DSORe POLL S1013

LAST WEEK’S POLL RESULTS  

Should Wisconsin sell naming rights to our state parks?

4 COMMENTS  

   

THIS WEEK’S POLL

Do you approve of hunting with silencers?

Hunting with silencers in Wisconsin?

Outdoor News blogger Kristen Monroe wrote:

I think of a hardcore criminal on the big screen trying to kill their enemy in silence when I hear the word silencer, or suppressor. I certainly never thought about them in a positive light. Why would anyone consider using them for hunting?

It is legal to purchase and hunt with suppressors in Wisconsin, but owning a suppressor that is not properly registered and taxed is a felony. To my surprise, only a few states prohibit them. And two of them are our neighbors.

It is currently illegal to own a silencer in Minnesota and Illinois. Illinois is in the process of adopting a new law that may change things in the future. In Michigan, you can own suppressors, but not for hunting. The process is the same for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) authorization; you must check with the state laws to see which state allows them and for what. Some states, like Michigan, only allow them for citizens' personal use, while in South Dakota it is only legal to use them for varmint hunting.

I found the site for the American Suppressor Association to be very valuable, but I still made a call and spoke with the Wisconsin DNR to verify that it is legal to use them for hunting in this state. According to Knox Williams, president and executive director of the American Suppressor Association, the process to own one legally is the same in every state in which it is legal.

In Wisconsin, you can legally hunt and own a suppressor if the ATF gives authorization. YOU need the stamp if approval. A licensed dealer can also walk you through the process.

Giving poachers more tools to wipe the deer population certainly isn’t something I would ever support. Then again, if criminals are willing to poach I bet they already are.

A friend told me, we can’t legislate based on what fear of what poachers or other law breakers might do. Williams explained several benefits that I had never thought about in the past.

READ MORE http://www.outdoornews.com/February-2015/Hunting-with-silencers-in-Wisconsin/

OUTDOORS RADIO POLL s1009

 

LASTWEEK’S POLL RESULTS

Is the Natural Resources Board dead in the water, now, due to Gov. Walker’s budget proposal stripping it of oversight authority over DNR?

  COMMENTS  

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THIS WEEK’S POLL 

Do you support Wisconsin Conservation Congress Chairman Rob Bohmann’s letter to Gov. Walker requesting the Governor reconsider his proposal to strip the Natural Resources Board of oversight authority over the DNR?

Conservation Congress Opposes Walker Budget Proposal

MADISON -- Text of letter Wisconsin Conservation Congress Chairman Rob Bohmann sent to Gov. Walker and State Legislators on Feb. 13:

The Honorable Governor Walker and Wisconsin State Legislators,

With full appreciation for your efforts to bring more efficiency to state government and the public sector, I must respectfully but vehemently disagree with the proposal in the 2015-2017 state budget to remove the policymaking authority from the Natural Resources Board and make them strictly an advisory council. The repercussions of this action will have a significant and adverse effect on our state’s natural resources.

Wisconsin has been widely regarded as the center of the conservation movement. It was renowned conservationists Aldo Leopold, William Aberg, and Haskell Noyes that helped forge the Conservation Act of 1927, which created the Conservation Commission (predecessor of the Natural Resources Board). With great foresight these pioneers of conservation created a unique system to keep conservation and politics separate by creating an independent board, beholden to no one. The Natural Resources Board has successfully operated with its policy-making authority uninterrupted for the past 88 years during which time Wisconsin has continuously been a national leader in environmental protection and wildlife conservation efforts.

Nowhere else in Wisconsin state government do the people of this state have such a direct avenue for input as through the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and the Natural Resources Board. Currently, natural resource policy decisions are made in full view of the public, broadcast online, and with ample opportunity for citizens to provide testimony or written comments. The unsurpassed level of citizen involvement we have in the anagement of our state’s resources is the envy of many other states. This proposed change would take the policy-making authority from the public arena to the political arena. Giving the policy-making authority solely to the department secretary would potentially allow for important natural resource decisions to be made behind closed doors without any public vetting. Any potential gains in efficiency that may result from this proposal do not justify the loss of an open and transparent government. The division of power and citizen involvement is essential for the long-term management of the state’s resources which are held in public trust and belong to all citizens of the state.

