NR 10.101(2)(c)
(c) Pack size. No more than 6 dogs in a single pack may be used to pursue bear regardless of the number of bear hunters assisting the bear harvest permittee and regardless of the dog ownership.
NR 10.101 Note
Note: Only a bear hunting licensee with a bear harvest permittee may pursue bear during the open season on bear.
NR 10.101 Note
Note: This rule does not permit a person to hunt bear over bait without using dogs as a hunting aid.
NR 10.101(3)(a)(a) Validation. Any person killing a bear shall immediately validate the carcass tag by slitting the mark designating the month, day, time of kill and bear sex.
NR 10.101(3)(b)
(b) Attachment. Immediately following validation, the carcass tag shall be attached to the bear at any location on the bear.
NR 10.101(3)(c)
(c) Removal and retention. A bear carcass tag attached under
par. (b) and department registration tag may be removed from a gutted carcass at the time of butchering or when prepared by a licensed taxidermist, but the person who killed or obtained the bear shall retain all tags until the meat is consumed.
NR 10.101(3)(d)
(d) Exceptions. Except as provided under
par. (c), no person may possess, control, store or transport a bear carcass unless it is tagged as required under s.
29.184 (5), Stats., and
pars. (a) and
(b).
NR 10.101 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1978, No. 269, eff. 6-1-78; cr. (1) (b) 5.,
Register, August, 1979, No. 284, eff. 9-1-79; r. and recr. (1) (b) and (3) (b),
Register, April, 1980, No. 292, eff. 5-1-80; am. (3) (b),
Register, July, 1985, No. 355, eff. 8-1-85; am. (intro.), cr. (1) (c), (3) (e) and (4), r. and recr. (3) (c),
Register, June, 1986, No. 366, eff. 7-1-86; am. (2) (c) 3.,
Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87; cr. (4) (d),
Register, August, 1988, No. 392, eff. 9-1-88; am. (3) (b),
Register, July, 1989, No. 403, eff. 8-1-89; r. (2), renum. (3) and (4) to be (2) and (3),
Register, October, 1990, No. 418, eff. 11-1-90;
CR 01-008: am. (1) (c), r. (2) (d),
Register October 2001 No. 550, eff. 4-1-02; correction in (3) (d) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register September 2002 No. 561; correction in (2) (e) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7.,
Register April 2005 No. 592.
NR 10.102
NR 10.102
Bear hunting quota and license issuance. NR 10.102(1)(1)
Bear quotas. Bear quotas are based on the status of zone black bear populations in relation to established population goals as determined by inventories.
NR 10.102(1)(a)
(a) Purpose. The department shall issue Class A bear licenses in sufficient numbers to assure maintenance of bear populations for each zone indicated in
par. (d).
NR 10.102(1)(b)
(b) Quota formula. In each black bear management zone, the number of Class A bear licenses to be issued to harvest the desired numbers of bear shall be based on hunter success rates from previous seasons. In establishing licenses for a zone without an adequate history of licenses, the average success rates of similar zones shall be applied or the department shall estimate an anticipated success rate. The license number formula is: -
See PDF for diagram 
NR 10.102(1)(c)
(c) Success rate formula. Hunter success rates used to compute the number of Class A bear licenses to be issued for each zone shall be those calculated by the department from annual bear season harvest reports except where no previous history of success rates exist. The license rate formula is: -
See PDF for diagram
NR 10.102(1)(e)1.1. The department may establish temporary bear harvest subzones within each black bear management zone to increase or decrease harvest within specific subzones to assure maintenance of bear populations at a density level equivalent to that of the bear management zone.
NR 10.102(1)(e)2.
2. The department may require that a portion of the Class A bear licenses available within a bear management zone be specific to a temporary bear harvest subzone to assure maintenance of bear populations at a density level equivalent to that of the bear management zone.
NR 10.102(1)(e)3.
