September 14, 2018 at 4:37 p.m.
Archery season opens this weekend
Archery season opens this weekend
Hunters are reminded all harvested deer must be registered by 5 p.m. the day after the animal is recovered and must be registered in the Deer Management Unit (DMU) of harvest or an adjoining DMU.
Hunters may register deer online on the GoWild website or by phone at 1-844-GAME-REG.
There are also in-person registration stations across the state. A full list of stations can be found on the Department of Natural Resources website.
The DNR website also contains a wealth of information useful to hunters. Those looking to access public lands open to hunting can find all public lands open to that type of recreation. Simply input the county and type of activity into the search boxes on the Outdoor Recreation page, which can be found from the "Deer Hunting" page, and a list of areas open to hunting will be generated.
Full hunting regulations can also be found on the DNR website as well as carcass disposal guidelines. A full list of deer waste disposal sites can be found on the DNR website, with more being added as concern grows about chronic wasting disease (CWD) and its methods of transmission.
The new carcass guidelines state a whole deer carcass may not leave the CWD-affected county of harvest unless it is taken to a licensed meat processor or taxidermist within 72 hours of the carcass leaving the county of harvest. Also, carcass parts may now be left in the field, including on state-owned or state-managed lands. Deer heads may leave a CWD-affected county if they are being taken directly to an approved CWD test facility.
Testing for CWD is free to the public, and heads can be brought to the DNR service station or to a self-service kiosk at a partner location such as the Three Lakes Shell Station. Those locations can be found on the DNR website as well. The DNR strongly encourages those hunting within a CWD-surveillance area to have their deer tested, although it is not mandatory at this time. While there is no known link to humans, the World Health Organization recommends humans not consume meat from a CWD-positive animal.
Hunters and others are also reminded feeding and baiting of deer is still banned in Oneida, Vilas, Forest, Lincoln and Langlade counties due to CWD-positive detections. By state statute, if an deer tests positive for the disease, the county of harvest is placed under a three-year feeding and baiting ban, while any county within a 10-mile radius will be placed under a two-year ban. This ban was originally permanent, but a sunset clause was added last year stating if no new positives were found within the ban time period, the ban would be lifted. At this time, however, much of the Northwoods remains under a feeding and baiting ban, with fines handed out to those who ignore the rule.
More information about all aspects of deer hunting, as well as CWD, can be found on the DNR website dnr.wi.gov.
Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].
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