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Natural Resources Board adopts wildlife spring‑hearing rule allowing trap‑checking technology, other changes
Summary
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board adopted board order WM 17‑24 to finalize changes from the 2025 wildlife management spring hearings, including standards for using technology to check traps, allowing non‑edible carcass parts to be left in the field, a uniform fall turkey season, and allowing hunters with disabled permits to hunt statewide on a
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board on Sept. 24 voted to adopt board order WM 17‑24, the wildlife management spring‑hearing rule, after staff reported public support for several changes raised during April’s spring hearings and follow‑up outreach since the board’s June session.
The rule package covers four principal changes: allowing hunters to leave some non‑edible carcass parts in the field after field‑dressing; making fall turkey season dates uniform in Zone 6 and Zone 7; establishing minimum standards and authorization for using technology to check traps (for example remote cameras or sensors); and allowing hunters who hold disabled hunting permits to hunt statewide during the two‑day youth gun deer season. Scott Carroll, wildlife regulation policy specialist at the Department of Natural Resources, told the board that each question received more than 60% public support in the April hearings.
The trapped‑technology provision attracted the most discussion. Carroll said the department initially believed its rules already allowed remote checking, but that no standards existed for how to do it correctly. “We could choose to write standards rather than leave the situation without guidance,” he told the board, describing outreach meetings the department held with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, the Wisconsin Trappers Association and trappers’ district meetings. Carroll said the Wisconsin Trappers Association took no formal position; the Conservation Congress urged the board to delay action in June to allow further discussion and later recommended approval following follow‑up work.
Rob Bowman, chair of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, told the board the Congress had voted in May to register support for all but one DNR advisory question and that, following the department’s additional outreach, the Congress’ executive committee recommended supporting the WM 17‑24 package. Bowman said the Conservation Congress had met with trappers and other stakeholders and that concerns about ethical use of technology had been reduced after the department explained proposed standards.
Board members praised the outreach. Patty Schachtner and others said the presentations and meetings had helped build trust; Jeff Hastings asked about possible wildlife or human‑health impacts from leaving carcass remains in the field and whether lead fragments from ammunition could be taken up by scavengers. Carroll said the department would continue lead‑outreach efforts and did not expect statewide population impacts from the limited practice the rule would allow.
Robin Schmidt moved adoption of WM 17‑24; Rachel Barresa seconded. The board approved the order.
What it means now: the rule finalized language to allow the limited practices described above and to set standards for remote trap checking. The department said it will publish the adopted rule text and implement the new compliance and outreach steps described in its presentations.
Speakers quoted in this report spoke during the board’s Sept. 24 meeting; the board’s action was the formal adoption of board order WM 17‑24.