3. Class A bear licenses for the temporary subzones shall be used only within the subzone.
NR 10.102(1)(e)5.
5. Temporary subzones may be established to increase bear harvest when either of the following 2 conditions exist within the area considered for a subzone:
NR 10.102(1)(e)5.a.
a. The bear population density within the subzone for the previous 3 year period exceeds by 20% the zone population density goal as indicated by indexes or models, or both.
NR 10.102(1)(e)5.b.
b. Bear nuisance or agricultural damage complaints per square mile within the subzone exceed the zone average by 20% or more for the previous 3 year period.
NR 10.102(1)(e)6.
6. Temporary subzones may be established to decrease harvest when either one of the following conditions exist:
NR 10.102(1)(e)6.a.
a. The mortality rate of adult bears within the subzone exceeds 22% for the previous 3 year period.
NR 10.102(1)(e)6.b.
b. The bear population density within the subzone for the previous 3 year period is below the zone population density goal by 20% or more as indicated by indexes or models, or both.
NR 10.102(1)(e)7.
7. Each temporary bear harvest subzone may be established for a period not to exceed 2 years.
NR 10.102(1)(f)
(f) Permanent bear harvest subzones. Class A bear licenses for subzones shall be used only in the subzone.
NR 10.102(2)(a)(a) Application submittal. Application for Class A bear licenses shall be on forms provided by the department. Applications shall be postmarked no later than the deadline date indicated on the form or received by a department service center location on the deadline date to be considered for selection. The annual deadline may not be sooner than December 1 each year.
NR 10.102 Note
Note: The department conducts extensive publicity on the application deadlines beginning several months prior to the deadline. Application deadline dates are published in news releases, license outlet handouts, and pertinent regulation pamphlets. Department service center hours may vary by location.
NR 10.102(2)(b)
(b) Group applications. Group applications for a maximum of 4 hunters may be submitted for Class A bear hunting licenses provided each applicant completes the application form. The group's preference standing shall be that of the member with the lowest number of preference points. If the group is selected, the group shall accept or reject Class A bear licenses for all members of their group.
NR 10.102(3)
(3) License issuance. The department shall select successful applicants and issue Class A bear license approval notices no later than February 15 of each year. The department may reissue a Class A bear license if the license is returned or if the applicant fails to or cannot comply with s.
29.184, Stats. Selection shall be by random drawing.
NR 10.102(4)
(4) Fees. A successful applicant shall submit the appropriate license fee established by s.
29.563 (2) (a) 6. or
7. or
(b) 4. or
5., Stats., to the department before receiving a Class A bear license.
NR 10.102(4m)(a)(a)
Licenses issued prior to the season. Any Class A bear license issued prior to the opening date of the bear season established in
s. NR 10.01 (3) (g) 2., shall be effective beginning on the opening date of the season specified in
s. NR 10.01 (3) (g) 2.
NR 10.102(4m)(b)
(b) Licenses issued during the season. Except as provided in
par. (c), a Class A bear license issued during the open season for hunting bear established in
s. NR 10.01 (3) (g) 2., does not authorize hunting until the third day after the day the license is purchased.
NR 10.102(4m)(c)
(c) Exception. A Class A bear hunting license issued during the open season for hunting bear as established in
s. NR 10.01 (3) (g) 2., authorizes bear hunting beginning the date of issuance if issued to a person to whom any of the following applies:
NR 10.102(4m)(c)1.
1. The person is a member of the U.S. armed forces who exhibits proof that he or she is in active service with the armed forces and that he or she is stationed in this state or is a resident on furlough or leave.
NR 10.102(4m)(c)2.
2. The person turns 10 years of age during the open season for hunting bear.
NR 10.102(5)
(5) Bear pursuit. No person may handle a dog or dogs used for tracking or trailing bear unless he or she possesses a Class A or Class B bear license.
