LA CROSSE - The past week has been a busy one. On Friday, the Executive Council of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress met in La Crosse to review resolutions submitted by Wisconsin sportsmen and women at the 2008 spring hearings. DNR bureau chiefs presented updates and offered their own proposals for the spring hearings and DNR Secretary Matt Frank presented his thoughts on current issues.
Frank expressed his disappointment with a federal judge's decision to reverse the delisting of wolves as an endangered species. An appeal of the decision will take a couple of years, he said.
Frank suggested the best way to handle it might be to redraft the rule to satisfy the judge's concerns.
"I've been very engaged in this with Michigan and Minnesota," he added.
Frank also spoke of the new 10-year plan outlining the agency's approach to dealing with Chronic Wasting Disease.
"We want to start taking the long view of how we deal with this problem," he said.
Some Congress delegates were less than enthusiastic about the plan, however. Tony Grabski, secretary of the CWD ad hoc committee, reported on the committee's actions at its most recent meeting.
The committee moved to reject sharpshooting and the extended landowner hunt through March 31 as recommended by the plan. More importantly, the group voted to throw out the entire 10-year plan as unworkable and unnecessary.
It took until after midnight Saturday morning for the Council to process more than 40 recommendations derived from citizen input. Those receiving statewide support will advance to the Natural Resources Board for consideration.
There was much discussion of 2009 as the 75th anniversary of the Conservation Congress. Dinner conversation suggested a sense of pride in the accomplishments of the organization over the years, including current efforts to safeguard access to public lands for hunting, fishing and trapping wherever appropriate.
As the WCC representative on the Citizen's Advisory Committee, Manitowoc County delegate Larry Bonde reported that all purchases must consider access for five nature-based activities to include hunting, fishing and trapping.
Bonde reiterated Secretary Frank's assertion that we need to pay attention to accountability regarding stewardship funds.
"The biggest stumbling block is getting the information needed for the public to understand," Bonde said. "We are definitely in the minority on the committee," he added.
On Saturday, the Hunters' Rights Coalition held its annual summit in Stevens Point. The purpose was to discuss upcoming legislation with some of the major players in the natural resources arena and review the steps in providing input to state lawmakers.
Secretary Frank spoke on some of the same issues discussed in La Crosse and State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen offered his views on concealed carry, noting that Wisconsin and Illinois are the only two states in which citizens do not have that opportunity.
State Rep. Ann Hraychuck, D-Balsam Lake, recently introduced as chair of the Assembly Fish and Wildlife Committee, was one of the featured speakers, along with Senator Bill Holperin, D-Eagle River, who will serve as chair of the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
Hraychuck's role will be of particular importance to the hook and bullet crowd as DNR matters will be split in the legislature between the Natural Resources Committee and Fish and Wildlife.
A deer and bear hunter, Hraychuck demonstrated a firm grasp of conservation issues. Her appointment as chair of the committee received a strong endorsement from former State Senator Bob Welch, who now works as a lobbyist for the HRC.
I also had the opportunity to meet Judge Randy Koschnick who is running for State Supreme Court. Koschnick is a gun owner and hunter who indicates strong support of 2nd Amendment rights.
Koschnick points out Justice Shirley Abrahamson was a dissenter in the Supreme Court case State vs. Hamdan. According to Koschnick's literature, Abrahamson stated she would have upheld the conviction of a liquor storeowner who had a concealed weapon at his business in a high crime area.
The real pay off for me in this flurry of activity came via a phone call from Cliff Byrnes, a retired tech. ed. teacher and former colleague from Beaver Dam High School.
He had read my recent article about the Conservation Congress in Wisconsin Outdoor News and knew about my work in establishing the WCC newsletter, Conservation Chronicle.
Byrnes served on the Congress for many years, including the time of the organization's 50th anniversary. At the age of 79, his moment has largely passed, but he wants me to have a commemorative belt buckle he received from that event. A nice gesture from an old friend that I deeply appreciate.
- Lee Fahrney is the Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
Frank expressed his disappointment with a federal judge's decision to reverse the delisting of wolves as an endangered species. An appeal of the decision will take a couple of years, he said.
Frank suggested the best way to handle it might be to redraft the rule to satisfy the judge's concerns.
"I've been very engaged in this with Michigan and Minnesota," he added.
Frank also spoke of the new 10-year plan outlining the agency's approach to dealing with Chronic Wasting Disease.
"We want to start taking the long view of how we deal with this problem," he said.
Some Congress delegates were less than enthusiastic about the plan, however. Tony Grabski, secretary of the CWD ad hoc committee, reported on the committee's actions at its most recent meeting.
The committee moved to reject sharpshooting and the extended landowner hunt through March 31 as recommended by the plan. More importantly, the group voted to throw out the entire 10-year plan as unworkable and unnecessary.
It took until after midnight Saturday morning for the Council to process more than 40 recommendations derived from citizen input. Those receiving statewide support will advance to the Natural Resources Board for consideration.
There was much discussion of 2009 as the 75th anniversary of the Conservation Congress. Dinner conversation suggested a sense of pride in the accomplishments of the organization over the years, including current efforts to safeguard access to public lands for hunting, fishing and trapping wherever appropriate.
As the WCC representative on the Citizen's Advisory Committee, Manitowoc County delegate Larry Bonde reported that all purchases must consider access for five nature-based activities to include hunting, fishing and trapping.
Bonde reiterated Secretary Frank's assertion that we need to pay attention to accountability regarding stewardship funds.
"The biggest stumbling block is getting the information needed for the public to understand," Bonde said. "We are definitely in the minority on the committee," he added.
On Saturday, the Hunters' Rights Coalition held its annual summit in Stevens Point. The purpose was to discuss upcoming legislation with some of the major players in the natural resources arena and review the steps in providing input to state lawmakers.
Secretary Frank spoke on some of the same issues discussed in La Crosse and State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen offered his views on concealed carry, noting that Wisconsin and Illinois are the only two states in which citizens do not have that opportunity.
State Rep. Ann Hraychuck, D-Balsam Lake, recently introduced as chair of the Assembly Fish and Wildlife Committee, was one of the featured speakers, along with Senator Bill Holperin, D-Eagle River, who will serve as chair of the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
Hraychuck's role will be of particular importance to the hook and bullet crowd as DNR matters will be split in the legislature between the Natural Resources Committee and Fish and Wildlife.
A deer and bear hunter, Hraychuck demonstrated a firm grasp of conservation issues. Her appointment as chair of the committee received a strong endorsement from former State Senator Bob Welch, who now works as a lobbyist for the HRC.
I also had the opportunity to meet Judge Randy Koschnick who is running for State Supreme Court. Koschnick is a gun owner and hunter who indicates strong support of 2nd Amendment rights.
Koschnick points out Justice Shirley Abrahamson was a dissenter in the Supreme Court case State vs. Hamdan. According to Koschnick's literature, Abrahamson stated she would have upheld the conviction of a liquor storeowner who had a concealed weapon at his business in a high crime area.
The real pay off for me in this flurry of activity came via a phone call from Cliff Byrnes, a retired tech. ed. teacher and former colleague from Beaver Dam High School.
He had read my recent article about the Conservation Congress in Wisconsin Outdoor News and knew about my work in establishing the WCC newsletter, Conservation Chronicle.
Byrnes served on the Congress for many years, including the time of the organization's 50th anniversary. At the age of 79, his moment has largely passed, but he wants me to have a commemorative belt buckle he received from that event. A nice gesture from an old friend that I deeply appreciate.
- Lee Fahrney is the Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
