
and each dumpster
location was also listed
 for proper disposal.
 The reaction from hunters
 has been really interesting.
 The dumpster that we had here
 of the 200 plus or minus deer
 that were put into it,
 probably 2/3 of those were
 deer that weren't tested.
 But we had plenty of folks
 who brought carcasses in,
 if I was here I'd talk
 with them about it,
 and the responses
 were everything from
I'm gonna eat it anyway,
I don't want it tested,
 I don't know or I don't want
 to know or I don't care,
 to oh, I didn't know
 it was that simple,
 I'll do the next one.
 The good news is we got
 carcasses off the landscape
 whether they were
 CWD-positive or not
 or whether they
 got tested or not.
 There were a lot of people
 who were just happy
 that we had a place
where they could dispose
of the bones properly
 without taking them
 out in the back 40
 or throwing them in the
 ditch along a township road.
 It's easy access
 from the highway.
 You know, it's very
 visible from the highway.
 I feel like we're
 getting more testing
 because it is convenient.
If we make it easier for folks,
they're more apt to do it.
 (rifle bangs)
 (rifle shell clatters)
 - Before you head into
 the woods this season,
 be sure to sight in
 your rifle, pistol,
 shotgun, or muzzleloader.
 You can do that at a number
 of public and private ranges
around the state, including
several state-owned facilities.
 Many sportsman's club and
 shooting ranges are open
 to the public, and some
 hold sight-in clinics prior
to deer season.
 And whenever you're
 handling a firearm,
whether you're hunting,
target shooting,
or just carrying it from
one place to another,
always practice the four
rules of firearm safety
 summarized by the acronym
 TABK, treat every firearm
as if it is loaded,
always point the muzzle
 in a safe direction,
 be sure of your target
 and what's beyond it,
and keep your finger
out of the trigger guard
 until you're ready to shoot.
 Remember, safe hunting
 is no accident.
 (gentle guitar music)
 Shooting accidents have
 declined thanks in great part
 to many years of required
 hunter education.
 But unfortunately, tree stand
 accidents are on the rise.
 In fact, as many as one deer
 hunter in three will fall
 from a tree stand
 sometime during his
 or her hunting career.
 If you hunt from an elevated
 stand, use a lifeline
 to get up and down the ladder.
Maintain three points of
contact as you climb up or down,
 and wear an approved
 safety harness
 whenever you're in your stand.
 (gentle guitar music)
 (leaves crunching)
 You'll find all the segments
 in this year's show and more
on the Deer Hunt
Wisconsin YouTube page.
 I'm Dam Small,
 thanks for joining us
and have a safe and
successful deer season.
 (upbeat music)
 This area has some of the
 highest deer densities
 in the state and it's known
 for exceptional antlerless
 growth. (laughing)
