CWD Help Wi
02-21-2007, 02:24 AM
#1
Bartender
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,634
CWD Help Wi
Ive been sending a few emails to the powers that be up in Madison.
I am going to post some info and would like feedback here then direct them to this link so they can see what actually hunters are thinking.
Thanks for your help.
May I ask one final question?
How do you feel about most would agree that you can and will never eradicate CWD?
It has been in Colorado since at least 1982 when I lived there.
A lot of folks feel some of this is insurance driven your thoughts?
ANSWER:
that's two questions. [/align][/align]1) Can CWD be eradicated? Yes, but only if hunters and wildlife managers interpret the risk as large enough to put in the effort needed to try-learn-adapt and repeat the process until we have the disease under control. My interpretation of the effort in CO is that not much to nothing was done for 30 years, then a short term effort was put in place, but the risk of CWD was not perceived as great enough to the deer and elk and hunters, so they backed off. That could happen in WI. I would hate to have to tell Bob Smith in Medford (or anyone else) that we are not going to do anything to prevent the disease from spreading statewide.[/align][/align]2) Insurance driven? You'll need to explain that one. No insurance company has ever contacted me or the DNR to ask us to reduce deer populations...not that I am aware of. And, why should they? If its true that more deer on the landscape mean more car crashes, then claims go up and profits go up. Insurance driven? NO WAY. We are concerned that last year 11 people DIED as a result of crashes with deer...not to mention the millions of dollars of property damage that are caused as a result of a deer herd that is far, far, far above goal. We have the tools to get the herd to goal and the responsility as wildlife managers and as hunters to move the herd to goal. [/align][/align]By the way, a deer herd at goal would mean fewer deer harvested, yes. But it would also mean continued heavy pressure on antlerless deer and by and large the buck population would be older...more older bucks. Who can say no to that?[/align][/align]Keith Warnke
Bureau of Wildlife Management
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WM/8[font="ms sans serif"]9, BOX 7921
Madison, WI 53707
phone: 608.264.6023
I am going to post some info and would like feedback here then direct them to this link so they can see what actually hunters are thinking.
Thanks for your help.
May I ask one final question?
How do you feel about most would agree that you can and will never eradicate CWD?
It has been in Colorado since at least 1982 when I lived there.
A lot of folks feel some of this is insurance driven your thoughts?
ANSWER:
that's two questions. [/align][/align]1) Can CWD be eradicated? Yes, but only if hunters and wildlife managers interpret the risk as large enough to put in the effort needed to try-learn-adapt and repeat the process until we have the disease under control. My interpretation of the effort in CO is that not much to nothing was done for 30 years, then a short term effort was put in place, but the risk of CWD was not perceived as great enough to the deer and elk and hunters, so they backed off. That could happen in WI. I would hate to have to tell Bob Smith in Medford (or anyone else) that we are not going to do anything to prevent the disease from spreading statewide.[/align][/align]2) Insurance driven? You'll need to explain that one. No insurance company has ever contacted me or the DNR to ask us to reduce deer populations...not that I am aware of. And, why should they? If its true that more deer on the landscape mean more car crashes, then claims go up and profits go up. Insurance driven? NO WAY. We are concerned that last year 11 people DIED as a result of crashes with deer...not to mention the millions of dollars of property damage that are caused as a result of a deer herd that is far, far, far above goal. We have the tools to get the herd to goal and the responsility as wildlife managers and as hunters to move the herd to goal. [/align][/align]By the way, a deer herd at goal would mean fewer deer harvested, yes. But it would also mean continued heavy pressure on antlerless deer and by and large the buck population would be older...more older bucks. Who can say no to that?[/align][/align]Keith Warnke
Bureau of Wildlife Management
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WM/8[font="ms sans serif"]9, BOX 7921
Madison, WI 53707
phone: 608.264.6023
02-21-2007, 09:37 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sussex WI
Posts: 381
RE: CWD Help Wi
The CWD "epidemic" has been overdone since the beginning. As you mentioned, it has been dealt with in Colorado and other western states for years.
Funny, but is did not lead to a decimation of the deer heard in Colorado...or in Wisconsin as we were led to believe, and the incidence has been fairly steady around 3-5% of the population.
I'm not sure if it is the insurance industry driving the CWD mania at the DNR as much as it is bureaucratic growth. Think about it when bureaucracies and government agencies try to get funding. What is the best way to do it: by saying everything is pretty much under control, or by saying that you have a "crisis in deer management"? The "crisis" is either CWD, or "overpopulation", or some other issue that in some way seems to increase the importance of the "deer managers" tasked with taking care of the situation. Look no further than the continued declarations by the DNR that the Wisconsin "faces a deer population crisis". Crisis? In unit 61 where I hunt, the population goal has been decreased three times in the last 14 years, so even though the overwinter population has remained fairly stable, the unit is now considered "over goal", necessitating t-zones, EAB, and other bureaucratic remedies that pass for great excuses for more bureaucratic oversight.
