Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Wisconsin’s wild turkey population is one of our state's greatest wildlife management success stories. That may sound strange now since you can hear a gobble anywhere from downtown Madison to a farm outside Menomonie, but that hasn’t always been the case. In the 1800s, unregulated hunting and disease from domestic birds decimated our wild turkey population, with the last known wild turkey spotting happening near Darlington in 1881. We needed to wait almost 100 years, until 1976, to see one inside Wisconsin borders again, when 29 wild turkeys from Missouri were successfully reintroduced to Vernon County. Thanks to mindful management, funded in large part by turkey hunters themselves, wild turkeys are now abundant and roam every county in Wisconsin. Our spring turkey harvests rank among the largest in the nation. The structure of our turkey hunting season is a big reason for this success. It’s divided into six one-week periods across seven management zones. This allows wildlife experts to manage harvest across time and space to maintain long-term management goals, ensuring that Wisconsin holds a healthy turkey population for generations to come.

The DNR stocked over six million fish in Wisconsin waters in 2023, and the final summary of what species were stocked where is now available. Stocking helps boost natural fish populations where natural reproduction can no longer support the fishery, maintain or restore existing fisheries and support recreational fishing opportunities. Stocking is also used to evaluate management actions or fish culture techniques. Learn more about the fish stocked in inland waters and the Great Lakes: https://lnkd.in/dFawwFuH

It was all smiles at Fisheries Bootcamp 2024! The Northern Highland Fisheries Research Area hosts a bootcamp annually to give the next generation of fisheries professionals a chance to learn and practice the skills they’ll need to be successful in the field. This year, the event was spread out across two weekends, with 14 students from Wisconsin colleges and universities able to attend the immersive educational experience. Activities included spring survey techniques, taking biological samples, length and weight measurements, sexing fish and even radio telemetry. Fisheries Bootcamp would not be a beloved tradition without the support of the American Fisheries Society, whose Wisconsin chapter provides financial assistance to all students in attendance. We already can’t wait for next year!

Our Bureau of Facilities and Lands is recruiting to fill multiple Civil Engineer roles. These positions could be stationed out of the DNR offices in Fitchburg, Dodgeville, Black River Falls, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Spooner, Superior, Ashland or Park Falls. As a civil engineer for the DNR, you'll be responsible for the budgeting, planning, design, design oversight and project and construction management of DNR facilities. You'll ensure that the construction of DNR facilities are completed in accordance with all applicable laws, codes, statutes, administrative requirements, approved programs, schedules and budgets. Typical projects include trails, buildings, wastewater systems, water supply systems, privies, piers, boat launches, bridges, exterior/interior facility repairs, pavements and parking lots, towers, campgrounds and projects related to natural resource programs. If you're ready for the next adventure in your career, head to wisc.jobs and apply by May 29, 2024. Search for job ID 14190.

It’s that time of year again – time to ditch the car and try something new. Join others across the country for Bike To Work Week, May 13-19, and pedal your way to healthier living and cleaner air! Cycling (or Clean Air Commuting as we like to call it) not only reduces traffic congestion but also helps cut down on emissions of ozone-forming pollutants and greenhouse gases. For example, every mile pedaled instead of driven saves approximately one pound of carbon dioxide from being emitted. Biking is also great for your health! It burns calories, improves circulation and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Good for our health, and the environment – talk about a win-win! For information on Bike to Work Week and even more ways to get involved during Clean Air Month, visit https://lnkd.in/eDHvg72

Need financial help for your local shooting range as demand increases for public hours? The DNR offers the Shooting Range Grant Program to support local facilities with walk-in range time to the public. The deadline to file for the grant funds is July 15, 2024. The program is a reimbursement grant program and has $800,000 available to local firearm and archery ranges to make safety improvements, mitigate environmental impacts, increase user capacity and more. The federal funding for the grant program is generated from a sales tax on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. Learn more on our website at https://lnkd.in/gmS86Nxc

Kudos and thank you to the Osseo Scouts who recently planted 500 trees on the DNR's Buffalo River Fishery Area. DNR Forestry Team Leader Andrew Sorenson said the scouts from Cub Scout Pack 102, Boy Scout Troop 102 and Girl Scout Troop 3512 did a great job and enjoyed planting the trees – and the hot dogs and hot cocoa afterward! These trees will count towards the tree planting pledge made by the Girl Scouts of the USA as part of the global Trillion Trees platform, the same initiative Wisconsin is contributing to. In fact, on Earth Day this year, Governor Evers boosted the State of Wisconsin's tree planting pledge to 100 million trees by 2030. So thank you, Osseo Scouts, for helping Wisconsin get closer to our goal.

We're hiring a Forestry Field Technology Support Specialist based out of either our Madison or Rhinelander office. In this role, you'll use your knowledge of complex emerging technologies, including a full range of specialized forestry technical solutions, to support the work of the DNR's Forestry field staff, which includes analysis, reporting, mapping, spatial data capture and general technology use. You'll also be responsible for ensuring Forestry staff and its partners are able to use technology effectively in their jobs through technical support and training in formal and non-formal settings. Sound like a good fit for you? Head to wisc.jobs and search for job ID 14123. Apply by May 16.

Hours spent in the blind paid off for a new turkey research project that trapped and tagged 27 turkeys in and near Sandhill Wildlife Area this winter. Scientists will use multiple methods to monitor the turkeys, including wing tags, GPS/VHF transmitters and Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras. They aim to create better estimates of how many turkeys successfully hatch, become poults (baby turkeys) and grow to be juvenile turkeys each year, a process also known as recruitment. Each turkey is uniquely tagged, and hens also receive a radio transmitter. The transmitters will continuously track hen movements through spring, summer and fall, which will also aid research on turkey behavior and habitat preferences. In summer, a technician will track these hens and count how many poults she has. These flush counts will then be compared to trail camera photos, incorporating Snapshot Wisconsin camera data as a new and possibly more efficient means of estimation. The research team will have a few weeks to take a breather, then switch gears to tracking these turkeys and counting poults. Before long, they’ll be back in the blinds to trap more turkeys next winter! For more information on this project and other wildlife research at the DNR, visit https://lnkd.in/ggf-4uST

World War II was a rallying cry for the country. The history of heroic deeds and world-changing battles has been studied extensively and cataloged in museums, history textbooks and family homes across the United States. However, one lasting result of the war that might not be as well known is its impact on the dry cleaning industry and our environment. The availability of TCE, a popular dry cleaning chemical during the 1930s and 40s, diminished during the war, leading cleaners to switch to something more readily available. The unintended consequences of this switch linger in the ground to this day, causing health and safety concerns across the country. Learn all about the history of dry cleaning, vapor intrusion and how the DNR is leading the way in minimizing these environmental risks in the spring issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine: https://lnkd.in/gaGCfdNE