The Natural Resources Board and Wisconsin Conservation Congress have been working tirelessly in shaping conservation policies for over 80 years. Eliminating the authority of the Natural Resources Board and making the Conservation Congress advisory to the DNR secretary would undermine this proven system of citizen engagement that so many have worked so hard for and would irreparably mar the legacy we leave for future generations. I respectfully ask that the Natural Resource Board retain their policy-making authority and Conservation Congress remain the citizen advisory body to the board to ensure the continuation of Wisconsin’s rich tradition of citizen involvement in conservation.

Respectfully,

[signature]

Rob Bohmann, Chair 
Wisconsin Conservation Congress

DSORe POLL S1008

LAST WEEK’S POLL RESULTS

Do you support a legislative change to ban deer baiting and feeding statewide from September 1 through the last day of any deer hunting season?

  COMMENTS

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THIS WEEK’S POLL 

Is the Natural Resources Board dead in the water, now, due to Gov. Walker’s budget proposal stripping it of oversight authority over DNR?

MADISON -- Proposed rules related to deer management, hunting, and implementation of the 2012 White-tailed Deer Trustee's Report and white-tailed deer population objectives for Wisconsin deer management units are among the issues the state Natural Resources Board will take up at its February 25 meeting in Madison.

The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 25, in Room G09, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster St., Madison.

The board will also consider:

• proposed revisions to administrative rules intended to provide consistency and standardization of eligibility and reimbursement standards for the state, counties, and municipalities for their assistance with Department of Natural Resources law enforcement programs, such as all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile and boating.
• a request for the state parks program to undertake a master plan amendment process at Rib Mountain State Park for the purpose of expanding the Granite Peak Ski Area;
• a request for public hearings for emergency and permanent rules related to the DNRs environmental analysis and review program;
• making adjustments to laboratory certification and registration program fees.

The board will also hear updates on the history of the Natural Resources Board and the proposed 2015-17 DNR budget.

The complete February board agenda is available by searching the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov for keyword "NRB" and clicking on the button for "view agendas."

The public may testify at board meetings on topics open for public comment (listed on the agenda) and during the citizen participation period. The deadline to register to speak at the board meeting or to submit comments is 11 a.m. on Friday, February 20, 2015. The public may also submit written comments about issues that come before the board. For more information see the board public participation page of the DNR website.

Board meetings are webcast live. People can watch the meeting over the Internet by going to the NRB page of the DNR website and clicking on "NRB webcasts" link under the "Meeting materials" tab. Then click on this month's meeting. After each meeting, the webcast will be permanently available on demand.

Read more here   http://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/Article/?id=3215

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT  Laurie Ross, board liaison, 608-267-7420 or Bill Cosh, DNR spokesperson, 608-267-2773

DSORe POLL S1007

LAST WEEK’S POLL RESULTS

Do you agree with Gov. Walker’s proposals to freeze Stewardship Fun spending and make the Natural Resources Board advisory to DNR? 

  COMMENTS

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THIS WEEK’S POLL 

Do you support a legislative change to ban deer baiting and feeding statewide from September 1 through the last day of any deer hunting season?

Change deer baiting and feeding laws 

Each spring, Wisconsin holds the annual Fish & Wildlife Rules Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress County Meetings in every county at the same time and date. This year, attendees have the opportunity to vote on proposed changes to conservation rules and on advisory questions posed to gauge stakeholder opinion on various conservation issues. Conservation Congress Advisory Question No. 8, listed on Page 41 of the questionnaire, deals with baiting and feeding of deer. Current laws enacted by the legislature prohibit baiting and feed of deer in all counties where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected in either wild or game farm deer. In those counties not affected by CWD, it’s legal to bait and feed deer which creates inconsistent hunting regulations between counties. Banning deer baiting and feeding from September 1 through the last day of any deer hunting season could eliminate numerous issues that many associate with the distribution and movement of deer. 

READ MORE: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/bait.html

DSORe POLL S1006

Last Week's Poll:  

Are there enough public shooting ranges in Wisconsin?

VOTE THE POLL ...  

Do you agree with Gov. Walker’s proposals to freeze Stewardship Fun spending and make the Natural Resources Board advisory to DNR?

