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Due to a combination of reasons, the north woods isn't in very good shape. As mentioned, the wolf population did skyrocket but that's not the DNR's fault. The DNR has said all along that the goal is 350 wolves and the max capacity is around 500. Because of Federal Law, up until recently, all the DNR could do is count the wolves. When they got the green light to kill wolves, they did. Now they have the green light again, they'll kill some more.

The bear count is something that needs to be figured out. Last year the DNR went from a bear population estimate of 13,000 bears to over 40,000 bears. Much like deer estimates, it's pretty hard to manage wildlife with out accurate numbers and one of those 2 numbers has to be wrong. Many bears are being seen further south and east than before and it makes sense that were there are no deer, there will soon be no bears or wolves. Proof that a food chain of deer, bears, wolves and humans doesn't work. The scientists and biologists knew the forest couldn't support enough deer to support a peaking bear population and a peaking wolf population and still have deer hunting. That's why the first 25 elk were brought in. 2002 We were supposed to bring more elk in, that didn't happen and now we have this mess.

The DNR has a huge job to do. For the most part, they do a good job but they also make mistakes. It takes hunters like you and me to keep an eye on things and set them straight when things go wrong. The April 15th hearing is a great example of hunters speaking up and getting things changed. It took dozens of hunting groups like RMEF banding together to fight to get wolves off the endangered list. We still have fighting to do and adjustments to make, there is no manual on how to rebuild a working food chain, if there is, mother nature isn't reading it. For anyone who's paying attention up in the north woods, it should be pretty obvious that the food chain of deer, hunters bears and wolves doesn't work. The changes made from the April hearing are good changes but will they be enough? Some places we shouldn't hunt deer at all this year. There is no quick fix, if we do nothing, we could loose everything. Deer, bears, wolves and elk. What needs to be done is pretty obvious.

We need to save the deer by lowering the predators and cutting back on hunting. We need to lower the wolf and bear populations so that the deer and elk can grow together and as they grow and stabilize, we can bring the numbers of bears and wolves back up enough to keep wolves off the endangered list and eventually improve on the 9 year waiting list for bear tags. The first step with bears is to get an accurate count. At some point soon, a wolf season has to be developed that can accurately keep the wolf pop around 350-500.

I've been watching the elk via the DNR internet and media for years, I'm an avid bow and gun deer hunter, I have accumulated 5 bear points, and have been following what's going on in the north woods for some time. Last year was the most discouraging year that I can remember. Still no elk to supplement the herd, no 2nd herd in Black River Falls, wolves put back on the endangered list, '07 and '08 were my worst deer hunting years ever, all my predictions about deer, wolves and bears up north have become truth. What I didn't predict was that the DNR would miss count the deer by so much, so the deer are in even worse shape sooner than I predicted. The biologists back in 1995 were absolutely correct saying that this food chain with out elk would collapse. Well, it's collapsing! We can fix it now or later. The longer we wait, the more damage will be done, the longer it will take for everything to recover. What I see this year so far is encouraging. A new Live CWD test being worked on and showing a lot of promise, WI hunters coming out in force to protect the deer herd, progress being made on getting the EINP elk trucked in, errors in the SAK and deer estimates have been found and are being corrected, the DNR issueing more bear tags for this season, wolves being delisted and the DNR's written wolf management plan is finally getting started, all very good indications that things are starting to head in the right dirrection. To make sure we keep heading in the right dirrection, we need to speak up. If the DNR is wrong about the bear numbers in your area, speak up. If they are wrong about anything in your area, speak up. If you believe like I do that we need elk, speak up. If there are not enough deer, speak up and don't kill the last one please. The government and DNR work for us, how do they do there jobs if we don't tell them what to do?

As the biologists were seeing the first bears and wolves return to Wisconsin years ago, we are now seeing the mountain lions trickling into our state. Another reason to get the elk reintroduction plan back on track and reason enough for me to want to reintroduce bison also. If we are to set another place at the table for mountain lions, we need more food for the table. In 1995, when choosing elk for reintroduction, they studied all of the possibilities and bison came up #2 after elk. I think we should dust off that research, take the DNR's fenced in Bison herd, put GPS collars on them, turn them loose and see what happens. Cougars or not, now we are talking a real food chain and and awesome hunting future. The DNR wasn't meant to farm bison, DNR land shouldn't be fenced in, the DNR shouldn't be in the business of selling wild bison to domestic farmers. Those are our bison, sell the damn fence to the farmers and turn the bison loose where they can take care of themselves. At worst, they all die and we no longer have to spend money on them. We can go to a private farm and go see bison behind fences. At best, they multiply and contribute to the food chain and economy as a major renewable natural resource. Think about it, how awesome would that be? Give me a good excuse why not. Car crashes? We've got airbags. We need jobs. Cars need fixing, roads need work to be more wildlife friendly, meat needs butchering, hides need tanning, I know lots of taxidermists, gun and bow shops, hotels and campgrounds that could all use a boost that elk and bison could provide. The only way to find out for sure, is to go ahead and do it. We've got a lot more to gain than loose. I'm sick of loosing and it's time to do something about it.