Wisconsin State of the State Report
June 1, 2015
Cathy Stepp, Secretary
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
101 S. Webster Street
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
WILDLIFE
Deer Trustee Report
2014 marked the first year of implementation for many of the deer management
recommendations provided in the 2012 Deer Trustee Report. A few of the changes
included using county boundaries as deer management units, changes to season
structures, and the creation of programs to increase public participation in deer
management decisions. The Department opened enrollment for landowners to participate
in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). The objectives of the program
are to promote sound land management practices, improve communication between
Department staff, landowners, and hunters, and provide site-specific deer management
advice. In 2014, the Department received 114 DMAP applications and worked with
nearly 300 landowners representing 44,000 acres. Wildlife and Forestry staff performed
site visits with landowners and prepared written management plans for the properties. In
2015, the number of applications grew to 248 applications and the total number of
landowners is approaching 700. The program has been well-received by the landowners
with many providing positive comments about developing relationships with resource
professionals and the knowledge they are gaining through participation.
Also new in 2014 was the development of County Deer Advisory Councils (CDAC) to
assist the Department with local deer management decisions. The Department and the
Wisconsin Conservation Congress worked together to establish a CDAC in each of the 72
counties. CDAC membership consists of stakeholders representing forestry, agriculture,
tourism, transportation, hunter, private landowner, and tribal interests. In 2014-15 the
CDACs used public input to recommend 3-year county population objectives, harvest
goals, and harvest permit levels to the Department. The results of this effort were used
by the Department to develop the 2015 deer season structure and harvest plans.
Black Bear
Wisconsin has a very high level of interest in bear hunting with over 109,000 permit
applications received in 2015. Improved population monitoring methods have allowed
for expansion of bear hunting opportunities in the state. In 2015, a record number of
10,690 bear hunting permits were made available. The harvest quota of 4,750 is intended
to stabilize population growth and expansion. According to data collected by AFWA ,
Wisconsin’s recent harvest levels are the highest of any state in the country. While our
current goal is to stabilize the population, we intend to reevaluate management objectives
through the development of an updated species management plan in the near future.
Gray Wolf
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Wolves in the Great Lakes Region were removed from federal protection in 2012.
Wisconsin used this management authority to implement an integrated conflict mitigation
program and a wolf harvest season. Following three years of state management,
livestock conflicts were reduced dramatically and 3 recreational harvest seasons were
held without significant negative effects on the wolf population. As a result of judicial
action, wolves were returned to the Federal Endangered Species List on December 19th,
2014. This change in status returns management authority to the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and restricts Wisconsin’s ability to fully implement conflict and population
management programs. The State has appealed this decision and will work with the
USFWS to return control of the wolf population to the states in the Great Lakes Region.
Wisconsin Elk Translocation
In 1995, 25 elk were released in the Chequamegon National Forest near
Clam Lake as an experimental herd. That herd has steadily grown at a
rate of about 6% annually, and is anticipated to number approximately
150-160 elk following the 2015 calving season.
A new chapter in the history of Wisconsin elk reintroduction was
written in 2015 when WDNR and several partner groups teamed up with
the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources in the first of
up to five years’ effort to capture and introduce 150 Kentucky elk to two
locations within Wisconsin. After a successful capture season and
quarantine period in Kentucky, the first delivery of elk arrived at their new home in west central
Wisconsin on March 26th and are expected to be release in early June after fulfilling their 120 day
quarantine period. In coming years, up to 50 elk per year will be divided between the Black
River State Forest of Jackson County, and to add additional animals to the existing Clam Lake
herd to diversify their genetic quality, more quickly fill quality habitat, and provide the herd with
a population boost.
Avian Influenza
In the winter of 2014-2015 two strains of avian influenza viruses that caused disease in domestic
flocks and captive raptors were detected in both wild and captive birds in states along the west
coast. Beginning in March multiple large flock turkey facilities and some backyard flocks in the
midwest have had mortalities from related avian influenza viruses. Starting in April one of these
strains was detected on several Wisconsin poultry farms. In mid-April an adult male snowy owl
found dead in Oconto County was submitted for necropsy and in early May tested positive for a
highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N2). The result from this owl does not indicate wide
spread presence of the virus in Wisconsin's wild bird population and no cause of the current
domestic poultry infections can be determined from this result. Wisconsin will continue to
monitor for avian influenza in the wild bird population.
