Wis. citizens mobilizing against new law allowing hunting, trapping in state parks
Enthusiasts of safe and silent recreation on state land in Wisconsin are mobilizing against Act 168, a new law that will open nearly all state parks and trails to hunting and trapping from October 15 through the Thursday before Memorial Day, starting January 1, 2013.
Hunting and trapping will be prohibited within 100 yards of "designated use areas," such as campgrounds and beaches and the Ice Age Trail, but many trails enjoyed by hikers, cross-country skiers and mountain bikers will not be off limits to hunters during the extended seven-month hunting season.
Hunting and trapping plan for Wis. parks cut back by NRB
Frequent Silent Sports contributer Mike McFadzen sent the following in response to the December 11 decision by the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board to scale back a plan by the DNR to open state parks and trails between October 15 and the Thursday before Memorial as called for in Act 168, the Sporting Heritage bill, signed into law this past spring. The plan sparked outrage from thousands of citizens, some of which took three hours to tesitfy at the meeting.
The NRB voted unanimously to only allow hunting and trapping in WI parks from November 15 to December 15, with limited April hunting and some expanded bow hunting. The measure passed on a 7-0 vote Tuesday evening. This represents a huge win for traditional park users who campaigned against a massive hunting/trapping season from October 15 to Memorial Day.