Gov. Walker’s proposed Budget freezes stewardship purchases, makes DNR board advisory

Gov. Scott Walker announced major components of his proposed biennial budget at a joint session of the State Legislature Tuesday evening. Among the elements of the Governor’s proposed budget, several would impact the Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Board. In the Feb. 4 issue of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reporters Lee Bergquist and Paul Smith wrote:
The Department of Natural Resources faces fundamental changes under Gov. Scott Walker's two-year budget, with one proposal to freeze state land purchases and another to eliminate the authority of its venerable citizens board.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.jsonline.com/news/budget-freezes-stewardship-purchases-makes-dnr-board-advisory-budget-freezes-stewardship-purchases-b-290723841.html 

DSORe POLL S1005

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS: Do you think "Learn to Hunt" events are the best way to recruit new hunters?

COMMENTS (2)

THIS WEEK'S POLL

Are there enough public shooting ranges in Wisconsin?

Are there enough public shooting ranges in Wisconsin?
This Weeks OUTDOORS RADIO Poll Question
Give us your opinion - Take the Poll (CLICK)

Open house and public hearing set for shooting range in Columbia County

PORTAGE, Wis. – The public is invited to an open house and public hearing on two draft documents that are part of the development of a new public shooting range on the Mud Lake Wildlife Area in the Town of Lowville, February 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Columbia County Law Enforcement Center, 711 East Cook Street, Portage.
Both documents are available for review by visiting dnr.wi.gov, and entering the search words, “Columbia County Shooting Range Proposal.” Online comments will be accepted through February 27.
The open house is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. Department of Natural Resources staff will be on hand to answer questions on the proposed amendment to the Columbia County Planning Group Master Plan and the Environmental Impact statement for the project.
At 7 p.m. a formal hearing on the EIS will begin.
“This is the second scheduled opportunity to provide comment before these documents are presented to the Natural Resources Board for approval at its April 8 meeting in Madison,” said Eric Lobner, a DNR wildlife supervisor for the area. “At that time the board will also take additional public comments before acting on the documents.”
Based on comments received at the first public listening session held for these documents on December 17, the layout of the range has been updated to include perimeter fencing and a gate controlling access.
The Mud Lake location for the new public shooting range was selected by an ad hoc citizens committee after reviewing the pros and cons of seven possible state-owned sites within the county and public input on two of the sites the committee felt were the best candidates.
The proposed master plan amendment is needed to reclassify approximately 10 acres of the Mud Lake WA from “habitat management area” to “special management area.” The draft EIS evaluates potential impacts to natural resources in and adjacent to the site.
“Our master planning guidelines require us to craft an amendment that reclassifies the area designated for the range to a category that allows this kind of development,” said Lobner. “The EIS identifies potential environmental impacts from the project and the significance of those impacts on habitat and area wildlife and nearby human populations.”
Following this open house and hearing and after the close of the online comment period the department will evaluate all comments and make modifications to the amendment and EIS if deemed necessary.
Persons wishing to speak to the board at their April 8 meeting must preregister with
The board liaison

• Laurie Ross
• Phone: 608-267-7420

Contact(s):

• Eric Lobner, wildlife supervisor – (608) 275-3474
• Bob Manwell, DNR communications – (608) 275-3317