Wildlife Health Database
A comprehensive, integrated wildlife disease and contaminants database has been in production
for a few years with constant upgrades occurring. Historic disease surveillance and necropsy data
has continued to be added to the current data. Further queries and reports have also been built to
assist with analyzing, tracking, reporting, and sharing data. We are working on agreements with
other states that interested in using this database for their states.
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A wildlife rehabilitation component to the database was also created to track licensed wildlife
rehabilitators annual reports. Rehabilitators can enter their reports directly into the database.
Because of this we can create summary reports, run queries on specific species/cause of
admission/diagnosis/etc…and also organize this information for presentations.
This year enhancements were made to incorporate our chemical immobilization drug use tracking
into the wildlife health database. The database now keeps records of prescriptions, electronic
copies of immobilization records, and drug use logs.
Wildlife Rehabilitation and Captive Wildlife Policies
In 2013 an existing Wildlife Rehabilitation Advisory Committee was revised into a Wildlife
Rehabilitation Advisory Council (WRAC), with a primary goal to expand membership to include
an equal distribution of licensed wildlife rehabilitators in the state, and other wildlife
rehabilitation and captive wildlife professionals from the Department of Natural Resources, UW
System, Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitation Association,
Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection, and the captive wildlife and captive cervid industries. The council is advisory to the
Department on wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife health, and captive wildlife topics. In 2014 the
WRAC assisted the Department by providing recommendations on topics including deer
rehabilitation, possession of wild captive deer, and proposed rule changes.
In late 2013, discussions began on a Keep Wildlife Wild (KWW) educational campaign to begin
in spring of 2014 and continue into 2015. In 2014 KWW campaign efforts focused on getting
more resources and information out to the general public. Outreach efforts included print
documents such as dichotomous keys to determine if an animal is truly orphaned, magazine
articles, and press releases; radio PSA’s and videos, appearances on statewide news channels, and
creating educational materials to be used in classroom curriculum. In 2015 KWW efforts are
geared more toward further development of education materials for classroom curriculum and
designing the WI State Fair exhibit to focus on Keep Wildlife Wild.
Chronic Wasting Disease
During the 2014 deer season, DNR sampled 5,458 deer statewide. Of these, 331 tested
positive. The sampling strategies were aimed at detecting changes in the location and trends in
prevalence of the disease. Monitoring plans focused surveillance on adult deer which are the age
group most likely to have CWD. Since 2002, over 190,000 deer have been sampled in Wisconsin
with over 2,800 testing positive.
Following the 2012 discovery of a CWD-positive adult doe near Shell Lake, 2014 marked the
third year of surveillance efforts in Washburn County in northwest WI. Following
recommendations from a local community action team, local landowners and hunters helped the
department sample over 1,900 deer in the area over the last three years. No new positives have
been detected. Based on three years of sampling, all information has indicated CWD is not
widespread in the Washburn area, and occurs at a very low prevalence rate.
The 2012 discovery of CWD in wild deer in Juneau, Adams, and Portage counties in central WI
prompted the 2013 surveillance effort in a ten mile radius surrounding the positives utilizing
hunter harvested deer. Four additional positives were found in 2013 in Adams and Portage
counties, while two additional positives were discovered in Adams County in 2014. Surveillance
was also conducted surrounding a CWD-positive captive deer farm in Marathon County, with no
wild CWD deer detected.
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One important project we continue using is the weighted surveillance program using taxidermists
as sampling cooperators. By focusing the collection and sampling effort on select age and sex
classes of deer, the program attempts to increase the efficacy and efficiency of our statewide
detection surveillance efforts. Because CWD is found at higher prevalence rates in adult males
than in other demographic groups, we work with taxidermists who routinely receive older age
bucks. In 2014, taxidermists in Vernon and Crawford counties in west central WI provided
samples, and no positives were detected. Our goal is to continue this sampling effort statewide in
the coming years.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Trapping
A national effort initiated in the 1990s and guided by AFWA, came to fruition with the formal
publication of the Wolf BMP in July. The states can be proud of their exhaustive work with
trappers and trapper associations, having completed and published humane trap research on
twenty-one major furbearer species in the continental U.S. Although there’s much more to do,
this accomplishment—combined with similar work in Canada—builds a strong foundation for the
future of regulated trapping in North America. In addition, the recent award of a National
Conservation Need grant will allow states to conduct a national trap use survey, multiple
Trapping Matters workshops, and strategically located Wildlife Fur School training workshops.
