MADISON – Early dense fog dampened some areas of the state on the opening day of Wisconsin’s 2009 nine-day gun deer season, but hunters enjoyed balmy weather throughout much of the day that some thought was just a little too good.

In some areas the fog didn’t burn off until mid morning. But the remainder of the day was calm, with temperatures in the 50s. One of the questions hunters were asked this year on the registration stub for the first time was to rate the weather. Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Supervisor Tim Lizotte said some hunters were giving conditions a 10 to 11 on a 10-point scale.

Alan Crossley, DNR wildlife biologist also working the registration station, said “it’s kind of funny. If hunters shot a nice buck, they tended to rate the weather as a “10.”

Wildlife managers at registration stations, especially in former earn-a-buck areas, were reporting a large percentage of older bucks, many with nice antler development. In many areas, deer appeared to still be in rut, or their mating season, in many areas. Tom Hauge, director of the DNR Wildlife Management program, was able to watch two bucks sparring for about 10 minutes. At another station, a 7-year old buck was registered with antlers badly damaged from recent sparring.

Jeff Pritzl, DNR wildlife expert aging deer in Northeast Region, recounted his favorite story of the morning: “A young boy on his first nine-day hunt shot a nine-point, 185-pound buck. The boy said his father had taught him that if he saw a doe that kept looking back, don’t shoot, because a buck was following her. Sure enough, he saw a doe that kept looking back, he waited and the buck came into view. Though the young hunter landed a good shot, the buck moved away and he and his dad spent the next two hours searching the wetland. The dad found the deer, and called his son, teary with pride.”

DNR Secretary Matt Frank, visiting with hunters registering deer in Montello, Westfield, Wautoma and Portage this morning, noted hunters were in good spirits, including one young girl registering her first buck at Wautoma.

“This is a great Wisconsin tradition, and it's just plain fun visiting with hunters and hearing their stories. Tomorrow, I will be out hunting myself. DNR is committed to maintaining a healthy deer herd so that we can enjoy deer hunting for many generations to come.”

Jim Shurts, Wisconsin Conservation Congress delegate chair from Dane County, registered his deer this morning. He was hunting in Columbia County east of Wyocena and heard more shooting than in the last few years. In one of those rare outdoors experiences, Shurts said a large flock of turkeys roosting near him gobbled loudly every time they heard a shot.

License Sales

As shooting hours opened, 626,404 hunters hit the woods for Wisconsin’s grand tradition of Gun Deer Season. Of these, 9,592 were 10- and 11-year-olds who were able to participate in this year’s hunt under the new Hunting Youth Mentorship Program. Nearly one-third of all hunters were under the age of 30.

DNR’s on-line licensing system – known as ALIS -- didn’t even break a sweat Friday as hunting license purchases peaked at 212 per minute at 5:30 p.m. Friday. All tolled 82,463 gun deer licenses were issued to anxious hunters who waited until the last minute to purchase. Nearly 270,000 licenses were issued in the eight days preceding the season opener. Deer license and tag sales will continue through the hunting seasons.

Of the hunters hitting the woods today:

• 592,287 (95 percent) were residents and 34,117 were nonresidents;

• Over 79,000 youth hunters under 18 years old participated in this year’s hunt, representing 13 percent of the total number of deer hunters;

• More than 54,000 hunters were age 65 or older, and over 191,000 (31 percent) are under 30-years-old;

• Females represent 8.5 percent of the total hunters, and 20 percent of new 10- and 11-year-old hunters;

• Hunters throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries purchased a Wisconsin gun deer license. The highest number of nonresident hunters came from Minnesota (16,413), Illinois (8,568), Michigan (1,078), and Florida (898);

• The most deer licenses were sold in Dane County (29,024), with Brown, Washington, Marathon and Waukesha counties following;

• More than 170,000 antlerless deer tags have been sold this year.

DNR Call Center hears from tree stands; sets record for calls

Operators at DNR’s call center began receiving calls at 7 a.m. Saturday morning from tree stands, deer camps and hunters afield. Questions ranged from, “Can I still buy a license” and “What is my hunter ed. number,” to one hunter saying that as the fog lifted, a bunch of cows appeared and were loose on state land. He wanted DNR let other hunters know so that none got shot by accident.

On Friday, the DNR call center bested its daily record by more than 500, answering 2,591 calls. During the week prior to the opener, customer service staff received 10,140 calls and 588 internet chats. The call center expects to handle over 260,000 calls this year, with approximately one-third of calls received on nights and weekends.
“It’s been really busy in the call center, and we love it. We’ve got a great staff just as excited about this season as the hunters are, and we’re here for you if you have a question,” said Customer Service Director Diane Brookbank.

Call center staff are available to serve customers from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m., seven days a week by calling 1-888-WDNR INFo (1-888-936-7463) or online at [dnr.wi.gov]. Spanish and Hmong service is available.
DNR call center staff manning the poacher hotline were also kept busy Saturday with reports of baiting violations, hunters shooting from the road, and ATV’s on public land. Hunters wishing to report a violation can call 24 hours a day and seven days a week at 1(800)TIP-WDNR [800-847-9367] or cell #367.

Two shooting incidents reported opening day

By late afternoon Saturday, DNR Hunter Safety Administrator Tim Lawhern had been notified of two shooting incidents, both non-fatal.
A male hunter in Grant County was shot just below the buttocks, reportedly when a nearby hunter was unloading his gun. A hunter in Green County received a shotgun wound to the thigh; it was not self-inflicted. No other details were available at time of publishing.
Lawhern notes that every shooting incident can be traced back to hunters failing to follow the four basic firearm rules.

“Every hunter – no matter the level of experience or years in the woods – should have these rules so engrained they are automatic,” Lawhern said. “Review these and review them with your hunting friends. It’s in your best interest and theirs. Make these rules your habits.”

The four rules are:

Treat every firearm as if it is loaded should be a habit.
Always point the muzzle in a safe direction at all times.
Be certain of your target and what is beyond it.
Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

Wardens wrote citations on opening day for illegal baiting, loaded firearms in vehicles and other violations, but no serious incidents were reported. A hunter in Clark County was cited after he cut down 25 pine trees on county property to improve a “shooting lane.” Another hunter was arrested and booked into jail for carrying a firearm while legally intoxicated.