Stevens Point Hosts The DNR's Final Public Hearing On Deer Hunting Season

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Posted: 8:23 AM Nov 4, 2009 Stevens Point Hosts The DNR's Final Public Hearing On Deer Hunting Season It's an issue that has a lot of hunters talking. Nearly 150 hunters showed up in Stevens Point Tuesday night to weigh in on a proposal to make next year's gun-deer season longer. Reporter: Margo Spann Email Address: margo.spann@wsaw.com

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It's an issue that has a lot of hunters talking. Nearly 150 hunters showed up in Stevens Point Tuesday night to weigh in on a proposal to make next year's gun-deer season longer.

At the public hearing, the DNR has proposed extending the gun-deer season from 9 days to 16 days as a way to help control the herd, but not everyone's in favor of it.

Hunters were able to speak face to face with officials from the DNR about that issue at a Public Hearing. Bow hunters say extending the gun-deer season would cut into their season. Many of the hunters said the deer population doesn't need trimming, because there aren't as many as in the past.

Keith Warnke, a Big Game Ecologist for the DNR says a committee will take all of these comments into consideration before any changes are made.

"These comments will go back get summarized and we'll develop a proposal to take to the Natural Resources Board to recommend if any changes they'll make to the hunt."

Warnke says the DNR board will make a final decision at their meeting in December. If the proposal passes it will take effect April 1, 2010. You have until November 5th to leave your comments on their website. The link is listed below.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Northwoods on Nov 4, 2009 at 02:35 PM

If the deer hunting season is limited to one week, why can't the bow hunting season be limited to the same time frame. I do not feel any safer with the bow hunters than I do gun hunters. When is the last time you saw a hunter hunting for the sole reason to feed his family? 1 percent of the hunter maybe, the rest are just murdering predators (at least the wolves eat them for their existence, not personal pride and bragging rights).

Posted by: Amy Location: Merrill on Nov 4, 2009 at 01:06 PM

My family lives in the country to enjoy nature. We love to be outside all the time, except of course, deer hunting season. We become prisoners on our own property because of the bullets flying on all sides of our land. My children cannot play in our yard, though we are cushioned by 40 acres of woods. We are subject to gruesome photos and stories on the news, dead and bleeding deer are hauled in abusive fashions on hunters' trucks and trunks everywhere you drive. There is no escaping the brutality that goes on every year in this state that is otherwise beautiful. How do I explain to my young children that the once beautiful creatures that we quietly adore when we get a glimpse of them on our safe haven, are now lifeless and strewn across someone's vehicle. In this day and age it is barbaric. For the DNR to extend the gun season is appalling. For those of us who are non-hunters, just nature lovers, the season of death on our doorstep is already nine days too long.

Posted by: Kathy Location: Almons on Nov 4, 2009 at 12:30 PM

I am the secretary of our local snowmobile club and see no reason to extend the deer hunt. This will only shorten the snowmobile season more then it is already. This will reduce the spending at local businesses that rely on the income that snowmobiles bring in. With the economy the way it is, some of these places are waiting for the needed income the winter season brings in. I also am a hunter and have not seen nearly as many deer in the past 5 years since the cwd was in our area at a deer farm. The deer were killed in the surrounding area and it has depleted the heard. Why extend the hunt when the deer heard seems to be lower than ever in our area.

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