Two openings on county Deer Advisory Council

The state’s volunteer County Deer Advisory Councils are accepting applications to fill vacant seats, and Kewaunee County has openings representing forestry and transportation interests.

Interested individuals are encouraged to apply by Dec. 1 to be considered for membership ahead of the first set of meetings in January.

Councils play a key role in deer management through the development of recommendations based on annual harvest data and management issues specific to each county. These recommendations help the DNR determine annual antlerless quotas, antlerless tag levels and season options.

In 2017, councils will also play a role in the five-year review of the department’s Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan.

Council members serve three-year terms, and are required to attend at least two meetings annually, depending on tasks required each year.

To apply or learn more about the County Deer Advisory Councils, or to see county-specific deer management data, visit dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/cdac.html.

Deer update

Through the first five weeks of the season, Kewaunee and Door county deer hunters have registered more than 900 whitetails.

The numbers come from phoned-in or online-registered deer by bow, crossbow and youth gun hunters and include those reported through Sunday night.

Kewaunee County hunters reported 99 in the youth gun hunt, 155 with bow and 1183 with crossbow for a total of 437, up 80 from last week.

Door numbers were 118 in the youth hunt, 171 in the archery season and 196 with crossbow for a total of 485, up 113 from last week.

Reported county deer harvest is updated by season each Monday at dnr.wi.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/harvest/deerharvest.html.

Meanwhile, more hunters are reporting that bucks are starting to scent-check does as the mating season begins. Activity should be very high the next three weeks.

If you’re a gun-only deer hunter, now’s the time to purchase your license and get familiar with the new tags, get your firearms sighted in and check and finalize stand locations.

You can learn a lot about the state’s deer hunt at dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/deer.html.

Fishing report

Spawn-run chinook salmon aren’t dead yet are in pretty tough shape, but there are some decent cohos, browns and even a few steelhead available in the area rivers and creeks.

Yellow perch, smallmouth bass and walleyes are being targeted out of Dyckesville, Little Sturgeon and Sturgeon Bay, and Kewaunee County’s inland lakes are giving up panfish and bass, with an occasional muskie hooked in East Alaska and some trout in Krohn’s.

In addition to salmon and trout, the Ahnapee and Kewaunee rivers have both produced some panfish, pike, bass and catfish from time to time, and the Forestville Flowage is another decent bet for mixed bags.

DNR land sales

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is offering state-owned parcels of land for public sale through Nov. 28.

In February, the state Natural Resources Board approved phase two of land sales, including 81 parcels totaling 5,633 acres. Of these parcels, 33 were landlocked and will be marketed to adjoining property owners, while 24 were to be marketed for government sale only to county, city or township and 24 of the parcels were accessible for public sale to the general public with restrictions.

Fifteen of these properties are now being offered for sale and have been posted for bid as Auction No. 16825 on www.WisconsinSurplus.com.

Kevin Naze is a freelance outdoors writer. Email him at wildtimes@wizunwired.net or call 920-883-9792.

This article originally appeared on Wisconsin: Two openings on county Deer Advisory Council