The Deer & Elk Committee of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress holds

Today's meeting focused on the impact of CWD, or Chronic Wasting Disease, on the deer population and how the spread can be limited. Any and all changes must come from the DNR Board. The disease takes years to manifest itself and answers take years to find. Riggle said that the easiest method to slow the spread is to outlaw feeding and baiting in the areas where we don't have CWD. Motion by Brown to table, no second. Motion by Grabski to reject, Second by Yingst. Carried.

Kevin Wallenfang updated information on the 2015 deer season. The attendance for opening weekend was 110,962. 309,000 people registered electronically. Regarding registration, 95% of errors were corrected. 612,137 gun licenses were sold for the 2015 season. There were 41,000 first time hunters and the number of female hunters has increased. There were 8 incidents, a rate of 1.31 per 100,000 hunters. Bow kill came to a total of 87,098. Gun totals were 99,757 buck and 158,247 antlerless.

The population of wildlife was reported with ways to maintain and grow them throughout the state. 39 elk were released in Jackson County in 2016 with no mortality. 73 total elk were released in Jackson Co. in a two year span. Their population for 2016 is in the mid 60's. There have been discussions to put moose on the endangered list in Wisconsin. WI does not have a season for moose, who are merely accidental in this state, so putting them on the list would do no good for the moose.

Mark Noll recommended that Central or Southern farmland zones should have an anterless-only season running during all other deer seasons. This comes after the CDAC's lack of success regarding decreasing the anterless herd populations. Issues involve hunting on private property. Hunters should not be held responsible for the overpopulation of anterless deer.

Kevin Wallenfang reviewed what occurred during the last hunting season. 29% increase in female hunters last season. Overall, bow hunting is becoming more popular while gun popularity is decreasing. As for electronic registration, there was 90% compliance. The prediction for future seasons include a rise in deer kills due to upcoming mild winters. There is a new deer metrics web page on the DNR website to be promoted.