NR 10.102(6)
(6) Educational permit issuance. Upon receipt of proper application, the department shall issue an educational permit for bear observation. The applicant shall include the location to the quarter section, times and dates of the activity, name of person and bear eco-tourism business or educational institution they are representing. The educational permit authorizes the permittee to observe or shine bear for educational purposes only pursuant to s.
29.314 (3) (b) 3. and
(5) (b) 1., Stats.
NR 10.102(6)(a)
(a) No person may be engaged in shining bear for educational purposes without being in possession of an educational permit.
NR 10.102(6)(b)
(b) Only the named person on the permit may possess a firearm when participating in the actions authorized by the permit.
NR 10.102(6)(c)
(c) The permit is restricted to use in a ground blind or elevated stand.
NR 10.102(6)(d)
(d) The permit is not valid during the seasons established in
s. NR 10.01 (3) (e) and
(g) and the 7 consecutive days prior to those seasons.
NR 10.102 History
History: Cr.
Register, June, 1986, No. 366, eff. 7-1-86; am. (1) (a) to (d),
Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87; am. (1),
Register, June, 1988, No. 390, eff. 7-1-88; r. and recr. (1) (a), renum. (1) (b) to (e) and (2) to be (2) to (6),
Register, October, 1988, No. 394, eff. 1-1-89; am. (1) (b),
Register, September, 1991, No. 429, eff. 10-1-91; am. (1) (d),
Register, February, 1993, No. 446, eff. 3-1-93; cr. (1) (e),
Register, December, 1993, No. 456, eff. 1-1-94; am. (1) (d), cr. (1) (f),
Register, August, 1996, No. 488, eff. 9-1-96; am. (1) (a) to (c), (e) 2., 3., (f), (3) and (4), renum. (2) to be (2) (a), cr. (2) (b), r. and recr. (5) and (6),
Register, July, 1998, No. 511, eff. 8-1-98;
CR 02-017: am. (1) (d)
Register September 2002 No. 561, eff. 1-5-03;
CR 02-018: am. (2) (b) and (4)
Register September 2002 No. 561, eff. 10-1-02;
CR 04-011: am (4)
Register September 2004 No 585, eff. 11-1-04;
CR 05-017: am. (2) (a)
Register October 2005 No. 598, eff. 2-1-06;
CR 06-012: am. (4), cr. (4m)
Register December 2006 No. 612, eff. 2-1-07;
CR 07-015: am. (1) (d)
Register September 2007 No. 621, eff. 11-1-07;
CR 09-024: am. (4m) (c) 2.
Register May 2010 No. 653, eff. 6-1-10.
NR 10.103(1)(1)
Tags. A back and carcass tag shall be issued with each hunting license. While hunting, no person may possess a validated carcass tag including bonus and special carcass tags unless it is attached to a legally killed deer.
NR 10.103(2)
(2) Validation. Any person who kills a deer or if s.
29.324, Stats., applies, the person providing the carcass tag, shall immediately validate the carcass tag by slitting the marks on the carcass tag as designated by the department. Failure to completely validate the carcass tag renders possession of the deer illegal and the carcass tag invalid.
NR 10.103 Note
Note: The carcass tag attachment procedures are also provided in s.
29.347 (2), Stats.
NR 10.103 History
History: Cr. Register,
Register, September, 1983, No. 333, eff. 10-1-83; r. and recr.
Register, September, 1985, No. 357, eff. 10-1-85; renum. from NR 10.102,
Register, June, 1986, No. 366, eff. 7-1-86; am. (1),
Register, October, 1991, No. 430, eff. 11-1-91; am. (2),
Register, May, 1993, No. 449, eff. 6-1-93; am. (2),
Register, August, 1994, No. 464, eff. 9-1-94; emerg. am. (2), eff. 8-12-96; am. (1) and (2),
Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97;
CR 01-006: am. (1),
Register August 2001 No. 548, eff. 9-1-01.
