| Wisconsin’s hunting legacy runs deep. Everyone has a say about the deer herd in Wisconsin and the DNR wants to hear from you. In light of COVID-19, the Department of Natural Resources will use a call-in format for this spring’s County Deer Advisory Council meetings instead of in-person meetings. Meeting dates and times have not changed, and meetings remain open to the public.
What you need to know:
- Between March 30 and April 9, each county will host a call-in meeting talking about harvest goals for 2020. Anyone interested in listening to their county’s call can join the meeting by phone from the comfort of home. You can also look up call-in details and start times by county.
- Presentations by DNR wildlife biologists normally given in-person at these meetings will be available at dnr.wi.gov, keyword “CDAC” by March 27.
- The agenda for each county meeting will include the development of antlerless harvest goals and season framework recommendations for the 2020 deer season to achieve each county’s deer population objective. Options under discussion include the antlerless deer harvest quota and various season framework options such as offering the holiday hunt or extended archery/crossbow seasons.
- All council call-in meetings are open to the public. Due to the facilitation limitations of call-in meetings, public comments will not be taken on the call. Instead, anyone wishing to provide feedback will be asked to do so using the online public input form available on the DNR website from April 16-29.
- After meetings conclude, meeting summaries with preliminary recommendations will also be posted on the DNR website.
A second round of meetings will take place in May, during which council members will review public comments and make final recommendations for the 2020 deer season. No meetings will be held in person for as long as the public health emergency lasts. The decision to host May’s meetings in-person or by phone will be made closer to the date.
The DNR will review final County Deer Advisory Council recommendations following the May meetings and provide recommendations to the Natural Resources Board for approval in June. Questions about this updated process can be sent via email to DNRCDACWebMail@wisconsin.gov. |
