State Political Leaders Address Hunters’ Rights Coalition

January 12, 2009

Wisconsin sportsmen representing a broad cross-section of state hunters and trappers gathered recently at the second annual Hunters’ Rights Summit. The summit was sponsored by the Hunters’ Rights Coalition, hosted by the State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The coalition met to set priorities for the upcoming legislative session and to hear from a number of state political leaders.

Appearing before those gathered at the summit were DNR Secretary Matt Frank, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, Senator Jim Holperin, Representative Scott Gunderson, and Representative Ann Hraychuck. The speakers covered a number of topics ranging from youth hunting, to stewardship, to the status of the deer population.

Conference attendees included representatives from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Safari Club International, the Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association, the NRA, the United States Sportsmen’s Alliance, WI Force, Conservation Congress, Wisconsin Trappers Association, the Wisconsin Waterfowlers Association, as well as individual sportsmen and women.

Secretary Frank laid out a number of accomplishments achieved in the past 18 months including the passage of the Great Lakes Compact, a new mercury rule, and progress on fighting invasive species.

Frank thanked sportsmen for our help in reauthorization of the state stewardship program and promised progress would continue to be made on writing the rules to implement the new requirement that state purchased land be open for hunting and trapping.

“Hunters are sitting down with land trusts, mayors, hikers, cross country skiers and others to make this program work for everybody,” Frank said.

Frank went on to address a number of specific game issues facing the department. Frank praised the Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association for their leadership in the recently concluded bear population study. Frank said this study will cause the department to adjust permit numbers upwards. “We were severely undercounting bear,” Frank said. Now that the study is done, “we’re pleased to say we’re comfortable with putting more bear permits out there,”

Frank expressed the department’s displeasure with the federal judges decision to re-list wolves as endangered species. Frank is pledging to have his department seek a new federal permit to allow them to manage wolves but admits it would not be as good as federal de-listing.

There is also hope on getting the federal government to re-visit the decision to close many roads in the Nicolet and Chequamagon National Forests. US Forest Service representatives have admitted the input process on the closures was flawed. “We’re doing catch-up but the door is open,” according to Frank.

Frank then turned to deer management. “A CWD 10-year draft plan is out there and we want your input,” Frank said, “because we need to think and re-think how we approach this disease over the next 10 years. “ Frank reiterated his support for a ban on baiting and feeding of deer and his opposition to a similar ban on bear baiting.

“A lot of people didn’t see deer this year,” Frank said, “and we’ve gotten a lot of calls and emails since the November hunt. Frank acknowledges the department underestimated the impact of last winter’s weather on fawn production.

Van Hollen discussed his involvement in the wolf de-listing lawsuit. Van Hollen is disappointed that the case was thrown out on what he calls, “Very shaky ground.”

“We didn’t see nearly as many deer this year at our camp and throughout the north,” Van Hollen said, “and I believe the number one reason for this is the number of deer being killed by wolves.”

Van Hollen turned to gun ownership. “I believe it is only a matter of time until we have the right to conceal carry,” Van Hollen said. “We all know Governor Doyle is against it but at some point we will have a Governor who will sign the bill.” Van Hollen maintains there is no evidence that conceal carry poses any threat to public health and safety.

Representative Ann Hraychuck is the newly appointed Chair of the Assembly Committee on Fish and Wildlife. She will continue to work to pass youth mentoring legislation. “We need to do everything we can to get legislators to know how important this is,” said Hraychuck. “We have to get kids into the woods by the time they are 10 years old.”

Hraychuck also supports legislation to turn appointment of the DNR Secretary over to the Natural Resources Board. Currently the Secretary is a political appointment made by the Governor. “This appointment should not be political – our resources are too precious to be subject to politics,” Hraychuck said.

Representative Gunderson has led the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee for the past number of years. With the new Democrat control of the Assembly, Representative Gunderson no longer holds this post but is the key Republican point person on hunting and fishing issues.

Gunderson said he is “very comfortable” with the committee being led by Representative Hraychuck and agreed with her assertion that advocating for sportsmen had to take precedence over partisan politics.

The “out of control” wolf population was the focus of Gunderson’s remarks. “If anyone thinks that projected wolf number is right – they are wrong,” Gunderson said. Gunderson said we need to continue to work to be able to get the wolf population under control.

Gunderson believes much of the problem is that the DNR people in Madison often do not listen to sportsmen out in the field or to their own DNR people who are out in the field. Gunderson agreed with other speakers who believe the deer numbers just are not there. “If we want kids to be involved in hunting, it’s tough when kids sit out there for a week and don’t see a deer,” Gunderson said.

Jim Holperin is the newest member of the State Senate but is no stranger to the Madison scene. Holperin served in the Assembly from 1983 to 1994 and served as Secretary of Tourism under Governor Jim Doyle.

Holperin is the new chair of the senate committee that will oversee hunting, fishing, and trapping legislation. Holperin also stressed the importance of keeping partisan politics away from sportsmen issues and that many issues are all intertwined.

“I believe that if we have more hunters and better hunting ethics then we’ll have more support for more public land and more support for proper forest management. If that happens we have more tourism and a stronger economy. I believe all these issues intertwine. That’s why I look forward to supporting your legislative agenda this session.”

Sexton is Vice President of Government Affairs for the United States Sportsmen’s Alliance and presented an outlook of issues that may be coming to Wisconsin. “Often what visits other states eventually visits Wisconsin,” Sexton said. “The organizations that seek to bring hunting to a screeching halt are getting better and more organized.”

One bill Sexton predicts will be forthcoming will be legislation regarding puppy mills that will go far beyond the regulation needed to address the problem of puppy mills. Sexton predicts the cure will go well beyond what is needed to actually fix the problem.

“If you think we have the right to hunt and don’t need to go to Madison to fight for those rights, you’re going to get smoked,” Sexton predicted. “You have to weigh in and get your hands dirty.”

“The future of hunting depends on getting young people involved in hunting,” Sexton said referring to the need for youth mentored hunting legislation. “Folks, even New York passed this law.” Sexton notes that Wisconsin is the only big hunting state left that does not provide for youth mentored hunting. Passage of youth mentored hunting will be the USSA’s number one Wisconsin priority this session.

Jordan Austin covers Wisconsin for the National Rifle Association. Austin acknowledged the new administration in Washington DC will not be friendly on gun rights. Austin said it is his hope, however, that national economic issues will dominate the Obama administration’s agenda and any efforts to curb gun rights will take a back seat.

Austin described the effort by gun control advocates to enact a “back door” form of gun control by requiring all ammunition be stamped with a serial number. According to Austin, the legislation would make all existing ammunition that people own illegal after a certain grace period.

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