NR 10.104
NR 10.104
Deer population management. NR 10.104(1)
(1)
Deer management system. The department shall manage the state deer population by:
NR 10.104(1)(a)
(a) Establishing deer management unit boundaries within the state;
NR 10.104(1)(b)
(b) Establishing deer population goals for each deer management unit;
NR 10.104(1)(c)
(c) Monitoring the performance of the deer population within each deer management unit; and
NR 10.104(1)(d)
(d) Establishing deer hunting seasons and annual harvest quotas with the objective of maintaining deer populations at the established deer population goals for each deer management unit.
NR 10.104(2)(b)
(b) Management unit size and configuration. Deer management unit boundaries shall be established to encompass areas of similar land use, soils and vegetative cover, and be of sufficient size to permit accurate monitoring of herds.
NR 10.104(2)(c)
(c) Unit boundaries. Unit boundaries shall be readily identifiable features of the landscape such as roads and rivers. When road boundaries are used, the department shall give priority to use of numbered and lettered highways.
NR 10.104(3)
(3) Three year reviews. The department shall review, and seek public comment, regarding the need to modify the boundaries or population goals for all deer management units every 3 years. For deer management units in the ceded territory as defined by
s. NR 13.02 (1), the department shall also consult with the Wisconsin Chippewa bands in a government to government manner.
NR 10.104(4)(a)(a) Deer range. The department will calculate the area of deer range in each unit based on estimates of the amount of wetland, woodland at least 10 acres in size, and cropland within 330 feet of woodlands.
NR 10.104(4)(b)
(b) Unit goals. The deer population goals for each deer management unit described in
s. NR 10.28 shall be expressed as the number of deer per square mile of deer range in January and are as follows:
-
See PDF for table NR 10.104(5)(a)(a) Annual population estimate. The department shall annually calculate an estimate of the overwinter deer population for each deer management unit using the sex-age-kill method for calculating deer densities. The sex-age-kill method uses the following quantitative data for each deer management unit: proportion of yearling bucks in the harvest, proportion of yearling does in the harvest, proportion of males and females at birth, the number of fawns seen per doe during the summer, the proportion of total buck mortality due to hunting harvest, and the harvest by sex as registered during the hunting seasons.
NR 10.104(5)(b)
(b) Quota objective. Using the overwinter deer population estimate established under
par. (a), expected fawn production and overwinter mortality, the expected archery harvest of antlerless deer excluding those harvested under authority of hunter's choice and antlerless deer hunting permits, and the deer population goal in
sub. (4), the department shall annually calculate an antlerless deer kill quota for each unit with the objective of maintaining the deer herd at the established deer population goal or temporary overwinter target population density.
NR 10.104(5)(c)
(c) Quota adjustment in ceded territory units. For deer management units in the ceded territory as defined in
s. NR 13.02 (1), expected tribal harvest shall be deducted from the antlerless deer kill quota established in
par. (b).
NR 10.104(6)(a)(a) Purpose. The department shall issue deer hunting permits in sufficient numbers to achieve the state quota determined under
sub. (5).
NR 10.104(6)(b)
(b) Permit formula. In each deer management unit, the number of permits issued by the department shall be determined by the following formula: -
See PDF for diagram
NR 10.104(6)(c)
(c) Success rate prediction. The predicted hunter success rate used by the department to compute the number of permits for each deer management unit shall be based upon the percentage of permitted hunters harvesting an antlerless deer in that unit during previous seasons. In new deer management units or units with significant boundary changes, the predicted hunter success rate shall be based upon the harvest history of similar units.
NR 10.104(7)(a)1.1. Each license which authorizes the hunting of deer with a bow shall include one carcass tag that is valid for taking one buck deer in any unit statewide, except in units that are included in an earn-a-buck season under
s. NR 10.01 (3) (ed) 1. b. or (et) when an antlerless deer must be tagged prior to the harvest of a buck.
NR 10.104(7)(a)2.
