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Hunter Nation Wisconsin State Update - Spring 2024

The last few months have been busy with listening sessions, testifying in Madison for hunters’ rights, attending sporting group meetings and hosting live events. Hunter Nation Wisconsin recently held two Wolf War II events with local legislators, our members, and the hunting community. While predator management is at the forefront of what we are currently engaged in, this was an open forum opportunity to discuss predators, our whitetail deer herd and all wildlife management needs in our state with elected officials.

These events are your opportunity to hear about our predator management plan and join our growing grass roots Wisconsin chapter.

Chris Vaughan
Hunter Nation Wisconsin State Director
[email protected]

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Congressman Tom Tiffany and Representative Chanz Green from Assembly District 74 were on hand. We had a strong turnout and were able to live stream the meeting to an additional 2,200+ viewers.

Next Listening Session Event

I am excited to announce our next event which will be held on Tuesday April 16th in Park Falls at the American Legion Hall Post 182 at 6pm.   This will be another opportunity to discuss predators, whitetails, turkey, and all wildlife management opportunities in our state. Elected state legislators will be in attendance as well.

Mark your calendar now and get there early as it will be packed!

Date: April 16, 2024 (Tuesday)
Time: 6 PM to 10 PM
Location: American Legion Hall - Post 182

Address: 274 N 3rd Ave, Park Falls, WI 54552

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These events are important as we continue our work for you as the United Voice of the Wisconsin Hunter

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In March, we had the honor of again being a part of the 60th Annual Wisconsin Bear Hunter’s Association (WBHA) annual convention.

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This annual event brings together a group committed to protecting bear hunting rights, promoting youth hunting, and supporting conservation here in Wisconsin. Hunter Nation is proud to work closely & partner with the Wisconsin bear hunters – Thank You!

Hunter Nation is at the forefront of predator management. We support the removal of a federal delisting of wolves to place them in the management of the state and hold the WI DNR responsible to set not only a numeric population goal, but a harvest quota as well.

Our plan is simple, but not easy. We need to unite and be vocal. We will continue to work to get Congress to pass H.R. 764 - Trust the Science Act that was introduced by Wisconsin Representative Tom Tiffany and Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert. This bill will legislatively delist the gray wolf in the lower 48 states with NO JUDICIAL REVIEW. Thus, eliminating the Left’s use of liberal judges to block sound wildlife management.

Hunter Nation Founder Keith Mark, Rep. Tom Tiffany & Hunter Nation Chairman of the Board Rock Bordelon meeting in Wisconsin

While we continue to fight for a federal delisting of wolves and placing them in the states control, an important piece to follow is the lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity which now requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to draft a new recovery plan for gray wolves within the next two year.

Hunter Nation denounces the Biden administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for their decision to make no change to the gray wolf’s status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced their decision to make no change in the wolf’s status, at least until September 2025, they stated their decision was based, in part, by the fact that the debate over the management of wolves has included more than two decades of litigation where courts have invalidated five out of six rules finalized by the USFWS on the gray wolf status.

“The time has come to stand up to the well-funded, bully, animal rights groups who have used the courts to keep the gray wolf on the Endangered Species List even though their populations have long since and far exceeded every population goal that was previously agreed upon to trigger delisting. Instead of celebrating the wolf recovery as the tremendous conservation success that has occurred, these anti-hunting groups have used the courts to turn the wolf into a judicial pawn in their game to end all forms of hunting. They know that they could never ban hunting in a fair fight, so their plan is to eliminate all the deer, elk, moose, and other game animals, which would, in turn, end hunting and make the American hunter extinct.” Mark went on to say, “Hunters are fortunate to have a champion like Representative Tom Tiffany in the halls of congress, and Hunter Nation will support him and his efforts to delist the gray wolf and return its management back to each state, where it belongs. Hunters need to realize that elections have consequences and if this isn’t a wakeup call to get hunters to vote in numbers that they have historically failed to do, then we have no one else to blame if our lifestyle becomes extinct.”
Keith Mark – Hunter Nation Founder & CEO

Following firearms season the Statewide Deer Harvest was down 20% from 2022. 

2000 thru 2008 - 486,274 Avg Deer Harvest
2009 thru 2023 - 325,225 Avg. Deer Harvest

That is an average of 161,045 (33%) fewer Deer Harvested since Since 2008 when the Wolf population exceeded 550.

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The problem here is that for decades,highly funded groups, falsely claiming to be conservationists, have raised, and spent millions of dollars to alter the public perceptions of the wolf, and influence politicians to vote the way those groups demanded. These efforts have devastated game populations, violate the scientific principles of wildlife management, and soon will make the American Hunter extinct.

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HUNTER NATION WISCSONSIN IS CONSISTETLY IN THE FIGHT FOR YOU

Included in the 41 vetoes by Gov. Tony Evers last week was Senate Bill 139. This would require the Department of Natural Resources to establish a statewide wolf population goal as a part of the Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan.

We are disappointed but not surprised by the governors’ actions as he, the Wisconsin DNR along with the Natural Resource Board are more concerned with the “social impact” from the voices of residents living in Madison and Milwaukee along with animal rights activists from multiple states throughout the country. The “social science” approach will only increase livestock and pet depredation and dangerous encounters with this apex predator.

The governor cites the DNR’s adaptive management approach as necessary to achieve a healthy wolf population, yet three days earlier the DNR announced the early closing date for the river otter trapping season in the Northern Zone due to concerns of the population dropping below their numeric goal. Switching between adaptive management and numeric populations appears to be a convenient option depending on their agenda.

The resident stakeholders and their elected officials overwhelmingly support a defined wolf population goal, yet actions by the governor, DNR & NRB reflect only those living outside of Wisconsin’s wolf habitat.

The reality is that the original wolf recovery plan with a numeric population goal was successful and met every population goal established. Rather than use a proven scientific plan that worked, the DNR forces a social science approach with ballot box biology.

CLICK HERE TO SEE HUNTER NATION’S PRESS RELEASE ON THIS VETO

https://hunternation.org/hunters-react-to-wisconsin-governor-evers-wolf-management-veto/

With your help, we can protect Wisconsin’s Traditional American Values

Finally, spring is here, and turkey season starts in a few weeks.

At recent events we gave away friction calls from CroMag Outdoors to get our members ready for the season.

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I’ll be hunting during Period B and look forward to seeing and reading about your time in the field on our social media pages. Good Luck Hunter Nation!

Chris Vaughan
Hunter Nation Wisconsin State Director
[email protected]

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