CWD is the newest, more frightening excuse to come up with. "Eradication" is and always has been an impossibility, and given the small levels of infection relative to overall population, unnecessary.
Keep all this in mind when you think about leaving deer management decisions soley in the hands of the so-called "deer management professionals" who have state pensions and cadillac health care plans at stake.
Funny, but is did not lead to a decimation of the deer heard in Colorado...or in Wisconsin as we were led to believe, and the incidence has been fairly steady around 3-5% of the population.
I'm not sure if it is the insurance industry driving the CWD mania at the DNR as much as it is bureaucratic growth. Think about it when bureaucracies and government agencies try to get funding. What is the best way to do it: by saying everything is pretty much under control, or by saying that you have a "crisis in deer management"? The "crisis" is either CWD, or "overpopulation", or some other issue that in some way seems to increase the importance of the "deer managers" tasked with taking care of the situation. Look no further than the continued declarations by the DNR that the Wisconsin "faces a deer population crisis". Crisis? In unit 61 where I hunt, the population goal has been decreased three times in the last 14 years, so even though the overwinter population has remained fairly stable, the unit is now considered "over goal", necessitating t-zones, EAB, and other bureaucratic remedies that pass for great excuses for more bureaucratic oversight.
CWD is the newest, more frightening excuse to come up with. "Eradication" is and always has been an impossibility, and given the small levels of infection relative to overall population, unnecessary.
Keep all this in mind when you think about leaving deer management decisions soley in the hands of the so-called "deer management professionals" who have state pensions and cadillac health care plans at stake.
02-22-2007, 04:50 PM
#3
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Posts: 148
RE: CWD Help Wi
1) Can CWD be eradicated? Yes, but only if hunters and wildlife managers interpret the risk as large enough to put in the effort needed to try-learn-adapt and repeat the process until we have the disease under control. My interpretation of the effort in CO is that not much to nothing was done for 30 years, then a short term effort was put in place, but the risk of CWD was not perceived as great enough to the deer and elk and hunters, so they backed off. That could happen in WI. I would hate to have to tell Bob Smith in Medford (or anyone else) that we are not going to do anything to prevent the disease from spreading statewide.
(See article, CWD prions stick to clay.. click this link: http://www.bloodbro.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=1094)
Even if they killed every deer in the infected area, bringing back new deer
would result in some of them getting infected. Its also worth mentioning, that evidence has shown that some of the deer that live in the infected areas have shown resistance to the disease. Should we kill the ones that could possibly pass on this trait? Or help scientists find a cure?
( Click this link to read about a study on Genetically resistant deer:
http://www.bloodbro.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=1060)
[/align]
2) Insurance driven? You'll need to explain that one. No insurance company has ever contacted me or the DNR to ask us to reduce deer populations...not that I am aware of. And, why should they? If its true that more deer on the landscape mean more car crashes, then claims go up and profits go up. Insurance driven? NO WAY. We are concerned that last year 11 people DIED as a result of crashes with deer...not to mention the millions of dollars of property damage that are caused as a result of a deer herd that is far, far, far above goal. We have the tools to get the herd to goal and the responsility as wildlife managers and as hunters to move the herd to goal.
Maybe Keith should explain that his boss is Jim Doyle... Supposedly, Doyle got campain donations with the amount based on how much he lowers the deer population. I do know, he fired and removed several of the top DNR proffesionals and replaced them with people who have absolutly NO wildlife background, the only thing the "new" leaders have in commen is
all of them can be tied to Doyle campain donations.
( Click this link to learn who your "new" DNR leaders are, how they got there jobs, and about threats they are making to staff members who do not agree with the CWD policys http://www.bloodbro.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=1904)
[/align]
By the way, a deer herd at goal would mean fewer deer harvested, yes. But it would also mean continued heavy pressure on antlerless deer and by and large the buck population would be older...more older bucks. Who can say no to that?
Yes, out of control populations can reduce antler size, but when youhave 5 deer per square mile and 40 hunters, and maybe one of those 5 deer is a trophy buck, your odds are pretty slim....
[/align]
[/align]
02-22-2007, 04:54 PM
#4
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Posts: 148
RE: CWD Help Wi
If you would like to help fight the DNR and there twisted agenda here is the list of CWD meetings that are coming up where the public can voice there opinion:
News Release
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
South Central Region Headquarters - Madison
3911 Fish Hatchery Rd Fitchburg, WI 53711
Phone: (608) 275-3266 TDD: 711
For Release: February 19, 2007
Contact(s): Alan Crossley, CWD Project Leader, Fitchburg: 608-275-3242
Greg Matthews, Regional PA Mgr., Fitchburg: 608-275-3317
At Dodgeville, Fitchburg, Milton & Prairie du Sac: Open houses for CWD deer management units
FITCHBURG, Wis – The Department of Natural Resources will host four deer management Open Houses in south central Wisconsin to discuss deer herd status and possible hunting season framework changes in its chronic wasting disease (CWD) Zones.
