FITCHBURG – Hunters are reminded that the playing field changes in the chronic wasting disease (CWD) Eradication Zones after the close of the regular gun and bow seasons on Jan. 3, 2005.

Landowner Permits Beginning Jan. 4, only DEZ landowners or persons hunting under the authority of a landowner permit can hunt in the DEZ through March 31. Landowner permits are valid for bow hunting and gun hunting.

“These permits are ONLY available to persons owning land in a DEZ. Landowners in the Herd Reduction Zone are not eligible for these permits. Hunters must still meet the legal, age and hunter safety requirements for obtaining a hunting license in Wisconsin,” noted DNR CWD project leader Al Crossley, Fitchburg.

The DEZ landowner and hunter permits are only available through license vendors or DNR service centers for a $2.00 processing fee. Landowner permits are available to persons owning five acres or more within a DEZ.

Persons owning less than five acres in a DEZ can call DNR’s toll free number (1-877-WISC-CWD) to fine out if they are eligible to receive a permit.

The western DEZ encompasses 1352 square miles and includes much of Iowa County, western Dane County, and parts of Columbia, Green, Richland and Sauk Counties.

No More Earn-A-Buck Also, with the close of the regular gun seasons and hunting under the authority of a landowner permit, bow and gun hunters can harvest a deer of either sex without having to Earn-A-Buck. The requirement that hunters must first shoot an antlerless deer before they can harvest a buck will no longer be in effect as of Jan. 4.

“We revert to an either sex season after January 3 simply because bucks lose their antlers during winter months, making it difficult for hunters to distinguish bucks from does,” said Mr. Crossley,

New DNR Run Registration/Sampling Station Hours Again beginning on Jan. 4, DNR will reduce the number of agency run registration/sampling sites from six to five in the western DEZ with the closure of the Arena station and also cut back on some operating days.

Remaining open will be the DNR run stations at Eagle Mart Stop-N-Go, 8029 STH 18/151, Barneveld; Norslein’s Wood Works, 4738 STH 78, Black Earth; Countryside Lanes, 1255 CTH F, Hollandale; STH 80 Boat Landing on the Wisconsin River at Muscoda; and the Lone Rock Unit of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, one mile west of Lone Rock on STH 14.

Hours of operation at Black Earth, Hollandale, Lone Rock and Muscoda will be from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Barneveld will be open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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