READ MORE HERE: http://dnr.wi.gov/news/releases/article/?id=3463

DSORe POLL S815

Results for POLL S814
Do you think the TV reality show “Duck Dynasty” on the A&E Network portrays hunters in a bad light? Comments [5]
INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL s815 Does the Spring Hearings vote on the crossbow issue clarify state sportsmen’s stand on this issue?
Are the results clear on Crossbow use in Wisconsin ... ???
The Question: "Does the Spring Hearings vote on the crossbow issue clarify state sportsmen’s stand on this issue?" WHAT do YOU think of this. VOTE YOUR OPINION photo c. Wisconsin Crossbow Federation ©2012 Spring hearings attendees reject two crossbow-related questions Crossbow proponents have lobbied strongly for the expansion of crossbow hunting opportunities, including staffing an informational booth at the recent Deer & Turkey Expo. At the same time, crossbow opponents have voiced strong opposition to allowing all hunters to use crossbows during the archery season. Some, however, have supported a separate crossbow season and license. The Natural Resources Board offered two advisory questions in this year’s Spring Hearings. The introduction to Questions 66 and 67 read: Crossbow use is currently allowed for anyone during firearm seasons for most species including deer. The use of crossbows for hunting deer outside the firearm deer seasons is limited to persons with certain disabled permits and persons over the age of 65. There has been considerable interest to expand deer hunting opportunity with crossbows outside the firearm deer seasons. Attendees at the Wisconsin DNR Spring Fish & Wildlife Hearings rejected both proposals, one by a close vote and the other by a wide margin. Proposal No. 1 would make crossbows legal for anyone to use during the archery/crossbow season, with no additional license purchase required. This proposal was narrowly rejected by a vote of 2277 for and 2479 against. It was approved in 43 counties and rejected in 28, with one county registering a tie vote. Proposal No. 2 would create a separate crossbow season and license. The season would start at the same time as the archery season and run for four weeks. A separate crossbow license would be required, but hunters would be allowed to take only one buck with archery or crossbow equipment. This proposal was rejected by a statewide vote of 1263 for and 3395 against. Only two counties approved the proposal, while 70 rejected it. Nearly half of those voting this week are ready to accord crossbows equal status with other archery equipment in the regular archery season. On the other hand, nearly three quarters of those voting stand opposed to a separate crossbow season. Do these results send a clear signal to lawmakers and the Natural Resources Board?
Results for POLL S815

DSORe POLL S814

Results for POLL S813
Do you favor removing the woodchuck from Wisconsin’s protected species list and designating it as a game animal with an annual hunting season? Comments [1]
INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL s814 Do you think the TV reality show “Duck Dynasty” on the A&E Network portrays hunters in a bad light?
Duck Dynasty - good or bad for hunting ... ???
The Question: "Do you think the TV reality show “Duck Dynasty” on the A&E Network portrays hunters in a bad light?" WHAT do YOU think of this. VOTE YOUR OPINION illustration c. A&E Network © 2013 TV series sets hunting back 50 years In a recent issue of Ohio Outdoor News, contributor Chip Gross wrote this commentary for the Opinion Page: By Chip Gross It’s the number one most popular program of all time on the TV network A&E. If you haven’t yet seen it, you either don’t own a TV set or you’re smarter than I am. The show is based around Louisiana’s Robertson family who, over a number of years, has built a very successful outdoors business under the guidance of the family patriarch, Phil Robertson, better known as the Duck Commander. The Robertsons manufacture quality duck calls and duck decoys, and also produce waterfowl-hunting videos. When the program was first scheduled to premier a year or so ago, I was looking forward to watching it, thinking: Finally, an outdoors-oriented TV show has hit the mainstream media, that’s great! I was expecting something along the lines of American Pickers or Pawn Stars, where successful, legitimate businesses are highlighted and viewers get to take an entertaining look behind the scenes. Instead, what we see during each half-hour episode are contrived story lines – if any at all – and outdoorsmen acting like simple-minded buffoons. In my opinion, Duck Dynasty is tarnishing the perceived image of outdoorsmen (and outdoorswomen) with the general public, setting that image back at least half a century. It may be a generational thing. I’m now 61 years old, and have been a serious hunter and angler all my life. I know younger outdoorsmen – and some younger people who don’t hunt or fish at all – who think Duck Dynasty is an absolute hoot. They can’t get enough of the antics of Phil, his two sons Willie and Jase, Phil’s brother Uncle Si, and their wives. The show seems to have developed an almost cult following with younger viewers, no doubt to the delight of the A&E Network. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe for a minute that the Robertsons are ignorant people who simply don’t know what they’re doing. Quite to the contrary. Willie Robertson, for instance, holds a business degree and is credited with taking Duck Commander from a basement business to employing not only family members but also many in their small town. What I am saying is that in allowing A&E to portray them as they have, the Robertsons have sold out, trading the stereotypical good ‘ol boy image of outdoorsmen for a quick buck – likely millions of bucks – and taking the rest of us down with them. I’m sure the Robertsons are laughing all the way to the bank. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, Robertsons, because I can guarantee you it won’t last. The sad part is that you are tainting the image of all sportsmen and women as you do so, and that worn, inaccurate picture of most hunters and anglers will remain in the minds of millions of non-hunting Americans long after Duck Dynasty is off the air. And for that I say shame on you, Robertsons. Shame on you. Chip Gross, of Fredericktown, is a contributing writer for Ohio Outdoor News. Taping of the fourth season of "Duck Dynasty" has been delayed because the Robertson family is trying to negotiate a substantial pay increase with the network and producers of the show.    READ MORE HERE:
Results for POLL S814

