A Montana-based sportsmans group with a Wisconsin chapter has gathered a petition with more than 1,700 signatures for the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board to think again about selling some public land. The Board is meeting Wednesday in Madison to consider the next round of public land sales. The legislature in 2013 told the DNR to sell 10,000 acres by 2017.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Wisconsin spokesperson Mike Neiduski says the third sale is different than two previous offerings. He says the first sales were largely landlocked parcels but this sale has property with access, which he says will hurt access for hunters and fishers...
"....what we're all about is insuring public access for hunting and fishing and obviously this flies in the face of that as it takes properties currently available away from them...."
Neiduski says there are 12 priority properties that are up for sale, including parcels in the Northwoods....
".....one is in Oneida county, two are in Vilas county, two are in Lincoln county and two in Oconto county...."
The parcels are labeled as scattered forest lands or fisheries management. Neiduski says they have more information on why they don't want the sales to happen and a petition at their website.
A link is here and also to the DNR land sales webpage.