2. Each license which authorizes the hunting of deer with a bow shall include one carcass tag that is valid for the taking of one antlerless deer in deer management units for which an antlerless quota has been established under
subs. (5) and
(6). This antlerless deer tag is valid for taking an antlerless deer in state park deer management units which are surrounded by or adjacent to a unit for which an antlerless quota has been established under
subs. (5) and
(6). This tag is valid statewide for a person holding a Class A or Class C disabled permit under s.
29.193 (2) (b), Stats.
NR 10.104 Note
Note: Antlerless deer harvest quotas are not established for certain federally owned properties or Menominee County, however, antlerless deer harvest may be allowed there under more specific rules established in s.
NR 10.01 (3) (em) 2. a. and b
.
NR 10.104(7)(b)
(b)
Gun deer carcass tag. Each license which authorizes the hunting of deer with a firearm, shall include one carcass tag that is valid for taking one buck deer in any unit statewide, except in units that are included in an earn-a-buck season under
s. NR 10.01 (3) (ed) 1. b. or (et) when an antlerless deer must be tagged prior to the harvest of a buck. Each license which authorizes the hunting of deer with a firearm by a person who is under 18 years of age shall also include one carcass tag that is valid for the taking of one antlerless deer in any unit statewide in place of a tag under
s. NR 10.01 (3) (ed) 1. a.
NR 10.104(8)
(8) Permit issuance. The department shall issue permits in the following manner:
NR 10.104(8)(a)
(a) Antlerless permits. The department may issue antlerless deer permits on a first-come, first-served basis to individuals who possess a valid deer hunting license.
NR 10.104 Note
Note: The department conducts extensive publicity on the day when the antlerless permits are first available for sale beginning several months prior to the purchase date. Permit sale dates are published in news releases, license outlet handouts, and pertinent regulation pamphlets. Permits are available from department license agents, on-line at dnr.state.wi.us or by telephone at 1-877-945-4236.
NR 10.104(8)(b)
(b) Bonus permits for farm owners. Eligible resident farm owners under s.
29.181, Stats., will receive one free bonus permit for each one they purchase in deer management units with additional permits as described in
s. NR 10.104 (8) (a). Where there are joint owners or vendee names under a land contract, only one of the owners or vendees is eligible. To be an eligible farm under this section, a majority of the land must be used on a commercial basis, to produce income.
NR 10.104(9)
(9) Permit authority. No person may hunt antlerless deer in deer management units described as such in
s. NR 10.01 (3) unless he or she possesses a current valid antlerless deer hunting permit or the deer management unit in which the person is hunting, or is hunting as authorized in s.
29.324, Stats.
NR 10.104 Note
Note: Section
29.324, Stats., Group deer hunting. (1) In this section:
(a) "Contact" means visual or voice contact without the aid of any mechanical or electronic amplifying device other than a hearing aid.
(b) "Group deer hunting party" means 2 or more hunters hunting in a group all using firearms, each of whom holds an individual license to hunt deer.
(2) Any member of a group deer hunting party may kill a deer for another member of the group deer hunting party if both of the following conditions exist:
(a) At the time and place of the kill, the person who kills the deer is in contact with the person for whom the deer is killed.
(b) The person for whom the deer is killed possesses a current unused deer carcass tag which is authorized for use on the deer killed.
(3) A person who kills a deer under sub. (2) shall ensure that a member of his or her group deer hunting party without delay attaches a current validated deer carcass tag to the deer in the manner specified under s.
29.347 (2). The person who kills the deer may not leave the deer unattended until after it is tagged.
NR 10.104(10)
(10) Bag limit. Each issued antlerless deer hunting permit shall authorize the use of the holder's current valid Wisconsin deer hunting license, back tag and antlerless carcass tag for the taking of one antlerless deer only in the deer management unit or units designated on the permit.
NR 10.104(11)
(11) Chronic wasting disease special permits. The following carcass tags are valid for the taking and tagging of deer in the CWD management zone as described in
s. NR 10.28 (3):
