09/26/2026
Scoping The Great Outdoors
By Bob Schuh
Hunter Ed Graduates – Remember that you have a small game license. Small game species are abundant and accessible in Wisconsin. New hunter education graduates can hunt small game for free during their first hunting season. Did you graduate from hunter education this year, or know of someone who did? A hunter education certificate from this year means you’re all set to hunt small game this fall. For Wisconsin residents, a first-time hunter education graduate may use the Wisconsin hunter education completion certificate in lieu of a small game hunting license from date of issuance until March 31 of the following year. Those qualifying do not have to purchase a small game license: the certificate is the license for the established time period. What To Hunt: *With your hunter safety completion certificate, you can hunt squirrels, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, pheasants, ruffed grouse, crows, raccoons, foxes, and coyotes. *You may also hunt woodcock and morning dove as long as you submit a Federal Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration on Go Wild in advance of hunting. *You may hunt ducks, geese, rails, snipes, common gallinules, coots, moorhens, and mergansers with the purchase of a Federal Waterfowl Stamp (if over the age of 16) and HIP registration. Goose hunting also requires the purchase of state early and regular season goose permits. *First-time graduates are exempt from the requirements to purchase the pheasant and state stamps while the certificate is valid for small game hunting. *Trapping furbearers is not permitted without an additional trapping license. *Your hunter education completion certification does not allow you to hunt turkeys and fall or spring turkey license, stamp, and harvest authorization must be purchased. Important Reminders: *If you plan to hunt right away after completing a hunter education course, carry the physical copy of your temporary completion certificate on your person while hunting. Hunter education instructors will hand you a paper copy of your temporary completion certificate at the end of your hunter education course. Once your permanent completion certificate appears in your Go Wild Customer Account, you can download a PDF of the completion certificate to keep on your phone, or present your Wisconsin Drivers License or Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Go Wild Conservation Card. *Check individual species season dates and abide by all hunting regulations. If you have questions about hunting regulations, call DNR customer Service at (888) 936-7463. Call Center staff are available seven days per week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Learn more about small game hunting on the DNR website.
I was going to wait to report this however, I am getting calls regarding the deer dumpsters. It was mentioned at our August Manitowoc County Fish and Game directors meeting that deer dumpsters would be placed out on or about Nov. 2 this year. In the past dumpsters were placed out just before the start of the nine-day deer season later in November. The concern was the smell with the possibility of warmer weather in early November but it was decided to give it a try this year.
Delta Waterfowl leaders attend Presidential signing of Reinvigorating America’s Hunting Heritage. CEO Jason Pharpe on hand for the announcement of an Executive Order that directs agencies to increase hunting access, restore refuges, enhance habitat, and recruit hunters. President Donald Trump has signed a monumental Executive Order intended to boost the quality and traditions of hunting in the United States. The order entitled (Reinvigoration America’s Hunting Heritage) specifically recognizes the critical role hunters and landowners play in the legacy of American conservation and provides direction to the agencies to implement the following priorities: ^ Expand hunting opportunities on Federal land. ^ Execute construction, repair and maintenance on Federal land for the purposes of recreation and wildlife management. ^ Improve the administrative process for authorizing migratory bird seasons while working with the flyways and affirming the importance of annual surveys and data collection efforts. ^ Encourage the expansion of Sunday hunting on State and Federal lands. ^ Promote the growth of game populations through voluntary agreements with private landowners and producers to conserve and enhance habitat. ^ Validates the targeted management of predators amongst a list of other management actions aimed to bolster game production. “We sincerely appreciate the President’s Executive Order as it highlights a number of Delta’s priorities for ducks and duck hunters,” said Jason Pharpe, Delta’s Chief Executive Officer. “Having the President affirm the need for access, addressing infrastructure needs on public land, enhancing habitat through agreements with willing landowners, and insuring waterfowl hunting regulations are based on the best available data are all core needs. We appreciate the President’s leadership.” Additionally, the executive order highlights the critical need to partner with states in hunter recruitment efforts and the need for hunter education including potentially providing federal funding to assist. “We stand ready to work with the administration to fully realize these important and lofty goals outlined by the President.” That’s it for this week so have fun in the great outdoors.
