Deer farm ban urged at Sawyer County hearing

The local resolution, introduced by Rick Olson of Winter states that fenced deer enclosures are a “major threat” to the state’s wild deer herd because deer escape them and expose wild deer to CWD. Deer fences fail because storms cause trees to fall on fences, or because gates are left open. Also, openings in and under fences permit nose-to-nose contact between captive and wild deer.

The resolution says the DNR and Legislature “have not taken adequate action to prevent these escapes.”

Olson also introduced another resolution that would require double fencing for all captive deer and elk (cervid) enclosures, and would impose a “substantial penalty” for each time that deer or elk escape these enclosures. He added that captive deer are “trucked all over the country with very little control on their movement.”

Olson said that when hunters use deer urine scent to lure deer, “there are prions” in that substance.

DNR wildlife biologist Laine Stowell said there are four deer farms in Sawyer County. “We’ve had escapes from two of those” operations, he said.

At Monday’s meeting, the County Deer Advisory Committee (CDAC) presented its preliminary recommendation that there be a zero quota for antlerless deer in this fall’s deer hunting seasons, and that junior hunters age 12 to 17 receive no tags to shoot an antlerless deer this fall.

The CDAC is slated to meet at 6 p.m. Monday, April 18, at the Hayward DNR Service Center to finalize its recommendation.

CDAC Chairman Rick Olson said the main reason for recommending a bucks-only season is “We have very few predator controls, and no control over wolf numbers — which is a federal issue. Control over coyotes is very hard.”

Olson said Sawyer County delegates recommended increasing the bear hunt quota, and looked at increasing the bobcat quota, and having “coyote round-up days.” It’s legal to shoot coyotes year-round.

Also up for a vote Monday night was a proposal to shorten the process for changing fishery rules on local waters, to allow more flexibility for changing conditions. The fishery biologist could use a local public notice and hearing process.

“We need to keep the pressure on (for change in the current rules process), because there’s still too much top-down control,” said former Sawyer County fishery biologist Frank Pratt.

Conservation Congress elections

Meeting attendees elected Douglas Kurtzweil of Hayward to a three-year term on the Conservation Congress to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Al Gerber. They re-elected Art Malin of Stone Lake to a two-year term on the Congress. The other Sawyer County delegates are Dan Tyrolt of Hayward, Rick Olson of Winter and Pratt.

A Conservation Congress advisory question at Monday’s hearing proposes to shorten the process for changing fishing rules on local water bodies by using a local notice and hearing process instead of the spring hearings.

Another resolution urges that the power be returned to the Natural Resources Board to appoint the state DNR secretary rather than have the governor appoint the secretary.

Another resolution would eliminate the “artificial bait only” from regular season trout regulations.

Another resolution urges repeal of the 2013 law that loosened state regulations for opening an iron mine. Pratt urged that the state return to its former “extremely restrictive standards” for opening a mine in the interest of environmental protection.

Another resolution at Monday’s hearing would place a moratorium on new state permits for “frac sand” mining and processing. The sand is used for extracting oil and natural gas from deep rock formations. Recently several frac sand operations in western Wisconsin have closed due to low oil prices that reduced the demand for sand.

Another resolution voted on at Monday’s hearing would ban lead from sporting ammunition and fishing tackle. “Not only do we need to get the lead out, we’re capable of doing it,” Pratt said.

Brenda Dettloff of Hayward said just one piece of lead shot can kill a loon, and “it’s a horrible death. We should get the lead out.”

An audience member said lead ingestion kills many bald eagles and trumpeter swans. He said he uses copper bullets in his muzzleloader rifle.

Dave Neuswanger of Hayward said that instead of requiring nontoxic materials in fishing tackle under one-half ounce, the state should ban retail sales of lead ammo and tackle, and work with other states to ban lead nationwide “just like lead was banned in gasoline and paint.”

Another question on Monday’s ballot asked if people favor legislation that would require at least two of the three senior DNR managers (secretary, deputy secretary and assistant deputy secretary) to have either an educational degree in

natural resource management and five years of applied natural resource

management or 10 years of applied natural resource management before

they are appointed.