June 2026 Agenda and Meeting Materials

WISCONSIN NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD

MEETING AGENDA

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Location:
Comfort Inn and Suites
N6295 Holiday Drive 
Black River Falls, Wisconsin 54615

The meeting can be streamed live on YouTube: June 24, 2026 NRB Meeting Broadcast

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board will tour and/or receive presentations at the following locations. NOTE: The public must pre-register with Board Liaison to attend scheduled tours. Registration information is located on the last page of the agenda. Exact tour schedule is subject to change.

• At approximately 10 a.m., the Board will meet at Sandhill Wildlife Area, 1715 County Hwy X, Babcock, Wisconsin 54413, for presentations on the Sandhill Wildlife Area, followed by a walking tour of the area and lunch.
• At approximately 12:30 p.m. the Board will receive presentations on the cranberry industry, history of elk in Wisconsin, and an overview of the Division of Forestry and Black River Falls State Forest.
• At approximately 2:50 p.m., the Board will meet at Wazee Lake Recreation Area, N6302 Brockway Rd, Black River Falls, Wisconsin 54615, for presentations on Wazee Lake Recreation Area, Jackson County Forest, habitat management for elk and other wildlife, and the cultural significance of elk and natural resources to the Ho-Chunk Nation.
• At approximately 4 p.m., the Board will meet at Brockway, 712 E 2nd St, Black River Falls, Wisconsin 54615, for presentations on invasive buckthorn shrubs.

The tours will conclude at approximately 4:30 p.m. No action will be taken.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 6 p.m., the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board and Tribal Representatives will have a social hour and dinner meeting at the Ho-Chunk Nation District 1 Community Center, N7261 Warrior Ave, Black River Falls, Wisconsin. No action will be taken.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVENthat the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. The Board will act on items 1- 4 and 7 as listed on the agenda.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that public testimony will be accepted both in person and via Zoom for this meeting. The deadline to request to testify and/or submit written comments for board consideration is 11 a.m. on June 17, 2026.

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.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

1. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
   1. Calling the roll
   2. Welcoming Remarks from Jon Greendeer, Ho-Chunk Nation President
   3. Secretary’s Remarks
   4. Approval of agenda for June 24, 2026
2. CONSENT
   1. Approval of the brief of action from May 27, 2026
   2. Acknowledgment of Donation – The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin donated $24,500. This donation will be used for restoration and enhancement of state natural areas and other public lands 
      (Karen Hyun, Ph.D., Secretary)
3. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION CONCERNING ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA
4. ACTION ITEMS
   OTHER APPROVALS (Citizen Testimony and Written Comment Welcome)
   1. Request approval of the 2026 Deer Season Recommendations
      (Ryan Haffele, Acting Deer Program Specialist)
5. OPEN FORUM (Citizen testimony and written comment on topics not addressed in other agenda items welcome)
6. INFORMATION ITEMS (Written Comment Welcome)
   1. Results of input on the 2026 Wildlife Management Spring Hearing agenda of advisory questions
      (Scott Karel, Wildlife Regulation Policy Specialist)
   2. Informational item advising the Board about the results of the Fisheries Management portion of the 2026 Spring Hearings agenda
      (Kari Lee-Zimmermann, Fisheries Regulations & Policy Specialist)
   3. 2026 WCC Spring Hearing Advisory Question Summary and Convention Report
      (Paul Reith, WCC Chair)
   4. The Wisconsin Youth Conservation Congress: Past, Present, and Future
      (Chair Paul Reith, Wisconsin Conservation Congress; Rob Bohmann, Wisconsin Conservation Congress; Kyle Zenz, Youth Conservation Congress Coordinator)
7. DEPARTMENT SECRETARY’S MATTERS
   1. Retirement Recognitions
      1. Bernie Michaud, Watershed Management, 14 years
      2. Edward J. McCann, Division of Public Safety and Resource Protection, Bureau of Training, 26 years
   2. Acts of the Department Secretary
      1. Real Estate Transactions
   3. Department Secretary’s Matters
8. BOARD MEMBERS’ MATTERS
   1. Board Member Matters

For up-to-date information about the NRB, including meeting agendas, materials and how to provide comments or testify, please visit https://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb.

For any NRB-related questions, to request information or to submit written comments, please contact:
Ashley Bystol, NRB Liaison
telephone: 1-608-267-7420
email: DNRNRBLiaison@wisconsin.gov

The NRB and the DNR are committed to ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. To request information in an alternative format, please contact the NRB Liaison.

The DNR is committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all staff and visitors. To support individuals with chemical sensitivities, we kindly request that you refrain from wearing or using scented products while attending a meeting.