Wisconsin DMAP

[John-W-WI]

I received an email from the DNR today.... Here is part of it:

"Give deer and other wildlife what they need--habitat.

Healthy habitat is the key to healthy wildlife populations, and Wisconsin’s Deer Management Assistance Program provides habitat management resources for properties of any size. With three levels of enrollment and benefits such as online resources, cooperator workshops, consultation with a professional wildlife biologist, site visits and property-specific management plans, DMAP has the flexibility to meet the wildlife and habitat needs of each unique property"

I should probably know this, but what does the DMAP program do for land owners? Generally speaking I don't like letting government tell me what to do on my property. But is it worth looking into? I honestly have no idea how this works and was hoping someone here had some experience with the program.

Thanks,

-John

 

[NWWI]

Deer Management Assistance Program. I read through it last year and I'm guessing you might not benefit it much. The DNR will assess your property for habitat improvements and help you determine the proper carrying capacity of the land. It would be great for a complete novice and would be great if everyone in the state would sign on. But I'm guessing you have a decent handle on your property all ready. They were talking about trying to set harvest goals which I'm not so sure I would take their word on!

 

[yoderjac]

I received an email from the DNR today.... Here is part of it:

"Give deer and other wildlife what they need--habitat.

Healthy habitat is the key to healthy wildlife populations, and Wisconsin’s Deer Management Assistance Program provides habitat management resources for properties of any size. With three levels of enrollment and benefits such as online resources, cooperator workshops, consultation with a professional wildlife biologist, site visits and property-specific management plans, DMAP has the flexibility to meet the wildlife and habitat needs of each unique property"

I should probably know this, but what does the DMAP program do for land owners? Generally speaking I don't like letting government tell me what to do on my property. But is it worth looking into? I honestly have no idea how this works and was hoping someone here had some experience with the program.

Thanks,

-John

John,

We have had a DMAP program here in VA for many years but it sounds different from your. Here, the primary incentive for property owners to enter the program is free tags for does. When you buy a big game license in VA, you get a certain number several tags good for either sex and several good for antlerless only. These are good on public or private land but does can only be harvested during archery season, muzzleloader season, and specific doe days during general firearms season. The number of doe days depends on the county and adjusting the number of doe days on a county basis is the departments primary way of controlling population. Folks hunting private property can buy additional antlerless tags (called bonus tags) here and the number is not limited. They are only good on private land.

When you enter the DMAP program in VA, you spend the first year collecting data with no benefit to demonstrate you are willing and able to meet the program requirements. The data collection includes sex, weight, antler measurements, jawbones, lactation, and chronic EHD symptoms from every deer harvested on the property. Starting in the second year, the department gives you free tags that are good for antlerless deer without respect to doe days. You also become your own check station (only for deer harvested on the property). The department provides great reports analyzing and summarizing the data you collect. Each DMAP property is assigned to a department biologist who decides how many free antlerless tags to issue based on the data. It is a great adjunct to a QDM program.

That is where I think most folks leave it here in VA. We went further. We have worked closely with the biologist. He comes out and assesses our property and makes recommendations. We used both his input for wildlife improvements along with a private forester to develop a forest stewardship plan that provides a balance between timber income and wildlife management. It is great free advice, but only advice, from a qualified professional biologist. There is no aid in implementing habitat improvements, just advice.

We used a USDA NRCS program to provide financial aid in implementing some of our habitat improvements. They were pretty flexible allowing us to choose the practices that they provided support for and fit our management plan. This program worked very well with our DMAP program.

DMAP may be something quite different in WI, but it is definitely worth a look. It is a great program here.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Mud Hen]

The DMAP program is fairly new in Wisconsin. I believe it's similar to programs in other states. I signed up as a level 1 member just to see what the program has to offer. I see it as another resource with monthly email updates and training seminars offered around the state on various habitat topics. The level 1 membership is free. They charge a nominal fee for level 2 and 3 membership, but an onsite property walk and management plan is included. I haven't taken advantage of what's been offered yet because of my work schedule or locations of the programs, but it seems like a good program.

 

[JFK52]

I looked over this program and decided to pass on getting involved with it.
There is an endangered butterfly that is known by the DNR to be in the general area of my land. I am not letting anyone from the DNR onto my land just for that reason. I have never seen a Karner blue butterfly on my land and never will.

 

[John-W-WI]

I looked over this program and decided to pass on getting involved with it.
There is an endangered butterfly that is known by the DNR to be in the general area of my land. I am not letting anyone from the DNR onto my land just for that reason. I have never seen a Karner blue butterfly on my land and never will.

JFK52 - that is exactly my fear. I had a run in with the state regarding the moth tents they put up every year. I found one in my sanctuary over a quarter of a mile from the road. They said they believed that was the "leading edge of the infestation" so they put traps there. Needless to say I am now on the list of land owners that don't allow traps to be placed on their property.

Thanks for the replies everyone, sounds like a good program for some. Just not me.

-John

 

[JFK52]

John,
How do you get on the list of property owners that does not want moth traps placed on their land. Are you talking about "gypsy moths''?

 

[John-W-WI]

John,
How do you get on the list of property owners that does not want moth traps placed on their land. Are you talking about "gypsy moths''?

Yep, gypsy moths.

