RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WXPR) – A team of wildlife experts believes Wisconsin needs to go in a different direction in its approach to chronic wasting disease in deer.
Wisconsin’s Green Fire just came out with a report and set of suggestions on the management of the state’s deer herd.
Tom Hauge, who worked on the report, says the DNR’s approach has been too passive. “It’s primarily a monitoring, watch-and-see type of strategy…We’ve abandoned, for some time now, efforts to reduce disease prevalence. That’s really where Green Fire is recommending that the state needs to go.”
It’s been nearly 20 years since CWD was first discovered in the state.
Among other recommendations, Green Fire would like to see a statewide baiting and feeding ban enacted right away. “CWD has now been detected in the wild deer herd in 33 of our 72 counties. It is steadily marching outward from the southern part of the state, moving north. That is just going to continue to occur unless we really step up our efforts.”
Green Fire also wants the DNR to update its comprehensive deer conservation plan, which dates to 1995.
According to Green Fire, Wisconsin’s deer population is higher than it has ever been.