These efforts will occur over the next two years throughout the U.S., assist in our formal report to
the EU in 2016, and begin the outreach work with our own agency staff.
Expanded Bobcat Harvest
Several years of research in central Wisconsin was conducted by the University of WisconsinStevens Point and resulted in a recommendation to expand harvest opportunity across the entire
state. Supported by user groups, tribes, and agencies, the 2014–15 harvest was successful and
allowed for collection of detailed harvest information in the new Southern Bobcat Zone, as well
as carcasses and tissue samples.
Wisconsin 2015 – 2025 Wild Turkey Management Plan Completed
Wisconsin boasts >130,000 dedicated turkey hunters, who take advantage of exceptional
recreational opportunities during spring and fall wild turkey seasons. Wild turkey management in
the state has always prioritized both effective population management and hunter satisfaction, and
in 2012 WDNR staff initiated a process to support these goals through a revision of the state’s
turkey management plan. The former plan was written in 1996, when both turkeys and turkey
hunting were confined to the southern half of the state, and prior to much research that has
improved our understanding of wild turkey ecology and population dynamics. Revision of this
document was therefore extremely timely. Intensive public input processes led to a highresolution understanding of constituent motivations, beliefs, and priorities with regard to turkey
management, and laid the foundation for both the content and format for the developing plan.
The plan itself provides significant background on wild turkey ecology and population dynamics,
the species’ history in Wisconsin, evolution of current season frameworks, and should serve as an
effective outreach tool to better engage our constituents as partners in turkey management.
Specific objectives are identified that address both important ecological and social issues related
to turkey management, each strategies best capable of achieving objectives are outlined. The plan
was approved by the Natural Resources Board in April, and will be available to the public by
summer 2015.
Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative
The Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI) is a statewide all-bird partnership modeled
on the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI). In operation since 2002, WBCI
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has over 175 partners pursuing the full spectrum of bird conservation, from research and planning
to education and outreach.
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership
2014 marks the 13th year in the effort to reintroduce a flock of migratory whooping cranes into
the eastern US. The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) is a state, federal, and private
partnership. WCEP partners have released over 200 birds since the beginning of the program. In
2013, releases took place on state managed property for only the third time in the history of the
project. This cohort of ultra-light birds began their migration south on schedule and eventually
arrived and wintered in Florida. In 2014, a pair set up a nesting territory for the first time in
eastern Wisconsin at the Grand River Wildlife Area. Another set of whooping cranes will again
be raised at White River Marsh State Wildlife Area in 2014.
FISHERIES
Walleye Initiative - The Wisconsin Walleye Initiative (WWI) was developed by the Department
of Natural Resources and the Governor’s office to increase the number of walleyes in state
walleye waters by expanding production of large fingerling walleye at state, private and tribal fish
hatcheries for stocking in waters accessible to the public. This historic investment in Wisconsin’s
walleye fishery will benefit all users and Wisconsin’s angling related economy. Nine
private/tribal groups were awarded funds to improve their walleye rearing infrastructure in the
spring of 2014. At this time the Department has reimbursed these grantees $1.4 million of the $2
million dollars available for construction and other eligible expenses. These projects should be
finished up by the end of calendar year 2015 with final dispersements coming soon after. Work
also continues on the Departments’ infrastructure projects, design work and permitting was
initiated during December 2014. In 2014 the Department, Private, and Tribal groups stocked a
total of 719,670 large fingerling walleyes or 97% of the goal.
Sturgeon Restoration on the Wisconsin River- Wild Rose Fish Hatchery, Wisconsin Rapids,
and Poynette fisheries personnel have been working to restore the lake sturgeon to the Wisconsin
River from below Merrill Dam downstream to the Wisconsin Dells Dam since1997. In
partnership with Alliant Energy, they collect adult sturgeon and transfer them to tanks at Alliant’s
Kilbourn Dam facility. There they take eggs, fertilize them, and transfer them to Wild Rose State
Fish Hatchery where they incubate and hatch. Stocked fish have totaled 205,000 small
fingerling, 250,000 large fingerling; and 3,300 yearlings which are tagged with uniquely
numbered PIT tags to assist with long term monitoring. In 2006, a monitoring program was
started to track the progress of the restoration. The monitoring has proven the success of the
project by using gill net to capture and tag over 100 adult lake sturgeon annually throughout the
restoration area.
