Northern for hunt cancellation proposed
Contributors to this thread:Wisconsin
From: Screwball
18-Jan-24
Lawmakers introduce bill to suspend northern Wisconsin doe hunt in attempt to regrow, about time hope it passes
From: Live2Hunt
18-Jan-24
If there are enough does to repopulate? The wolves would be fat and happy.
From: Missouribreaks
18-Jan-24
Seems like a good place to start.
From: Trickle rut
18-Jan-24
At least they are paying attention. Or not
From: Groundhunter
18-Jan-24
Until you manage the wolves, it's all nonsense.....
From: xtroutx
18-Jan-24
I hope it passes for the sake of the Northern hunters. I also strongly agree with GH, and I don't see that happening in the near or distant future.
From: WI Shedhead
18-Jan-24
Thier certainly won’t be a chance without White House change in November. Getting a department of the interior secretary change will be required for sure
From: >>>--arrow1-->
19-Jan-24
Part of the bill still allows for a limit of 2 bucks tags in the north,,,, Where in the north was it anything different????? Should be ONE buck tag !! smoking mirrors.
From: Missouribreaks
19-Jan-24
The Michigan deer kill numbers were interesting, including the UP.
From: Live2Hunt
19-Jan-24
Does it really matter if you have 1 buck tag or 4 if you have to hunt the Northern 1/3 of the state? I could have bought 1 buck tag 5 years ago for gun and still have it to use.
From: Live2Hunt
19-Jan-24
This shows exactly what the anti hunting crowd is wanting in the wolves. We now have an un-huntable deer population in the whole Northern 1/3 of the state where 1000's of acres of public forest is. Xguns for all during the archery did not help the matter either. The DNR must fear that without deer rebuilding there wolves will die off. Sadly, I agree GH, reducing doe tags will do nothing without reducing the wolf populations in all areas they have a foot hold, (pun).
From: Missouribreaks
19-Jan-24
I agree with Live2, this is about maintaining the wolf ecosystem, not improving hunting by hominids.
From: Grouch
19-Jan-24
notice it took local polititions to do something ! Not our Liberal DNR !!!
From: BigEight
19-Jan-24
This is a very slippery slope. The next thing you know there won't be any deer hunting allowed in the northern 1/3 because the deer numbers are too low. We all know what the real problem is.
From: Live2Hunt
19-Jan-24
"The next thing you know there won't be any deer hunting allowed in the northern 1/3 because the deer numbers are too low." Exactly what the anti's were and are hoping for. The DNR follows right along. They want our dollars from hunting licenses, but do not want to piss off the antis to fix the problem. Winter kill, yes it happens, but you need a deer herd first coming into the winter to have a winter kill. What sucks for people of my age is we were looking forward to spending our later years being able to hunt. Unfortunately I don't see in my lifetime having the opportunity's we once had.
From: Hoot
20-Jan-24
I agree with GH on managing wolves.
From: Cheesehead Mike
20-Jan-24
It's a double-edged sword. I believe the reduction in tags in the north should happen but I also believe it's playing directly into the hands of the anti's who are using wolves to eliminate hunting by humans.
One of the arguments that the pro wolf crowd always make is that deer numbers up north are not down and wolves haven't had an affect on deer numbers. Maybe by hunters taking the first step in voluntarily reducing tags up north we will show that there is a problem and that we are serious about the problem and serious about finding a solution. That may work to our benefit in the future if there ever are any actual discussions or attempts at managing the wolf population.
I also agree with the comments about being able to hunt up north in our later years. I always hoped to build a cabin on my land in Bayfield County after I retired but now I spend my hunting time in states where there aren't any wolves.
From: MjF
20-Jan-24
At this point we have to try something, I have to believe it’s in the right direction, it’s been mentioned a few times and it’s so true, wolf numbers have to be lowered and managed properly before anything else will work. I pray that I see this in my lifetime.
From: Drop Tine
20-Jan-24
The endangered species act (esa) is being used as a weapon against hunting/trapping. SCI should sue the USFWS to operate the ESA according to its intended purpose. Also a judge in California should not be able to rule on what takes place in WI. Wolves in WI. are above goal and should be removed from the list for protection and managed to goal.
From: MjF
20-Jan-24
They talk about Biodiversity and the ecosystem, I can't see wolves as the super animal that fixes all, so what happens (I believe it is now) when it begins to get so lopsided, at what point do people recognize there's a huge problem or is the State of Wisconsin & Government going to turn a blind eye.
From: xtroutx
20-Jan-24
My friends son was in town for a wake today. He is from Ladysmith and showed me a picture his friend sent him from 45 min north of Ladysmith. 14 wolves in the field at 2:30 pm yesterday.
