survey

MADISON, Wis. — This fall, the Wisconsin DNR is launching its largest ever survey of deer hunters to better understand which harvest opportunities hunters decide to take.

Participating hunters will use an online diary to record the number of hours they spend hunting, deer sightings and observations related to buck age and harvest selectivity. The aim of this study is to gain more information about statewide hunter success and selectivity when deer hunting.

The deer hunter diary will start with the beginning of the bow season on Sept. 12 and will run until the end of the nine-day gun season on Nov. 29. The department plans to contact more than 130,000 licensed hunters by email asking them to participate in the diary survey.

The DNR will randomly select hunters to participate in three days of online diary entries to record their experiences deer hunting. Examples of the types of questions asked within the diary include: How many hours were spent hunting, how many deer were seen, how many deer the hunter had an opportunity to harvest and how many deer were harvested.

“This study allows for a unique opportunity for hunters to have direct involvement in citizen science and deer management in Wisconsin,” said Robert Holsman, DNR resource sociologist. “This is the first time we are conducting the deer hunter diary at the statewide level, and we are looking forward to hearing directly from deer hunters about their observations of deer and experiences while hunting.”

“We test piloted this study in Bayfield and Iowa counties last fall, and we are hoping to build off of our findings to figure out how often hunters are passing bucks they consider to be too small,” said Meghan Pluemer, DNR resource sociologist.

With the 2020 Wisconsin bow season fast approaching, the department asks that hunters participating in the bow season keep an eye on their email starting Sept. 12 as they may be selected to respond to the deer hunter diary. Groups of deer hunters will be sampled continually throughout the deer seasons this fall, so hunters may be selected to participate at any time throughout the bow and nine-day firearm season.

Participation in the diary survey is optional, and the department strongly encourages everyone selected to take part. For the diaries to reflect hunter experiences statewide, it is important that hunters respond if they are selected to participate.

Categories: Hunting News, Whitetail Deer

Tags: Deer, Hunting, Wisconsin DNR

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The Wisconsin Waterfowl Association (WWA) is surveying its 7,000 members for their attitudes on important future changes to hunting regulations.

Now, all duck and goose hunters may also weigh in, by going to the questionnaire at:
http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eguridc2k59yndz8/start.

The survey includes valuable information on how many days per season people hunt, how many ducks they harvest, and what zone they hunt in, plus their preferences for some upcoming decision items.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows states to re-adjust their waterfowl hunting zones every five years, which will occur in 2021.

Wisconsin currently has a North Zone, South Zone and Mississippi River Zone for duck hunting, plus a split duck season.
There is growing interest in open-water hunting on Lake Michigan.

Would hunters prefer to have a North, South and Lake Michigan zone along with a split duck season, or would they like to see an “open-water” zone that includes Green Bay with Lake Michigan?

Another question concerns the one hen mallard daily bag limit, which Wisconsin has traditionally had to provide more protection to hens that often return to nest the next year.
Is there enough reason to increase the hen mallard limit when liberal limits already allow six ducks?

And, should the duck season opener be held before or after Oct. 1, and should it be split?

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants the thoughts of waterfowl hunters on regulations and now all waterfowl hunters can add their two cents.

Being a life-long duck hunter, I would like to see a new Lake Michigan Zone, continue with one hen mallard to be prudent – nothing wrong with five drake mallards! – and return to the traditional Oct. 1 or later opener in the south.

We’ve lost past traditions and need to return to “quality” hunting, not quantity.