Fish Propagation- Fisheries staff raised and stocked over 6.1
million fish this past year and that includes the rearing of a record
number of large fingerling walleyes in 2014, nearly 506,891 fish, more than four times more than
we have been able to rear in the recent past. The program also initiated a groundwater study for
the proposed renovation of the Kettle Moraine Springs Hatchery in Sheboygan County. This
study will determine quality and quantity of water available for rearing at a renovated Kettle
Moraine Spring Hatchery.
Trout Habitat and Fishery Management - From July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 over 112
stream reaches were improved or maintained with multiple partners and cooperators. These
projects ranged from brushing and improving access to fixing eroded banks and restoring stream
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channels. These projects added up to approximately 30 miles of habitat work. Beaver
management on trout streams was ongoing through the fiscal year.
Wisconsin’s current suite of trout regulations, which manages streams by regulation class or type
attempting to focus on a balance between the stream productive capability and the angler desires,
was last revised in 2003. The Wisconsin fisheries program initiated an effort in 2011 to work
with trout anglers across the state to conduct a thorough review of the trout management
objectives and regulations, their effectiveness, and make recommendations. A new regulation
package was developed jointly by Department staff and stakeholders. The new regulations will go
into effect in January 2016.
NATURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION
Wisconsin Bat Program: The Natural Heritage Conservation Bureau team conducts statewide
projects to investigate status, trends and current threats, and monitor bat population health. The
goal is to prevent extinction, monitor bat health, status, and trends, while implementing adaptive
management actions to sustain or recover one of Wisconsin’s greatest natural resources for the
benefit of future generations. While the disease, white-nose syndrome, has been detected in many
parts of southwestern Wisconsin, the WDNR continues to use a strategic monitoring approach for
WNS that incorporates effective disease surveillance (minimizing disturbance to sensitive
populations) and containment of the fungus and WNS. One main goal of the WI Bat Program is
to disseminate information that is responsive to a broad audience regarding the importance of bats
and managing for WNS; which includes creating, delivering and updating communication
products to inform the general public about the benefits of bats and how to minimize the spread
of WNS.
White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) in Bats: During the 2014-2015 hibernation season, Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) staff made 75 site-visits for WNS surveillance and
research. Over 1500 samples were collected by WDNR and various partners (US Geological
Survey-National Wildlife Health Center [NWHC] and University of California-Santa Cruz) as
part of WNS surveillance. The rampant spread of WNS in Wisconsin, while expected, has
heightened the need for WDNR to continue working with partners and stakeholders to in
education/outreach to minimize the human-assisted transmission of the disease, while identifying
and implementing effective control and management practices based on the best available
information.
Northern long-eared bat listing: The WDNR continues to monitor bat hibernacula, support
landowners in their efforts to protect cave bat species and to participate in White-nose syndrome
related research. Wisconsin supported the recent federal listing decision as Threatened and the
species has been listed as Threatened at the state level in Wisconsin since 2011. WDNR also has
been working closely with other states to provide input regarding guidance for this species. In
2014, WDNR conducted a pilot project to understand roost tree use by maternity colonies of
northern long-eared bats. The goal was to develop guidance based on data collected that can
protect the remaining population while allowing for sustainable forestry and other land
management to activities which can be beneficial to cave bat habitat. As populations decline due
to WNS, having a greater understanding of summer habitat use of the northern long-eared bat is
critical to guide science-based management as well as development of sound conservation
measures. Further research toward effective conservation will include gathering additional
information on the known roosting areas of the northern long-eared bat and whether these bats are
more dependent on roosting areas than on the roosts themselves.
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Landowner Services:

Landowner Incentive Program: Since 2006, the DNR’s Landowner Incentive Program
(LIP) has provided cost-share funds for habitat restoration and enhancement projects to
private landowners. The program also provides management advice, assistance with
management plans and technical guidance to individuals and organizations and works to
create a network of actively managed communities to provide important habitat for atrisk species. LIP currently has 23 on-the-ground projects in nine Driftless Area counties
(southwestern Wisconsin) with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (SWGC).

