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Wild Things: Comment on County Deer Proposals by April 29

If you have a strong opinion about deer management, now’s the time to voice your concerns regarding hunting seasons in Door and Kewaunee counties.

Whitetail fanatics have until April 29 to provide input online about preliminary recommendations for the 2020 hunts that the County Deer Advisory Councils (CDAC) made recently.

Both the Door and Kewaunee councils are recommending multiple free antlerless tags per license plus liberal seasons, including a holiday gun hunt and an extended bow and crossbow season. 

After considering public input, the Door CDAC will make its final recommendations during a meeting May 4 at 7 p.m. The Kewaunee CDAC will meet May 6 at 7 p.m. Both will likely be call-in meetings, and the public can listen in.

The online survey includes an opportunity to watch a presentation by a local wildlife biologist. You can find it – and learn how to listen in during the meetings – at dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/cdac.html.

Check Out the Vote

Hunters, anglers and others who care about the outdoors were invited to weigh in on advisory questions meant for the annual spring fish and wildlife hearings and Conservation Congress county meetings, which were canceled because of coronavirus concerns.

Online input about the questions was accepted April 13-16. The nonbinding results, used to gauge public opinion, were expected to be available this week. Check them out at dnr.wi.gov/about/wcc/springhearing.html

Bird Migration

Spring bird migration is underway, but don’t expect the most colorful arrivals for another week or two. That’s because species such as Baltimore orioles, ruby-throated hummingbirds, rose-breasted grosbeaks, indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers and many warblers don’t often arrive here in full force until early May.

There are many good sites to track migration, including ebird.org/wi/home and allaboutbirds.org, which has a BirdCast live migration map that uses radar to predict peak bird density.

Firearm Sales Surge

Possibly fueled by a run on guns by citizens concerned about their safety and their ability to purchase during the coronavirus pandemic, background checks required to buy firearms spiked to record numbers last month.

According to the FBI, there were 3.7 million background checks – the most for a single month since the system began in 1998. Background checks are the key barometer of gun sales.

With the exception of a handful of states, most firearm and ammunition manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors and shooting ranges have been allowed to remain open with certain guidelines. 

Keeping firearm retailers open allows local law-enforcement officers and individuals to obtain firearms, ammo, accessories and other safety- and recreation-related items. 

Wildfire Prevention

It’s Wildfire Prevention Week in Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources has reported nearly 50 wildfires across the state during the past week. Even after recent rains, strong winds quickly dried out grasses and other dead vegetation.

Debris burning is the No. 1 cause of wildfires. To see up-to-date restrictions and fire danger for any part of Wisconsin, visit dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestFire/restrictions.html.

Water-Levels Update

As of April 17, Lake Michigan was 37 inches above its 100-year monthly average, 14 inches higher than last year and four inches above the previous record, set in 1986. 

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