I believe CWD has been here a lot longer than the DNR are saying, and I agree the DNR's plan the get rid of CWD is a waist of money. I've been thinking about starting a non proffit orginization to to help raise awareness and get the Elk program restarted.
I've written about this subject in a couple of hunting forums and even though I started this string much later than in another forum, surprisingly I'm getting the same slack from hunters in each forum. Basically what I'm finding out is hunters here in Wisconsin don't want anything to change, thet want to deer hunt and that's all. It's been discouraging to say the least.
Most of the arguements are based on lack of information. "We can never have elk in WI., not enough room, habitat ect." There is plenty of room, we don't have to have 2 million elk to have a hunting season. We don't have to wipe out the deer to have elk. They don't eat the same food, they do not compete against each other for food or habitat.
What I've learned by these posts is that CWD is the big hurdle. Without getting past CWD our deer and elk are both in jepordy. I see if I were to start an orginization, the best thing this orginization could do is raise money in hopes of finding a cure for CWD. I love deer hunting. Can't get enough of it. I hope I'm wrong but between CWD, Wolves and the DNR (you can add hunters attitudes to this list also) I believe our deer hunting in WI. is in big trouble and it's going to take a long time to fix. It's also going to take a lot of time to figure out the wolf problem. Just how many wolves should we have and where?
The elk aren't going to hurt the cranberry bogs. The few small farms left around BRF are far and few inbetween because it's not good farm land. The farmers that are hanging on, will find that the value of the land will dramatically increase. Wat brings more $, 80 acres of poor farm land, or 80 acre hunting resort? A huntable herd of elk would mean you are attracting turkey hunters, deer hunters, bear hunters elk hunters, and yes wolf hunters, along with year round tourists. In the BRF area now, deer hunting stinks, farms grow cranberries or trees, . Reminds me of thr African jungle except we're doing a better job of managing our trees than Africa, replanting as we go. The impact studies for BRF show that the elk will not hurt the cranberry industry in the area. Nobody has to stop raising cranberries or trees to have elk. The elk in Clam lake have made the trees and plant life more healthy as a whole. We've got plenty of room up north. We have a great opportunity with in easy reach. What is the absolute worst that could happen? It's not like moving 25-50 elk to BRF would destroy the city of BRF. They're not going to put anyone out of a home or job and has the potential of adding a whole new economy to an area that could use one.
With CWD, the DNR isn't going to trim back the wolf population. The area the wolves are the deer numbers have finally come closer to their deer population goals. The DNR's idea of healthy deer population in a state with CWD is much lower than you and I are used to. I've bow hunted now for 7 years. My first 3 years I averaged a deer kill every 12 times out hunting. The last 3 years I've seen a lot less deer and average is over 1 deer per 20 times out hunting. I've been hunting in between the wolves and CWD where the population is still supposed to be above the goal number. If my neighbors keep wacking doe and young bucks at the rate they've been going, the 80 acres I've been hunting won't be worth the trip to hunt. Of 3 hunters, we've seen 8 deer since opening day. Years past, we've taken 8 deer opening day.
So when you are sitting in your deer stand and wondering what happened to all the deer, the DNR is telling you that this is how many deer we are supposed to have. They are right according to the studies, but we are also supposed to have more than just deer and wolves.
Get used to the low deer numbers. Get used to wolves up north. Mean time take a good look at what is going on at Clam Lake with the deer, bears, elk and wolves. Mother nature is working closer to the way it's supposed to work and is growing at a faster rate than anyone could have imagined. The seed has been planted and it's growing nicly but could do even better with a little help. We are not starting from scratch here, it's already started and growing. With minimal effort we should do what's needed to protect what's been started. If all we do is split up the herd we have now, it's better than doing nothing. Give the 135 elk we have the best fighting chance to survive. If not BRF then maybe somewhere in the north east but I believe because of the wolves, BRF is now prime for elk. If you guys are right, CWD is going to get to the north woods, the wolves will certainly help slow the spread down, and when the deer are gone, then what? Kill the wolves, they go back on the federal endanger species act and we start all over? Spend millions of dollars to keep the wolves from spreading south? We've already spent millions to keep CWD from spreading north. When the deer are gone, what happens to 13,000 WI. bears? I was raised hearing tales of grandpa and great grandpa shooting big bears in BRF. While growing up we camped a lot in BRF and as kids we could run around the woods and have a great time, never feared bears or wolves, they were not there. Camping there last summer with my kids, wolves were within 50 yards of my campsite and one doesn't allow the kids to wander too far....The wolves are there to stay until they have no more food in the woods, then they'll move on. History shows this will take a few years and eventually they will balance out and the cycles won't be so dramatic.
With out CWD the worst that could happen is the elk wouldn't survive and were back to just deer and wolves. The best that could happen is we put northern Wisconsin on the big game hunters maps. As it stands, we're not even on the good whitetail hunting maps.
At one time I thought elk in WI. was A joke much as other people seem to think. I also have said the only good wolf is a dead one, until I started reading about the Clam Lake project. The more I read, the more I learned, the more clear it became that elk hunting in Wisconsin isn't a foolish dream, it's A goal very much in reach, it's already started and paid for, and working. We just need to take a close look and determin what's the next step is. What's happening with wolves, deer and CWD is mud in the water.
BTW someone mentioned coyote. Coyote's don't coexist with wolves. It takes a pack of coyote to kill a deer, and they will. It takes 1 wolf to kill a deer any size, coyote eat more road kill than they than they actually hunt. There are over 500 coyote living within the city limits of Chicago and I've never seen so many coyote along the southern Wisconsin River than I have these past 2 years. What's up with that? Add coyote to the list of deer predators and it looks ever worse for Wisconsin deer. I agree that the turkey population takes a hit from coyote, I've seen it. Have also seen what a pack will do to a deer herd. We had a lot of yearlings and fawns taken by this pack also. They're a pain in the butt but a lot of fun to hunt. Just more proof that things are out of wack in Wisconsin. What next, ferrel hogs? That would probably get better hunter support than elk hunting and would really screw up this state.