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16-day gun deer hunt endorsed

Slot limit for trout in Tomorrow River favored at spring game rules hearing

By GEORGE ROGERS
of The Gazette
The basic nine-day gun-deer season has been around almost forever, but a 16-day hunt was palatable to most of the people who turned out at the Portage County fish and wildlife rules hearing. If it comes about, they'd like to see a week added at the end of the nine days rather than at the beginning. Of course it wasn't unanimous - nothing ever is when it comes to deer hunting in Wisconsin.

Hanging over the heads of hunters is chronic wasting disease (CWD), newly discovered in the state's deer. Voting on a local petition, the people at the hearing favored a ban on baiting and feeding of wildlife by a 66-38 margin. The thinking behind it was that CWD appears to be spread by close contact among deer - and baiting and feeding brings them closer together. The margin in favor of the ban probably would have been greater if it had been clear whether or not it included bear baiting. In Wisconsin, most bear are shot over bait.

The people at the hearing gave lopsided approval to a revamping of the state's trout regulations, including a change that would make it easier to catch a legal-size fish on the Tomorrow River.

The hearing was at Ben Franklin Junior High School Monday evening, April 8. Similar ones were held in every county in the state that night. The Portage County hearing was typical in at least one respect - the crowd numbered about 250 at the start, dwindled as the proceedings dragged on and totaled only around 25 by the time it ended almost four hours later.

The results of the voting aren't binding on the state Natural Resources Board. The 16-day hunt, in fact, isn't even on the board's agenda at this time, but it's something that's apt to come up.

The local vote in favor of the 16-day hunt was 166-87. Tacking the extra seven days onto the end of the nine-day season was supported by a 126-66 margin. Fewer favored adding the seven days onto the beginning of the hunt, or having a straight Nov. 15-30 season.

By a 52-21 margin, the people at the hearing supported elimination of the October T zone deer hunt.

Some fairly broad trout rule changes are in the works statewide for the 2003 season, including the elimination of category 1 streams (10-trout bag limit with no size limit). Of most significance in Portage County would be a change in the regulations on the upper Tomorrow.

Above the old railroad bridge crossing north of Amherst to Poncho Creek, the present rules are highly restrictive - especially up to Nelsonville. There, you're limited to one trout a day. If it's a brookie it has to be 10 inches long and if it's a brown, 18 inches. Under the new rules, you could keep three trout. They'd have to be within a 10 to 13 inch slot size (though one could be over 20 inches). No change in the artificial lures-only rule is proposed.

By a 59-26 margin, the people at the hearing supported legislation that would allow "law-abiding citizens who have undergone proper training" to receive a license to carry a concealed weapon. The argument in favor of it is that it would deter violent criminals, who would never be sure whether their intended victims were armed. Law enforcement officers are said to be split on the issue. Tim Lawhern, a conservation warden who heads the DNR's hunter safety program, has voiced concerns, saying it would pose problems for wardens who deal with hunters carrying handguns. A concealed weapons bill was introduced in the Legislature recently but was blocked in the Senate by a procedural challenge.

Managing the timber wolf as a fur-bearing predator once it's removed from the endangered species list was supported, 62-3.

And by a vote of 200 to 10, the people at the hearing said they'd like to have an elk hunting season in Wisconsin when the herd grows large enough to support it. It would be a limited hunt, by permit only.

It's possible that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will allow Wisconsin to open its 2002 duck season as early as Sept. 21, but most of the handful who were still there at the end of the long hearing favored a Sept. 28 opening.

Several local petitions received unanimous approval. They included:

* A 45-inch muskie size minimum (instead of 34 inches) on theWisconsin River from the DuBay dam downstream to the Castle Rock dam;

* Opposition to a state Assembly vote cutting the annual Stewardship Fund appropriation from $60 million to $35 million;

* Approval for again giving the Natural Resources Board the power to hire and fire the DNR secretary;

* And approval for the restoration of the office of public intervenor.

Approved were more restrictive rules for Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing, including a lottery for issuing spearing permits.

The use of cyanide in metallic mining processes was opposed, and support was given to toughening the rule against fishing with unattended lines.



