Meeting planned in Manawa
Waupaca County’s County Deer Advisory Council has scheduled a January meeting in Manawa.
The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Little Wolf Junior/Senior High School.
The agenda includes recommendations for responding to chronic wasting disease statewide and on a local level.
Each council will review information regarding CWD and discuss the state Department of Natural Resources’ 15-year Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan. The plan guides the department’s approach to addressing CWD in Wisconsin.
The DNR, state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Conservation Congress and stakeholder-based CWD plan review committee are currently reviewing the plan.
“Each council will use current CWD data, preliminary recommendations from the review committee and online public feedback to submit recommendations on action items in the plan,” DNR deer and elk biologist Kevin Wallenfang said. “The response plan covers topics including CWD surveillance and monitoring, hunting season tools, captive cervid regulations, biosecurity and safety, research and public involvement.”
To help council members gather public feedback prior to the meetings, an online public input form survey is available on the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov. Additional public comments will be accepted at each January CDAC meeting.
Final CWD response plan recommendations will be presented to the state Natural Resources Board in March 2017.
CDACs provide input and recommendations to the DNR on deer management within their county. They also work with local DNR staff to schedule meetings; provide community outreach; offer an opportunity for public input; review population data and deer impacts on forests and agriculture; develop three-year recommendations on county population objectives; and create annual antlerless harvest quotas.
Waupaca County’s CDAC made headlines in March after voting 6-0 in favor of antlerless-only bow and gun deer seasons in 2016 as a way to control the local deer herd population.
The council overturned that recommendation a month later after more than 500 people showed up for the council’s next meeting at Waupaca High School.
According the DNR, current council members include Douglas Korth, Benjamin Knaack, Lance Penney, David Lindenstruth, Arlyn Splitt, Robert Knorr, Mike Schuessler, Mark Schraufnagel, Jacob Fries, Brian Haase and William Krostue.