Politicizing Deer Management

Like most sportsmen, I’m tired of sitting in a deer stand all day and not seeing any deer, said Walker.  As governor, I will name a ‘Whitetail Deer Trustee’ to monitor the health and population of the deer herd. That way, we take the politics out of the forest and put the deer back in.

Candidate Walker intoned those memorable words more than six and a half years ago and today the legislature is in charge of deer management.  Manage deer by means of sound, scientific principles?  Nope.  Manage deer with the guidance of wildlife biologists?  I don't think so - better to eliminate those positions from the Department of Natural Resources.  How about a deer management plan that involves consulting foresters?  Are you kidding? All that science makes their heads hurt.  

So much for taking the politics out of the woods.  A larger pile of steaming and stinking BS hasn't been spoken since.

Today Wisconsin has a one-size fits-all legislated deer season framework that has resulted in a dearth of deer in the northern third of the state and a surplus of deer in other parts of the state.  Door County's CDAC suggested an antlerless season might be a solution to stemming the burgeoning deer herd - but that got shot-down.  Wait...what about an earn-a-buck framework?  Maybe once every three or four years or so to bring the herd closer to goal and grow some big bucks?  Alas, the governor and legislature tell you no way.   

As a consequence there are no tools left in the deer management tool box anymore.

As for me the deer are eating me out of house and home.

All of this browse damage is enough to give me a big, damn headache and leave me pissed-off.  The good news is that my friends like deer hunting and aren't afraid to stack them up.

Sigh...