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City seeks coordinator

Archery harvest volunteer needed for deer

By Angie Landsverk


The city of Waupaca has a permit for a managed archery harvest program, but needs a volunteer coordinator to run it.

“We still want to staff it with somebody. We don’t know if that will be forthcoming or not,” said Ald. Alan Kjelland, who chairs the city’s Deer Management Ad Hoc Committee.

The city advertised for the volunteer coordinator position.

City Administrator Henry Veleker is looking into whether a city employee could be the coordinator – either as part of the employee’s regular job responsibilities or in addition to them.

The volunteer coordinator’s duties would include administering a proficiency test to vet those who want to participate in the program, issuing marked arrows or crossbow bolts and assigning hunting areas, Kjelland said.

Those participating in the city’s program would only hunt with bows or crossbows.

The common council approved the Urban Deer Management Plan in April.

The city then sought and received a deer nuisance permit from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for a managed archery harvest program.

The permit the city received from the DNR includes 20 tags for a managed archery harvest season of Sept. 1 through March 31.

Hunting would only be allowed on city parcels of 10 acres of more.

However, the city would not allow hunting in its parks or cemetery.

Kjelland said the city is thinking of initially having hunting on its property by the recycling center and by the airport.

There are also a number of privately owned parcels of 10 acres or more in the city.

Therefore, Veleker will draft a letter to those property owners to gauge their interest in participating in the city’s program – once a coordinator is on board and the program begins.

He will also send that letter to private property owners in the city who may own less than 10 acres but expressed interest in allowing people to hunt on their property.

Kjelland said all hunting rules would apply to the city’s program.

One would not have to be a city resident to participate in it.

The permit the city received from the DNR would allow each hunter participating in the program to harvest a total of four deer – three does and one buck.

Hunters would be allowed to keep the meat.

If they do not want it, the venison would be donated to the food pantry.

Kjelland said Niemuth’s would process the venison at a discounted rate, as part of the city’s program.

When the city starts its program, participating hunters will need to purchase a $10 discharge permit from the city’s police department, in addition to their hunting license.

The city requires that permit for anyone discharging a bow in the city, including those who just practice shooting their bows in their backyards, but do not hunt in the city.

Those interested in being the program’s volunteer coordinator may email Kjelland at [email protected] or call Veleker at 715-258-4411.

“We still want to get started, but we need a coordinator,” Kjelland said.

No feeding
Kjelland also reminds city residents it is illegal to feed deer in the city and that bird feeders must be placed six feet above ground or higher.

In addition, area residents are being reminded about Wisconsin Act 71, which went into effect in 2013 and allows people to hunt with bows and crossbows in city limits during the regular bow season.

This year’s bow season begins on Saturday, Sept. 16, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 7.

Under this act, hunting is not allowed within 100 yards of a private building, unless the owner gives the hunter permission.

Hunters must shoot their arrows toward the ground.

In the city of Waupaca, a $10 discharge permit must be obtained from the police department in order to discharge a bow in the city limits.

Kjelland said people do not need to be residents of the city to take advantage of Wisconsin Act 71.

They need the $10 discharge permit, regular hunting license and permission from the property owner in the city, he said.

Hunters also need to address tracking wounded deer onto adjacent properties and thus getting permission to do so, Kjelland said.

Information from the DNR shows Waupaca County has a density of 54 deer per square mile.

Kjelland said the city of Waupaca is slightly less than eight square miles.

“That translates to over 400 deer,” he said.

In 2016, there were 23 car/deer collisions in the city.

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