By Bruce Ross, Executive Director [email]bross@wisducks.org[/email]
This article appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s March, 2025 Newsletter edition.
The Governor’s recent budget proposal included several items of interest to waterfowlers including topics that parallel WWA’s top three policy issues this year:
- Reauthorization of the Knowles Nelson Stewardship program, which provides funding for hunter accessible lands. WWA is part of a hunting and fishing coalition that is supporting a continuation of the program, even if not exactly like the Governor’s proposal.
A cost share program for farmers to reduce sandhill crane depredation. WWA appreciates the Governor’s recognition of the sandhill crane problem in Wisconsin. Still, as we’ve told his staff, that problem is multi-faceted, requiring multiple strategies, one of which is a responsible hunting season. As proposed by the recent bi-partisan Legislative Study on Sandhill Cranes. Their proposed solution of a seed coating subsidy will only worsen the problem.- License and stamp fee increases to “fix” the current $15.5M deficit in the DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Account. Depending on what licenses you tend to buy, under the governor’s proposal, it would cost you at least $22 more to hunt waterfowl.
This account, which is primarily funded through license fees, has not seen a significant increase since 2005. Due to inflation, the purchasing power of the account has declined. This fund is used to maintain the quality of outdoor experiences—the increases proposed by the governor range between $10 and $40.
WWA is not against license fee increases. Eight years ago, we supported this with a coalition of outdoor groups proposing across-the-board license fee increases. But a closer look revealed accounting issues and the effort stalled. In the next legislative session, we shifted focus to the well-managed waterfowl stamp, which hadn’t increased since 1997. Four years ago, we (and other duck organizations) successfully raised the stamp from $7 to $12, generating over $300,000 annually for habitat restoration. Some of these funds were used to undertake the three projects (Lunch Creek, Peter Helland and Navarino) we already completed under the Public Lands Program.
WWA is reserving judgment on this topic for now. State Senator Rob Stafsholt requested an audit of this account last year, and until the audit results are reported, no legislative action will take place. Waiting for the audit’s findings before reacting to the Governor’s proposal is prudent.
Additionally, WWA is collaborating with the WI Wildlife Federation and other groups to assess how Wisconsin should fund activities supported by the Wildlife account. Our stance: All users, not just license purchasers, should contribute to the resources we all utilize.
More information will follow as it becomes available.
