Earn-a-BUCK

Posted in today’s Lax Tribune:

Earn-a-buck is coming to a deer unit near you. Advertisement

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There are 28 deer management units on the preliminary earn-a-buck list for Wisconsin’s 2004 archery and gun deer seasons.

Three of these EAB units, 59D, 61 and 72, are in the Coulee Region.

EAB means hunters must first kill an antlerless deer in one of the 28 units to receive a buck sticker, which authorizes them to then kill a buck. A buck sticker is valid for either a gun or bow, regardless of whether a hunter used a gun or bow to kill the antlerless deer.

“These are still preliminary lists, but in the La Crosse area it’s hard to believe any units will be removed from the list,” said Pat Beringer, Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist in La Crosse.

“Unit 59D, for example, is more than 100 percent over overwintering goal,” Beringer said. “The goal is 20 deer per square mile of deer habitat and we have more than 40 deer per square mile of deer habitat in 59D.”

All three units — 59D, 61 and 72 — have had four consecutive years of Zone T seasons, but

that did not bring the deer population to within 20 percent of overwintering goal.

“The 2002 gun season was not a very successful season,” Beringer said. “But 2003 seemed to be fairly good but not enough.”

Beringer said that people who have followed the deer situation are not likely to be surprised by the EAB status of these units.

“I’ve been trying to get information out about the likelihood of an EAB season,” he said. “People who haven’t been following the situation closely will be surprised, even though we’ve been printing EAB on deer tags for a couple years as a reminder this might be coming.”

Even though some hunters may not like EAB, Beringer says it is important that we use the tools that are provided to us through public comments and approval from various groups to get deer populations down to goal.

“There are plenty of

opportunities to get out there and kill an antlerless deer,” Beringer said. “That first Zone T hunt in late October is going to be a very popular season this year. If hunters get that antlerless deer early, they don’t have to be so concerned, because they will have a buck sticker.”

Each hunter will be given a free antlerless tag with the purchase of their gun license and another antlerless tag with purchase of their archery license, as has been the case the last several years.

Some landowners who are in the agricultural damage program are in EAB units and hunters can use this program to take deer during spring and summer to earn their bucks. The easiest way to find out who these landowners are is to visit the DNR website, which lists properties and contacts for those properties.

“The idea behind ag damage is to kill as many of those deer as possible before they cause damage,” Beringer said.

New hunting licenses go on sale March 10.

The final decision on EAB units, and Zone T units, is scheduled to be made March 24, at the Natural Resources Board meeting.

In addition to 28 EAB units, there are 50 Zone T units on a preliminary list. Of those 50 units, 59C, 54B, 74A and 74B, are is West Central Wisconsin.

Even though some hunters do not like Zone T and EAB seasons, hunters should remember we continue to tell the nonhunting public one reason we hunt is to control wildlife populations.

We’ve been talking that talk. Isn’t it time to walk that walk?

I definitely did see this coming just as they say. I may get bashed for this, but I feel it is needed. In the areas I hunt, most are in 59D, the deer are thick. I myself have no problem with harvesting does and I would take more if the tags were not $12 each. This area has so many people who only buck hunt. But, the does need to be controlled as well. If a person does not want to eat the deer, donate them. There are many people who would enjoy having venison in their freezer. I also understand that not all property holds the same number of deer as others. Many will argue that they do not have that many deer around the land they hunt. There is one thing I do know; this is going to be a heated situation as any change is. I guess I am going to have to keep an eye on the does this summer.

I definitely did see this coming just as they say. I may get bashed for this, but I feel it is needed. In the areas I hunt, most are in 59D, the deer are thick. I myself have no problem with harvesting does and I would take more if the tags were not $12 each. This area has so many people who only buck hunt. But, the does need to be controlled as well. If a person does not want to eat the deer, donate them. There are many people who would enjoy having venison in their freezer. I also understand that not all property holds the same number of deer as others. Many will argue that they do not have that many deer around the land they hunt. There is one thing I do know; this is going to be a heated situation as any change is. I guess I am going to have to keep an eye on the does this summer.

I think this is a silly rule. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is necessary to shoot does but I just don’t think this is something that the DNR can enforce. There is no accountability for the doe. If one person in a hunting party shoots a doe, everybody he knows can tag that same doe just to get their buck permit. I know this is not legal but I bet it will happen often.

Gator Hunter

I think this is a silly rule. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is necessary to shoot does but I just don’t think this is something that the DNR can enforce. There is no accountability for the doe. If one person in a hunting party shoots a doe, everybody he knows can tag that same doe just to get their buck permit. I know this is not legal but I bet it will happen often.

Gator Hunter

I agree with you on this. There have been some shady ways of getting the buck tag. I think they now mark the does in some way, like cutting the ears. We will have to see how they enforce this issue. The only problem I have with the whole deal is how the government pushes their way on the people.

I agree with you on this. There have been some shady ways of getting the buck tag. I think they now mark the does in some way, like cutting the ears. We will have to see how they enforce this issue. The only problem I have with the whole deal is how the government pushes their way on the people.

I bet you wont see any road kills anymore either……People are gonna find loop holes in the system….

I bet you wont see any road kills anymore either……People are gonna find loop holes in the system….

Exactly, how are they going to know if you even shot the doe in an EAB unit to get that buck sticker for that unit. I hope this doesn’t come back to bite us in the @$$ in the next few years. All it takes is a tough winter or two and the deer herd is then in trouble because every Joe in the woods is trying to kill a doe. How many yearling bucks that are not legal going to be shot that would eventually be legal bucks but because guys now need to fill a tag, will be shot? All I can say is tie up your dogs during T-Zone.

