July 17, 2012 agenda and meeting materials

Since the posting of this agenda, the following has changed:
3.A. Modified
Footnote added (7/12/12) and modified (7/15/12)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a special meeting of the Natural Resources Board will convene at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 17, 2012, in the Spruce/Sands room, Holiday Inn Convention Center, 1001 Amber Avenue, Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The Board will act on items 1 and 3 as listed on the Agenda.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that matters concerning natural resource issues or the Department's program responsibilities or operations specified in the Wisconsin Statutes, which arise after publication of this agenda may be added to the agenda and publicly noticed no less than two hours before the scheduled board meeting, if the Board Chair determines that the matter is urgent.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Order of Business

1. Organizational Matters
   1. Calling the roll
   2. Approval of agenda for July 17, 2012
2. Information Item
   1. Update on Wetland Legislation Implementation (Ken Johnson, Water Administrator, 10 minutes)
3. Action Item
   1. Request adoption of Emergency Board Order WM-09-12(E), proposed rules affecting Ch.’s NR 10, 12, and 19 pertaining to the wolf hunting and trapping season and regulations, a depredation program, and approval of quota and permit levels, and approval of 2012 wolf harvest zones and inclusion of 2012 harvest zones as addendum to Wolf Management Plan (Kurt Thiede, Land Administrator, and Bill Vander Zouwen, Wildlife Ecology Section Chief, 20 minutes) Modified

The public must preregister to testify no later than 4 p.m., Thursday, July 12, 2012. For consideration by the Board, written comments must be received by the same timeframe. To register to testify, please contact Laurie Ross at 608-267-7420 or via e-mail at laurie.ross@wisconsin.gov. Written comment must be e-mailed to the Natural Resources Board at DNRNRBcomments@wisconsin.gov or mailed to Laurie Ross, NRB Liaison, WI DNR – AD/8, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.

This is an open meeting. The public is welcome to attend and comment on DNR’s season proposal. To make sure the Board receives feedback on key aspects of the wolf season rule, quotas and permit levels, we are requesting that testimony and written comments focus on aspects of the rule that are within the Boards ability to address. The law (Wis. Act 169) established specific parameters that cannot be changed without legislation. The statute clearly establishes that: there will be a harvest; the season dates (Oct. 15 - end of February); up to 6 dogs are allowed for hunting wolves starting the day after the November Gun Deer season; that trapping is allowed; the license and application fees are set ($10 application, $100 resident, $500 nonresident); hunting is allowed; baiting is allowed; hunting at night is allowed following the November Gun Deer season, and shotguns, crossbows, bows and rifles can be used. Again, none of these provisions can be changed without legislation. What the Board is able to consider is how these various techniques and provisions are implemented, as well as how many wolves should be harvested, the number of permits are issued, and where the harvest should occur. We know this is an important issue for many, and the Board is counting on your testimony and written comments to help make its decision, therefore, focusing on how things occur, instead of if they should or shouldn't occur is of much more value to this Board. Added and modified

Contact information

If you have Board-related questions or would like to request information, to submit written comments, or to register to speak at a Board meeting or listening session, email or call:

Laurie J. Ross, Board Liaison
Office of the Secretary, AD/8
Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov
608-267-7420

The Natural Resources Board and Department of Natural Resources are committed to serving people with disabilities. If you need Board information in an alternative format, please email or call the Board Liaison.