Start of hunting season tainted by CWD-positive deer
If you heard a large volley of gun fire this morning, (today, the first of September) someone had a flock of geese or a pass of doves come in. If you live by a marsh or beaver pond, someone might have had a flock of teal light into their decoys. All three opened this morning, the first of September, just before sunrise.
A week from now the bear season will start; about a week after that, archery deer hunting, fall turkey and small game hunting kicks off. And, by the end of the month, the waterfowl season will start. September is a big month. The cool evenings of August, the tints of the first maples changing color, the maturing of corn fields signify the end of our summer and the beginning of what some call fall. I call it hunting season.
Hunters talk about the excitement and anticipation of the hunt. But that implies getting everything ready. I really don’t like getting stuff ready. It’s tedious and takes time away from other things I enjoy. It dampens the excitement for me.
For me, the anticipation of dove breast lightly oiled and seasoned on the grill, goose with honey-brandy-wine sauce, venison tenderloin, and fricassee of duck causes my mind to wander to the field. I enjoy the time spent with family while preparing and enjoying these delicious, delectable treats fresh from the field. And I’ll admit that watching a dog on a cool August morning pause, raise its nose to waft the air, and look back with a knowing look that “it’s almost time,” can be more special than the chaos of readying gear, collaring dogs, and setting down for the first day of grouse season.
With a deer testing positive for CWD at a Taylor County deer farm, everyone knew that baiting and feeding of deer would be shut down in Taylor County for a minimum of three years. That was officially announced last week.
But what was up for grabs and creating angst for some archery hunters was if baiting would be banned in Clark, Price and Rusk counties. All four counties have hunters who live in our neck of the woods and hunt in one or more of those counties. The location of the Taylor County deer farm has been kept pretty quiet officially, and maybe rightfully so for the owner of the farm. Strong feelings exist from several viewpoints on this issue, and occasionally some people take things to an extreme. I hope everyone remembers that, in the end, if CWD reaches the wild deer of Taylor County, the deer lose the most. Love or hate baiting, it is fair to say that it does congregate deer in close proximity, yet it is an efficient way to harvest does. It’s also correct to say that deer contact other deer and exchange saliva in other ways. Yet the congregating most likely means greater exchange among a broader amount of the heard. If the property you can hunt doesn’t have agricultural fields or food plots, baiting can level the field. It the neighboring property has fields or food plots, baiting can level the field. I’ve also heard the argument that those who don’t have foods plots should put the effort into planting one.
Still, we need to attract more hunters. The percentage of the population that hunts fell below 10 percent some time ago. No one will activate into the ranks of deer hunting if they have to buy enough land, equipment, fertilizer, minerals and seed — not to mention hunting gear — to hunt deer. And deer hunting pays the bills in Wisconsin, for a lot more than non-hunters would care to pay for.
That means public land hunting for many, with adjacent farms or properties with food plots in proximity. Everyone has to admit that this describes most of the Wisconsin landscape. Baiting helps level the playing field for those hunters. Several hunters chose one or more spots in those counties versus another county because circumstances put them in a situation that baiting is the method they need to use.
Clearly this is a complicated issue. It won’t be solved here. But at least now we have a better idea on how to plan.
Without getting too in-depth, let’s all remember that there are some safety considerations to consider. Some prethinking about this, in my experience usually means hunters hunt more safely.
Good Luck to all and please remember “Safe Hunting is No Accident!”
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CHUCK K OLAR LOCAL OUTDOORSMAN