DSORe POLL S750

Results for POLL
RESULTS FOR POLL S749 Should white or albino deer be protected statewide? YES 52.4% | NO 42.9% | MAYBE 0% | UNDECIDED 4.8% | Comments [2]
INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL s750 What's your favorite Wisconsin wildlife story from 2012?
Favorite Photo/Story... Look/Read 'n Let US know
Top 10 unique wildlife photos and stories in 2012 The Question:"What's your favorite Wisconsin wildlife story from 2012?" WHAT do YOU think of this. VOTE YOUR OPINION photo c. WDNR ©2012 Wisconsin’s rare wildlife and plant species yielded some of the most spectacular photos and stories in 2012, from an exceptional irruption of snowy owls, to a 1-in-a million albino bat found in February, to a bald eagle nursed back to health after winding up in the grille of an oncoming truck while diving for roadkill. Here are the Wisconsin images and stories that made 2012 a notable year, in addition to celebrating the 40th anniversary of the state law that protects endangered species. These Top 10 selections reflect those photos and stories that came to the attention of Department of Natural Resources communications staff and is decidedly not a scientific survey. If there’s a notable story or photo missing, please share it on DNR’s Facebook page and add to the conversation. Follow this link and then let us know which photo and story is your favorite.     Please vote for only one.
NEXT WEEK: Results for POLL S750

DSORe POLL S726

RESULTS FOR POLL S725 Is the proposed harvest quota of 142-233 wolves too low? YES 56.3% | NO 25.0% | MAYBE 6.3% | UNDECIDED 12.5% | COMMENTS [6]

INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL S726 Can increased public awareness stop the spread of aquatic invasives? The question we want to know is WHAT do YOU think of this. Let us know. Take the POLL! VOTE YOUR OPINION Fourth annual Landing Blitz for aquatic invasive species doubles coverage Citizen volunteers and aquatic invasive species experts will be teaming up to educate boaters at more than 200 landings across Wisconsin over the week of the Fourth of July. This is the fourth annual Landing Blitz, where participants will provide free boat inspection and remind boaters how to avoid spreading Eurasian water-milfoil, zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species. The program has grown over the years, with the 200 landings staffed this year more than double last year’s coverage of 90 landings staffed by boat inspectors. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) can crowd out native species, disrupt lake ecosystems and interfere with boating, fishing and other recreation. They create extra costs and lost value to homeowners and to state industries such as utilities, real estate, manufacturing, shipping, tourism, fishing and recreation. Invasives and fish diseases (such as viral hemorrhagic septicemia or VHS) spread to new waters primarily aboard boating and fishing equipment, or when live fish or water moved from one water body to another. READ MORE...

DSORe POLL S723

RESULTS FOR POLL S722 Do you support a 42-day spring turkey season instead of six seven-day hunting periods? YES 20% | NO 80% | MAYBE 0% | UNDECIDED 0% | COMMENTS [2]

INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL S723 Should Wisconsin locate a second elk herd in Jackson County? The question we want to know is WHAT do YOU think of this. Let us know. Take the POLL! VOTE YOUR OPINION Proposed Black River Falls Elk Herd Considerable public interest and adequate habitat within Jackson County has driven the Department to consider release of a second elk herd. Following the successful reintroduction of elk to the Clam Lake area, an interested and dedicated group of sportsmen known as the Jackson County Wildlife Fund (JCWF) proposed the concept of reintroduction of elk to eastern Jackson County. The Jackson County board adopted a resolution in support of the reintroduction of elk to public lands in eastern Jackson County. The JCWF forwarded their proposal to the Wisconsin DNR. The Wisconsin DNR, after determining that historical and adequate elk habitat existed in the Black River area, conducted public meetings in March of 1999 and September of 2000 to determine if public support existed on a community level. The three meetings held in September of 2000 showed support among the public. READ MORE...

DSORe POLL S722

RESULTS FOR POLL S721
Should wearing a personal floatation device be mandatory for boaters on Wisconsin’s waters?
YES 0% | NO 100% | MAYBE 0% | UNDECIDED 0% | COMMENTS [2]

INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL S722 Do you support a 42-day spring turkey season instead of six seven-day hunting periods?

