Commission approves Game, Fish & Parks request to enroll 20 county acres in walk-in hunting program

The Brown County Commission voted to authorize a year-by-year agreement to enroll roughly 20 county-owned acres northeast of town in the state Game, Fish & Parks walk-in area program. A Game, Fish & Parks representative told the commission the state would assume liability for public hunting use and that the county could receive $10 per acre (about $200 per year) if it elected to accept payment; commissioners approved enrolling the land without payment.

Commissioners and staff discussed the parcel’s history — the county appears to own 20 acres and the city 40 acres nearby — and said they would check gravel-pit records to establish whether there are deep holes suitable for fish stocking. County staff noted that a minimum depth of roughly eight feet would be preferred for stocking and long-term survival of fish; if the pits are deep enough, Game, Fish & Parks said it could return to consider fish stocking.

The chair and other members discussed tax implications if the county were to gift land to the state, noting the county currently taxes the land and would not necessarily lose tax revenue if it transferred ownership to the state and the state paid taxes in some arrangements. The commission approved the walk-in area agreement and directed staff to finalize paperwork and to notify Game, Fish & Parks of the county’s decision.

Why it matters: Enrolling county land in the walk-in program expands public hunting and recreation access and could create a new local fishery if excavation depth permits. The agreement limits county liability for recreational users and sets up further staff coordination on potential stocking and habitat use.