The Open Houses are as follows:
February 26 at Milton, Town Hall, 23 First St., 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
February 28 at Fitchburg, DNR South Central Region Hdqtrs., 3911 Fish Hatchery Rd., 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
March 1 at Dodgeville, Dodger Bowl, 318 King St., 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
March 5 at Prairie du Sac, Grand Avenue Elementary School, 225 Grand Ave., 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Agency biologists will discuss results from the 2006 hunting seasons, population estimates (if available), and deer hunting prospects in area deer management units (DMU’s) of the CWD Disease Eradication Zone (DEZ) and the much larger Herd Reduction Zone (HRZ).
Discussion will also focus on changing the season length, pre-qualification for buck stickers and earn-a-buck in the CWD Zones.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following counties are in the South Central Region: Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk.
The public affairs manager for the DNR South Central Region is: Greg Matthews: phone - (608) 275-3317.
News Release
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
South Central Region Headquarters - Madison
3911 Fish Hatchery Rd Fitchburg, WI 53711
Phone: (608) 275-3266 TDD: 711
For Release: February 19, 2007
Contact(s): Alan Crossley, CWD Project Leader, Fitchburg: 608-275-3242
Greg Matthews, Regional PA Mgr., Fitchburg: 608-275-3317
At Dodgeville, Fitchburg, Milton & Prairie du Sac: Open houses for CWD deer management units
FITCHBURG, Wis – The Department of Natural Resources will host four deer management Open Houses in south central Wisconsin to discuss deer herd status and possible hunting season framework changes in its chronic wasting disease (CWD) Zones.
The Open Houses are as follows:
February 26 at Milton, Town Hall, 23 First St., 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
February 28 at Fitchburg, DNR South Central Region Hdqtrs., 3911 Fish Hatchery Rd., 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
March 1 at Dodgeville, Dodger Bowl, 318 King St., 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
March 5 at Prairie du Sac, Grand Avenue Elementary School, 225 Grand Ave., 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Agency biologists will discuss results from the 2006 hunting seasons, population estimates (if available), and deer hunting prospects in area deer management units (DMU’s) of the CWD Disease Eradication Zone (DEZ) and the much larger Herd Reduction Zone (HRZ).
Discussion will also focus on changing the season length, pre-qualification for buck stickers and earn-a-buck in the CWD Zones.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following counties are in the South Central Region: Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk.
The public affairs manager for the DNR South Central Region is: Greg Matthews: phone - (608) 275-3317.
02-22-2007, 04:58 PM
#5
Bartender
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,634
RE: CWD Help Wi
Bloodbro I applaud you and a great big thank you. Ive been waiting for your reply here. I recall a good post not to long ago and thats what got me contacting him. I will continue my passion to do what it takes to get these guys out.
Thanks,
Tony
Thanks,
Tony
02-24-2007, 06:00 AM
#9
Bartender
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,634
RE: CWD Help Wi
Here is his my last email:
Thanks for your response, but with that being said it looks like we have a lot of work to do. I guess besides myself you might just be
as nieve on this matter. Check out the following 2 links and give me your thoughts please? I went and posted some info on huntingnet.com
so you can get a idea what Wi hunters are thinking.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2008089&mpage=1&key=&#201149 0
Also below on eradication and no way to get rid of it:
http://www.bloodbro.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=1094
Thanks,
Tony
His response
I agree, Tony. Such comments show the unfortunate truth of deer management these days. I am comfortable with the fact that most hunters out there know more than I do. I just have to keep trying to lead in a direction I think will be the best for deer, deer hunting, and deer hunting tradition.
[/align]Keith Warnke
Bureau of Wildlife Management
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WM/12[font="ms sans serif"]13, BOX 7921
Madison, WI 53707
phone: 608.264.6023
fax: 608.267.7857
Thanks for your response, but with that being said it looks like we have a lot of work to do. I guess besides myself you might just be
as nieve on this matter. Check out the following 2 links and give me your thoughts please? I went and posted some info on huntingnet.com
so you can get a idea what Wi hunters are thinking.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2008089&mpage=1&key=&#201149 0
Also below on eradication and no way to get rid of it:
http://www.bloodbro.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=1094
Thanks,
Tony
His response
I agree, Tony. Such comments show the unfortunate truth of deer management these days. I am comfortable with the fact that most hunters out there know more than I do. I just have to keep trying to lead in a direction I think will be the best for deer, deer hunting, and deer hunting tradition.
[/align]Keith Warnke
Bureau of Wildlife Management
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WM/12[font="ms sans serif"]13, BOX 7921
Madison, WI 53707
phone: 608.264.6023
fax: 608.267.7857