Hunting A Wisconsin Tradition
A legislative column by State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin)
Wisconsin’s ties to deer hunting are deep, going back to the state’s first settlers hunting and trapping to eat and clothe themselves.
Sources with the Department of Natural Resources explain the nine-day gun season added to the 113 day archery season multiplied by the number of hunting licenses sold, equate to 7 million days of recreation for hunters, generating $1.4 billion in annual economic impact for Wisconsin. During the nine-day 2010 gun season, Wisconsin hunters harvested 221,534 deer.
While deer hunting provides an economic boost every year, hunting season provides benefits not found on a balance sheet. Hunting is an opportunity for families and friends to come together and forge strong bonds, for parents to pass traditions onto their children, and for children to develop a deep love for the outdoors. During the 2009-10 legislative session, the State Legislature approved changes to state law to allow young people age 10 and older the opportunity to participate in family hunts as long as they share a gun with a licensed hunter and stay within arms length of the hunter.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1973, must complete a hunter education course before hunting alone in Wisconsin’s woods. The hunter education course instills in students the knowledge and skill to be a responsible, safe hunter. The basic course consists of 10 lessons during a minimum of 10 hours. Students learn about causes and prevention of hunting accidents. Hunter responsibility and safety are stressed throughout the classes. The classes consist of lectures, demonstrations, group discussions, practical exercises, individual study, and activity assignments.
While licenses and safety courses continue to promote responsible practices, the current Legislature recently took steps to reform burdensome regulations.
2011 Wisconsin Act 50 eliminates the Earn-a-Buck program and October T-Zone hunts while ensuring that even with aggressive herd control measures some semblance of the traditional season framework stays in place. The Earn-a-Buck program was implemented to manage the Wisconsin whitetail deer herd; however, too often hunters were forced to pass up a trophy buck because the hunter had not first harvested an antlerless deer.
2011 Wisconsin Act 51 corrects a catch-22 provision and gives hunters and sport shooters in Wisconsin freedom to transport their unloaded gun, bow, or crossbow in their vehicle without casing their weapon. This practical law change makes it easier for hunters and sport shooters to enjoy their sport while increasing Wisconsin’s appeal to out-of-state residents.
These law changes will assist hunters in pursuit of a trophy deer, maintain our tourism industry, and benefit all Wisconsinites with impact on our Wisconsin economy.
Earlier this year Governor Walker issued Executive Order 44, commissioning a Whitetail Deer Trustee to review and evaluate Wisconsin’s deer herd management practices. Dr. James Kroll, also known as Dr. Deer, is named to the position of Whitetail Deer Trustee. Dr. Kroll will provide an independent, scientific approach to managing the Wisconsin deer herd. Dr. Kroll must provide a preliminary report about Wisconsin’s deer herd not later than March 1, 2012, and a final report not later than June 1, 2012.
New laws and fresh perspectives for Wisconsin hunting will make for a better, safer 2011 gun deer season. You may visit the Department of Natural Resources website for more information about regulations, safety, and other hunting related issues. Here is a link:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/deer/.
This is one of the best times of the year to experience Wisconsin’s tremendous natural beauty. The air is crisp and cool, and wildlife is active. I wish hunters and families the best of luck this hunting season as you enjoy a Wisconsin tradition.