From: WI Shedhead
20-Jan-24
It’s sad it had gotten to this, northern bay field county used to be a blast in the fall. but I am like Mike- Wisconsin is where I live and I scratch my itch here a few times each fall- but my time and money go elsewhere, and will until I can’t no more
From: Groundhunter
22-Jan-24
Want to Grow the herd, a 10 year old could do this. Double the Bear tags, allow lots of cat tags, and wipe out the wolves, ITS THAT SIMPLE.
From: retro
22-Jan-24
Ground, Sounds easy, but politics will continue to make that impossible.
From: Gileguy
22-Jan-24
Groundwater, the biologist I talked to Saturday said she had been requesting more bear tags in my area but the bear hunters are against it.
From: CaptMike
22-Jan-24
And the Bear Hunters have a powerful lobby.
From: sagittarius
23-Jan-24
Where is this bill? Bill number? Senate? House? Press release said Wednesday, which would have been Jan. 17. What organization, group, PAC, submitted the press release to the Associated Press?
https://www.weau.com/2024/01/18/gop-legislators-introduce-bill-suspend-northern-wisconsin-doe-hunt-attempt-regrow-herd/
From: Live2Hunt
23-Jan-24
GH, you mean like what they did years ago to build a deer herd? That would take smarts and a group or gov. dept. for the hunters
From: Jaybee
24-Jan-24
I don't think that this is a bad idea. I do however think that 4 years is probably too long.
From: sagittarius
28-Jan-24
sagittarius's Link
January 26, SB965, Introduced by Senators (R)Quinn, (R)Felzkowski and (R)Testin, cosponsored by Representatives (R)Green, (R)Sapik, (R)Bodden, (R)Callahan, (R)Edming, (R)O'Connor, (R)Summerfield and (R)Swearingen. Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage.
From: Live2Hunt
29-Jan-24
It is not going to solve anything. Although it will stop the baiting xgunners from killing the fawns and does that make it through the wolves.
From: g5smoke21
29-Jan-24
Something needs to be done. My opinion is the DNR is clueless. 2 or 3 years ago they issued 12000 doe tags in price county. 12000! Friend of mine called and asked if it was a typo. They said no. Last 2 years it has been around 2000. How or why do you go from 12000 one year to 2000 the next. Just stupidity. I think the biggest downfall if this passes will be even more of the spikes forks and sixes will be killed that it's antlered only which is going to put a big hurt on the nicer buck population. Our cabin neighbor is a resident and big trapper so we are lucky that he takes care of most of the predators around the property. It shows as talking with other locals they are not seeing nearly as nice of deer as we do. Predator control period
From: Live2Hunt
29-Jan-24
I agree with you g5, but I believe the doe tag number for Price was for private land, not public. Public has been around 150. But, that number could be 20000, there is not enough doe's for people to see/shoot.
From: g5smoke21
29-Jan-24
Correct that was for private land
From: sagittarius
29-Jan-24
Has everyone forgot, the Republican majority took deer management away from the DNR back in 2013-14 by creating the local CDAC's under "emergency rule". They waited until 2013 to set up the CDAC’s when they had a politically appointed majority on the NRB. Then Walker signed the CDAC’s into law in 2015. By Republican law, the DNR presents the local County Deer Advisory Committees requests to the politically appointed Natural Resources Board. Whatever the NRB approves, the DNR is required by Republican law, to implement.
So now Republicans want to take management choices away from the local CDAC’s, of which they gave them only a few years ago? This appears to be just Political showmanship trying to deflect blame to the big bad DNR … for following a Republican law.
From: CaptMike
29-Jan-24
Flawed thinking, Saggi. CDAC’s would work if enough hunters participated. But, they don’t. And, what thought process makes you think that DNR personnel would have deer in their best interest when they will not even manage the predators?
From: Boomer1
29-Jan-24
Sagittarius......This reduction started with the DNR's Deer 2000. It had to be taken away as the agency continued to make mistake after mistake. CDAC would have worked if all parties had equal say but it continues to be heavily weighted by DNR influenced people
. The one of the few mistakes made in 2015 was not spliting the super agency in two. One department for forest and water, the other game and fish. Then take everyone in the game and fish dept and fire them, Go out and hire individuals who haven't been influenced by the tree hugging forest and water department.
It figures the few times you show up here to defend your precious department and toss political crap.
From: sagittarius
29-Jan-24
WE are just talking deer management here. The NRB can over ride the CDAC's and approve any numbers they want, that is the check and balance. The DNR has no say in the matter, but are required to do as they are told ... by Republican law, since 2014. That is fact.
