# Wisconsin bow season structure is at risk



## camoman73 (Jul 7, 2007)

Your bow season is at risk. While reading through the Conservation Congress Spring hearings questions, I came across question 57 which seeks to make the archery season an antlerless only season except for opening weekend and two weeks during the rut. Bowhunters would not be allowed to harvest a buck at any other time of the bow season if this passes. 

It is being labeled an "EAB alternative" is really an attack on bowhunters. The wording is sneaky enough not to mention the bow season which is most likely an attempt to trick unsuspecting CC voters into voting for it as an "Alternative" to EAB on the grounds of fairness. By fairness, it means that since gun hunters get an opening weekend and the 9 day season to hunt bucks that bowhunters should only get that same amount of time to harvest bucks. 

As a Bowhunter, you have more reason than ever to attend the April 13th spring hearing to vote NO to question 57. Please make sure to spread the word about this assault on the bow season. 

Here is the wording as it appears in the CC spring hearing book. 

QUESTION 57 – An EAB Alternative 

The use of the Earn-a-Buck deer season in Wisconsin has been controversial, unpopular, and seemingly unfair to many hunters since its inception. Yet, EAB has proven to be effective at reducing high deer populations. It accomplishes this by tying the ability, opportunity, and desire for harvesting a buck with the biological necessity of harvesting antlerless deer. Sadly, EAB does this on an individual hunter basis where one hunter may be able to hunt bucks for over 100 days, while another hunter may never have even one day’s chance. 

Another way of utilizing the same “ability, opportunity, and desire for harvesting a buck” would be to implement a full-length antlerless season with a shortened buck harvest period. Season opening weekends (and perhaps a two or three week rutting period) would always be open for buck harvest so everyone in the DMU has the same chance at that time for a buck every year that the program is in effect. Antlerless harvest would be spurred on during the rest of the season by the desire to return to a full-season buck hunting opportunity again. Specific time periods and trigger points for the implementation of such a management tool could be developed cooperatively with the DNR. All hunters under this system would and should be treated equally. 

In areas or DMUs of high over-goal deer populations and in an effort to provide equal buck-hunting opportunity to all hunters in those units, would you prefer the concept of shortening buck hunting opportunity by limiting the buck harvest equally for all hunters on a seasonal basis instead of limiting individual opportunity through the use of EAB?


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## gmchiryder (Dec 28, 2004)

Great, let's use the bowhunters to eliminate EAB so we have a free for all on bucks during the gun season. Even better, we'll be sneaky with the wording and never specifically mention archery, just that one guy can hunt 100 days for a buck and the other guy can't. I don't like EAB in the least however I've learned to live with it.


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## crazy4hunting (Feb 4, 2006)

i also posted this in the genral bowhunting sections. glad to see some watchfull eyes out there.


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## camoman73 (Jul 7, 2007)

*This needs to be heard.*

Please if you care about your hunting rights,and seasons let your voice be heard.A Conservation congress chairman. Wrote up this Foolish question to be voted on. I cant name him because i dont feel at liberty to do so. It is publicly available just look it up.
Thsi is the last straw. We have to knock this down NOW.


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## Joe Barbieur (Jul 31, 2002)

camoman73 I did not know that you were Ron Kulas.


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## camoman73 (Jul 7, 2007)

Im not ron kulas joe. Im john poblocki look at my infor its all there plain and clear. I know off ron,and he is a good man unlike the chairman of the cc who wrote this question thank you!


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## Joe Barbieur (Jul 31, 2002)

The reason I asked is it was Ron that wrote that letter/email, but the way it was posted it is as if you wrote it, so I thought you were Ron, I did not look at the profile.


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## camoman73 (Jul 7, 2007)

Its ok i am just spreading the word of this foolishly written attempt at attacking our bow season.


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## Chequamegon (Apr 7, 2006)

Every one needs to go to their respective county hearing and vote.

I have to say that these hearings have had a poor turn out in the past years. We go each and every year and I personally have wrote 7 resolutions. I have seen wood county go from having several hundred present to a few dozen. If we don't go the DNR won't ask our opinion. If you would like to be heard this is one of the last places you can openly speak and sway the vote of others in the room.

Eric


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## BigEves34 (May 9, 2007)

camoman73 said:


> Your bow season is at risk. While reading through the Conservation Congress Spring hearings questions, I came across question 57 which seeks to make the archery season an antlerless only season except for opening weekend and two weeks during the rut. Bowhunters would not be allowed to harvest a buck at any other time of the bow season if this passes.
> 
> It is being labeled an "EAB alternative" is really an attack on bowhunters. The wording is sneaky enough not to mention the bow season which is most likely an attempt to trick unsuspecting CC voters into voting for it as an "Alternative" to EAB on the grounds of fairness. By fairness, it means that since gun hunters get an opening weekend and the 9 day season to hunt bucks that bowhunters should only get that same amount of time to harvest bucks.
> 
> ...


Perhaps I'm not reading this correctly, but this isn't an antlerless only season... its just an EAB season. Sounds to me like they're allowing a normal buck harvest during the first week of the season (and perhaps the few weeks during the rut), and the rest of the season you'll need to harvest an anterless deer in order to hunt bucks. Am I missing it? 

