The Political Environment: With straight face, DNR puts berry, mushroom pickers with deer hunters

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

With straight face, DNR puts berry, mushroom pickers with deer hunters

Remember after Wrong-Way Walker was elected and his one-track, hunting lobby-driven DNR got hold of the carefully-constructed, low-impact recreational plan for the former Baraboo Army Ammunition lands?

Well - - here are some of the consequences, and seriously - - would you really amble around that property lining up photos or climbing a tree to pick apples with high-caliber ammo in the air, as this DNR invite proposes:

Sauk Prairie Recreation Area open Nov. 22-30 for deer hunting and other recreation activities

BLUFFVIEW, Wis. -- Portions of the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area, the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant, that are owned by the Department of Natural Resources, the Bluffview Sanitary District and the U.S. Army will again be open during the nine-day gun deer season Nov. 22-30. The DNR owns 3,400 acres of the more than 7,300-acre property.

"We're pleased to be able to open parts of this remarkable property to the public for a brief period so that hunters can participate in the November gun deer hunt tradition and non-hunters can also enjoy the late fall seasons here," said Steve Schmelzer, Devil's Lake State Park property manager who also oversees the recreation area.

All legal firearms for hunting in Sauk County as well as bow and arrow and crossbow will be legal for use in this hunting season. Hunters should check the 2014 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations pamphlet for further information on legal weapons, daily hunting hours, and other material...

In addition to deer hunting visitors may trap, hike, bird watch, pick mushrooms, berries, and apples, study nature, take photographs and other traditional outdoor activities. No fishing opportunities are available.

Visitors may drive, bike, or horseback ride only on roads within the complex that are designated as open...

Some areas remain closed to public access due to safety issues. No entry into these areas for any purpose is allowed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dairy Forage Research Center lands are closed to hunting and all other public recreation activities. Visitors are asked to refrain from entering areas and roads closed by the Dairy Forage Research Center's and the U.S. Army...