Results posted from online spring hearings; most items get positive responses

Changes to walleye and muskellunge regulations were among the items supported by the public locally and statewide during the 2023 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources/Wisconsin Conservation Congress spring hearings.

More than 11,500 people responded to the 2023 spring hearing questionnaire available online April 10-13, including 45 who said they reside in Taylor County and 241 who said they recreate here. The results and questions are available on the DNR website at https://dnr. wisconsin.gov/about/wcc/springhearing “I’m really pleased to see the amount of participation we had for this year’s spring hearings,” Wisconsin Conservation Congress Chair Rob Bohmann said. “There were a lot of different topics and issues included, and I’m very happy with the input and public discussions we had around the spring hearing questions this year. It tells me the public is interested in being engaged in resource management in Wisconsin and it clearly matters to them. It’s great to see.”

The annual spring hearing is an opportunity for the public to provide input on a wide array of natural resources-related proposed rule change questions presented by the DNR and advisory questions presented by the Conservation Congress. The public also has the opportunity to provide input on resolutions that members of the public previously submitted.

Public input received through this process is advisory to Natural Resources Board members, department staff and anyone working on these issues.

Results from the public input will be considered by the Conservation Congress, DNR and Natural Resources Board in the coming months.

DNR-based questions

Fish and wildlife rule changes being proposed by the DNR generally drew favorable responses. Some of the noteworthy items include:

  Question 11, which asked if the public favors a statewide walleye/sauger bag limit of three per day on all inland waters of Wisconsin was supported by Wisconsin residents 4,939-1,048, by Taylor County residents 21-9 and by those who recreate in Taylor County 140-46. Under the proposal, bag limits for boundary waters and the Great Lakes would remain unchanged as would limits on waters that are already less than three. In 2015, a regional-wide three-fish daily bag limit was established for walleyes in the Wisconsin Ceded Territory, comprising the northern third of the state). Since then a threefish limit has been added for the Winnebago system and six southeastern counties and two east-central counties (Shawano and Waupaca) have established three-fish daily limits.

The proposal is based on recent public surveys and outreach related to an update of Wisconsin’s Walleye Management Plan that found public concern exists about increasing angling pressure and harvest of walleyes in regions where the five-fish daily bag limit remains.

  Question 10, which asked if the public favors implementing a standard season structure statewide for muskellunge with opening day being the first Saturday in May and the final day being Dec. 31 on open waters only, was approved 3,874-1,279 by statewide residents, 24-4 by Taylor County residents and 132-38 by those who recreate here. This change would eliminate the need for the current Northern and Southern zones and apply a uniform statewide season structure. It wouldn’t change existing size or bag limits. The management goal is to provide additional angling opportunity in northern Wisconsin.

  Question 13 had a local connection, asking if the public favors applying a daily bag limit of three fish and a minimum length limit on walleyes of 13 inches while all walleyes 16-24 inches must be released and only one walleye greater than 24 inches may be kept on several area waters. These include the Jump River, Lake Holcombe, Lake Wissota, the Cornell Flowage, Old Abe Flowage, the Chippewa Falls Flowage, Dells Pond, the Flambeau River to the Thornapple Dam and the Chippewa River to the Arpin Dam.

The proposal was narrowly supported 15-14 by Taylor County residents with eight saying they had no opinion. It was supported 119-48 by those who recreate in the county and 3,575-779 by Wisconsin residents.

The current regulation is a three-fish limit with walleyes 14-18 inches needing to be released and only one over 18 inches allowed to be kept. The management goals is to increase the density and size structure of walleyes while allowing for the harvest of relatively larger fish. The goal is not currently being met due to slow growth and inadequate protection of walleyes greater than 16 inches.

  Question 1, which sought support for allowing F-shot for waterfowl hunting, was approved by statewide residents 3,815-1,286, by Taylor County residents 29-2 and by those recreating here 140-27.

  Question 2 which gauged support for extending the youth deer hunt from two days to four, running from Thursday to Sunday, was opposed by local residents 2714, by county recreators 128-92 and by statewide residents by a close margin of 3,566-3,302.

  Question 5, which would remove the public/ private designation on junior antlerless deer tags, was narrowly favored 20-17 by Taylor County residents, favored 130-79 by county recreators and supported 4,5041,965 statewide.

  Question 7, which asked if the public would support allowing individuals to shoot a bear that is attacking a domestic animal on private land, was widely supported statewide 5,484-1,333 and by local residents 37-5.

  Question 8, which asks if the public favors allowing the DNR to issue deer replacement permits if a harvested deer is found to be diseased, was supported 26-13 by local residents, 141-73 by those who recreate here and 4,464-1,993 by statewide residents.

WCC advisory questions

Among advisory questions of note presented by the Wisconsin Conservation Congress:

  Question 57 which asked if there is support for a ban on shining of wild animals from Sept. 15 through Dec. 31, was widely supported statewide 5,564-2,068 but was opposed by Taylor County residents 19-18. It was supported by those who recreate in the county 120-94.

  Question 58, which asked if there is support for expanding the youth spring turkey hunt from two days to four, was defeated by Taylor County residents 21-17 and narrowly supported by those who recreate here 110106. Residents statewide supported the idea 4,606-2,781.

  Question 70, which asked if the public supports legislation to require a $10 grouse stamp authorization to hunt grouse in Wisconsin, was opposed 24-13 by Taylor County residents, but supported 111-93 by those who said they recreated here. Statewide residents supported the idea 4,573-2,081.

  Question 71, which sought feedback on the idea of requiring the use of at least 50% hunter orange garments above the waist for the hunting of upland game birds, excluding turkeys and waterfowl, was supported 4,571-2,065 by statewide residents 123-80 by those who recreate in Taylor County, but it was opposed 19-17 by those who reside in Taylor County.

  Question 72 returned to the often-asked question of what deer hunters prefer for a gun deer season. This year’s options were the current nine-day struc- ture, a 16-day season followed by the 10day muzzleloader hunt or combining the nine-day season and muzzleloader hunt for a 19-day combined hunt where all weapons could be used with proper authorization. Taylor County residents and recreators both heavily supported the status quo. Among residents 26 voted for the current structure, five voted for the 16-day firearm and 10-day muzzleloader seasons and six voted for a 19-day combined season. The vote totals were 152, 31 and 34 among those who recreate in the county. Statewide residents also overwhelmingly voted for the current season structure.