Gun Dog Forum

The Stewardship Program is used for purchasing lands for public uses such as hunting and fishing and the WI Legislature is looking to do more than just cutting funding, which they did recently. There are discussions of selling off some land and now the the State Treasurer want to put the program on hold. I do a lot of fishing on lands that were purchased Stewardship funds and would hate to see the program cut again.

The Joint Finance Committee voted on a party line vote to cut funding to the Stewardship Program and force the State to sell off 10,000 acres of public land. Tough time for those of us that hunt public land.

Grange wrote: I do a lot of fishing on lands that were purchased Stewardship funds and would hate to see the program cut again.

How do you fish on land? Is that a Wisconsin thing?

This is a shame. Hope Wisconsin doesn't follow in Illinois foot steps. I love hunting and fishing in the great state of cheese! Especially the fishing! Wolf river bass run over?

BigShooter wrote:

Grange wrote: I do a lot of fishing on lands that were purchased Stewardship funds and would hate to see the program cut again.

How do you fish on land? Is that a Wisconsin thing?

Trout fishing from shore. Easier to fish some small streams with worms while on shore than to walk in the streams.

I knew what you meant n' I think you knew I was just messin' with ya. Access is critical to those of us who hunt & fish. Unfortunately Wisconsin's economic troubles are all too well known leaving State government with tough choices. It's sad but not too surprising. Now-a-days it's the largest or most well financed groups with the best organized lobbies who exert the most influence. That's your competition when the legislatures are making decisions. Sportsmen & women need to be very careful about arguing amongst themselves over minor issues in order to provide a vigilant, well-organized & united front, well in advance of decisions like these. You snooze .... you lose.

BigShooter wrote:I knew what you meant n' I think you knew I was just messin' with ya. Access is critical to those of us who hunt & fish. Unfortunately Wisconsin's economic troubles are all too well known leaving State government with tough choices. It's sad but not too surprising. Now-a-days it's the largest or most well financed groups with the best organized lobbies who exert the most influence. That's your competition when the legislatures are making decisions. Sportsmen & women need to be very careful about arguing amongst themselves over minor issues in order to provide a vigilant, well-organized & united front, well in advance of decisions like these. You snooze .... you lose.

You must not have heard, but WI's financial troubles are in the past. Not only is WI open for business, but WI is also running a surplus and we're supposed to get a tax cut. We're creating thousands of jobs and blah...blah...blah. This news can't be spun. It is not good news for hunters and fishermen especially those of us that use public land.

Also this not a minor issue. Public lands provide a lot of opportunity for those that don't have access to private land and generate a lot of money for the State through tourism and logging.