Conservation Congress Supports a County-Based DMU System
Madison – The Executive Committee of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress recently endorsed the recommendation of the Congress Deer and Elk committee to use county boundaries for deer management in the future. The decision stems from the work of the Deer Trustee Report Action Team in a recently-released Implementation Proposal for Deer Trustee Recommendations.
Committee member Larry Bonde said establishing Deer Management Units on the county level is consistent with the deer trustee recommendation for the creation of a Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). “DMAP is a central element of the deer trustee recommendations,” said Bonde. “Everything else either is or will be done at the county level; GIS systems, damage abatement efforts and local biologist and forester involvement.”
“This aligns with the DMAP effort,” said WCC Chair Rob Bohmann of Racine, “as well as the Conservation Congress model. A county-based system will allow citizens, at the local level to help make decisions on the management of the herd. And the Conservation Congress’ county delegates can play a central role in facilitating the public input in the management of the deer herd.”
According to the action team report, the objectives of DMAP include: 1) improve relationships between hunters, landowners and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; 2) provide a means for site-specific management of antlerless deer; and, 3) provide a data base for site-specific management that can also be used to supplement data bases for management decisions at the DMU and state levels.
“I encourage anyone who cares about the management of Wisconsin’s deer herd to attend one of the hearings and provide input on the proposed rule package. This is your opportunity to be heard,” stated Bonde. The Department of Natural Resources will be holding 35 public hearings throughout the state beginning October 22 to discuss the Deer Trustee proposed rule package. One of the options recommended by the rule package includes using county boundaries for Deer Management Units moving forward.
“The Conservation Congress expects to be directly involved in the implementation of the deer trustee recommendations at all levels,” Bohmann concluded.