BowHuntingFool

I got this email from WBH and passing it along for those of you who care.



*****Bowhunting threat alert*****

Your bow season is at risk. While reading through the Conservation Congress Spring hearings questions, I came across question 57 which seeks to make the archery season an antlerless only season except for opening weekend and two weeks during the rut. Bowhunters would not be allowed to harvest a buck at any other time of the bow season if this passes.

It is being labeled an "EAB alternative" is really an attack on bowhunters. The wording is sneaky enough not to mention the bow season which is most likely an attempt to trick unsuspecting CC voters into voting for it as an "Alternative" to EAB on the grounds of fairness. By fairness, it means that since gun hunters get an opening weekend and the 9 day season to hunt bucks that bowhunters should only get that same amount of time to harvest bucks.

As a Bowhunter, you have more reason than ever to attend the April 13th spring hearing to vote NO to question 57. Please make sure to spread the word about this assault on the bow season.

Here is the wording as it appears in the CC spring hearing book.

QUESTION 57 – An EAB Alternative

The use of the Earn-a-Buck deer season in Wisconsin has been controversial, unpopular, and seemingly unfair to many hunters since its inception. Yet, EAB has proven to be effective at reducing high deer populations. It accomplishes this by tying the ability, opportunity, and desire for harvesting a buck with the biological necessity of harvesting antlerless deer. Sadly, EAB does this on an individual hunter basis where one hunter may be able to hunt bucks for over 100 days, while another hunter may never have even one day’s chance.

Another way of utilizing the same “ability, opportunity, and desire for harvesting a buck” would be to implement a full-length antlerless season with a shortened buck harvest period. Season opening weekends (and perhaps a two or three week rutting period) would always be open for buck harvest so everyone in the DMU has the same chance at that time for a buck every year that the program is in effect. Antlerless harvest would be spurred on during the rest of the season by the desire to return to a full-season buck hunting opportunity again. Specific time periods and trigger points for the implementation of such a management tool could be developed cooperatively with the DNR. All hunters under this system would and should be treated equally.

In areas or DMUs of high over-goal deer populations and in an effort to provide equal buck-hunting opportunity to all hunters in those units, would you prefer the concept of shortening buck hunting opportunity by limiting the buck harvest equally for all hunters on a seasonal basis instead of limiting individual opportunity through the use of EAB?

To find out where your county CC hearing is, go to the following link.

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/nrboard/ ... index.html

1sagittarius

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ADVISORY QUESTIONS?

QUESTION 57 – An EAB Alternative?

So Somebody on the executive council submitted this question?

This sounds like one of those WHU, WARC, or WHRC waco people trying to get rid of EAB as a method of deer population control.

BowHuntingFool

More info in the link provided!

http://wibowhunters.proboards54.com/...lay&thread=819

boomer1

1sagittarius, not even close there. Try the DNR. The original post w/e-mail was sent as a warning from a individualfrom these groups.

TJD

Unfortunately, nothing that the DNR could propose would surprise me. I still remember back in 1995 when they were floating the idea of an antlerless-only gun season (not a special antlerless hunt...the entire 9-day gun season antlerless only!!). Most of the legislature, plus Governor Thompson, basically told them to go back and find another way. I still recall one of the DNR talking heads stating, with dismay, that he could not believe that politicians thought they should be able to interfere with "professional wildlife managers".

Yeah....well, except for the fact that the politicians have to worry about ticking off the public and not get reelected.

...And except for the fact that the politicians who have to seek reelection are the ones who approve the DNR's budget. Yeah, why should THEY have any say in decisions impacting the public to such a large degree?!

So doing something as dumb as a proposal...or trial ballon, or whatever you want to call it...making archery season antlerless-only would not surprise me.

Should do wonders for license sales, don't you think? (If you haven't guessed...sarcasm intended!)

cayugad

There is a book out (I do not have it yet) called "How the DNR Stole Wisconsin." It goes into all the things the DNR basically did to make themselves powerful and to run the resources of Wisconsin they way, they saw fit. This is what I have been told. From what I understand, it also gives idea on how in the future we can control them.

Just in case your interested in some bed time reading.

hunt91

i hope to god that this doesnt pass. i may not buy a license this year in that case.

1sagittarius

Actually . The question was from the Conservation Congress, polling for public input, on a potential EAB alternative. It is not well written, and most all hunters will vote no on it, including myself.

It was a dead issue before it was printed. It is/was nothing the DNR ever started. interesting how mis-information can snowball into a anti-DNR frenzy. Anyone can have a question/idea/proposal submitted for public input on the spring hearing questionaire, including you!