From: CaptMike
29-Jan-24
And who are those currently on the NRB? And, you are kidding yourself if you think those NRB people don’t get input from DNR personnel.
From: MjF
29-Jan-24
Didn’t at one time a husband and wife sit on Bayfield County CDAC board that worked or had ties with the DNR?
From: Hilltop
29-Jan-24
If the 16,500 antlerless that were shot last season in the northern forest, assuming a 50% fawn mortality (one fawn per two does makes it), and of that 50% are does, at the end of year 4, you’ve added about 24,000 does. Central farmland shot 89,000 does last year.
Northern forest needs food (ie logging) and predator control.
From: MjF
29-Jan-24
Hilltop, its good in the logging department, thousands and thousands of acres have been logged and continue to be, agreed that proper management needs to be addressed on wolves before anything else would work.
From: Backus
30-Jan-24
Live2hunt x 2 you are right on all accounts. Without predator control we are just feeding the wolves, bear and bobcats. A foot in the door for the anti. Deer hunters have to use restraint. Not all will but so what. The people that care will.
From: RutnStrut
30-Jan-24
"CDAC’s would work if enough hunters participated. But, they don’t."
CaptMike, I have to disagree with you on this. CDAC's had pretty good hunter/landowner participation at first. People just got sick of being told they had no clue what they were talking about.
From: xtroutx
30-Jan-24
In my observation over the years, at least 60% of deer hunters really couldn't care less about what is actually going on. The herd numbers, predators, season changes and so on. Uninformed and misinformed, is what I run into. Most are weekend warriors (nothing wrong with that) and come Monday, its back to everyday life. It's going to be a rough road ahead for archers. My two boys are in their 40's now. and while both want at least one deer a year to feed the family,(whether bow or gun) they are very selective and aware of what they kill. I wish I was more confident others of that age were doing the same.
From: sagittarius
30-Jan-24
If Republicans local CDAC system of deer management is flawed, they can rewrite the law. Require more hunters on the Committees? Put a Wisconsin Bowhunter Association member on every committee!?!? By law the DNR is required to provide available data to the committees, does the legislature want to change that? Yes, the big change is the NRB, Greg Kazmeirski no longer can swoop in and override the local CDACs deer management. This bill is really an attempt to bypass the CDACs, NRB, and blame the DNR for following Republican law. I do agree with Boomer1, it is political crap.
From: Hoot
30-Jan-24
Rick +1
From: CaptMike
30-Jan-24
Rut, much of it boils down to who is heading each respective CDAC. I’m not sure how many people sit on each CDAC but it is pathetic that hunting interests only get one seat at a table loaded with many anti hunting, tree lovers. Sag, Kaz was the single best thing hunters had on the Board.
From: blackwolf
30-Jan-24
Sagittarius X 2. When DNR controlled; northern Bayfield county (N.of hwy 2 and E. of cty A )was a separate unit as we had units based on deer habitat, not political controlled counties and doe permits were more closely correlated with numbers and habitat. Now I hear a lot of people wanting that N. Bayfield unit broken up and put the way it was in the 1st place. A lot of hypocrites out there.
From: CaptMike
31-Jan-24
Sag and Blackwolf, do either of know anything about those DNR managers that you’d like to see running the deer program? What do you know about their backgrounds? What do you about their like or dislike for hunting? Do they hunt? Trap? Fish? We each have our own perspective but how can you place blind trust in people you know little or nothing about? And, I wholeheartedly agree this same argument can be applied to legislators but at least they are elected by a majority of voters. This is not true of middle and upper management DNR personnel.
From: RUGER1022
31-Jan-24
I was siteing in & test firing some AR 's & other stuff today & decided to take walk in a favorite oak ridge in the big timber .
What a joke . 10 acres of Oaks with 1000's of untouched Acorns Everywhere . Years ago you never saw a left over Acorn by Feb 1 st . Even if the Deer had to paw the snow . 1 set of Deer tracks in the little bit of snow that was left . Lincoln County.
Will send a letter & pictures Thursday to the DNR .
From: Bigfoot
01-Feb-24
2 nights ago had 17 deer in the clover plot, i can go walk in the woods nearby and find tons of acorns....it was that much of a bumper acorn crop this year....so i wouldnt say because you found some acorns their is no deer around
From: Live2Hunt
01-Feb-24
Bigfoot, go up in the National and county forests from central North. You will see what Ruger means. In Sawyer county during rifle season I used to get into areas where the deer crap would be stuck to your boots. Now you go miles before seeing deer crap in places like clearcuts where there should be some at least.