Trust me guys, I'd rather not give up any part of my hunting season to another EAB restriction, but I don't think its an "anterless only" season except for those specified weeks.:set1_thinking:


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## Joe Barbieur (Jul 31, 2002)

You are cortrect..that means that ANY other time during the season you may not shoot that big buck you have been hunting unless you have shot a doe already


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## mightymac (Oct 19, 2004)

BigEves34 said:


> Trust me guys, I'd rather not give up any part of my hunting season to another EAB restriction, but I don't think its an "anterless only" season except for those specified weeks.:set1_thinking:



Translation
DNR goal = less deer than hunters will accept. since there are private land owners that disagree with DNR goals and in the current system the DNR can't kill those deer, your loving DNR will make hunting *equal* for all you *sad* hunters.

i can only shoot bucks 3 weeks out of a 4 months season??? why don't you punch me in the face!!!


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## BigEves34 (May 9, 2007)

mightymac said:


> Translation
> DNR goal = less deer than hunters will accept. since there are private land owners that disagree with DNR goals and in the current system the DNR can't kill those deer, your loving DNR will make hunting *equal* for all you *sad* hunters.
> 
> i can only shoot bucks 3 weeks out of a 4 months season??? why don't you punch me in the face!!!


If they really wanted to reduce the herd size, they should extend the seasons.... bow season into Feb, or maybe create a second gun season in Dec or something like that?

Or they could just hope that everyone is like one of my buddies back home in Wisconsin... I think he shot 5 or 6 does this past year!:shade:


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## junker (Jul 11, 2008)

i dont how bad the doe population is in wisconsin but it's gotten bad here in north ms. a customer of mine owns 1000 acres and the game warden and maybe a biologist??/ told their club they need to take 100 doe each year for 5 years just to put a dent in the problem. 

i did my part. shot does with my recurve and 4 with my 30-06......3 of those were the same day within 5 minutes of each other.

it was like a video game.. they just kept coming out


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## blueglide1 (Jun 29, 2006)

*What a bunch of BS!*

It is bad enough I had to let three bucks go by last year because I never had an oportunity to harvest a doe.On my own land!One was a twenty inside eight pt. during the rut! Now the only time I get to shoot a buck will be with a camera.Everyone has to go to the local hearings and put this away for good.Populations might be high someplace but it sure isnt where Im at in Vernon Cty.


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## mightymac (Oct 19, 2004)

in 2008 the WI DNR way over estimated the deer numbers and put too much EAB in locations that didn't have the deer numbers. 

Now according to their SAK method of counting, because we didn't kill as many deer last year we need MORE EAB this year.

there are too many deer in some areas but not enough in others that they have declared EAB areas. Instead of a stupid system like question 57, they should work on getting accurate numbers before handing doe tags out like candy.

This is the state where the DNR thinks they can eradicate CWD by killing all the deer in the south half of the state, but they're not even sure how CWD is transmitted. But i guess that is what happens when the DNR is run by politicians instead of people that really understand conservation.


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## camoman73 (Jul 7, 2007)

The doe population is dropping like a rock here ,and im right smack in the middle of The ag central here. People are shooting anything that is brown without antlers nub bucks, fawns yearlings etc... What happens when they do this? Well its simple the deer populations drops like a rock less bucks,less does, Deer do not get a chance to grow big or mate.
Now if this lasts to long end result is a VERY small deer herd in a state that is known for big whitetails. The economy in wisc falls (people dont come here for the beaches,and 5 star hotels lol) They come here to hunt ,and fish!!!!!
The damn dnr seems blind to what they are doing ,and how it will effect the people,and local business in this state. Damn fools!


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## ieatmeat (Feb 16, 2009)

ttt


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## jthibaudeau (Dec 19, 2007)

*spring hearings*

this may be a stupid qestion but how do you find out where these hearings are. i live in the pulaski area


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## mightymac (Oct 19, 2004)

jthibaudeau said:


> this may be a stupid qestion but how do you find out where these hearings are. i live in the pulaski area


view this pdf
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/nrboard/congress/spring_hearings/2009/CC-Hearing-Notice-09.pdf

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/nrboard/congress/spring_hearings/


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## twin2003 (Feb 21, 2006)

mightymac said:


> Translation
> DNR goal = less deer than hunters will accept. since there are private land owners that disagree with DNR goals and in the current system the DNR can't kill those deer, your loving DNR will make hunting *equal* for all you *sad* hunters.
> 
> i can only shoot bucks 3 weeks out of a 4 months season??? why don't you punch me in the face!!!



At least you'd get the chance. I've hunted 1200 acres of private property in Jefferson the last two years. It's EAB, i haven't seen a doe during shooting hours in two years. The 7 i have seen were crossing roads at night. 

-T


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## ieatmeat (Feb 16, 2009)

ttt


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## bluelund79 (Aug 12, 2008)

Just when I get back into bowhunting, this crud shows up. You can bet I;ll be there. Took until the late anterless season to even get to harvest a deer. Saw less then .25 deer per full day hunting this year, and yes we know where to look, and public land these days are becoming scarier...I was in too many crosshairs this year that i seeriously went back to bowhunting, and gun hunting only late season and on private land. Got 2 kids and a wife to think about...Hope this dowsn't get passed, I;d hate to waste my EAB sticker again like last year.


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## Admiral Vixen (Feb 21, 2009)

Bump


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## camoman73 (Jul 7, 2007)

The meeting i was at in sauk co went well. I made sure people understood the question ,and it seems 57 was voted into the dirt where it belongs.:wink:


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