Wisconsin Deerhunters, Inc.

As you all know, the fawning season is rapidly approaching.  That said, we will be busy gearing up for fawn captures, including modifying the existing fawn capture protocol, fawn capture data sheets, and assembling and maintaining a DNR fawn capture schedule.  For anyone interested in breaking away from the office this spring to help with fawn searching, we are asking you to commit a minimum of 1 full day to assist the research team with this important field effort.  To sign up, please contact Christine Priest (northern field crew leader) @ 715-529-0370, Mike Preisler (eastern field crew leader) @ 262-483-8688, or myself (608-221-6358) directly and we will get you signed up.  Based on the 2011 fawn capture season, I anticipate peak fawning to occur during the last 5 days of May across both study areas.  We appreciate any help that our internal and external partners can devote to our second and final fawn capture season.  The key to a successful fawn capture season will depend largely on maintaining daily search crews of ~20-30 people over a 2-week time interval (e.g., 23 May through 5 June).  We are hoping that DNR staff can provide 15 people each day for these 2 weeks.  Fortunately, many of our research volunteers (hunters and landowners) that participated in winter capture efforts also have expressed strong interest in assisting with fawn captures.  Thanks in advance to anyone who is interested in helping us locate our little spotted friends this spring!!!     

 

Over the next several weeks, I hope to be working with Bob Manwell (and others on the communication team) to prepare a press release on our upcoming fawn capture season.  Importantly, April will give our field crews some well-deserved time to recover from what was a long winter capture season.  Lastly, I wanted to take a moment to recognize all of our partners who have contributed to what was a successful adult capture season, despite record warm temperatures across Wisconsin.  In particular, Mike Zeckmeiser and Jeff Pritzl have been particularly helpful in coordinating field staff time and logistics over the past 2 winter capture seasons.  The ongoing help by Wisconsin Conservation Congress delegates (particularly Mike Riggle, Arlyn Splitt, John Hedtke, and Bob Knorr) is greatly appreciated.  Lastly, our field crews have worked tirelessly over the past 4 months and they are to be commended for a job well done...awesome job everybody!!!  Thank you to everybody else who has helped the research team over the past 2 years, we greatly appreciate it!