From: JMAN
01-Feb-24
Glad to see you pop back Ruger
From: Groundhunter
07-Feb-24
Any updates on this bill of no doe hunting?
From: Cheesehead Mike
23-Feb-24
I see that this bill passed the assembly and is on to the Senate.
From: Cheesehead Mike
23-Feb-24
Cheesehead Mike's Link
From: Backus
28-Mar-24
Any update on the No doe for four year proposal?
From: Backus
28-Mar-24
Any update on the No doe for four year proposal?
From: Milwroad
29-Mar-24
Passed both houses but unlikely Evers will sign it as his DNR opposes it. If enough northern hunters get in the ear of any democrats up for reelection there is a slim chance he might sign it.
From: Milwroad
31-Mar-24
Evers vetoed it. He has full faith in the CDAC system!
From: Trickle rut
31-Mar-24
Ruger if you show them the acorns left in the ground they will say that's what they want, more to germinate and in 40-50 years they will mast. Your intention is to show how no deer to eat them, they will say good we want more tree's by natural reproduction. Catch 22
From: RUGER1022
31-Mar-24
Agree Trickle , You can't win . I did pick 25 Acorns, put them in a 5 gal bucket of water for 24 hours . Had 15 sinkers that I planted in trays for future transplanting this Summer.
From: LTL JimBow
31-Mar-24
What year was it exactly that the CDAC , NRB , DNR , Legelators, or the Governor came close to getting "IT" right ?
From: blackwolf
31-Mar-24
Thankfully he vetoed it as it encompassed whole northern deer herd with no exceptions for areas of higher deer concentrations especially in areas mixed with private which have high numbers. If hunters have local gripes they need to go thru their local CDAC per Republican appt back in 2014.
From: MjF
01-Apr-24
Even private areas in the North are feeling the crunch as wolves have no boundaries and have decimated the whitetail population. I know of two families that own thousands of acres and have witnessed hundreds of deer succumbed to wolves over the 2022 & 2023 winters. It would have been a good start in the right direction if it would have passed, but until wolves are managed properly NOTHING IS GOING TO WORK!
From: Live2Hunt
01-Apr-24
The DNR/whoever needs to realize this was not a hunter problem. The only time it was a hunter problem was the years the DNR promoted the big deer slaughter in the North. The wolves are the problem.
From: xtroutx
01-Apr-24
Unfortunately, with today's anti organizations with unlimited money, I don't ever see it being corrected. The DNR is unable to reveal the truth. A good start would be admitting the real number of wolves in the state, or even a close guess. These 1000 to 1200 numbers are ridiculous.
From: RutnStrut
01-Apr-24
Evers is an idiot. Good job to those of you that vote democrat.
From: Live2Hunt
02-Apr-24
That little smerf, I saw that he said unlimited wolves, no max number. You would think there would be enough people against this morons actions and the moron president who decides to call easter Sunday, a special day for transgenders, to get voted out. America is really dumbing down if they continue to have there positions.
From: >>>--arrow1-->
05-Apr-24
Cdac doesn't work !!! Few year back Ashland Co. voted for no Doe tags. Wdnr fought it and took their argument to the Nrb. The Madison based Nrb supported the Wdnr and Ashland Co. had doe tags. It was also found out that the Wdnr after that event started recruiting their chosen members for Ashland Co. Cdac committee.
From: Live2Hunt
05-Apr-24
Didn't the Smurf in Madison just shut down the no doe hunting in the Northern part of the state also?
From: Trickle rut
05-Apr-24
SSS
From: Milwroad
05-Apr-24
Yes he vetoed the bills.
From: Drop Tine
06-Apr-24
Some 15 year old sent him a letter opposing the bill, so he vetoed it and called the kid to tell him so. No way a 15 year old could have composed the well groomed letter hitting all the talking points.
From: Backus
24-Apr-24
Without a legitimate Wolf Management Plan thats allows harvest and management of the wolf population closing the doe season will have little effect in bringing the deer numbers back to acceptable levels.
From: Backus
24-Apr-24
Without a legitimate Wolf Management Plan thats allows harvest and management of the wolf population closing the doe season will have little effect in bringing the deer numbers back to acceptable levels.
From: MjF
25-Apr-24
Ya we’ve pretty much established that.
From: Missouribreaks
25-Apr-24
Not only is there not a legitimate wolf control problem, we now have human hunters using far deadlier weapons than bows and arrows during the northern archery seasons. Both entities are stressors on the deer numbers.
From: Live2Hunt
25-Apr-24
"we now have human hunters using far deadlier weapons than bows and arrows during the northern archery seasons. "
This has made an impact also from my observations.
