A new hunting bill introduced by GOP lawmakers is causing disagreement between Republican and Democratic representatives over economic and environmental concerns.
The Sporting Heritage Bill includes several provisions including reduced first-time license fees, adult hunter-trapper education course operations and high school credits for DNR safety programs, according to a statement from Rep. Roger Rivard, R-Rice Lake, co-author of the bill.
Hunting, fishing and trapping make up a $1.4 billion industry in the state of Wisconsin, providing over 25,000 jobs, according to the statement. Rivard said the industry is very important to the state’s economy and that the bill works to protect it.
Rivard said Wednesday that hunting is an important way of life for many Wisconsin families. The number of hunters in the state has declined, he said, which has weakened the industry.
“It’s not good for our economy, and it’s not good for passing on the long tradition of sportsmen in Wisconsin,” Rivard said.
The bill is being met with opposition from Democratic representatives like Rep. Brett Hulsey, D-Madison, who is focusing on the environmental implications of the bill.
“I promote hunting, fishing and habitat,” Hulsey said. However, he also said the Sporting Heritage Bill goes about protecting these things in the wrong ways.
According to Hulsey, the Republicans have cut funding from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund by nearly 40 percent. The Stewardship is responsible for preserving natural areas and habitats. Hulsey said the cuts would reduce hunting and fishing opportunities in those areas.
As for Republican concerns over declining numbers of state sportsmen, Hulsey said that although there has been a recent decline in deer hunting, there are still around 1.3 million fishing licenses sold in the state each year.
Another pressing problem is the current hunting safety classes offered in Wisconsin, Hulsey said. He says many of the participants are those who want concealed-weapon permits. Hulsey said that now is the time to fix these classes so that young, new hunters can simply partake in the new season.
Despite these differing opinions, Jay Heck, executive director of the watchdog group Common Cause in Wisconsin, said that the bill is not particularly partisan. Outdoor activities like hunting, he said, cross party lines in Wisconsin.
Heck said that although more Republicans typically support gun rights, people of both parties participate in outdoor sports in Wisconsin. However, he said, hunting issues may not be foremost on people’s minds at this time.
According to Heck, the biggest concerns in the state at the moment are probably the recent cuts to education or the job market, following Gov. Walker’s promises of 250,000 new jobs during his term.
Heck said environmental concerns have merit; any provisions in the bill that have negative environmental consequences are not conducive to Wisconsin’s hunting opportunities.
He also said that hunting is an important part of livelihood for many Wisconsinites and therefore holds economic merit. However, he said it will not do the trick if this is the only measure being taken to boost the economy.
Bipartisan disagreement continues over the issue. Ultimately, Heck said, the bill has come at an inopportune time, as there are more immediate concerns, particularly economically, for many state citizens.
The original article said Rep. Rivard was from Madison. However, Rivard is actually from Rice Lake. This correction has been made in the online edition of this article. We apologize for this error.
