Monday, November 21, 2011

Oh, Deer! Walker's Assault On Another Wisconsin Tradition

I'd be the first to admit that I am not a big fan of deer hunting.  While it might be a necessity, in my humble opinion, it's at best a necessary evil.  Because of that, I try to avoid going up north during deer hunting season.  Unfortunately, that was not something I could avoid this year.

So when I came home, it was no surprise that the local paper had their annual article romanticizing deer hunting.

What I did find noteworthy was that, in an amazing bit of timing, I also found this press release in my inbox:
As 600,000 Wisconsin deer hunters head to the field for opening day, Representatives Brett Hulsey (D-Madison), Fred Clark (D-Baraboo), Terese Berceau (D-Madison), Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison) and Louis Molepske Jr. (D-Stevens Point) called on Governor Walker in a letter today to cancel the contract of James Kroll as the state’s “deer czar”. They pointed to his lack of qualifications, including no Wisconsin experience and no background in scientific management.

“While we should always be open to fresh perspectives, no outside expert has the ability to come in and remake Wisconsin’s deer management program based on a few weeks in the field,” said Clark. “If we are serious about evaluating our deer management practices, we need to bring together in-state talent and resources that will allow us to make the best long-term decision.”

“He’s come from Texas where he worked on private farms, and doesn’t seem to know how
important our deer herd is in Wisconsin,” said Hulsey, a member of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and a lifelong hunter. “This is just another example of the governor hiring an unqualified crony who will further politicize our state government.”

Even prior to issuing his initial evaluation, Kroll has been openly critical of the DNR’s herd management practices, which were described by leading experts in 2006 as “the most comprehensive and transparent deer management program for comparable states that harvest white-tailed deer.”

Given that there is no deer management crisis, Mr. Kroll’s position is a waste of $125,000 in taxpayers’ money and needlessly politicizes wildlife management decisions made by DNR scientists and biologists, the representatives said.

“In these tough times, we need the governor to focus on jobs in our state, not on hiring someone to do the governor’s political bidding in yet another state department. This hire might hurt our deer hunting tradition and even our long term tourism outlook,” said Hulsey.

The representatives also wished good luck and to hunters across the state this weekend and throughout the season.
No one should be surprised that Scott Walker would try to foul up yet another Wisconsin tradition, like he has done with collective bargaining and clean government.

Just like his deer czar, Walker is not from Wisconsin. He does not understand, much less care, about the values that we hold dear and will do anything to preserve. The only thing Walker cares about it pandering to those who bought his office for him and are paying tens of millions of dollars to keep their puppet in the governor's chair.

Maybe that's why I saw more than a few orange clad people signing petitions this weekend. There's not many demographics that Walker has been able to completely alienate already.

6 comments:

  1. We are paying 125,000 tax payer dollars to this guy?

    WTF?!

    I am so happy that we have Governor Skippy to look out for the taxpayers of Wisconsin. He will make darn sure that government employees get no raises higher than the rate of inflation, basically creating a third class of citizen with no hope of getting ahead unless they either leave government service or get a second or third job. Gotta make those union thugs suffer. Keep those class sizes as high as possible. Don't let those children learn to think for themselves, they will be more likely to vote "Walker for President" that way. Give them tax cuts so they can afford to keep drinking the Republican Kool-aid.

    What a guy!

    If he were really looking out for the taxpayers why wouldn't this job pay about half or maybe two thirds of what it does? What does a "deer czar" even do?!

    I wonder how much he contributed, who he is related to or what political connections Walker is going to get out of the "deer czar"?

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  2. I believe this is the next item on the Koch Agenda of Walker's administration. This Czar is telling us we need to thin out our "aged forests" for the benefit of the white tail deer herd...when in reality the woods will be cleared and sold to Georgia Pacific a company owned by the Koch Brothers! Stephen F. Austin University is where this guy comes from...the University runs a Charter School...another item on Walkers/Koch Brothers agenda.

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  3. About time someone has balls.... DNR see 1 deer and call it 100--- Who are you to call Wisconsin Deer Hunting a necessary evil?

    What is being done about low deer numbers...? About time the Governor steps in to at least try a new approach.

    I used to see 10-20 deer opening weekend - this year I seen 1... It is hard enough to get my 10 year old to sit still but impossible with no deer. How can I encourage the future of the sport when he is bored stiff..?

    Last year in area 41 you could not even take a doe with bow, yet this year they issued more bonus permits for the area that have ever been on record. How can they think this will help? I think the extra permits were a rouse to raise money.... knowing that I would eat that tag. I swear.

    I am not saying shooting a doe is bad - I have done it but all these extended and extra seasons and tags are going to end the population, not lower it.

    Please help preserve the future of this sport for my son not bash it as a necessary evil.

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  4. I don't know how you can call it a "sport" exactly. Sitting in a tree with a high powered rifle waiting for an deer to come by so you can shoot it isn't very sporting.

    And for me, deer hunting is about the same as if you were to go out and shoot a dog or a horse for food. Some people eat those animals too, but the thought is repulsive to me.

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  5. capper - repulvisive??? give me a break... Have you ever hunted? You have no idea what you are talking about. Very one sided blog and you can keep it and your opinions to yourself... goodbye

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  6. Wisconsin DNR has no clue as to how many deer are in this state. Because of issuing all these extra bonus deer tags they have successfully destroyed deer hunting in Wisconsin. They have gotten use to getting the extra money from these bonus tags and could care less about the deer. Money, Money ,Money
    that is all they care about.

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