ADVISORY COUNCIL ON WILDLIFE & FRESHWATER FISH
MINUTES
TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2006
Richardson and Robbins Building Auditorium
89 Kings Highway, Dover, Delaware, 19901
Phone 302-739-9912, FAX 302-739-6157

ADVISORY COUNCIL DIVISION OF FISH & WILDLIFE
PUBLIC
David J. Healey, Chair Greg
Moore 9 Visitors
Edward A. Montague, Vice Chair Director Pat Emory
J. Richard Berry Joe Rogerson
Garrett H. Arai Shelley
Tovell
Ted Palmer (Absent) Ken Reynolds
Al Townsend (Absent) Rob Hossler
Terry Higgins
Raymond F. Burris

Taped micro-cassettes of this meeting are available for listening at the
Richardson & Robbins Building in Dover. For further information contact
the Wildlife Section.

The meeting was called to order by Chairman David J. Healey at 7:30 PM.

Agenda Item 1. Approval of Minutes (Dave Healey).

A motion was made by Mr. Montague, seconded by Mr. Berry and
voted on unanimously to approve the April 25, 2006 minutes as written.


Agenda Item 2. Dog Training Area at Milford Neck (Greg Moore).

Mr. Moore started his presentation by briefing the Council
on the background concerning this issue. Mr. Moore provided copies of the Milford Neck dog training area maps. The area was originally designated as a rabbit dog training area in 1994 as a result of a petition from local rabbit hunters. Because of Federal aid requirements to provide public hunting on the area, a specific time was designated when dog training could
occur at this site. Accordingly, dog training is permitted from June 1 –
April 14, except closed during all firearm deer seasons. The current
petition requests that the site be designated for year round dog training
only. As stated previously, if this site is open year round it must still
have some form of hunting as directed by Federal Aid guidelines.

Comments from the Council and the audience supported
designating the site as a permanent dog training area with deer and turkey hunting only. The Council endorsed the idea but suggested postponing a vote on the issue to allow the general public an additional month to review and comment on this proposal. The items will be discussed and voted upon at the June Advisory Council Meeting.


Agenda Item 3. Small Game Season Proposal (Lem Hudson).

Mr. Lem Hudson provided a presentation on options to expand
squirrel and raccoon hunting. Mr. Hudson indicated that as a result of the
liberalization of deer seasons other forms of hunting have been
restricted. This has resulted in a loss of recreational pursuits and
revenue to the State. Mr. Hudson made several suggestions to enhance squirrel and raccoon hunting statewide. Regarding squirrels he suggested extending the seasons from November 1 to February 28, noting that rabbit, quail and pheasant seasons already run through deer seasons. He also suggested allowing the use of 22 rim fire rifles for all squirrel seasons and lastly, to open a year round training season on private land only to train squirrel hunting dogs. Relative to raccoon hunting, Mr. Hudson suggested to also having a year round training season on private land to train raccoon hunting dogs and to do away with the 7:00 PM to midnight raccoon hunting time limit during deer seasons.

Greg Moore responded that the Division would like to review
these suggestions and comment on their merit before the Council makes a decision. The Council asked that the Division respond back to the Council on this issue next month.

Agenda Item 4. Deer Update (Joe Rogerson).

Joe Rogerson gave a power point presentation outlining the status of the white-tailed deer population in Delaware. The topics discussed included the results from the aerial population estimate, the 2005/06 deer harvest, and the reproductive survey conducted earlier this year.

In December 2005, the Division hired Vision Air Research to conduct an
aerial white-tailed deer population estimate. To develop this estimate, a
portion of each of the 17 deer management zones was analyzed. The goal of the Division is to achieve a statewide deer population of 40 deer per square mile of deer habitat. Based on the survey, there were 48,295 deer in Delaware at the start of the 2005/06 hunting season and 34,625 deer after the hunting season. In all, 13,670 deer were harvested during the 2005/06 deer hunting season. This marked the second all time harvest for Delaware. For the fifth year in a row, the percentage of females in the total harvest exceeded 50%.

Mr. Rogerson stated that earlier this year the Division conducted a
white-tailed deer reproductive survey. Deer were collected throughout the state by hunters as well as the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services. In all, 208 female deer were collected and analyzed. The Division learned that peak breeding occurred November 9-20, 2005, while the peak fawning period was May 26 - June 6, 2006. The Division also determined the pregnancy rates for various aged female deer. Nearly all deer ≥ 1.5 years old were pregnant (96%) but a small percentage of fawns were pregnant (7.9%). It was extremely important to the Division to conduct this survey immediatelyfollowing the aerial population estimate.

In conclusion, Mr. Rogerson presented a brief summary of possible changes the Division may implement to reach its deer harvest goals. It should be noted, that these changes would not be enacted for the upcoming (2006/07) hunting season.


Agenda Item 5. Dog Legislation (Director Pat Emory).

Director Pat Emory provided a background of the Division’s
dog control contracts with the SPCA. He reported that the State was supposed to be in a three year transition period whereby the County will pick up dog control at the end of the three year period; however, due to contract bidding problems the State may have to provide dog control services for Sussex or New Castle Counties. In the past dog control hasbeen under contracts with the local SPCAs and the State.
Director Emory also reported that the license fee
legislation package is currently being reviewed and he hopes to hear
something soon.


ANNOUNCEMENTS

Greg Moore introduced Mr. William (Bill) Dugent as the
Division’s new Hunter Safety Coordinator. Mr. Dugent is replacing Dawn
Webb who has taken another position with the Division. The Advisory Council welcomed Mr. Dugent to his new position.

AGENDA FOR THE 6/27/06 ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

1. Dog Training Area at Milford Neck Wildlife Area (Greg Moore).
2. Small Game Season Proposal (Greg Moore.)
3. 4H Youth Hunt (Greg Moore)
4. Legislation Update (Director Pat Emory)


There being no further business, a motion was made, seconded and carried that the meeting be adjourned at 9:30 PM.

Sincerely,
(Embedded image moved to file: pic00491.jpg)
Karen Kennedy
Recording Secretary


Eugene G. Moore
Wildlife Section Administrator
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
89 Kings Highway, Dover, De. 19901
Ph.no. 302-739-9912
Fax no. 302-739-6157
email: [email protected]