WISCONSIN DELLS - There was much to learn at the annual convention of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress last week as delegates from all 72 Wisconsin counties converged on Wisconsin Dells for the time-honored event.
Participants wrangled over dozens of recommendations considered by Wisconsin sportsmen and women at the April spring hearings and heard from state leaders including Governor Doyle, Natural Resources Board Chairperson Christine Thomas and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank.
Gov. Doyle spoke of the Congress' 70-year effort to offer state residents a voice in conservation issues while providing leadership in the protection of the state's natural resources.
"Conservation organizations like the Congress have long played a crucial role in protecting and enhancing Wisconsin's great natural areas," he said. "The Conservation Congress is truly a Wisconsin institution."
Thomas traced the history of efforts to protect and preserve our natural resources through the cooperation between sportsmen and women and state government. The 1967 "Red Shirt Rebellion" ranks as one of the more interesting events in that saga.
Named for the red and black plaid shirts worn by many farmers and hunters back then, participants marched on the Capitol with shotguns and rifles on their shoulders to protest the merging of the old Conservation Commission and other agencies.
The reverse was true during the last gubernatorial election when the proposal to split the DNR into two agencies met with a brick wall of opposition. Rest assured, the idea will resurface as our hunting and fishing license dollars melt into a community pot.
One of the enduring traditions of the Congress' annual conclave is the signing of the paddle. Each delegate writes his name on the county's paddle (used at times to register votes during the proceedings) and the years serving as a delegate.
There is evidence of some fine traditions to be found on the paddle. Some delegates to the Congress have served over several decades. Others have carried on a family tradition of involvement.
Fayette resident Mike Gould picked up where his grandfather, Walt Gould of Blanchardville, left off in 1974 and has served continuously since then. Walt was a delegate beginning in 1944 and marched as one of the red shirt rebels in 1967.
I also noticed the name of George Zinky. Would that be Doc Zinky, our dentist in Argyle back in the 50s? I recall once being in the office when it was time for his coffee break. He took me along to the local restaurant, located somewhere between the current Amcore Bank and the Post Office I believe.
I had a chance to speak briefly with Thomas. I was eager to ask her about her comment at the last NRB meeting during which she suggested we would begin to deal with Chronic Wasting Disease if people saw whitetail deer as "55 gallons of toxic chemicals walking around on four legs."
An ugly analogy, methinks.
Thomas was referring to the lack of cooperation from landowners when the DNR came up with its CWD strategy a few years back. She believes the agency was on the right track but couldn't get the cooperation it needed to eradicate the disease.
Now she wants the legislature to come up with the tools needed to stop the spread of the disease. I hate to think of where that might go.
Heres another idea: Do as so many other states have done and stop obsessing about CWD. Get back to simply managing the deer herd like any other species. Enough already about deer as pests and something to be despised. It is inherently disgusting to view a frisky fawn or a regal fall buck as a toxic piece of junk.
Imagine if the DNR had been "successful" five years ago and killed all the deer within the CWD zones (soon to be one 19-county CWD Management Zone). Now, there would be no deer, no deer-hunting season and no sales of licenses, ammunition or other paraphernalia associated with the hunt.
Most importantly, there would be no tales of the hunt added to a thousand other memories Wisconsin hunting partners have shared over the years. Conservation indeed!
Thank God, we dont always get what some would wish for.
Participants wrangled over dozens of recommendations considered by Wisconsin sportsmen and women at the April spring hearings and heard from state leaders including Governor Doyle, Natural Resources Board Chairperson Christine Thomas and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank.
Gov. Doyle spoke of the Congress' 70-year effort to offer state residents a voice in conservation issues while providing leadership in the protection of the state's natural resources.
"Conservation organizations like the Congress have long played a crucial role in protecting and enhancing Wisconsin's great natural areas," he said. "The Conservation Congress is truly a Wisconsin institution."
Thomas traced the history of efforts to protect and preserve our natural resources through the cooperation between sportsmen and women and state government. The 1967 "Red Shirt Rebellion" ranks as one of the more interesting events in that saga.
Named for the red and black plaid shirts worn by many farmers and hunters back then, participants marched on the Capitol with shotguns and rifles on their shoulders to protest the merging of the old Conservation Commission and other agencies.
The reverse was true during the last gubernatorial election when the proposal to split the DNR into two agencies met with a brick wall of opposition. Rest assured, the idea will resurface as our hunting and fishing license dollars melt into a community pot.
One of the enduring traditions of the Congress' annual conclave is the signing of the paddle. Each delegate writes his name on the county's paddle (used at times to register votes during the proceedings) and the years serving as a delegate.
There is evidence of some fine traditions to be found on the paddle. Some delegates to the Congress have served over several decades. Others have carried on a family tradition of involvement.
Fayette resident Mike Gould picked up where his grandfather, Walt Gould of Blanchardville, left off in 1974 and has served continuously since then. Walt was a delegate beginning in 1944 and marched as one of the red shirt rebels in 1967.
I also noticed the name of George Zinky. Would that be Doc Zinky, our dentist in Argyle back in the 50s? I recall once being in the office when it was time for his coffee break. He took me along to the local restaurant, located somewhere between the current Amcore Bank and the Post Office I believe.
I had a chance to speak briefly with Thomas. I was eager to ask her about her comment at the last NRB meeting during which she suggested we would begin to deal with Chronic Wasting Disease if people saw whitetail deer as "55 gallons of toxic chemicals walking around on four legs."
An ugly analogy, methinks.
Thomas was referring to the lack of cooperation from landowners when the DNR came up with its CWD strategy a few years back. She believes the agency was on the right track but couldn't get the cooperation it needed to eradicate the disease.
Now she wants the legislature to come up with the tools needed to stop the spread of the disease. I hate to think of where that might go.
Heres another idea: Do as so many other states have done and stop obsessing about CWD. Get back to simply managing the deer herd like any other species. Enough already about deer as pests and something to be despised. It is inherently disgusting to view a frisky fawn or a regal fall buck as a toxic piece of junk.
Imagine if the DNR had been "successful" five years ago and killed all the deer within the CWD zones (soon to be one 19-county CWD Management Zone). Now, there would be no deer, no deer-hunting season and no sales of licenses, ammunition or other paraphernalia associated with the hunt.
Most importantly, there would be no tales of the hunt added to a thousand other memories Wisconsin hunting partners have shared over the years. Conservation indeed!
Thank God, we dont always get what some would wish for.