	16-day gun deer hunt endorsed Slot limit for trout in Tomorrow River favored at spring game rules hearing By GEORGE ROGERS of The Gazette The basic nine-day gun-deer season has been around almost forever, but a 16-day hunt was palatable to most of the people who turned out at the Portage County fish and wildlife rules hearing. If it comes about, they'd like to see a week added at the end of the nine days rather than at the beginning. Of course it wasn't unanimous - nothing ever is when it comes to deer hunting in Wisconsin. Hanging over the heads of hunters is chronic wasting disease (CWD), newly discovered in the state's deer. Voting on a local petition, the people at the hearing favored a ban on baiting and feeding of wildlife by a 66-38 margin. The thinking behind it was that CWD appears to be spread by close contact among deer - and baiting and feeding brings them closer together. The margin in favor of the ban probably would have been greater if it had been clear whether or not it included bear baiting. In Wisconsin, most bear are shot over bait. The people at the hearing gave lopsided approval to a revamping of the state's trout regulations, including a change that would make it easier to catch a legal-size fish on the Tomorrow River. The hearing was at Ben Franklin Junior High School Monday evening, April 8. Similar ones were held in every county in the state that night. The Portage County hearing was typical in at least one respect - the crowd numbered about 250 at the start, dwindled as the proceedings dragged on and totaled only around 25 by the time it ended almost four hours later. The results of the voting aren't binding on the state Natural Resources Board. The 16-day hunt, in fact, isn't even on the board's agenda at this time, but it's something that's apt to come up. The local vote in favor of the 16-day hunt was 166-87. Tacking the extra seven days onto the end of the nine-day season was supported by a 126-66 margin. Fewer favored adding the seven days onto the beginning of the hunt, or having a straight Nov. 15-30 season. By a 52-21 margin, the people at the hearing supported elimination of the October T zone deer hunt. Some fairly broad trout rule changes are in the works statewide for the 2003 season, including the elimination of category 1 streams (10-trout bag limit with no size limit). Of most significance in Portage County would be a change in the regulations on the upper Tomorrow. Above the old railroad bridge crossing north of Amherst to Poncho Creek, the present rules are highly restrictive - especially up to Nelsonville. There, you're limited to one trout a day. If it's a brookie it has to be 10 inches long and if it's a brown, 18 inches. Under the new rules, you could keep three trout. They'd have to be within a 10 to 13 inch slot size (though one could be over 20 inches). No change in the artificial lures-only rule is proposed. By a 59-26 margin, the people at the hearing supported legislation that would allow "law-abiding citizens who have undergone proper training" to receive a license to carry a concealed weapon. The argument in favor of it is that it would deter violent criminals, who would never be sure whether their intended victims were armed. Law enforcement officers are said to be split on the issue. Tim Lawhern, a conservation warden who heads the DNR's hunter safety program, has voiced concerns, saying it would pose problems for wardens who deal with hunters carrying handguns. A concealed weapons bill was introduced in the Legislature recently but was blocked in the Senate by a procedural challenge. Managing the timber wolf as a fur-bearing predator once it's removed from the endangered species list was supported, 62-3. And by a vote of 200 to 10, the people at the hearing said they'd like to have an elk hunting season in Wisconsin when the herd grows large enough to support it. It would be a limited hunt, by permit only. It's possible that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will allow Wisconsin to open its 2002 duck season as early as Sept. 21, but most of the handful who were still there at the end of the long hearing favored a Sept. 28 opening. Several local petitions received unanimous approval. They included: * A 45-inch muskie size minimum (instead of 34 inches) on theWisconsin River from the DuBay dam downstream to the Castle Rock dam; * Opposition to a state Assembly vote cutting the annual Stewardship Fund appropriation from $60 million to $35 million; * Approval for again giving the Natural Resources Board the power to hire and fire the DNR secretary; * And approval for the restoration of the office of public intervenor. Approved were more restrictive rules for Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing, including a lottery for issuing spearing permits. The use of cyanide in metallic mining processes was opposed, and support was given to toughening the rule against fishing with unattended lines.