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Wisconsin ‘Open Water’ Hunting Rule Changes
This hunter is legally concealed even though his canoe is completely visible from the water side. He is within three feet of bottom-rooted emergent vegetation and the vegetation rises beyond the gunnels of his canoe providing a minimum of 50 percent coverage from at least one direction.
WDNR Photo
An update to Wisconsin’s open water hunting rule on concealment requirements [PDF 492KB] that apply to waterfowl hunters who use boats or blinds on waters of the state, went into effect Oct. 1, 2009. The old rule required that hunters remain within natural emergent vegetation rooted to the bottom that provided whole or partial concealment of the hunter, boat and blind. While conservation wardens have long subscribed to a rule-of-thumb that partial meant at least 50 percent, the new rule [PDF 492KB] formally establishes that 50 percent concealment is required. The new rule also clarifies that the hunter, boat and blind only need to be concealed when viewed horizontally from at least one direction.
The rule update does not change the preexisting rules that allowed hunting waterfowl from open water on portions of the Mississippi River, Big Green Lake, Lakes Michigan, Superior, Winnebago, Petenwell Flowage or Green Bay.
On all other waters, just as in the past, hunter’s boats and blinds still need to be concealed by emergent vegetation that is rooted to the bottom. Under the new rule, the amount of concealment that is required is 50 percent and the vegetation needs to rise to the gunwales of a boat used as a blind or to hunt waterfowl from. Also under the new rule, hunters do not need to be “within” the vegetation they are using for concealment, they only need to be within 3 feet of the cattails, bulrushes, rice, or other emergent natural vegetation.
It may appear that the hunter in the top photograph has met the requirements of Wisconsin’s new Open Water Hunting Rules but in fact this set up is not legal. In the bottom photo the viewer can see that the concealment is provided by an overhanging tree and is not considered bottom-rooted emergent vegetation as the rules require.
WDNR Photo
The following methods of hunting waterfowl are legal and not considered hunting from open water:
- Some part of the boat or blind is within 3 feet of naturally occurring vegetation (live or dead*) rooted to the bottom.
- This vegetation provides at least 50% concealment of the hunter and the boat and blind when viewed from at least 1 direction, and
- The vegetation extends above the water’s surface to a height at or above the sides of any boat being used for hunting.
* Dead stumps and dead trees in the water do not constitute a natural growth of vegetation for the purpose of this rule.
Note: You may hunt in any open water area provided you are standing on the bottom without the aid of a blind. Blinds include, but are not limited to, any boat, canoe, raft or similar device that provides any concealment for the hunter. In areas where open water blinds are legal, (see above) they shall be removed at the close of hunting hours each day.
Related Links
- Summary and Photos of Open Water Hunting & Concealment Law [PDF 492KB]
- Waterfowl Regulations
- Waterfowl Season Dates
For information about this topic, contact: Assistant Migratory Game Bird Ecologist.
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