River Currents Badger Sportsman 3-20-08

Hopefully, spring has finally sprung for Wisconsinites after one of the snowiest and colder winters in years. My area of south-central Wisconsin has received over 100 inches of snow which is a record for as long as statistics have been kept. I should know since my driveway has been plowed over a dozen times. But, now signs of spring are showing up every day with Canadian geese and waterfowl regularly passing through the area, the arrival of sandhill cranes, killdeers, red-winged blackbirds, a few hardy robins, longer days, and of course the beginning of spring river walleye fishing.

The sport and boat show season is winding down and I appreciate all the readers that I met and the good comments from those that I met at the Madison Fishing Expo and the Oconomowoc Tackle show. Those of you that are new to the Badger Sportsman and decided to try the great deal of five issues for five dollars, I thank you for trying this great Wisconsin publication and know that you’ll enjoy the magazine.

Cougars in Wisconsin

The Department of Natural Resources has been investigating the sighting of a cougar northeast of the city of Milton in Rock County. DNR biologist, Doug Fendry and Conservation Warden, Boyd Richter, provided information to Adrian Wydeven, DNR mammal ecologist, who said that the animal tracks are “consistent” with that of a cougar. The DNR officials photographed tracks and collected blood and urine samples which are being submitted for genetic analysis to confirm whether the animal is a North American cougar. Fendry said that the DNR has been receiving numerous reports of cougars being seen in northeast Rock County and bordering Jefferson County over the last few months. For your information, the last known wild cougars or mountain lions disappeared from Wisconsin in the early part of the 20^th Century. Cougars have been documented in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois in recent years.

During March, the DNR has continued to look into the possible presence of cougars in southern Wisconsin. The latest incident involves cougar tracks found in early March northeast of Elkhorn in Walworth County by conservation warden, Jason Roberts, of Sturtevant. Again, DNR mammal ecologist Adrian Wyedeven verified the tracks as that of a cougar from the photos taken at the scene. A hair sample was also collected for genetic analysis to determine if the animal is a North American cougar. This location is about 23 miles east-southeast of the cougar sighting earlier in Milton. Wydeven said, “It is possible that the these tracks are the same cougar’s, although the tracks measured at the Elkhorn site seemed somewhat larger. Difference in track sizes can occur with the different snow surface conditions or whether the front or hind feet are being observed.” He continued to say “that front feet are larger than hind feet on cougars and it is hoped that genetic testing will be able to determine the relationships of these cougars to each other.”

The genetic testing done on the first cougar in the Milton area showed that the cougar had a mother that was of a North American subspecies, but the father’s side has not yet been determined nor has its gender. The identification of the paternal or male inheritance will show to biologists whether or not the cougar is of North American origin and wild or a domestic escapee if it’s of South American origin.

The public is asked to contact the closest DNR office if they observe a large cat, but they are reminded not to approach the animal, stop, stand tall, do not run, and pick up any children. Try to take a digital photo of the animal and its tracks if possible and use something to measure and show the tracks size. Also, try to record the time and location of your observation.

The genetic analysis and testing of the cougar samples is being done by the U.S. Forest Service genetic lab in Missoula, Montana. I’ll keep you informed.

Wolf Delisting

The state of Wisconsin, Governor Doyle, and Attorney General Van Hollen filed a brief in Federal Court supporting the states decision to remove the grey wolf from the Federal Endangered Species list in the states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation had requested such action in April, 2007. The Humane Society had filed a lawsuit which wanted to have removed state wildlife management authority over the wolf population in those states.

Lil Pipping, Wildlife Federation President, said, “The adult wolf population in the state of Wisconsin according to the recent official DNR count is in the range of 539 to 590 animals, far exceeding the Fish and Wildlife Service recovery goal of 100 animals jointly in the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.” Ralph Fritsch, Chairman of the Federation’s Wildlife Committee added,” The Federal Wolf Recovery Plan provides that once the 100 animal goal is reached, the grey wolf is to be removed from the Federal Endangered Species List and management returned to the State of Wisconsin like most other resident wildlife populations.” It’s time to move on and work on other threatened and endangered species in the state. By the way, a grey wolf was recently seen and photographed in nearby Iowa County. This was most likely a young male looking to expand its territory and establish another pack of wolves.

Another Fish Disease Strikes

A northern pike caught near Sturgeon Bay was covered with bloody sores which was not the result of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS). The sores were caused by a different virus called Lymphosarcoma, which causes cancerous sores on the skin and in the muscle of northern pike and musky. It does not affect humans and is not a threat to people who handle the fish, says Sue Marcquenski, DNR fish health specialist.

Lymphosarcoma is thought to be less serious than VHS because it affects fewer species and spreads much more slowly. But, it still can be deadly for pike and musky. Northern pike can recover from the virus, but it is usually fatal for muskies. The disease has been in the state for over 25 years, but was reported more by anglers in 2007.