I ended up on the phone with the state wide coordinator for gypsy moth trapping. He called it "slow the spread" when I told him that didn't make any sense as I would expect "stop the spread" he didn't understand. After being civil (and angry) he asked if I wanted to be on the list of land owners to stay off of.

Find a trap and call the number on it. Act really mad and you will get him too :)

 

[JFK52]

I have Eastern tent caterpillars on my land. They are easier to kill by hand and do not completely wipe out a forested area. I carry a five gallon bucket on the Kubota every spring and snip off any branches I can reach that have the white cocoons on them. Into the burn barrel they go at the end of the day.

 

[shawnv]

They will never tell you that you need to raise the deer population on your property ;)

 

[Tree Spud]

I looked at the DMAP program and saw no value for me. Habitat consulting and reduced cost antlerless tags? I already have 4 anterless tags per hunter and have learned more about deer habitat mgmt on this and other sites than I think the DNR can teach me.

Be careful inviting the DNR onto your property with this program. They will do an audit & assessment. My previous property had a gov't easement program on it and the gov't folks had the DNR review some work I was doing. The DNR said a red bellied newt was seen 2.5 miles from property. It was an endangered species and the DNR had to come in and do and environmental impact assessment. This took 4 months. I was also advised that I could not mow trails in my fields before July 10th because the yellow marsh swallow was nesting. :confused:

While mine was an WRP easement managed by the NRCS, they often involved the DNR for reviews. I can tell you from my experience that these folks were more environmental activists and were more concerned about the eastern willow thistle and yellow spotted frog than interested in deer habitat.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Thanks Tree Spud. That is some solid feedback. Exactly the kind of crap I would be afraid of. We are in the MFL program and as far as I am concerned they can stay out for 20 years at a time until the select logging is required.

 

[bueller]

The DMAP program is fairly new in Wisconsin. I believe it's similar to programs in other states. I signed up as a level 1 member just to see what the program has to offer. I see it as another resource with monthly email updates and training seminars offered around the state on various habitat topics. The level 1 membership is free. They charge a nominal fee for level 2 and 3 membership, but an onsite property walk and management plan is included. I haven't taken advantage of what's been offered yet because of my work schedule or locations of the programs, but it seems like a good program.

For some reason I thought there was an acreage requirement (60?) for level 1 when the program started. I see that there is no minimum now, maybe there never was. Like you I'm considering signing up for level 1. It's no cost and site visit from DNR personnel is included, so what's there to lose?

 

[rocksnstumps]

Be careful inviting the DNR onto your property with this program. They will do an audit & assessment. My previous property had a gov't easement program on it and the gov't folks had the DNR review some work I was doing. The DNR said a red bellied newt was seen 2.5 miles from property. It was an endangered species and the DNR had to come in and do and environmental impact assessment. This took 4 months. I was also advised that I could not mow trails in my fields before July 10th because the yellow marsh swallow was nesting. :confused:

DNR thinking.....

Sir Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch?
Peasant 3: Well, she turned me into a newt!
Sir Bedevere: A newt?
Peasant 3: [meekly after a long pause] ... I got better.
Crowd: [shouts] Burn her anyway!

BTW, are you sure that it wasn't an African or European swallow?

 

[Tree Spud]

For some reason I thought there was an acreage requirement (60?) for level 1 when the program started. I see that there is no minimum now, maybe there never was. Like you I'm considering signing up for level 1. It's no cost and site visit from DNR personnel is included, so what's there to lose?

If the DNR visits your property, you may learn more than you want ... remember ... no good deed goes unpunished ...

 

[Tree Spud]

DNR thinking.....

Sir Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch?
Peasant 3: Well, she turned me into a newt!
Sir Bedevere: A newt?
Peasant 3: [meekly after a long pause] ... I got better.
Crowd: [shouts] Burn her anyway!

BTW, are you sure that it wasn't an African or European swallow?

I think it was a hybrid ... "notgonnaletyoudoanything" ... that migrates occasionally eevry 12 years from the south ... 3 studies, 1 biological, and 2 environmental impact studies were required to confirm ...

 

[rocksnstumps]

I think it was a hybrid ... "notgonnaletyoudoanything" ... that migrates occasionally eevry 12 years from the south ... 3 studies, 1 biological, and 2 environmental impact studies were required to confirm ...

Yes, I hear they like to do all their important stuff in 3's......kinda like what is your favorite colour?

 

[bueller]

If the DNR visits your property, you may learn more than you want ... remember ... no good deed goes unpunished ...

I don't own and likely never will own 160+ acres so I'd be level 1 which has no dnr site visits included. Heck I'm already in mfl so it's not like I'm immune to dnr influence, although I have no cuts required for the remainder of my contract. I'm not into holding hands with the dnr but I'm also not afraid of them.

 

[Tree Spud]

I don't own and likely never will own 160+ acres so I'd be level 1 which has no dnr site visits included. Heck I'm already in mfl so it's not like I'm immune to dnr influence, although I have no cuts required for the remainder of my contract. I'm not into holding hands with the dnr but I'm also not afraid of them.

I am sure you are a brave soul, just remember the 9 most feared words known to mankind .... "I 'm from the government and I'm here to help ..."

 

[bueller]

I am sure you are a brave soul, just remember the 9 most feared words known to mankind .... "I 'm from the government and I'm here to help ..."

Oh I'm familiar. "trust me" "you're not in any trouble" "it's in your best interest" "it's not that bad" "you can help yourself" are a few others...