# Keep forest preserves free of recreational hunters



## Tim4Trout (Jul 10, 2003)

Keep forest preserves free of recreational hunters

Hunting is a perfectly legitimate activity. But it is not compatible with the mission of the forest preserves — existing as tranquil retreats that everyone can enjoy.

Winnebago County Board members need to keep that in mind as they fight off the latest proposal to open the preserves to hunting.

This issue won’t die. Board member Randy Olson has a plan that would permit recreational hunting in the preserves for the first time. People could hunt with firearms or arrows, and they could hunt deer as well as turkeys, rabbits, squirrels, woodchucks and other wildlife. The board has never voted on the issue, although it has come up regularly since 2003.

THERE’S A NEW twist this year. In 2003 and 2004, hunters said they wanted to help reduce the deer herd, which has been destructive in some of the district’s 39 preserves. Now, Olson has expanded the proposal to cover hunting other animals and hunting nearly year-round. The proposal could go to the Forest Preserve Committee on Jan. 11 and to the full board a day later.

Olson’s tactic is as obvious as a 300-pound hunter in blaze orange. Ask for more than you are likely to get and settle for what you really wanted in the first place. Olson, however, says all he wants is “final closure” for hunters and he is not looking for any compromises.

He’s not likely to get them.

Scott Christiansen, the County Board chairman, is against hunting in the preserves. The board’s highest ranking Republican says there’s no more than six of 28 votes on the board to support the idea. “I wouldn’t want to live in a subdivision near a forest preserve and have hunters out there. It would scare me to death,” Majority Leader Tim Simms, R-14, said.

Besides, the forest preserve is handling the deer problem fine all by itself — without the help of an armed citizenry.

This year, as in 2004, staff members who were trained in sharpshooting went into the preserves most trampled by deer and culled the herd. Some preserves still are above state recommendations for deer per square mile. But the numbers are going the right way. The wildlife management plan is working.

NO DOUBT THE rampaging deer put a wrench in the ecosystem. They eat shrubs and small bushes. They munch native wildflowers before people can even see their blooms. They destroy habitats for other animals and plants. They can be a menace on the roads, darting in front of traffic and causing accidents. They are gentle and beautiful and destructive.

The county has their number. Tom Kalousek, the forest preserve district director, has managed the deer population professionally and safely, without bending to pressure to involve the public. The sharpshooting is done primarily at night, by employees tested and certified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

THE PROBLEM is being solved and it isn’t costing taxpayers extra. So what’s the problem, you might ask.

The public is asking the same thing. In a recent county poll of 754 residents, nearly 65 percent didn’t want the county to use its resources to permit recreational hunting.

This month the forest preserve district decided not to pursue a referendum to acquire land to preserve open space. It would have been the first time voters were asked to pay higher property taxes to help buy 11,700 acres of environmentally sensitive land. To set aside areas before they are snatched up by developers.

As this area grows, land becomes more expensive. If green space is a value — and it should be — we should act now before the price becomes too high.

Instead of debating that worthy topic, here we go again, asking the perennial question in the preserves: To hunt or not to hunt.

Don’t hunt. And let’s move on. 


http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051230/OPINION03/112300012


http://www.co.winnebago.il.us/


http://www.wcfpd.org/Preserves/


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## doctariAFC (Aug 25, 2005)

Tim4Trout said:


> Keep forest preserves free of recreational hunters
> 
> Hunting is a perfectly legitimate activity. But it is not compatible with the mission of the forest preserves — existing as tranquil retreats that everyone can enjoy.
> 
> ...


Who is the idiot who wrote this article? I'd like to know. I noticed the writer did not have the courage to put their name on it!


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## Tim4Trout (Jul 10, 2003)

I found this forum associated with the website and editorial


http://cf.rrstar.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=6497


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## doctariAFC (Aug 25, 2005)

Tim4Trout said:


> I found this forum associated with the website and editorial
> 
> 
> http://cf.rrstar.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=6497


Thanks much! I just posted a comment...


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## doctariAFC (Aug 25, 2005)

New debate raging, Tim4Trout, on that discussion area you sent onto me. Check it out. heeheehee :devil:


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## stew (Jun 15, 2005)

Communities through out the country are having the exact same debate. People are opposed to hunters in the suburbs. They act as though we are a plague and it is uncivilized to hunt in the presious yuppie communities. That will all change when people get fed up with the deer damaging their BMW's.


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## doctariAFC (Aug 25, 2005)

stew said:


> Communities through out the country are having the exact same debate. People are opposed to hunters in the suburbs. They act as though we are a plague and it is uncivilized to hunt in the presious yuppie communities. That will all change when people get fed up with the deer damaging their BMW's.


The debate is raging! Also, I have a new poll up on WeLoveOutdoors.com, addressing such an issue. Check it out, and vote

www.weloveoutdoors.com


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## Northforker (Oct 11, 2004)

Quote frrom article:

"THE PROBLEM is being solved and it isn’t costing taxpayers extra. So what’s the problem, you might ask."

Actually, unless those sharpshpooters are buying tags for every one of those deer it IS costing taxpayers extra.

Unless those deer are being processed and donated to FHFH or orphanages or homeless shelters or churches it IS costing taxpayers and citizens that donate to worthy causes EXTRA.

This guy needs to take ECON 101.


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## Tim4Trout (Jul 10, 2003)

Unfortunately it was voted down


http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060112/NEWS0110/101120034/1004/NEWS


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