Rifle's allowed in Waupaca County 2010?

[bullwinkle]

Neighbors have told me that they heard there was a good chance that Waupaca County will be made a rifle county in 2010.  I like the idea because I will have some new stand options but dont like it because the restriction of having shotguns has to help in QDM practices (get a better look at the deer).
 
I think Kewanee County was changed last year.
 
Can any verify this?

[wiqdma]

Going to rifle is a huge mistake.  When will WI catch up with the rest of the deer world. We should be going to more shotgun only counties if not the entire state like Illinois and Iowa.  This is yet another reason why the WI DNR is looked at as the laughing stock of all DNR's around the country. When will WI realize what they have and manage the deer herd properly?

[wisbooner3932]

The Wisconsin DNR is not going to switch over to Shotgun only anytime soon.  They want deer on the ground, end of story.

[gunther89]

I agree wisbooner they want deer dead and you can reach out alot further with a rifle then with a shotgun.

[schlupis]

Going to rifle is a huge mistake. When will WI catch up with the rest of the deer world. We should be going to more shotgun only counties if not the entire state like Illinois and Iowa. This is yet another reason why the WI DNR is looked at as the laughing stock of all DNR's around the country. When will WI realize what they have and manage the deer herd properly?

 
wiqdma how is going to rifle a big mistake and how is WI behind the rest of the deer world. We have some of the best hunting in the country period. I hunt in both rifle and shotgun country and I would be pissed if WI did away with rifles..
 
Both the states you mentioned Illinois and Iowa have doe overpopulation issues aswell and they are shotgun only, so please explain how going to shotgun only would improve the quality of our herd.

[schlupis]

wisbooner3932 and gunther89 I believe that most of the herd control units and old eab units were shotgun only. If the DNR really wanted more dead deer on the ground wouldnt they have made those areas rifle zones, due to your thinking that the use of rifles leads to more dead deer.

[Wanderer]

I thought that the shotgun only restriction was based on human population per square mile. Shotguns have always been required wherever the land was basically small parcels and the thought was there would be too great of a chance of hitting another person with a "long range" rifle caliber. By the way, in the 16 years that I lived in Waupaca County, most of my deer kills were within 40 yards. My home was in the Lind township on the last 40 on the southern boundary with Waushara County. If we set up our deer drives heading south, the drivers had shotguns and the posters had rifles. Go figure.

[Dan Schmidt]

Bullwinkle: I don't foresee Waupaca County going to rifles. These rules are made off of hunter densities, and Waupaca has one of the highest hunter densities in the state. I do know there are parts of Hartman Creek State Park that will be rifle hunting because the park cuts through Portage County. I do recall some talk of making the whole park rifle hunting during gun season. I will let you know if I can track down this rumor. Dan

[schlupis]

I thought that the shotgun only restriction was based on human population per square mile. Shotguns have always been required wherever the land was basically small parcels and the thought was there would be too great of a chance of hitting another person with a "long range" rifle caliber. By the way, in the 16 years that I lived in Waupaca County, most of my deer kills were within 40 yards. My home was in the Lind township on the last 40 on the southern boundary with Waushara County. If we set up our deer drives heading south, the drivers had shotguns and the posters had rifles. Go figure.

 
Wanderer You bring up another good point that I failed to touch on the population of humans. I know that most of the shots in WI are not too long of shots I grew up hunting in Rifle country and enjoy using my rifle. My longest shot with my rifle was well within the reach of todays shotguns. I just like having the option of hunting in both rifle or shotgun country and I would hate to see WI go to shotgun only. It wasnt until I moved down here that the whole shotgun hunting came into play. To be real honest with you I didnt even know it was shotgun country until my father in law informed me that I would not be able to use my rifle that we lived in a shotgun only area. Growing up I only knew the firearm season as Rifle Season. Good luck this season to you, I do a lot of hunting in Waupaca County near Ogdensburg.

[retch sweeny]

It's not up to the DNR. It's up to the county residents and they seem to be in favor. This year the area west of Hwy J will be rifle. The rest of the county will soon follow. Shawano County will be first.