The Wisconsin Conservation Congress’s yearly spring meetings will be held in every county of the state on Monday, April 12. An online platform for the hearings will also be available April 14-16. The public is invited to attend the meetings to learn about fish and wildlife management and weigh in on a variety of proposals.

The multi-faceted meetings will include presentations and questions-and-answers with staff from the Department of Natural Resources, election of local delegates to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, and the opportunity for the public to provide input on management of the state’s natural resources.

Part of the process includes a questionnaire asking for feedback on nearly 100 questions about various fish and wildlife issues. More information about the hearings is available here.

Major statewide policy decisions include:

• Allow nonedible parts of deer, bear and elk to be left in the field after harvest
• Allow the use of technology to tend traps
• Require all active bear baits on public land to be labeled with identification
• Statutory exemption for PFAS rulemaking
• Require pipeline owners/operators to submit federally required spill notifications to the DNR Remediation and Redevelopment program
• Elimination of lead ammunition and fishing tackle
• Protection of lakes, streams, and their fish, and wildlife from pollution caused by animal manure and commercial fertilizer
• Sandhill crane stamp to help farmers experiencing crop damage

Some of the questions with a connection to the St. Croix River region include:

• Allow trolling with three lines per angler in Sawyer County
• Move the trout harvest opener from the first Saturday in May to the first Saturday in April.
• Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing season on the upper St. Croix in Douglas County, Namekagon River, and Eau Claire River (St. Croix tributary).
• Trout regulations on all Pierce County trout waters and tributaries including those that extend into Dunn, Pepin, and St. Croix counties (excluding Cady and Pine creeks).
• Catch-and-release of brook trout on North Fork of Clam River (Burnett County)
• Implementing a slot limit for northern pike on Nelson Lake, along the Totogatic River near Hayward.
• Several changes to panfish regulations.
• Clarify or create minimum dimensions for seasonal campsites within shorelands.
• Creation of a wastewater standard for seasonal campgrounds.
• Extend the fall turkey season in zones 6 and 7.

Meeting details:

Monday, April 14, 2025, 6-9 p.m.

• 6-6:30 p.m. – Arrival/sign in
• 6:30-7 p.m. – DNR staff presentations
• 7 p.m. – Wisconsin Conservation Congress delegate elections
• 7:30 p.m. – Review Spring Hearing questions and any introduced local county resolutions

Online input

Monday, April 14 at 7 p.m. through 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 16.

Available via this DNR web page.