By Bruce Ross, Executive Director – bross@wisducks.org
This article appeared in the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s September 2025 Newsletter edition.
August 2025 – Your Wisconsin Hunting Rights
This state’s Constitution guarantees that “the people” of Wisconsin (that’s you and me) have the right to hunt (and fish, trap, and take game) “subject only to reasonable restrictions as prescribed by law.” **
IN SEARCH OF A REASONABLE RESTRICTION
I’m still waiting for someone to point to “the reasonable restriction as prescribed by law” that supersedes this constitutional expectation when it comes to sandhill cranes. There is no such law on the books.
Even more importantly, can there be any “reasonable restriction” for a game bird that…
- … is already hunted throughout the continent, in 1/3 of states and provinces?
- … has a population double the maximum size anticipated by the continent’s migratory bird experts (the US Fish and Wildlife Service)?
- … costs Wisconsin farmers millions every single year?
- … is left to rot in Wisconsin farm fields when legally killed under agricultural depredation permits—with over 10,000 birds killed in the last decade!
These rational arguments should be persuasive for open-minded non-hunters, and to this point, WWA has focused our education efforts on these points. But now we face stiff opposition from irrational anti-hunters — legal issues may be coming to the forefront.
YOUR HUNTING RIGHTS IN THE CROSSHAIRS
I understand that non-hunters (and even some hunters) find this bird beautiful and have no interest in pursuing it. And that’s fine — don’t.
But to the degree anti-hunters’ emotion-driven arguments are given any weight by the politicians considering this issue, your hunting rights are undermined. These would be the same politicians who took an oath to uphold the state Constitution as they entered office.
WWA has been working for 5 years to gain a deeper understanding of the topic and share that information with policymakers and the public. Whether you have realized it or not, WWA has been carrying the water of hunters, anglers, and trappers throughout the state in defense of your constitutional rights. Now we need your help.
DON’T SIT ON YOUR HANDS
I hope that now that you know what WWA is doing for you, you’re wondering what you can do for WWA:
- Click on this image and follow the QR code to send a message to your legislators.
- Join or donate to financially support WWA’s efforts—protecting your rights has costs, and we need your help now more than ever.
- Volunteer to become a local spokesperson on this issue.
This is an opportunity to make a difference on behalf of Wisconsin’s hunter-conservationists — I hope you step up.
**By the way, this constitutional amendment was passed 40 years ago supported by over 80% of voters, in recognition of both the hunting heritage of the state, and the outsized role that hunter-conservationists play in the state and nationally.
