Notice of Hearing
The Department of Natural Resources announces that it will hold a public hearing on a permanent rule, WM-34-19, to revise ch. NR 10, relating to elk management, at the time and place shown below. Hearing Information
Date: April 8, 2021
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual Location Link: Online through Skype link or 1-866-715-6499 (passcode 570 072 5961#) Rule Information:
This rule implements changes related to elk management and hunting regulations that have emerged from the Department’s 2020-2030 elk management plan.
Current rule establishes two elk ranges that serve dual purpose as elk management zones. They include the Clam Lake zone and the Black River zone. Hunters were previously allowed to harvest elk in any part of the elk management zone. This rule changes the names and boundaries of these zones, and further divides them by creating elk hunting units within these zones. This will prevent the overharvest of elk in a single subzone by specifying that tags are valid in one or more subzone.
The elk season is statutorily required to begin on the Saturday nearest October 15th. It previously ran for thirty consecutive days and then reopened on the second Thursday in December and continued for nine consecutive days. This rule eliminates the current closed period between the seasons and instead offers a single consecutive ending on the Sunday nearest December 15th.
This rule also updates the elk population goals for each management zone. The previous population goal was 1,400 elk for the northern zone. The new population goal for the northern zone will be 1,400 +/- 20%. The previous population goal for what is now the central elk heard was 390 elk. It will now be 300 +/- 20%.
Accessibility
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call Scott Karel at (608) 267-2452 with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.
Appearances at the Hearing and Submittal of Written Comments
The public has the opportunity to testify at the hearing. Registration will take place at the hearing by completing a Hearing Appearance form, which is available here. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged if you plan to provide spoken comments during the hearing. To pre-register, please download and complete the fillable Hearing Appearance form and send it to scott.roepke@wisconsin.gov Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before March 22, 2021. Written comments may be submitted by U.S. mail, E-mail, or through the internet and will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearing. Written comments and any questions on the proposed rules should be submitted to:
Department of Natural Resources
Attn: Scott Karel
P.O. Box 7921
101 S. Webster Street,
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis: These rules are applicable to individual sportspersons and impose no compliance or reporting requirements for small businesses, and no design or operational standards are contained in the rule. Because this rule does not add any regulatory requirements for small businesses, the proposed rules will not have an economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses under s. 227.24(3m) Stats. Agency Small Business Regulatory Coordinator:
Emma Esch (608) 266-1959
Dated at Madison, Wisconsin _____________________________________
STATE OF WISCONSIN
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
By ____________________________________
Preston Cole, Secretary
Rev. 7/11/18
