Section 10.72. Deer management assistance program levels.

 

(1)   Level 1. The first level for participation in the deer management assistance program is designed to increase communication with landowners and hunters. The department shall provide all of the following to Level 1 participants:

(a) Deer management assistance program educational resources.

(b) Opportunities for assistance from department employees including wildlife biologists and foresters.

(c) Annual program reports.

(d) An opportunity to attend annual workshops organized by the department or its partners.

(e) Assistance with projects that have scientific value.

(f) Information on forming program cooperatives.

(g) Assistance with information for participation in other conservation programs.

(2)   Level 2. The second level for participation in the deer management assistance program is for small to medium properties with basic management goals. A property owner or cooperative of owners or their authorized representatives must apply to the department for Level 2 participation in the deer management assistance program. Participants shall provide deer harvest reports and the department may require collection of additional data and attendance at an annual meeting or workshop sponsored by the department or its partners. The department shall provide all of the following to Level 2 participants who provide the information required in this section:

(a) One on-site consultation visit by a wildlife biologist and a forester.

(b) A management plan with habitat and deer harvest recommendations developed individually for the enrolled property or cooperative.

(c) Antlerless tags established under s. NR 10.104 (9m) when appropriate based on harvest recommendations developed under par. (b) .

(d) Annual reports summarizing data collected by the property owner or cooperative.

(3)   Level 3. The third level for participation in the deer management assistance program is for medium to large properties with complex management goals. A property owner or cooperative of owners or their authorized representatives must apply to the department for Level 3 participation in the deer management assistance program. Participants shall provide deer harvest reports and the department may require collection of additional data and attendance at an annual meeting or workshop sponsored by the department or its partners. The department shall provide the services established in sub. (2) , together with all of the following, to Level 3 participants who provide the information required under sub. (2) :

(a) Assistance with deer population monitoring.

(b) Technical assistance and design recommendations for habitat and property management activities.

(c) Additional site visits that may be needed to provide detailed management recommendations.

(4)   Public land.

(a) The department may cooperate with the managers of national, state, county, or municipally owned land which is open to the public for deer hunting.

(b) The program coordinator, biologist, and forester shall work together with public access land managers and hunters to enroll properties and recommend harvest quotas.

(c) Local public input sessions conducted by the enrollee shall be used to identify site-specific management concerns and to review antlerless harvest quotas. Property specific antlerless tags established under s. NR 10.104 shall be issued to harvest antlerless deer on enrolled public properties.

(d) The program coordinator, biologist, forester, and local property manager shall work together to promote wildlife habitat improvement projects on properties where quality habitat is limited.

CR 13-071 : cr. Register July 2015 No. 715 , eff. 8-1-15; correction in numbering of (2) (d) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1. , Stats., Register July 2015 No. 715 , eff. 8-1-15; correction in (2) (c) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register November 2015 No. 719 .