The public is being asked to weigh in on changes they would like to see made to deer management policies in the state. Saturday the DNR held the first of seven public meetings set to develop deer trustee report implementation plans.
Back in February, Governor Walker announced four general deer management initiatives funded in the 2013 state budget, including establishing a deer management assistance program, investing in updated technology, funding CWD testing and surveillance and developing emergency rules. During Saturday's meeting, four public action teams were established to help moves these ideas from recommendations to implementations. This means come deer season 2014 changes to deer management could effect the way you hunt.
"There could be some pretty significant impacts. Different seasons, different permit availability, maybe changing some seasons we currently have and eliminating them, and potentially there could be some recommendations to add," DNR Trustee Report Coordinator Eric Lobner told NewsChannel 7.
There is still time to get involved in one of these action groups. The next meeting between members of the public and the DNR is scheduled for April 6th, 2013. They will meet at UW-Stevens Point's Lee S. Dreyfus University Center in the Alumni Room (350).
Final implementation strategies will be completed in late July.
