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Our superior whitetail manager on Wisc

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
Anyone in the 'dwindling deer debate' ought to to pick up a copy of this month's field and stream (blue cover, three guns on it). Has an article on Wisconsin's Deer Czar Dr. James Kroll...who has also brought in Gary Alt from PA.

There's also some humor in the it too:

"Biologists from two states noted for super whitetail management, however, are less enthusiastic [about a governor appointed deer czar] ... Ohio's Division of Wildlife program leader Mike Honkatonk is more blunt: 'There's not a lot I can say positively about that move (what, you don't like experts auditing a state's deer estimating data?). I know the biologists in Wisc on there's not a harder-working, more highly talented group of professionals around (glad to know your staff is second-tier). I'm amazed, because they don't seem to be insulted, and I know I would be. My guess is that there isn't going to be anything radical or eathshaking in what happens there. The squeaky wheels (ahem!) are just going to have to sit down and work it out. No deer czar, guru, or swami is going to walk in there and change it."

In all honesty, what Kroll has done seems good...he's torn apart the state's estimating data and said it was a crock of crap...and has been holding meetings with hunters...

An interesting case to our north....
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
That seemed like a pretty spiteful remark...

No kidding. Imagine if one of Kaisch's planks in the next election was deer management (representing all of the hunters) and promised to bring in someone to babysit Tonk and do all the research and policy work...

Tonk's comment is somewhat valid, sure, a governor appointing an out-of-state czar isn't the best political move ever (what if a liberal governor brought in a non-hunting or an anti-hunting czar)...BUT you've got to give Scott Walker credit for doing what he said and saying "Screw our idiots, let's find someone who knows how to estimate a deer herd and fix the issue"
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
This is actually quite a scary scenario as you never know who will be "Put in charge".. The lobbyist could grab a hold of that position just as they have our very own DNR. However I also see the point.. What other option do they have when they have a DNR who is hiding numbers, lying to people, killing too many deer, and letting lobbyists lick their ears. And as for this comment "" I'm amazed, because they don't seem to be insulted, and I know I would be."" Why? Didn't you get accolades and awards for how you managed Ohio's deer heard? I would think you would be ready and willing to expose the numbers and methodology for how Ohio's heard is managed so as to make it a shining example. Only a person with something to hide would be so reluctant to let someone see the real numbers and your methodology.. Yet, where is the transparency? You can't even release an estimated deer population number anymore, much less one with anything but crappy guesses behind it. Only people with crap to hide would be so reluctant and "insulted"..
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
Exactly - where's the confidence that says "Sure, waste your time, here's all my material, I know it's right - go ahead and look"