MADISON – August 2 is an important harvest permit application deadline
for hunters, trappers and sturgeon spearers. Applications are due for
the fall turkey, Horicon and Collins zones Canada goose, sharp tailed
grouse, bobcat, fisher, otter and Upriver Lakes sturgeon spearing
seasons. After Aug 2, any remaining fall turkey permits will go on
sale beginning at noon Aug 28. Leftover fall turkey permits can be
purchased at a rate of one per day until zones are sold out.
Season dates:

    * Fall Turkey: Statewide Sept 18-Nov 18; late season in turkey
management zones 1-5 only, Nov. 29 – Dec. 31.
    * Canada Goose Horicon and Collins Zones: Season dates are
tentative and subject to change up until the state Natural Resources
Board meeting on August 11. Horicon zone is proposed from Sept.
16-Dec. 16 (First time period from Sept. 16 - Oct. 31; Second period
from Nov. 1 - Dec. 16). Collins zone is proposed for Sept. 16- Nov. 19
(First period Sept. 16 - Oct. 3; Second period Oct 4 - Oct. 24; Third
period Oct. 25 - Nov 19.) Horicon and Collins zone hunters are
expected to receive six harvest tags for their time period.
    * Sharptailed Grouse: Oct 16 – Nov 7
    * Bobcat: period 1 & north of Hwy 64 Oct. 16 – Dec. 25; period 2
Dec 26 – Jan. 31, 2011
    * Fisher: Oct. 16 – Dec. 31
    * Otter: north zone Nov. 6 – April 30, 2011; central zone Nov. 6 –
March 31, 2011; south zone Nov. 6 – March 31, 2011
    * Sturgeon, Upriver Lakes Poygan, Winneconne and Butte des Morts:
Feb. 12, 2011 for 16 consecutive days unless harvest cap is triggered

“It’s easy to apply for these permits through any license vendor or
through the DNR Online Licensing Center,” said Dave Argall, DNR permit
sales coordinator. “Our DNR Information line staff can also help
answer any questions folks may have about the permit application
process.”

The line is staffed by live operators 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a
week at 888-936-7463 (888-WDNR-INFo).
Sharptailed Grouse

For 2010, 330 sharp-tailed grouse hunting permits are available. This
is a decrease from 2009 when 635 permits were available. The reduction
in permits is the result of a combination of continued habitat loss or
conversion, increasingly isolated populations, and cyclical grouse
population dynamics, according to wildlife biologists.

“While on some properties there was either no change or a slight
increase in observations of sharp-tailed grouse, survey numbers as a
whole were down from 2009,” said Sharon Fandel, DNR’s acting upland
wildlife ecologist.

Sharp-tailed grouse management units use the same boundaries and
designations as deer management units (DMUs). In 2010, only two units
will have permits available. DMU 2 will have 295 permits DMU 8 will
have 35.

“Although there were a few more birds observed this spring in some
areas, some of our traditional sharp-tailed grouse dancing grounds
have become less stable in comparison to recent years, warranting a
conservative approach in our harvest framework,” said Krista McGinley,
assistant upland wildlife ecologist.

“Because sharp-tailed grouse numbers are generally low, it’s a
challenge to locate these birds,” said McGinley. “Anticipating and
allowing yourself to enjoy the experience of the hunt is encouraged
and likely more realistic than the prospect of finding and harvesting
a sharp-tail.”

Hunters are reminded to carefully review the zone map and apply only
for units that are open. Applying for closed units will result in an
invalid application.
Fall Turkey

There will be 95,700 wild turkey permits available to hunters for the
Fall 2010 turkey hunting season, the same number that was available
during the 2009 fall season.

The 2010 fall season runs from September 18th through Nov. 18 for all
seven of Wisconsin’s turkey management zones (pdf; 243 kb). The
extended season for Zones 1-5 ONLY will run from Nov. 29 through Dec.
31. Hunters who receive a fall turkey permit in Zones 1-5 can use
those permits during the extended season in the zone for which they
were issued. The bag limit is one turkey of any age or sex per fall
turkey hunting permit (also known as a carcass tag). Hunters must
bring their tagged turkey to a designated registration station no
later than 5 p.m. the day after it is harvested.

What’s new for Fall 2010?

    * Beginning this fall, hunters may use dogs to hunt wild turkeys
throughout the state of Wisconsin. This is the result of a pilot
program that ran in a limited 9-county area and was extended statewide
following review.
    * 2010 marks the second year of a two-year trial period for the
extended fall turkey season in Zones 1-5. After evaluation by the
Department, a rule change that would continue the season in future
years may be proposed.

Upriver sturgeon season

An annual lottery for permits to spear sturgeon on the Upriver Lakes
began in 2007. Spearers need to apply for an Upriver Lakes sturgeon
lottery tag by August 2 and are notified no later than October 1 if
they were successful in receiving authorization to purchase an Upriver
Lakes sturgeon spearing license.

Group lottery applications of up to four persons are also accepted.
Group applications must be submitted through the DNR Online Licensing
Center. Spearers who applied for but not authorized to purchase an
Upriver Lakes license receive a preference point, and can still
purchase a license for Lake Winnebago, but must do so by the Oct. 31
license sales deadline (spearers can only buy one tag or the other,
not both). Sales for both Lake Winnebago and Upriver Lakes sturgeon
spearing licenses end Oct. 31. The Upriver Lakes sturgeon lottery
fishery limits participation to 500 tags in 2011 and will have a small
sub-allocation of the overall sturgeon harvest cap.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Argall – license sales (608)
267-7699; Krista McGinley – grouse and turkey (608) 264-8963