First off, I am new to huntingnet.com so I appologize if there has already been numerous posts on the topic, but I am wondering if anybody hunts the eradication zone in Wisconsin?? My family and strictly bow hunted land near the Mount Horeb area which is in the core of the eradication zone for the past 8 years. It was great hunting before CWD was discovered, a large pope and young class buck was usually harvested every year. But now that every hunter can get four tags a day, we see less and less deer every year and have only taken two bucks in the past five years. We have put much time and money into this land and it is tough to see the hunting get worse and worse. I am just looking to get others opinions who hunt in the E.Z. or Wisconsin, and what they are doing to keep their hunting good.
Thanks!

The DNR wants them gone, and plenty of people are willing to help. IMO it is going to be impossible to stop the spread of CWD. All you can do is limit the deer shot on your property, maybe talk to the neighbors and see if they will do the same. I know some guys near Black Earth that are doing that. 3 of 4 farms and they keep getting nice bucks each year.

A buddy of mine just mentioned that he saw on the news that the dnr was going to have a doe harvest only the entire hunting season in all CWD areas. Has anyone heard anything about this? If so, what are your opinions??

Iagree, there is no possible way to completely stop CWD. Its just sad/disgusting to see all the headless deer laying in fifty gallon drums waiting to be disposed of at the registration station. Seems like killing to me, not hunting. What a waste.

I'd be all for a doe only rifle season for a year. I thought they should have done that 20 years ago.

What are the pros and cons of a doe only season? What do you think about the dnr's whole plan in general? Do you see giving out four tags per hunter per day a feasible way to deal with CWD??

Whats even worse is seeing all the road kill deer with their heads cut off and the rest laying to rot.

The pro of a doe only season is that it would work in lowering the population of deer, and allowing young bucks to age, which, regardless of what some people say about trophy hunting, having a bunch of 2 1/2 and older bucks in the woods does make it more exciting.
The con; some people wouldn't buy licenses which would cost the DNR money, which is why they will probably never have a doe only season.

I hunt mostly in Columbia county, which is HRZ, and I know that most people around me have the "its brown - its down" philosophy. I also wouldnt mind seeing a doe only season, it would give the younger bucks to at least get in a season or two to grow up a little. Hunting on public land everyone shoots everything - regardless of size/age/sex.

I bowhunt in Columbia county and have seen many deer this year especially early season. One monster 8-point that didn't give me a shot. Numbers there still are high!