Posted: 01.06.2010

Legislators have kicked proposed deer
population goals back to state conservation officials, demanding
they address hunters' concerns about a dwindling herd.

Hunters killed 29 percent fewer deer in November than last year.
They claim the DNR's herd reduction strategies have devastated the
deer population.

The Department of Natural Resources has proposed a rule that
sets population goals across the state's 131 deer management zones
for at least the next three years. The agency wants to raise the
goal in 13 zones. But the Assembly Fish and Wildlife Committee sent the plan back
to the agency Tuesday.

Rep. Ann Hraychuck, a Balsam Lake Democrat, says the committee
wants DNR officials to address what lawmakers see as a flawed
population counting system and acknowledge they're listening to
hunters.

Keith Warnke, a DNR big game ecologist, says the agency will
work with legislators.

 

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