As sure as the arrival of robins, rain and green grass, the statewide combined Wisconsin DNR and Conservation Congress hearings are another sign of spring.
Some of the 44 conservation questions may touch most of us, including the topics of deer hunting and possible license fee increases, while others may be specific to a distant lake or river, and not interest us at all.
You have a chance to vote in person for any or all questions that interest you at the public hearing in your county, or the county you most often hunt or fish in, if you choose.
Many will take the easiest way and vote online from 6 p.m. April 13 through 6 p.m. April 15.
All results serve only as an advisory tool to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Advisory Board but frequently are used to help them make lasting decisions regarding hunting, fishing, trapping and other activities. A few of the questions would require legislative action to fulfill.
Questions 12-18 could potentially affect everyone who hunts, fishes and traps. The questions seem to be a feeler for how much sportsmen are willing to bear for license increases.
These include proposals to increase hunting, fishing and trapping licenses by 25%-75%, a one-time license fee increase with smaller increases later, based on inflation, or a $6 increase in the inland trout stamp fee from $10 to $16.
Questions 19-22 propose a 0.125% sales tax increase to fund conservation programs, spending about $20 million in general fund taxes to cover reduced or free licenses, charging a user fee (similar to that charged at state parks) for using all public lands, and requiring registration fees for all non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and canoes.
One question that most bow and crossbow deer hunters in this area will likely appreciate is the suggestion to allow the archery (bow and crossbow) deer season to be extended to Jan. 31 in all Farmland Deer Management Zones.
In the past, this extension was left up to the individual County Deer Advisory Councils, although former DNR senior deer biologist Jeff Pritzl said the state never intended for CDACs to make season decisions. Many hunters prefer to avoid the bitter cold of late season, but this would give archers and crossbow hunters nearly an additional month to harvest a buck or doe.
Another question recommends allowing tree stands and ground blinds on public lands to be left overnight from September through January. Currently, the state only allows leaving stands and ground blinds overnight on public lands north of state Highway 64, an experiment that started in 2017.
Prior to that, the law required all stands and ground blinds to remain only during daylight hours. That law created two problems: the noise and hassles of removing stands and blinds at the end of the hunt and then returning them the next morning (almost absurd if you’ve hunted in a state without such a law) and a very dangerous hazard, as studies show most tree stand accidents occur when a hunter is setting up or taking down a stand.
Another deer hunting question recommends extending the registration deadline from 5 p.m. the day after harvest to 11:59 p.m. This new deadline would align with neighboring states and help eliminate unintentional law violations, according to the questionnaire wording.
One law that is probably long overdue is specifying that only centerfire cartridges larger than .22 caliber be allowed for deer hunting. Currently, any rimfire .22 cartridge could also be used legally for deer hunting, including a .22 Long Rifle, but virtually anyone knowledgeable about ammunition would agree that rimfire cartridges are not a humane option.
Other topics on the questionnaire include:
• Reauthorizing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program for funding conservation grants.
• Allowing the use of trained dogs to chase or “harry” and track specific wolves that are causing livestock or other issues.
• Eliminating the north and south zones for waterfowl hunting.
• Allowing placement of mineral supplement blocks in the woods to help deer fight CWD.
• Allowing underwater spearfishing for catfish.
• Increasing the turkey stamp fee to $10.
• Creating a youth muskrat and mink trapping season.
For a full list of this year’s questions, last year’s results and more, visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/about/wcc/springhearing.
Ross Bielema is a freelance writer from New London and owner of Wolf River Concealed Carry LLC. Contact him at Ross@wolfriverccw.com.
AT A GLANCE
Spring Wisconsin DNR and Conservation Congress hearings will be held at 6 p.m. April 13 statewide. Meeting locations of area counties are:
• Shawano: Shawano Community Middle School LGI Room, 1050 S. Union St., Shawano.
• Oconto: Suring High School Cafeteria, 411 E. Algoma St., Suring.
