MADISON - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff have completed a county-by-county tally of the results from the 2008 Spring Fisheries and Wildlife Rules Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress county meetings held Monday, Apr. 14 in all 72 Wisconsin counties.
Hearing results and DNR recommendations are used to advise the state Natural Resources Board. The results will be reviewed at the board's May 28 meeting in Milwaukee, according to Kurt Thiede, DNR liaison to the Conservation Congress. "Votes are presented to the Natural Resources Board to reflect public sentiment on proposed DNR rule changes," he said.
Much of the discussion at the various meetings focused on a proposal recommending that state officials begin drawing up a management plan for gray wolves. The creation of a wolf management plan would allow officials to deal more effectively with problem animals and potentially consider a wolf-hunting season.
The proposal passed by a large margin statewide, 4,846 to 772. The vote was 48-to-3 in Green County, 32-to-4 in Lafayette County and was passed by similar margins in Rock, Iowa and Grant Counties.
The wolf was removed from the federal endangered species list in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota in February 2007. Officials do not expect to authorize a wolf-hunting season any time soon, however.
A proposal to require future enrollments in the state's Managed Forest Law program to allow public access for hunting and other outdoor recreations was voted down 1,763 to 3,631.
A strong lobbying effort by the Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, foresters and several members of the Conservation Congress itself succeeded in convincing voters that such a move would undermine, and perhaps destroy, the most effective tool available to manage private forests in Wisconsin.
The vote to ban feeding and baiting statewide presents an interesting dilemma for all stakeholders. The measure passed by a rather slim margin of 3,092 to 2678.
However, 25 counties, almost all in the northern half of the state, voted against the proposal, with four counties recording a tie vote. The proposal passed by very slender margins in Green (26 to 22) and Lafayette Counties (18 to 16).
Some sportsmen object based on the DNR's use of baiting during sharpshooting operations while the practice is prohibited for hunters. Others believe the two issues comprise a separate set of circumstances and should be considered independently of each other.
Baiting is a standard practice for many hunters in the northern half of the state. Based on previous testimony before the Natural Resources Board, a prohibition on baiting there could lead to fewer hunters taking to the woods and result in a reduced harvest.
Of local interest, an increase to the slot limit for catfish at Yellowstone Lake passed statewide and by large margins in the counties of Lafayette (31 to 1) and Green (24 to 2).
A resolution introduced in Green, Lafayette and Iowa to stop the use of Ag tags to shoot antlered bucks passed by wide margins. The measure would prohibit hunters from stalking trophy bucks in August and early September prior to the opening of the archery and gun seasons.
Resolutions introduced locally go to the Conservation Congress Rules and Resolutions Committee for assignment to a study committee. If passed by the committee, the measure goes to the Congress' executive council in January 2009 for final approval. If passed, it becomes an advisory question at the spring hearings in April 2009.
The results, statewide and by county, are available at the DNR web site at www.dnr.wi.gov
- Lee Fahrney can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
Hearing results and DNR recommendations are used to advise the state Natural Resources Board. The results will be reviewed at the board's May 28 meeting in Milwaukee, according to Kurt Thiede, DNR liaison to the Conservation Congress. "Votes are presented to the Natural Resources Board to reflect public sentiment on proposed DNR rule changes," he said.
Much of the discussion at the various meetings focused on a proposal recommending that state officials begin drawing up a management plan for gray wolves. The creation of a wolf management plan would allow officials to deal more effectively with problem animals and potentially consider a wolf-hunting season.
The proposal passed by a large margin statewide, 4,846 to 772. The vote was 48-to-3 in Green County, 32-to-4 in Lafayette County and was passed by similar margins in Rock, Iowa and Grant Counties.
The wolf was removed from the federal endangered species list in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota in February 2007. Officials do not expect to authorize a wolf-hunting season any time soon, however.
A proposal to require future enrollments in the state's Managed Forest Law program to allow public access for hunting and other outdoor recreations was voted down 1,763 to 3,631.
A strong lobbying effort by the Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, foresters and several members of the Conservation Congress itself succeeded in convincing voters that such a move would undermine, and perhaps destroy, the most effective tool available to manage private forests in Wisconsin.
The vote to ban feeding and baiting statewide presents an interesting dilemma for all stakeholders. The measure passed by a rather slim margin of 3,092 to 2678.
However, 25 counties, almost all in the northern half of the state, voted against the proposal, with four counties recording a tie vote. The proposal passed by very slender margins in Green (26 to 22) and Lafayette Counties (18 to 16).
Some sportsmen object based on the DNR's use of baiting during sharpshooting operations while the practice is prohibited for hunters. Others believe the two issues comprise a separate set of circumstances and should be considered independently of each other.
Baiting is a standard practice for many hunters in the northern half of the state. Based on previous testimony before the Natural Resources Board, a prohibition on baiting there could lead to fewer hunters taking to the woods and result in a reduced harvest.
Of local interest, an increase to the slot limit for catfish at Yellowstone Lake passed statewide and by large margins in the counties of Lafayette (31 to 1) and Green (24 to 2).
A resolution introduced in Green, Lafayette and Iowa to stop the use of Ag tags to shoot antlered bucks passed by wide margins. The measure would prohibit hunters from stalking trophy bucks in August and early September prior to the opening of the archery and gun seasons.
Resolutions introduced locally go to the Conservation Congress Rules and Resolutions Committee for assignment to a study committee. If passed by the committee, the measure goes to the Congress' executive council in January 2009 for final approval. If passed, it becomes an advisory question at the spring hearings in April 2009.
The results, statewide and by county, are available at the DNR web site at www.dnr.wi.gov
- Lee Fahrney can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
