Mailbag: Wireman: Guns, Gun Meeting, DNR and More

MORE ON HUNTING IN PARKS? I SAW A NOTICE THAT THE GOVERNOR'S STATE TRAILS COUNCIL IS MEETING MONDAY ON TRAIL ISSUES AND THE NEW LAW ALLOWING AND EXPANSION OF HUNTING IN PARKS. IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND YOU SHOULD E-MAIL JOSEPHEC.WARREN@WISCONSIN.GOV TODAY (IE BY JAN. 11) I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH BUT DIDN'T FIND OUT MUCH OTHER THAN THIS GROUP MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO DNR. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT GUNS IN PARKS OR OTHER TRAIL ISSUES MIGHT WANT TO GO. IF ANYONE KNOWS ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP AND I'LL PASS THE INFORMATION ON. AGENDA BELOW. AFTER NEXT COMMENTS SOME WEEKS AGO I DID ATTEND THE DNR HEARINGS ON HUNTING IN PARKS. WAITED FOUR HOURS TO TESTIFY AND THEY WERE ONLY HALF THROUGH THE 60 PERSON LIST. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, LIKE ME TESTIFIED ON THE GENERAL ISSUE, OTHER'S MADE VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ON SPECIFIC PARKS. AS MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW OPENING THE STATE PARKS TO HUNTING 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR BUT GAVE THE DNR AUTHORITY TO SET REGULATIONS BASED ON SAFETY. THE DNR ORIGINALLY SAID SEVEN MONTHS (OCT 15 TO MEMORIAL DAY) BUT AFTER HEARINGS AROUND THE STATE AND THE ONE IN MADISON AND 2,000 LETTERS 90% OPPOSING, CUT IT TO THE MONTHS OF DEC. AND APRIL. SO WE WON ONE. I JUST HOPE THE TRAILS GROUP DOESN'T UNDO EVERYTHING. THESE WERE THE QUESTIONS I ASKED THE DNR 1. How far will the bullets from the guns permitted go if someone misses? (IT CAN BE A MILE) 2. What will a trap do to a child’s leg or arm? 3. According to a New York State web site, hunters wearing orange are seven times less likely to be shot than those not wear orange. Are you going to urge all park users to wear orange? 4. How do you plan to keep teenage couples from wandering more than 100 yards from a trail to find a secluded place to make out? THEY LAUGHED BUT I RESPONDED THAT THESE WERE SERIOUS QUESTIONS THE 100 YARDS WAS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISTANCE FOR HUNTING FROM TRAILS, CAMPSITES ETC. 5. How do you plan to keep 12 year-old boys from going more than 100 yards from a trail in search of firewood? MONDAY TRAILS MEETINGS Meeting Agenda Monday, January 14, 2013 Teleconference Room 613, GEF 2 Building, 101 S. Webster Street, Madison, WI Rhinelander DNR Service Center, 107 Sutliff Ave., Rhinelander, WI 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. TIME PRESENTER ITEMS & TYPE 10:00 a.m. Robbie Webber, Chair Welcome and introductions 10:05 a.m. Robbie Webber Agenda review/repair and approval of November meeting minutes 10:10 a.m. Robbie Webber Chair report (general updates, housekeeping) 10:15 a.m. WiDNR Bureau of Parks and Recreation DNR report: Hunting in state parks update, master plans update 10:45 a.m. State Trails Council Members STC member reports: Each council member has an opportunity to update the STC and share information 11:30 a.m. Robbie Webber Review of STC member appointments and terms 11:35 a.m. Robbie Webber Discussion/review of trends/trail uses and STC representation 11:40 a.m. Tim Parsons, WiDNR Financial Assistance Specialist, RTP Grant Manager Recreational Trails Program (RTP) update, changes to Wisconsin RTP ranging criteria 11:50 a.m. Public comment 12:00 p.m. Adjourn ©2013 Wireman & Associates | 4001 Monona Dr, Madison WI 53717