State proposals include nonresident fee boosts, wolf count goal
The Wisconsin Legislature is winding down its 2023-24 session in Madison.
The final general floor period is scheduled March 12-14, with bills scheduled to be sent April 4 to Gov. Tony Evers, according to the Legislature’s calendar. It’s possible legislation can be advanced after that time, but the vast majority of the work will be wrapped up in the coming weeks.
The governor will have a creel full of fishing, hunting and wildlife bills on his desk.
Here is a sampling:
Nonresident hunting and fishing license fees: The Legislature may be divided on many issues this session, but charging nonresidents more to hunt and fish in Wisconsin isn’t one of them.
You may recall the costs of 15 nonresident hunting and fishing licenses were increased in the 2023-25 state budget. Assembly Bill 1036 and companion Senate Bill 993 takes a broader swath — it would increase non-resident fees for 27 hunting, fishing and trapping licenses, according to a Department of Administration review of the proposals.
They include nonresident wild turkey hunting (increase of $35), archer and crossbow deer hunting ($35 each), bonus deer permits ($11), Class A bear hunting ($63), conservation patron ($100), sports combination license ($27), ginseng harvest ($30) and sturgeon spearing ($6).
Assuming the number of licenses sold stays the same, the fee changes would result in an annual revenue increase of $780,000 for the Department of Natural Resources, according to a state fiscal analysis.
In a showing of support for the bill, on Thursday the Assembly voted 97-0 to advance it.
If signed into law as expected, the fee increases are scheduled to take effect this year.
The DNR is experiencing a structural deficit in its fish and wildlife account. Although the increased nonresident revenue will be helpful to the DNR, the Legislature at some point will have to address the most significant area of fees — resident hunting and fishing licenses. The vast majority of resident license fees haven’t been increased since 2005.
Airguns for big game: A proposal to allow airguns for big game hunting in Wisconsin has advanced with no opposition.
The measure (AB633/SB586) would allow the use of airguns in any hunting season now open to firearms. Since the equipment is now legal for small game, the biggest change would be allowing the guns for deer, black bear and elk.
If the measure becomes law, Wisconsin would join more than two dozen other states that allow airguns for big game hunting, said Mitch King, president of the Airgun Sporting Association, a trade group promoting expanded use of airguns across the nation.
The bill was advanced on unanimous votes from both Assembly and Senate committees.
The lack of opposition is largely due to language in the bill that narrowed it to
“seasons now open to firearms.”
Previous proposals considered in Wisconsin might have allowed air-propelled arrows or bolts to be used during the state’s bow seasons. Such “airbow” technology has been opposed by the Wisconsin Bowhunters Association. Gov. Evers is expected to sign the bill. Wolf population goal: The Legislature advanced a measure (AB137/SB139) that would require the DNR to set a numerical goal for the state’s gray wolf population.
The state’s wolf management plan, approved in October by the Natural Resources Board, uses an “adaptive” approach and doesn’t specify a population goal. Instead it would likely keep the wolf population in a range close to the current number, or between 800 and 1,200 wolves, according to the DNR.
Republicans who sponsored the bill would prefer to have a specific — and likely lower —number set as the target.
However AB137/SB139 doesn’t state a population goal. It would leave that up to the DNR.
Votes on the proposal in the Legislature were split largely along party lines with Republicans in favor and Democrats against. Many agricultural and hunting groups favor the bill, while the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and many conservation and environmental organizations oppose it.
Gov. Evers is likely to veto it. Antlerless deer hunting in northern Wisconsin: A bill (AB1030/SB965) that seeks to increase the white-tailed deer herd in northern Wisconsin has advanced quickly through the Legislature in recent weeks.
The proposal would prohibit hunters for the next four years from shooting antlerless deer in the state’s northern forest management region. The area covers all or part of 20 counties.
It would also prohibit the DNR from holding antlerless-only deer hunting seasons and issuing antlerless deer harvest authorizations in the region.
An exception would be made for youth hunters during the youth deer hunting season.
And all hunters could continue to shoot bucks in the region.
The measure has advanced largely along party lines, with Republicans in favor.
Since the state’s County Deer Advisory Council system is already in place and charged each year with recommending antlerless permit levels, the governor is expected to veto the bill.
For more information on all legislation, visit legis.wisconsin.gov.