Exactly, how are they going to know if you even shot the doe in an EAB unit to get that buck sticker for that unit. I hope this doesn’t come back to bite us in the @$$ in the next few years. All it takes is a tough winter or two and the deer herd is then in trouble because every Joe in the woods is trying to kill a doe. How many yearling bucks that are not legal going to be shot that would eventually be legal bucks but because guys now need to fill a tag, will be shot? All I can say is tie up your dogs during T-Zone.

I don’t want to get into another ethics argument, but I would bet money that some hunters wouldn’t pass up a GOOD buck b/c they haven’t haven’t shot a doe yet.

I know I won’t have this problem because I already take plenty of doe during zone-t.

I guess my point it that WI is full of huntersand big bucks that if they see at big 8pt, 10pt etc…walk by. It’s going down and they’ll hunt for does afterwards, and then register them at different times.

We all keep hearing how Fish/Wildlife/DNR have low budgets and are understaffed, It will be next to impossible to enforce. There is just too much woods to catch everyone.

I don’t want to get into another ethics argument, but I would bet money that some hunters wouldn’t pass up a GOOD buck b/c they haven’t haven’t shot a doe yet.

I know I won’t have this problem because I already take plenty of doe during zone-t.

I guess my point it that WI is full of huntersand big bucks that if they see at big 8pt, 10pt etc…walk by. It’s going down and they’ll hunt for does afterwards, and then register them at different times.

We all keep hearing how Fish/Wildlife/DNR have low budgets and are understaffed, It will be next to impossible to enforce. There is just too much woods to catch everyone.

I would disagree with this too. The area I hunt is the same zone as buffalo county, but 30 miles away. So the DNR gives all these zone T tags for buffalo county (which I understand becuase there are a ton of deer there) but these tag are also good for the same zone in Pierce County where the deer numbers are not as good. So basically I am saying I would be against this becuase I feel the DNR does not have a clue on the heard numbers in all the zones. I know this is in the La Crosse paper but I heard the rumor it will also be a happening around Buffalo and Pierce country’s as well.

I would disagree with this too. The area I hunt is the same zone as buffalo county, but 30 miles away. So the DNR gives all these zone T tags for buffalo county (which I understand becuase there are a ton of deer there) but these tag are also good for the same zone in Pierce County where the deer numbers are not as good. So basically I am saying I would be against this becuase I feel the DNR does not have a clue on the heard numbers in all the zones. I know this is in the La Crosse paper but I heard the rumor it will also be a happening around Buffalo and Pierce country’s as well.

Is anyone clear on how the DNR sets the overwintering herd size management goals? I wonder how much of the number is based on biology, and how much is based on social factors?

Is anyone clear on how the DNR sets the overwintering herd size management goals? I wonder how much of the number is based on biology, and how much is based on social factors?

Now understand I am not trying to heat things up . Tonight on my way home, I drove from Barre Mills to Holmen going down the back roads. I lost count after 200 deer in the fields. Right across the road from the jobsite was 40 deer alone. All I am saying is we need to control the does. There are people that do harvest does, but many just refuse to do so. This is where the DNR has to make a call. I also would like to know how they come up with the numbers. I can also understand the worries of harvesting buck fawns. Mother nature has and still will take care of this. There will always be the proper balance of bucks and does, unless of course everyone killed every doe they see. It only takes one doe to get your buck tag. Most of this unit (59D), can withstand the taking of these does.

Now understand I am not trying to heat things up . Tonight on my way home, I drove from Barre Mills to Holmen going down the back roads. I lost count after 200 deer in the fields. Right across the road from the jobsite was 40 deer alone. All I am saying is we need to control the does. There are people that do harvest does, but many just refuse to do so. This is where the DNR has to make a call. I also would like to know how they come up with the numbers. I can also understand the worries of harvesting buck fawns. Mother nature has and still will take care of this. There will always be the proper balance of bucks and does, unless of course everyone killed every doe they see. It only takes one doe to get your buck tag. Most of this unit (59D), can withstand the taking of these does.

I really believe most people are law abiding and will follow the EAB rules as they are stated. If there really is a problem with too many does and the T-Zone rules didn’t alleviate that problem then Earn-a-Buck is the DNRs only other alternative short of shooting them themselves. There will be a few people who will skirt the rules, those are the same people who will take double limits of walleyes, shoot that extra pheasant, etc.
I’ve registered deer in an Earn-A-Buck area and I can say there has been less than 10 deer that I would say were questionable. We slit their ears when registering. And yes, I think maybe a couple might have been road kills.

I really believe most people are law abiding and will follow the EAB rules as they are stated. If there really is a problem with too many does and the T-Zone rules didn’t alleviate that problem then Earn-a-Buck is the DNRs only other alternative short of shooting them themselves. There will be a few people who will skirt the rules, those are the same people who will take double limits of walleyes, shoot that extra pheasant, etc.
I’ve registered deer in an Earn-A-Buck area and I can say there has been less than 10 deer that I would say were questionable. We slit their ears when registering. And yes, I think maybe a couple might have been road kills.

For Earn-a-Buck to work, Outfitters cannot be permitted to get an exemption. Most properties that outfitters lease are exactly the reason that we’ll most likely have earn-a-buck next year. I bet if I drove around at night and looked at which tracts of land hd the most deer standing out in the feild, I could fairly accurately predict which areas have outiftter leased land.

For Earn-a-Buck to work, Outfitters cannot be permitted to get an exemption. Most properties that outfitters lease are exactly the reason that we’ll most likely have earn-a-buck next year. I bet if I drove around at night and looked at which tracts of land hd the most deer standing out in the feild, I could fairly accurately predict which areas have outiftter leased land.