The disease spreads when healthy fish rub against the sores of an infected fish during spawning activity or when they come in contact with a net or other equipment that’s been in contact with infected fish, according to Marcquenski.

Fishermen should follow these steps;

• Never move any northern pike or musky from one body of water to another. This is already prohibited in the VHS rules.
• If you’ve used a net or cradle on the fish that shows the sores, the angler should not use that equipment the rest of the trip and disinfect the gear when they get home.
• Clean all nets and live wells that may have come in contact with the fish with high pressure hot water, or disinfect them with a mixture of 1/3^rd cup of bleach mixed in 5 gallons of water and soaked for at least 5 minutes. Rinse well before using the gear again.
• If you catch a fish that shows the Lymphosarcoma virus, you should take a photo of the fish and note the time, date, and location where it was caught before releasing the fish if it is below the legal size limit and then contact the local DNR fish biologist with your information. If the fish is of legal size, anglers should harvest the fish and put it in a plastic bag and take to the nearest DNR office and make arrangements to test the fish.

Federal Farm Bill

The March 15^th Farm Bill deadline has come and gone, without a new bill being passed by Congress. Another temporary extension has been implemented with the new deadline set for April 18, 2008. The conservation title of the Farm Bill represents the single largest federal investment to aid conservation on private land. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the greatest single act ever passed by the Federal government that benefits all wildlife, the soil, the air, and water. All conservation efforts will suffer if this delay continues and a new Farm Bill is not passed by the new deadline. The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) and possibly the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) will lose its funding and risk elimination if a new bill is not signed by April 18^th, 2008. Readers should let our leaders that we’ve elected know that a new Farm Bill must be passed by the deadline or all the gains made will be lost. We as sportsmen and women cannot afford to go backwards! Send a letter to your elected officials; Senators, Congressmen and Congresswomen, and the Agricultural Secretary telling them of the importance of signing and passing the new Farm Bill and how important it is to the conservation ethic that Wisconsinites have always cherished.

Wisconsin Lakes Convention

I regularly get information from Deb Gorsuch of Pardeeville concerning the demise of Park Lake. She recently sent me an email about the upcoming Wisconsin Lakes Convention at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. This year’s convention will be the 30^th for the group and is scheduled for April 17^th thru April 19^th, 2008. The Convention is a great opportunity to learn more about lakes, take Lake Commissioner training or learn how to become a more effective lake association, and meet and visit with those who share your interests and concerns with our Wisconsin lakes. Other areas of interest include; a chance to meet and talk with the DNR lakes staff, attend informative workshops and seminars, and learn more about more about topics of interest for anyone concerned with the future and quality of our waters.

Robert Korth is a professor at UW-Stevens Point and head of the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership office at the university. Korth says in an email that if you or your community is interested in the challenges faced by invasive species or any other issue regarding rivers or surface waters, then you may want to attend this Convention. This Lakes Convention is the largest of its kind in the United States. If you have a tight budget, limited time, want to get results on managing your lake, having a hard time finding the right answers, or do you want to learn more about lakes? Then, the Wisconsin Lakes convention is your answer. Contact www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/convention or call (715)-346-2116 for information. Deb Gorsuch is another good source for lake information and she may be contacted at tdgorsuch@verizon.net

Wisconsin Legislature Fails to Pass Important Bills for Sportsmen and Women

The Wisconsin legislature adjourned with the Senate leadership killing two bills that would have restored to the Natural Resources Board appointment authority of the DNR Secretary. The bills had tremendous support from the state’s anglers, hunters, and trappers and the overwhelming support of legislators in both the Assembly and the Senate.

The two bills (AB 504 and SB 15) had great support from Wisconsin’s sportsmen and women. Several Conservation Congress spring hearing votes had between 85 and 90 % support for the Natural Resources Board appointment of the DNR Secretary.

There also was overwhelming legislative support for the bills. The Senate version of the bill (SB 15), passed by a bipartisan vote of 21 to 12. The Assembly version of the bill (AB 504) had 42 Assembly sponsors including Speaker Huebsch. A majority of the Assembly Republicans was either co-sponsors or voted for the bill in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. Almost all the Assembly Democrats supported the bill. A vote count held in the Assembly showed that there were between 70 and 75 votes out of 99 for AB 504. Despite this support, the Assembly majority did not allow a floor vote on the bill!!

Why was this bill killed? Speaker Huebsch and others said that the reason was that some business groups were against the bills. The business groups against the bill included; the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the Wisconsin Builders Association, the Wisconsin Realtors Association, the Wisconsin Utilities Association, the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, the Midwest Food Processors Association, the Wisconsin Economic Development Association, and the Fox City Chamber of Commerce.

These groups and their money have more influence and power than the1.6 million hunters, anglers, and trappers in the state. These business organizations donated more than $1.8 million dollars to the political campaigns of many legislators. These business groups contribute money because they want to “buy” the influence of the DNR Secretary who along with the Governor has a major impact on natural resources management policies.

