Current through August 26, 2024
(1) PROHIBITED
METHODS. No person shall hunt any migratory game bird by any of the following
methods:
(a)
Sinkbox. From or
by means, aid or use of a sinkbox or any other type of low floating device,
having a depression affording the hunter a means of concealment beneath the
surface of the water.
(b)
Boats. From any boat or craft other than those propelled by
paddle, oar or pole. When motors or sails are attached to the boat, the motor
shall be completely shut off and the sail furled, and the boat's progress
stopped before a firearm may be loaded.
(c)
Structures. From any
pier, dam, dock or similar structure, except disabled persons under the
authority of a class A permit issued by the department.
(d)
Rallying. By the use or
aid of any water, air or motor-driven land conveyance used for the purpose of
or resulting in stirring up, driving or rallying.
(e)
Bird calls. By the use
or aid of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds or imitations
thereof, or while in possession of any type of device that produces recorded or
electronic amplifications of bird calls or sounds.
(f)
Live decoys. By using
directly or indirectly any live tame or captive ducks or geese for decoy
purposes regardless of the distance intervening between any such live decoys
and the position of the hunter. All live tame or captive ducks and geese shall
be removed for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to hunting, and confined
within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls
and totally conceals these live birds from the sight of migratory
waterfowl.
(g)
Decoy
use. By the use or aid of decoys which are or have been:
1. Placed beyond 200 feet from the blind or
cover in which the hunter is located.
2. Placed in the water more than one hour
before the open hunting time.
3.
Left in the water more than 20 minutes after the close of hunting
time.
4. Left in the water
unattended.
(h)
Baiting. By the aid of baiting as described by the U.S. fish
and wildlife service in 50
CFR 20.11 and
20.21(i).
(2) POSSESSION. No person shall
possess any live or crippled migratory game bird reduced to possession by means
of hunting. Such bird shall be immediately killed and become a part of the
daily bag limit.
(3) OPEN WATER
RESTRICTIONS. No person may hunt waterfowl in any portion of a navigable water
body from or with the aid of any blind which may include any boat, canoe, raft,
contrivance or similar device except:
(a)
Mississippi river. Blinds in any of the waters of the
Mississippi river and adjoining waters west of the BNSF railway provided the
blinds are securely anchored and located not more than 100 feet from any
shoreline including islands. Blinds in open water in Grant county and the Lake
Pepin portions of the Mississippi river are permitted regardless of the
distance from shore provided the blinds are securely anchored.
(c)
Large lakes and Great
Lakes. Blinds in open waters of the following lakes if more than 500
feet from any shoreline including islands: Beaver Dam Lake in Dodge County
(excluding Rakes and Trestle Works Bays), Big Green Lake in Green Lake County,
Castle Rock Lake in Adams and Juneau counties (south of railroad bridge and
county road G), Fence Lake in Vilas County, Green Bay, Grindstone Lake in
Sawyer County, North Twin Lake in Vilas County, Petenwell flowage in Adams,
Juneau and Wood counties (north of state highway 21 and south of state highway
73), Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Puckaway in Marquette and Green Lake
counties (the waters west of the west end of the dredge bank, excluding the
waters east of the west end of the dredge bank), Shawano Lake in Shawano
County, Trout Lake in Vilas County, Lake Winnebago, Lake Wisconsin in Sauk and
Columbia counties (north of railroad bridge), and Lake Wissota in Chippewa
County (south of county road S and north of county road X). All blinds must be
securely anchored, except those in the open waters of Big Green Lake, Lake
Superior, Lake Michigan and Green Bay.
(d)
Blind removal. All open
water blinds shall be removed at the close of shooting hours each
day.
(e)
Disability
provision. If the boat, blind, or similar device is occupied by at
least one individual engaged in hunting who holds a Class A or B disabled
permit that authorizes hunting from a stationary vehicle and which has been
issued for more than 1 year, and is substantially in compliance with par. (f)
considering necessary additional distance to maintain the minimum depth of
water for operation of the boat, blind, or similar device used.
(f)
Other water bodies. If
any of the following apply:
1. A part of the
boat, blind, or similar device is located within 3 feet of any shoreline
including islands.
2. A part of the
boat, blind, or similar device is located within 3 feet of a naturally
occurring, un-manipulated growth of vegetation rooted to the navigable
waterway's bed or shoreline and of sufficient height and density to conceal at
least 50% of the hunter and the boat, blind, or similar device when viewed from
at least one direction beyond the vegetation providing the concealment. For
determining if the vegetation provides the minimum 50% concealment, the viewing
shall occur from a height approximately the same as height of the boat, blind
or similar device being used by the hunter.
(g)
Normal jump shooting
activities. From a non-motorized boat, canoe, or raft, which is not
anchored, on streams where shooting shore to shore is possible.
(4) SPECIAL BLIND RESTRICTIONS.
The department may restrict hunters to certain blind locations within the
Collins, Eldorado, Grand River, Pine Island and Theresa state wildlife areas by
posted notice. If posted, maps shall be provided by the department indicating
where blind sites are located. Downed game birds may be retrieved outside
blinds with the aid of guns and dogs or by hand.
(5) TAKING METHODS. No person may hunt any
migratory bird with a trap, snare, cable restraint, net, swivel gun, punt gun,
battery gun, fishhook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying
substance.
(6) TAGGING. No person
may give, put or leave migratory game birds at any place, other than at that
person's permanent abode, or in the custody of another person unless the birds
are tagged individually or collectively with tags bearing all of the following
information:
(a) The hunter's
signature.
(b) The hunter's
address.
(c) The total number of
birds tagged, by species.
(d) The
dates the birds were killed.
(8) SHIPMENT. No person may ship migratory
game birds unless the package is marked on the outside with:
(a) The name and address of the person
sending the birds,
(b) The name and
address of the person to whom the birds are being sent, and
(c) The number of birds, by species,
contained in the package.
(9) IMPORTATION.
(a) One fully-feathered wing shall remain
attached to all migratory game birds being transported between the port of
entry and the possessor's permanent abode or to a preservation
facility.
(b) No person may import
migratory game birds belonging to another person.
(10) WATERFOWL STAMP. No person 16 years of
age and older may hunt for waterfowl without a valid state waterfowl stamp
approval unless the person is carrying a valid conservation patron license,
senior citizen recreation card, free military small game license or first-year
hunter education certificate.
Note: Violation of state migratory game bird regulations is
also a violation of federal regulations. Importation restrictions do not
prohibit the importation of legally taken, fully feathered migratory game birds
for mounting purposes by a taxidermist holding a valid federal permit and
licensed by the U.S. department of agriculture to decontaminate
birds.
(11) HARVEST
INFORMATION PROGRAM. Before hunting any migratory game birds each year, hunters
shall register with the department by supplying their names, addresses, date of
birth and other necessary information requested by the department in a manner
prescribed by the department. No individual may hunt any species of migratory
game bird until registered with the department and all hunters must have in
their possession proof of registration while hunting migratory game
birds.
(12) WATERFOWL BLIND
IDENTIFICATION. No person may maintain, occupy or use a blind situated on
state-owned property for hunting waterfowl unless the owner's name, address and
customer identification number, in the English language and in lettering
one-inch square or larger, is affixed permanently to the blind. The name and
address shall be readily visible on the blind and shall be kept legible at all
times.
