Wisconsin's conservation wardens seldom have a dull moment, especially during the deer hunting season. While the number of gun deer licenses has dropped since 2000 when there were just less than 700,000 sold, the trend in the number of violations has been upward.
There were 1400 violations in 2008, down slightly from the previous year, but still above each of the years 2001-2006. There were just more than 640,000 gun deer licenses sold in 2008.
Of the top ten violations encountered by wardens during the 2008 season, the illegal use of bait was by far the most prevalent with more than 300 incidents statewide.
Whether from increased emphasis by DNR staff or disregard for the rules among hunters, illegal baiting and feeding operations accounted for 25 percent of the total number of violations.
The number of violations for transporting loaded guns in vehicles and transporting uncased guns in vehicles increased by eight percent and 21 percent respectively. Failure to validate tags was also up by 11 percent.
Baiting and feeding violations continue to decrease in the South Central and Southeast Regions, the DNR reports, probably due to public acceptance of baiting as potentially spreading Chronic Wasting Disease. Baiting and feeding in the CWD Management Zone has been illegal for several years.
Conservation wardens throughout Wisconsin were busy during the nine day hunt. Former Green County warden Jill Schartner (now stationed in Bayfield County) discovered a hunter driving slowly down a back road with the window down.
In addition to driving with an expired driver's license, Schartner learned the subject was a felon in possession of two firearms. And, he had a stun gun tucked in the driver's side door and an open switch blade lying on the floorboards.
He was also found to be smoking marijuana while driving. With two additional bags of the substance in the vehicle, the miscreant was arrested with a total of nine charges filed against him.
The 2008 deer season proved to be the third safest in history. However, there were several incidents of bad judgment and generally negligent behavior.
In Burnett County, a hunter initially claimed a gunshot to his toe was the result of showing a friend how to unload a rifle. Investigation revealed, however, the subjects were road hunting with the intent to shoot a deer from the vehicle.
As the deer ran away, the victim tried to unload the rifle in the vehicle, and it discharged into his foot, went through the floor board and lodged in a tire. To add to his misery, he earned a ticket for not having a valid hunting license.
Incidents relating to substance abuse also occupy a considerable amount of warden time. Warden Dave Youngquist of Iowa County apprehended a hunter sitting at the base of tree with a marijuana pipe resting on his lap. The hunter admitted to smoking a bowl of the illegal substance and was found in possession of more of the same in his pocket.
Warden Bill Miller of Adams County discovered another hunter with a Blood Alcohol Content of .13 while hunting after hours. Adding to the drama, the hunter pointed his loaded weapon at the warden, using his rifle scope to see who was approaching.
In Columbia County, a concerned citizen called the DNR Hotline to report an intoxicated hunter. The suspect was found fast asleep cradling a loaded rifle. A blood test revealed the subject had three times the legal limit to drive a vehicle.
In a non-hunting incident involving a firearm, an individual was using a .357 handgun to fell a tree while intoxicated. As the tree fell, part of the tree struck the subject's arm, causing the firearm to discharge with the bullet penetrating the victim's leg.
The switch to rifles throughout the CWD-MZ created few problems, according to the DNR summary. Some landowners imposed their own restrictions on their property, according to Lafayette County Warden Jeff King, but most hunters were using rifles to hunt. Warden Nick Webster made similar observations in Green County.
- Lee Fahrney is the Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
There were 1400 violations in 2008, down slightly from the previous year, but still above each of the years 2001-2006. There were just more than 640,000 gun deer licenses sold in 2008.
Of the top ten violations encountered by wardens during the 2008 season, the illegal use of bait was by far the most prevalent with more than 300 incidents statewide.
Whether from increased emphasis by DNR staff or disregard for the rules among hunters, illegal baiting and feeding operations accounted for 25 percent of the total number of violations.
The number of violations for transporting loaded guns in vehicles and transporting uncased guns in vehicles increased by eight percent and 21 percent respectively. Failure to validate tags was also up by 11 percent.
Baiting and feeding violations continue to decrease in the South Central and Southeast Regions, the DNR reports, probably due to public acceptance of baiting as potentially spreading Chronic Wasting Disease. Baiting and feeding in the CWD Management Zone has been illegal for several years.
Conservation wardens throughout Wisconsin were busy during the nine day hunt. Former Green County warden Jill Schartner (now stationed in Bayfield County) discovered a hunter driving slowly down a back road with the window down.
In addition to driving with an expired driver's license, Schartner learned the subject was a felon in possession of two firearms. And, he had a stun gun tucked in the driver's side door and an open switch blade lying on the floorboards.
He was also found to be smoking marijuana while driving. With two additional bags of the substance in the vehicle, the miscreant was arrested with a total of nine charges filed against him.
The 2008 deer season proved to be the third safest in history. However, there were several incidents of bad judgment and generally negligent behavior.
In Burnett County, a hunter initially claimed a gunshot to his toe was the result of showing a friend how to unload a rifle. Investigation revealed, however, the subjects were road hunting with the intent to shoot a deer from the vehicle.
As the deer ran away, the victim tried to unload the rifle in the vehicle, and it discharged into his foot, went through the floor board and lodged in a tire. To add to his misery, he earned a ticket for not having a valid hunting license.
Incidents relating to substance abuse also occupy a considerable amount of warden time. Warden Dave Youngquist of Iowa County apprehended a hunter sitting at the base of tree with a marijuana pipe resting on his lap. The hunter admitted to smoking a bowl of the illegal substance and was found in possession of more of the same in his pocket.
Warden Bill Miller of Adams County discovered another hunter with a Blood Alcohol Content of .13 while hunting after hours. Adding to the drama, the hunter pointed his loaded weapon at the warden, using his rifle scope to see who was approaching.
In Columbia County, a concerned citizen called the DNR Hotline to report an intoxicated hunter. The suspect was found fast asleep cradling a loaded rifle. A blood test revealed the subject had three times the legal limit to drive a vehicle.
In a non-hunting incident involving a firearm, an individual was using a .357 handgun to fell a tree while intoxicated. As the tree fell, part of the tree struck the subject's arm, causing the firearm to discharge with the bullet penetrating the victim's leg.
The switch to rifles throughout the CWD-MZ created few problems, according to the DNR summary. Some landowners imposed their own restrictions on their property, according to Lafayette County Warden Jeff King, but most hunters were using rifles to hunt. Warden Nick Webster made similar observations in Green County.
- Lee Fahrney is the Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