Natural Heritage Site Program: The Wisconsin DNR has been working to develop a
Natural Heritage Site Program that will recognize households, businesses, schools,
organizations, and communities that voluntarily create and manage wildlife habitat on
their properties. The goals of the Program will be to encourage biodiversity and habitat
development outside of state-managed lands and to promote public involvement in
habitat conservation. The Program will promote practices such as establishing native and
removing invasive plant species, providing food, water, and shelter for refuge and raising
young, and participating in other resource and habitat conservation practices. A
workshop was held to gauge interest and gather ideas from interested stakeholders.
State Natural Areas Property Management: State natural areas encompass over 373,000 acres
of land in Wisconsin. Habitat management work on State Natural Areas (SNAs) occurs across
the entire state with a major focus on restoration of native community habitats and control of
invasive plant species. This work greatly improves habitats for game and non-game wildlife
species and is a major objective for implementation of Wisconsin’s Wildlife Action Plan.
Program accomplishments on DNR managed SNAs in calendar year 2014 included:
 1,710 acres of controlled burns for woodland (i.e., oak, oak savannah) habitats;
 4,245 acres of controlled burns for grassland and prairie habitats;
 2,260 acres of forest invasives control;
 2,880 acres of non-forest invasives control;
 65 acres converted to native habitats through tree and prairie plantings; and
 450 acres of timber harvests.
FACILITIES AND LANDS
Land Acquisition and Public access for Hunting and Fishing: In the past year, May 2014 to
April 2015 utilizing State Stewardship funds in conjunction with other funding sources such as
Forest Legacy, NAWCA and others, DNR was able to acquire 3,515 acres in fee title for a total of
$7.3 million dollars. And, two large Forest Legacy easements: a 13,700 acre easement in Iron
County in May 2014 ($4.8 million), and the second phase of a very large easement in Douglas
County, 21,200 acres ($5.6 million) for a total of 65,900 acres.
ENFORCEMENT
Training Issues: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Academy piloted
the first 720 hour LE academy program. Dept. of Justice (DOJ) required the 720 hour academy
curriculum effective Jan 1, 2015.
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Integrated annual DOJ recertification training with other LE programs within the DNR – Parks,
Forestry and Conservation Warden
Major Conservation Law Enforcement Trends
PROJECT RED BERRY: In 2012 WIDNR transferred all wild ginseng management and
oversight from the Bureau of Endangered Resources to the Bureau of Law Enforcement (shifting
emphasis from biological management to natural resource protection). After evaluating the entire
wild ginseng program it became abundantly clear there was statewide abuses by dealers and
diggers associated with wild ginseng.
HUNTING INCIDENTS IN WISCONSIN: There were 18 total hunting incidents during the
2014 hunting season. 0 of 18 incidents were fatal. Thanks to the efforts of our volunteer hunter
safety education instructor corps of just over 4,100 instructors, conservation wardens and the
WDNR’s recreation enforcement and education safety section, hunting is a safe activity in
Wisconsin and getting safer all the time. Hunting incidents are continuing on a downward trend.
In 2014, Wisconsin finished well below the 10 per year average of 28 incidents per year.
Other Enforcement Issues
WILDLIFE VIOLATOR COMPACT - The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact is reciprocity
agreement between the 45 member states. If an individual’s licenses privileges are suspended in any
one of the member states it will be enforced in all member states.
In 2014 Wisconsin entered 398 violations into the compact and overall member states a total of 5,402
violations entered.
FEDERAL WOLF LITIGATION: Recent court action has resulted in the gray wolf (Western Great
Lakes DPS) being placed back onto the federal endangered species list. The state hunting/trapping
season is suspended indefinitely, and the Department anticipates future difficulty in addressing wolf
depredations/conflicts. Prior to the relisting, WI’s wolf harvest seasons had appeared to be
successfully managing wolf population growth, agricultural conflicts, and social tolerance for the
species.
TRIBAL NIGHT HUNTING APPEAL: The US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals recently remanded the
Tribal Night Hunting case for further proceedings consistent with the tribes’ request to permit night
hunting of deer by tribal members on publicly accessible lands (including private forest lands with
public tax law access. The Dept. is currently preparing for the next steps of litigation.