Current through August 26, 2024
Upland game birds are pheasants, quail, Hungarian (gray)
partridge, grouse and wild turkey. While these species depend primarily upon
upland sites, most species also utilize wetlands to meet part of their habitat
needs. The following needs and actions are essential for effective
implementation of the upland game bird program.
(1) HABITAT MANAGEMENT.
(a) The maintenance of existing habitat and,
where necessary, improvement or restoration of critical components of habitat
are the preferred methods of management. Management recommendations for upland
game bird habitat will become an integral part of land-use plans on all public
lands.
(b) Prairie grouse (prairie
chickens and sharp-tailed grouse) habitat is constantly threatened by natural
forest succession and development of land for intensive agricultural and
forestry uses. Positive efforts shall be made to assure that free-living
populations of these species and their necessary habitat will be perpetuated.
1. Prairie grouse management and habitat
restoration programs shall be accorded high priority on all publicly-owned
lands designated by the department. Where remnant flocks of sharp-tailed grouse
occur, associated with habitat on public lands, the emphasis in land-use plans
will be on maintenance or improvement of this habitat.
2. The maintenance of huntable populations of
sharp-tailed grouse shall be the management objective where suitable continuity
of habitat makes this feasible. Cooperative agreements, including leases where
necessary, shall be executed with other public and private owners of lands
where it is deemed practicable and essential to prairie grouse management by
the department.
(c) Much
of the remaining habitat for upland game birds is the result of land-use
decisions made by owners of private property. Therefore, programs that will
promote the conservation and improvement of upland game bird habitat and
improve access to private lands will be supported. In addition to the technical
advice supplied by department wildlife managers, the board recognizes the
contribution of wildlife management assistance given to private landowners
through cooperative forest management, U.S. department of agriculture and
university of Wisconsin-extension programs. However, much more must be done to
offset losses of wildlife habitat in predominantly agricultural areas.
Cooperative wildlife habitat management programs, including the "acres for
wildlife" program, which offer additional incentives and management assistance
to landowners shall be developed. Conservancy district zoning as well as other
programs and policies of local and federal agencies which conserve upland game
bird habitat will also be supported.
(2) HARVEST. Harvest regulations must have as
their objective to take no more than the harvestable surplus of each species
within broad areas of range. Regulations must also, to the extent of the law,
have as their objective reasonable minimum standards of conduct for hunters and
equitable distribution of hunting opportunities.
(3) STOCKING AND TRANSPLANTING. There are 3
basically different objectives to the artificial introduction of upland game
birds. The first is to restore a species which has been extirpated, the second
to speed recovery of severely depleted numbers as a result of catastrophe, and
the third to provide birds for hunting recreation on areas where the demand
exceeds the capacity to produce wild birds. The first 2 are ordinarily
short-term efforts involving wildtrapped stock, which are aimed at establishing
or increasing wild populations which sustain themselves. The third is an annual
effort which does not have lasting benefits and which often masks the continued
deterioration of the habitat base necessary to sustain wild populations.
(a) Stocking of state wildlife areas to
supplement wild populations for hunting recreation will be confined primarily
to cock pheasants. However, stocked hens as well as cocks can be harvested on
state wildlife areas in submarginal pheasant range. While stocking can usually
put additional birds in the field at a lesser cost than habitat improvement, it
yields only short-term, single-purpose benefits reaped primarily by the
participants who hunt them. Therefore, user fees should be the primary means of
support for pheasant stocking on designated state-owned areas. In order to
assure the opportunity for a quality hunting experience on heavily hunted
wildlife areas stocked with pheasants, (as was the case in s.
NR 1.12(2)
(d) relating to waterfowl projects) a
reduction in excessive hunter densities will be pursued by every available
means.
(b) Cooperative game bird
stocking (pheasant) programs will be used as necessary to supplement wild
populations on privately-owned land in areas where the demand for upland game
bird hunting exceeds the supply of wild birds. All game birds reared under
cooperative programs continue to be the property of the state until released
and harvested under general hunting regulations provided in ch. NR 10. The
department will provide chicks and a specified amount of feed per chick to
individuals or groups who care for the birds and provide rearing facilities
that meet state standards. When the cost-sharing program is not elected, all
game birds reared by private individuals or groups shall be released on lands
which are accessible to the public for hunting without charge.
(c) Game birds shall not be stocked on lands
to which the public is denied access for hunting unless a percentage of chicks
fixed by the department is returned to the state at 8 or more weeks of age as
specified in a written cost-share agreement. When cost-share birds are to be
released, a percentage of the birds representing in total value the state's
investment in chicks and feed shall be returned to the department and released
on state wildlife areas. Cost records from the Poynette game farm will be used
to determine the value at release age. The balance of the cost-share birds may
be released by the individual or group on private lands, posted as desired,
except that none may be released on private shooting preserves or private game
farms.
(4) RESEARCH AND
SURVEYS. Statewide or regional surveys and investigations shall have high
priority. Their primary objective is the establishment of base information
regarding population densities, harvest, range and habitat quality or quantity.
Periodic reassessment of these same bases will yield trend information
necessary for management.
