Changes are coming to deer management in Wisconsin.
The DNR is holding a series of meetings in the next few weeks to get public input the rules package that sums up those changes. Officials are also taking comments through an online survey that launches today.
The DNR’s Eric Lobner says the rules package comes out of the Deer Trustee Report and public comment taken earlier in the year.
“Ultimately what our goal here was – I think it’s pretty common knowledge that people complain about the rules being too complicated and too cumbersome. So we really tried to focus on making the rules as simple and consistent as possible.”
Season changes include eliminating the one day closure of the archery season and a lengthening of the muzzle loader season. The youth hunt, disabled hunt, and 9-day gun deer hunt would stay the same.
But the rules package also includes changes to the way local deer goals are set. Lobner says the DNR wants to set up committees to get regular input on a local level.
“Currently we don’t really have any sort of local county-oriented deer management advisory committees. The deer committee that we have is at a statewide scale. Hoiwever what we’re really trying to do is step that down to the deer management unit level or the county level. Where really there’s representatives that are the local interests that will provide feedback to biologists.”
DNR officials will hold some of those public input meetings in Eagle River on the 22nd…Rhinelander on the 23rd and Antigo on the 30th.
The final rules package will be presented to the Natural Resources Board in December.