Hunting Mentorship Program

There’s only a few more days left on another bill in the Wisconsin legislature to create a hunting mentorship program. The Wisconsin Assembly passed legislation which was expected to produce better hunter numbers. The bill, Assembly Bill 672, was authorized by Representative Scott Gunderson. This bill has been a priority to many Wisconsin and national sportsmen groups since 2005. The Senate version of the bill, SB 529, has been approved in committee and is ready for a floor vote in the Senate. The approval by the Senate and the signature of the Governor are all the stand in the way of the bill’s passage.

The legislation in Wisconsin is supported by the National Rifle Association, the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Wisconsin Chapters of Safari Club, the Wisconsin Chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation, the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, and many more organizations.

Under this program, a new hunter, age ten or older, could go hunting with an experienced hunter as long as the two stayed within arms reach. There can only be one gun between the two hunters. The bill would also repeal the state’s prohibition of young people target shooting with their parents until age 12.

Many similar programs have passed in 24 states since 2004, including laws in Nebraska, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wyoming. Michigan which started its program in 2006, had 12,000 new hunters in just the first year of the program. There also have been no accidents with any of the participants in any of the states that have passed mentored hunting laws. This supports research that has shown that the safest hunter in the woods is one accompanied by an experienced mentor.

If the young are to become involved in hunting and the outdoors it is a necessity that they get involved in hunting and the outdoors before they reach the age of 12 years or they will be lost forever. There’s too much competition from the Internet and other activities unless children are allowed to get into the woods at an earlier age. We need our Senators to come through and vote yes on SB 529 before it’s too late.

Odds and Ends

Clements Fishing Barge at Genoa on the Mississippi River at Genoa will open March 21^st, 2008. Fishing from the float can be as good as from a boat during many times of the year and particularly in the spring. The ice has finally cleared below the dam. They now have sleeping accommodations and where else can you fish for $15.00 a day and $5.00 for children. The walleye and sauger bite should be very good. Call Mark at (800)-903-4903 or email them at www.clements.com

Extra turkey permits go on sale over the counter at 10:00 AM, March 28^th, 2008. There are over 50,000 permits for sale. Go to your nearest ALS license center to buy your permit and see what is available.

The Madison Audubon Society has honored the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council for its dedication to protecting the birds. The council was awarded an excellence in bird conservation for its advocacy, its study of bald eagles in the Sauk Prairie area along the Wisconsin River, and the establishment of Eagle Watching Days.

There is a strong attack in Minnesota to ban the hunting of mourning doves. Anti-hunting groups have tried to take away the season since its inception in 2004. More hunters hunt doves in the U.S. than all duck and goose hunters combined. Watch out because Wisconsin could be next!

Delta Waterfowl supports President Bush’s proposal to increase the cost of a Federal duck stamp from $15.00 to $25.00, if the increased revenue (another $14 million) is used to protect and restore critical habitat for migratory waterfowl. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the increased funding would be for the acquisition of an estimated 6,800 additional acres of migratory habitat and secure easements for another 10,000 acres of wetlands across the country.

A survey done by Southwick Associates reports that ¼ of U.S. anglers report that their fishing activities have been reduced by problems accessing their preferred fishing holes.

The Wisconsin DNR will be developing discharge permits for international ships in order to eliminate the release of invasive species into Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Wisconsin has a law, the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which required anyone discharging “biological materials” such as invasive species and diseases into Wisconsin waters requires a discharge permit and treatment of ballast water. Over 186 invasive species and diseases have been introduced into the Great Lakes since they have been opened to Great Lakes shipping.

Many of these species come from the ballast water of foreign ships. The Great Lakes Compact, which is an agreement among the eight Great Lakes state governors to control and protect the Great Lakes, has passed the Wisconsin Senate. Four Great lakes states have passed the Compact (Minnesota, Illinois, New York, and Indiana) while Wisconsin now joins Ohio and Pennsylvania, with one house passing the Compact. Michigan has bi-partisan bills proceeding through their Legislature.

Madison, Wisconsin has just been named the site of the 2009 Pheasant Fest. Pheasants Forever, the primary host and a great conservation group made the announcement on March 20^th, 2008. This is billed as one of the largest platforms for conservation in the Midwest and the fifth such event. This year, the Fest was held in Minneapolis and attracted over 30,000 people. Madison expects the convention to add over $2 million dollars to the local economy. Wisconsin has 30 Pheasant Forever chapters with more than 7,000 members. Chapters have completed over 15,800 habitat projects totaling over 113,000 acres in the state since 1982.

Finally, Remington Arms company, Inc. has announced that former Green Bay Packer great, Brett Favre, has signed a multi-year marketing relationship with the company. When asked about his idea of a perfect day, Favre said, “If I could squeeze in throwing touchdown passes at a morning practice, lunch with my family, and pulling the trigger on a trophy buck at sunset, that would be about as perfect as life can get. And it seems the older I get, the more I treasure days spent in solitude in the woods.” Enough said!

Remember to check www.garyengbergoutdoors regularly.