The question we want to know is WHAT do YOU think of this. Let us know. Take the POLL! VOTE YOUR OPINION Turkey management meetings ask hunters to weigh in on possible changes A recent round of turkey-management meetings is asking hunters if they’d like to see the state’s six-season framework replaced with a “straight-through” 42-day season. Would you support that change in the season framework? READ MORE...

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DSORe eNews S651

VOL: eNews DECEMBER 17, 2011  ISSUE: SHOW #651
•All snowmobile trails lead to Mercer, Wisconsin • Christmas gift idea: Billy Barnstorm by Joel Vance   • Dan hunts pheasants at Dark Acres Pheasant Hunts • Jeff heads for the NAIFC Championship in Rhinelander	or eMail: outdoorsradio@gmx.com
RESULTS FOR POLL S650 Do you expect to see big bucks when you hunt? YES 45.5% | NO 31.8% | MAYBE 22.7% | UNDECIDED 0.0% | COMMENTS [5]
INSTANT SURVEY VOTE ON - POLL s651 Do you think the reduction in salmon stocking in Lake Michigan was a good idea?
Biologists seek feedback on Lake Michigan salmon stocking MADISON -- Five years after cutting the number of chinook stocked in Lake Michigan by 25 percent, Wisconsin and three other states are reviewing if the reduction worked and encouraging anglers to weigh in. "We cut the lake-wide stocking quite a bit five years ago to better balance the trout and salmon out there with the available food supply. We said at that time we'd review how it worked," says Bill Horns, Great Lakes fisheries specialist for the Department of Natural Resources. Read more here ...
You are entered into the drawing - when you leave a COMMENT - for a ... ZipVac portable vacuum sealer starter kit, complete with a rechargeable pump, a hand-operated pump and reusable, resealable storage bags. Follow ZipVac on Twitter and subscribe to the ZipVac blog.
JOEL VANCE Outdoors writer, blogger and humorist talks about his book, Billy Barnstorm, the Birch Lake Bomber, a collection of hilarious short stories set in fictional Birch Lake Wisconsin in the 1950s TINA BRUNELL Administrator for the Mercer, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce reports on winter outdoor fun in the Mercer area JIM O'BRIEN Jiffy pro-staffer and fishing guide at Dancing With Walleyes, shares some tips for early-ice walleyes DUFFY KOPF | Jiffy and HT Enterprises pro-staffer, reports there is still some open-water fishing on the Madison Chain, but some folks are starting to ice fish in the shallows
THE EVENTS CALENDAR HAS BEEN MOVED DANSMALLOUTDOORS.COM/EVENTS •FISHING CONTESTS: Find them ALL online @ American Fishing Contests •RUFFED GROUSE SOCIETY BANQUETS & EVENTS: »ONLINE INFO: •MILFORD HILLS ACTIVITIES & EVENTS: »ONLINE INFO
Ice fishing gains 110,000 anglers over the last decade MADISON – One hundred ten thousand people can't be wrong. That's how many more Wisconsinites are ice fishing these days than a decade ago, according to results from a recently released national recreation survey. "Clearly more people are getting interested in ice fishing in Wisconsin, which is great," says Mike Staggs, Wisconsin's fisheries director. "It's a low cost way to try fishing or to extend your season if you're a veteran open water angler. It's as easy as drilling a hole -- or finding a hole someone else left behind -- and using some basic equipment to catch some fish for dinner." An estimated 590,700 Wisconsinites 16 and over report they ice fish, up from 479,900 in 2000, according to the most recent National Survey on Recreation and the Environment. Department of Natural Resources staff are using results from the federally funded survey and other studies to develop its 2011-2016 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Terry Margenau, a DNR fish supervisor in Spooner and an avid ice angler, credits the sport's growing popularity to several factors, perhaps primarily to the development of specialized ice fishing gear. "I'm not talking just about the basics, but more on the creature comforts side and, of course, technology," he says. "I have never been one to freeze my buns off for a fish, so have always traveled with a shelter and a heater. "But now shelters have evolved drastically to be light and made of high quality fabric, heaters are better and safer, and take your pick on sleds to transport your gear. Not to mention the apparel now available to keep you warm. Anglers are equipped to catch fish and be comfortable while doing it." Read more here: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Margenau   – (715) 635-4162
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