December 5, 2000

Senator Kevin Shibilski and Dick Chier (Conservation Congress vice chair)

• State that the committee should be versed in the best science available in regards to this issue and the spread of disease. We should look at the current appropriate studies and it should not be filtered through an agency with an agenda. (p 4)



• Shibilski reminded the committee that they are not meeting to propose a ban on baiting in WI… (p 5)

Rebecca Humphries - Wildlife Director MiDNR

• All that is needed is indirect contact between animals to transmit disease - a site can become contaminated. (p 2)



• We looked at the number of nose-to-nose contacts over bait versus natural conditions. More contacts occurred over bait. (p 2)

• Recommendations to control disease if it were to occur in WI: Keep deer from concentrating by eliminating supplemental feeding and baiting. (p 3)



• This is the first time TB has been found to be self sustaining in wild deer. Nose-to-nose contact does occur in wild deer but TB doesn't occur enough to naturally maintain itself in the wild. (p 4)



• Feeding and baiting are more of a problem than overpopulation. (p 4)



• The issue of baiting and feeding is replenishment. At a baiting and feeding site you are continually replenishing the source, unlike natural food sources. There is contact in yarding situations but deer are not on top of each other like a bait site. (p 4)

Dr. Holsman - Michigan State University

• Baiting and feeding do not cause TB in deer but they are conductive to spreading diseases. (p 6)

Dr. Julie Langenberg - Veterinarian WiDNR

• Prevent establishment of TB and CWD in WI Deer: Decrease unnatural congregation of deer caused by baiting and feeding. (p 8)

Dr. Clarence Siroky - Veterinarian, DATCP

• Every incidence of Brucellosis in WY is tied to winter feeding of elk. Away from the park (Yellowstone) you can't find it due to density of animals and the lack of feeding. (p 9)



• Baiting and feeding causes animals to concentrate in an area for an abnormally long time. (p 9)



• Any amount of baiting and feeding elevates the risk of disease. And any veterinarian will say the same thing. (p 10)



• Feeding large quantities of food at the time of breeding season will cause twins, just like sheep. Increasing the deer population by ensuring twins. (p 10)



• Iowa's study shows that if a piece of food is touched and then touched by another animal then the disease will spread. (p 10)

Senator Shibilski

• Stated that no one said there is a connection between 10 gallons of bait and disease. (p 10)

David Ladd (Conservation Congress Big Game Committee Chair)

• Believes that feeding and baiting is not a problem unless a disease is introduced. (p 1)

Dr. Sarah Hurley - WiDNR

• The DNR and DATCP need to be proactive, the question is not if TB occurs in WI but when. (p 2)



• What was learned from MI is that you can't put your head in the sand and say it won't happen here. They didn't realize that deer habits had changed in MI, deer were now congregating at large feed sites conductive to the spread of disease. (p 3)

Dr. Siroky

• Ten gallons in his opinion is still too much. Again he stated that the committee must be prepared to discuss the risks they are willing to accept. (p 3)

Dave Norwak

• If there ever was a disease problem that the DNR should be able to act to get at the problem. (p 2).

Senator Shibilski

• …the committee couldn't ban feeding unless there was a problem. (p 2)



• He stated he feeds all winter and short of an emergency order he will not stop feeding wildlife, nor will his central WI constituents. The DNR needs to accept that we always feed wildlife, but that we need to provide them with the authority to intercede in the event of an outbreak of disease. (p 2)



• He stated that his resolution would also allow the DNR to regulate deer baiting and feeding in a DMU or adjacent DMU if there was an outbreak of bovine TB. (p 3)



• He stated that disease should not be blamed on 10 gallon baiting. (p 3)



• (a 10 gallon baiting limit) is used by a majority of hunters in the state and there is no benefit to the reduction for health reasons. Reduction is simply a compromise to a vocal minority in the state. (p 4)

Tom Hauge - Wi DNR

• It is one thing to eradicate an animal in a barn but it is another to try and eliminate a free ranging animal. (p 7)

Senator Shibilski

• Made the argument that you wouldn't have to eliminate deer baiting in the event of a disease, stating that 10 gallons doesn't concentrate deer to the point where you have a high risk of disease. (p 11)



• Consensus was not reached over deer baiting in Deer 2000, the hunting public and the Conservation Congress are still divided. (p 11)



• Proposed a motion: "We do not endorse providing the DNR the authority to regulate wildlife feeding other than in response to a disease outbreak." (p 12)