Conservation Congress Narrowly Supports Sandhill Crane Hunt

Of the 88 questions on the 2017 Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) annual spring meeting held in all 72 counties on April 10, the one with the smallest margin of winning votes was whether Wisconsin should have a sandhill crane hunt.

The measure won by just 300 votes in the state, 2,349 voting yes and 2,049 voting no. In the Door County vote, 49 voted for the hunt and 27 against.

The sandhill crane hunt question was one of 48 advisory questions answered. Of the 40 other resolutions, only six did not pass. Resolutions that pass are assigned to a WCC advisory committee for further examination. Resolutions that then pass out of committee are referred to the District Leadership Council and recommended for statewide input as an advisory question in next April’s voting. The full Conservation Congress meets in May to take positions based on the April voting, and those results are forwarded to the Natural Resources Board as advisement.

So the sandhill crane hunt will go for a position statement in May. However, the same question passed with a much higher margin in the 2015 session, with 2,255 voting for a hunt and 1,554 against.

Here are some other advisory questions results.

53. Anecdotal evidence suggests a significant increase in sheepshead populations. Would you support the WCC work with the DNR to conduct sheepshead studies to determine the impact of Sheepshead on the Green Bay ecosystem.

Statewide: 3,136 yes; 346 no

Door County: 62 Yes, 10 no

63. Do you support legislation which would impose a moratorium on the issuance of new DNR stormwater or air permits related to frac sand mining and processing until implementation of any recommendations developed through the Strategic Analysis of Industrial Sad Mining?

Statewide: 3,226 yes; 783 no

Door County: 65 yes; 6 no

64. Do you support having the DNR encourage local governments to remove milkweed from local noxious weed ordinances and encourage the planting and maintenance of quality milkweed plots?

Statewide: 3,755 yes; 385 no

Door County: 63 yes; 9 no

65. Do you support increased lead reclamation efforts at gun ranges?

Statewide: 3,548 yes; 579 no

Door County: 65 yes; 9 no

66. Do you support continued efforts to address the 75 issues in WPDES (CAFO) permits program identified by the EPA?

Statewide: 3,344 yes; 406 no

Door County: 69 yes; 3 no

67. Would you support WCC efforts to work with the DNR and Legislature to take actions needed to address remaining issues in WPDES program?

Statewide: 3,421 yes; 342 no

Door County: 71 yes; 2 no

68. Do you support legislation that would repeal Act 1, the iron mining law from 2013?

Statewide: 2,701 yes; 1,089 no

Door County: 53 yes; 16 no

69. Do you support the Legislature giving the DNR authority to suspend any application when pollution matters need to be studied by tribes, local governments, or other governmental entities?

Statewide: 3,310 yes; 695 no

Door County: 64 yes; 10 no

70. Do you support legislation that would require public notice be sent to area residents within a two-mile radius upon application of high capacity wells?

Statewide: 4,046 yes; 207 no

Door County: 62 yes; 7 no

71. Do you support legislation that would include the authority to suspend approval for a high capacity well that has caused impact or impairment?

Statewide: 3,988 yes; 231 no

Door County: 65 yes; 3 no

72. Do you support the WCC taking an official position to oppose the Enbridge Pipeline expansion?

Statewide: 3,056 yes; 1,042 no

Door County: 55 yes; 15 no

76. Do you support legislation that would appropriate general purpose funding to help manage state parks?

Statewide: 3,690 yes; 509 no

Door County: 60 yes; 14 no

78. Do you support the Legislature continuing to fund the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund at adequate levels with wise use of the funds by the NRB and the DNR?

State: 3,739 yes; 364 no

Door County: 65 yes; 6 no