First Fall Hunting Permits Go on Sale This Weekend

Whitetail bucks are still in summer bachelor groups, and their antlers are nearing peak development. The velvet covering will be off all but a few when the Sept. 14 bow and crossbow hunting season opens. Photo by Kevin Naze.

If you’re looking for a bonus wild turkey tag or an antlerless deer permit for your up-north getaway, don’t press the snooze button during the coming days.

Only 2,000 bonus turkey permits are available for Zone 2, which includes Door and Kewaunee counties. They’ll go on sale at 10 am on Saturday, Aug. 17, for $10 per resident and $15 per nonresident.

All fall turkey hunters now get one tag with their license. These are extras, and if you want one, you’ll be required to purchase a fall turkey license if you haven’t already. 

Next up, bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations will go on sale. First are the northern and central forest zones beginning at 10 am Monday, followed by the central farmland zone Tuesday and southern farmland zone Wednesday. The cost is $5 for those younger than 12; all others pay $12 per resident or $20 per nonresident.

Bow, crossbow and gun deer hunters can already get up to five free antlerless tags per license for use in Door County, and four free with each in Kewaunee County. You’ll need to specify the county and whether they’re for use on public or private land.

The first hunts – early teal, early Canada goose and mourning dove – open Sept. 1. Black-bear hunting for those with harvest permits begins a few days later, and fall turkey and bow and crossbow deer are among the openers Sept. 14. 

This year’s special youth waterfowl duck hunt for ages 10 to 15 is Sept. 14-15. The regular exterior zone goose hunt opens Sept. 16, and duck hunting for all begins Sept. 28. 

Looking ahead, the youth gun deer hunt weekend is Oct. 5-6, and the pheasant season opener is 9 am on Oct. 19.

News from Friends of Wisconsin State Parks 

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks organization has a website with a boatload of great information, including a downloadable newsletter, online store and details about the latest photo contest and voting for the best state park in 10 categories.

The group’s website, friendswiparks.blogspot.com, notes that it supports the work of more than 80 local chapters, including those in Door County. Its mission is to preserve, promote, protect and enhance Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas.

If you’re a camper, biker, hunter, hiker, angler or any other type of park visitor, cast your vote for your favorite state park, forest, trail or recreation area by the Aug. 30 deadline. 

Photo-contest winners will have their best shots featured in the 2020 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks calendar. Photos that show scenes from the parks, forests, trails and recreation areas must be entered by Sept. 3.

State-Fish Art Contest

The State-Fish Art Contest, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, is a great hands-on activity to teach the joys of fishing and lessons of aquatic conservation. The free program provides a structured activity guide and challenges students to create fish art and write about their chosen species.

Young artists may win awards and national recognition while learning about a state-fish species, its behaviors, habitat and threats such as invasive species. To enter, students must create an original illustration of any official state fish and write words detailing its behavior, habitat and the efforts to conserve it. Entries are categorized in grade levels: K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. To review all the contest details, visit statefishart.org.

In addition, educators can use Fish On!, the full-color state-fish art-lesson plan, which integrates the disciplines of science and art.