Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin’s Response to ‘Right to Hunt Act’

• by Rachel Tilseth, the founder of Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin
• on October 25, 2015

Another law meant to circumvent citizen’s rights to know.  In Wisconsin, a legislator is proposing a law that will protect fringe hunters from  citizens monitoring them.  Representative Adam Jarchow (R) in a press release on October 12, 2015 introduced  Right to Hunt Act legislation that would make it illegal to follow, photograph or record hunters and with fines of up to $10,000 fine and nine months jail time. 2015 SENATE BILL 338 and Assembly Bill 433

In an article from WPR written on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, 10:15am, by Rich Kremer New Bill Would Prevent Harassment Of Wisconsin’s Hunters:

“State Rep. Adam Jarchow, R-Balsam Lake, said that he has received complaints about a group called Wolf Patrol following and filming bear hunters and their dogs this summer. ”  WPR
I have accompanied Rod Coronado’s Wolf Patrol on numerous occasions and never once saw them harass hunters. As a matter of fact, Coranado was approached by a lost hound hunting dog this summer while monitoring bear bait sites in Northern Wisconsin on public lands and may have saved the dog’s life.
“This morning we found this old hound hanging around a bear bait site in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest near Drummond, which is active wolf territory. We got him watered and he was grateful and wanting into our truck! We stayed close with him until a hound hunter was able to retrieve him, for which he was grateful too, as this is how dogs like these bear hounds become wolf bait.”  Rod Coronado of Wolf Patrol

The old hound was lucky that Coronado’s Wolf Patrol was there to rescue him, as 15 bear hounds had been killed by wolves defending their territory in the summer of 2015.
Every year WDNR cautions hunters, “Each year, with the beginning of the Wisconsin bear hound training and hunting season, hunters are reminded to exercise caution if they plan to train or hunt bear with hounds. Hunters should use the caution area maps below to help reduce conflicts during this year’s bear dog training and hunting season.” Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Wolves are forced to defend their pups against packs of free ranging bear hunting hound dogs in Wisconsin’s north woods.

I will remind readers that bear hound hunters are handsomely rewarded with taxpayers money of $2,500.00 for each dog killed by a wolf during bear hunting season. Read more about this in an article written by Bill Lueders of Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (Jan 5, 2014):  State pays scofflaws for dogs killed by wolves while hunting other animals.

Coronado’s Wolf Patrol saved the life of one bear hound to which the handler was grateful for,  “We stayed close with him until a hound hunter was able to retrieve him, for which he was grateful too,” Coronado of Wolf Patrol

Wolf Patrol has been monitoring hound hunters in Wisconsin now for over a year. I was first approached by Rod Coronado in July of 2014 with the idea of helping out Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin’s efforts to ban the use of dogs in the wolf hunt.

Rachel Tilseth and Rod Coronado monitoring WI wolf hunt October 2014

Thanks to this combined effort [we] were able to persuade the DNR to close the Wolf Hunt, and no doubt, influenced Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to stop this year’s wolf hunt when they did. There was talk that the hunt would continue longer, as some zones had not killed their quota, even though the overall quota of 150 wolves had been met. The extended season would have allowed hound hunters more time to hunt wolves. This atrocious sport, allowed only in Wisconsin, did not legally begin until the regular wolf season ended on December 1.” Becky Elgin freelance reporter & Blogger Wolves and Writing

It appears that state representative Adam Jarchow is pandering to a minority of hunters by introducing legislation that would prohibit monitoring of fringe hunters by citizens, such as Wolf Patrol and  Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin.

Does 2015 SENATE BILL 338 proposed legislation prohibit freedom of speech, your First Amendment rights?

Protecting free speech means protecting a free press, the democratic process, diversity of thought, and so much more. The ACLU has worked since 1920 to ensure that freedom of speech is protected for everyone. ACLU

One of Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin’s reporters, Keri Lewis oberserved Wolf Patrol: “As Fall was making an appearance, WODCW accompanied Wolf Patrol on their final efforts to investigate Wisconsin’s black bear hunt.”   Keri Lewis, In the Field with Wolf Patrol: Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin Deep in Wisconsin’s Wolf Caution Areas

As a northern Wisconsin native I enjoy spending time outdoors . If passed this law would hinder non -consumptive recreationists from being on public lands. What is fair about that if hunting and trapping is occurring 24/7/365?  ~Keri Lewis writer at Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin

Just how does this proposed legislation affect journalists, or others using public lands, for example, bird or deer hunters?

 

In fact this 2015 SENATE BILL 338 is an effort to strengthen hunter harassment law, “activity associated with lawful hunting, fishing, or trapping. The types of serial conduct prohibited include maintaining a visual or physical proximity to the person, approaching or confronting the person, or photographing the person.”  2015 SENATE BILL 338

Is the intent of this proposed legislation to limit public’s right to know if there is any illegal activities happening on public lands?

Wolves, as of December 2014, are a federally protected species and Wolf Patrol is monitoring the controversial legal practice of bear baiting and bear hunting with dogs in northern Wisconsin. Click this link to learn about Wolf Patrol.

“Wisconsin Representative Adam Jarchow has chosen Wolf Awareness Week to introduce the unconstitutional ‘Right To Hunt Act’, which would criminalize the use of cameras or driving on public roads if a hunter feels that they are being harassed. Jarchow has targeted Wolf Patrol as the reason behind proposing this tightening of existing hunter harassment laws in Wisconsin, citing our recent citizen-monitoring of bear baiting season in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.” Wolf Patrol’s Response to Wisconsin Representative Adam Jarchow’s proposed “Right to Hunt Act”

“By introducing the Right to Hunt Act, Rep. Jarchow is asking that the constitutional rights of those opposed to bear baiting and hound hunting be illegally restricted. If the law is passed, Wolf Patrol will continue its monitoring of bear hunting and any other activity that threatens wolves and challenge this unconstitutional law in the courts.”  ~Rod Coronado

This legislation, 2015 SENATE BILL 338, Introduced by Senators Moulton, Gudex, Harsdorf, Olsen and Kapenga, cosponsored by Representatives Jarchow, Allen, Ballweg, Born, Czaja, Edming, Gannon, Horlacher, Hutton, Jagler, Kleefisch, Knodl, Kremer, Kulp, T. Larson, Murphy, Mursau, A. Ott, Petryk, Quinn, Tittl and Sinicki. Referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry.

Here is what you can do.
Wisconsin residents If you want to voice your opposition of this proposed legislation contact the above Wisconsin senators. Click HERE to contact WI senators.

Attend the public hearing to voice your opposition. 
This proposed legislation is up for public hearing by  Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage Wednesday, October 28, 201 5 9:01 AM 417 North (GAR Hall), Assembly Bill 433 

Related to: interfering with hunting, fishing, and trapping and providing criminal penalties.
By Representatives Jarchow, Allen, Ballweg, Born, Czaja, Edming, Gannon, Horlacher, Hutton, Jagler, Kleefisch, Knodl, Kremer, Kulp, T. Larson, Murphy, Mursau, A. Ott, Petryk, Quinn, Tittl and Sinicki; cosponsored by Senators Moulton, Gudex, Harsdorf and Sinicki
Support your right to use public land by getting involved.


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