Shawn would have the exact season dates for how long the the 3 zone season was in effect but my best guess would be roughly 30 years, maybe more.
The DNR archives would have the exact dates as to when implemented and when the season changed to a two zone system, prior to becoming statewide opening.
The proposal we put together through the fur harvest committee is public and therefore that information can be accessed quite easily I presume. It should be in the hearing info as a WCC advisory question. As stated by Nimzy we offered our proposals at 3-4 counties and when we met at the WCC fur harvester committee the three basic similar proposals were melded into what you will have in front of you in April. I also spoke at the WCC executive or leadership meeting regarding our proposal as I was told that would enhance our chances of moving forward. This was my first go round with working with resolutions.
How this goes will be up to the trappers who vote for it or against it. The part that upsets me the most is we chose to utilize the public system that we have and the implications by some is that we are trying to sneak this past an unaware group. Can't get much more public than the system we have to utilize.
Bryce

imagine if we had 3 days left...……..

Big Thanks TO WIMarshrat, Muskrat and bblw i!! for time and efforts

Special thanks to Craig S for coming out of the shadows and letting us know we are not alone!

^^^yep^^^The ice is going off the lake now. Little critters are everywhere. Even eating grass in my backyard.

Another 3 days wouldn't get you any or much open water around here. Another week or so Is what we need.

Ice for as far as the eye can see up here on the lakes. Some open water on the rivers, though!

Chris

I'm proud of the the resistors, but you lost.

You guys ever think Mr Manninen isn't concerned about having open water!

been following...hope this gets settled

How much open water do you want?


this enough? March 15 2019. 20+ inches of ice on the bays in Unit 4.


This whole thing started about 10 years ago. Peach and I were just plain frustrated how we had to quit right as the nicest rats we produced all season were starting to come out. It didn't make sense to either of us.
We decided to try a citizens resolution to address the problem. Originally we chose NOT to go for open water because we feared it could meet fierce resistance. We selected March 31 because we believed it offered good opportunity with an equal probability of frozen or open conditions, In other words, some years you may get a couple days of open water and the next year get none.. We uncovered a phobia of a March harvest.

Have those sentiments towards a spring season changed?

Fast forward to this version. Its a copy of our old science brought back to life, zones and all. Good common sense stuff.
However, We failed to consider the people factor. Perhaps season structures are more subjective than objective?
A message has been sent by this going back to Advisory.

Seems like today the concern has shifted to the front end and zones?

Under the rules of the CC is it possible to revisit and edit this proposed rule change to make it more pliable?

It would be nice if it could get extended a bit. I was walking along the shoreline of a pond Thursday night looking for beaver dens. I came up on some muskrat entrances that I sure would have liked to have been able to set. A week ago the ice was such that I couldn't even get in the water.

Class is open gentlemen, shift your paradigms

Well It looks to me that the trapper created open water. I want to be able to put the boat In and trap rats. Not run around On unsure Ice and chop or chain saw holes In the Ice.

Gary, then use the front end of the season! Great care was made to ensure ample time was provided across all zones for open water access on the front of the season.

I have said it before, but what is opportunity for some is a risk for the rest of us? What starts as your advantage, becomes a disadvantage. Can ensuring open water every year do this that we are trying to avoid?

You were/are missing out. If Wisconsin had a true open water spring season, sadly most would miss out on the tremendous opportunity late ice offers Stuck in the paradigm.

My buddy calls winter the separator season.

I'm sure it's been brought before but what happens if one asks for too much?

Now you sound like some Politician. What risk? And what are we trying to avoid?


It seems that all this posturing Is about saving the threatened Rat population. If you aren't smart enough to start and finish when the fur Is trappable you shouldn't be In the marsh.
This last week the ice on my marsh was so honeycombed that you couldn't get on It and 2 weeks before that you would out using the chain saw or the spud to trap rats. And that Isn't cutting It for the younger generation and us old guys. That may be just fine for you guys with a size 44 shirt and a size 3 hat but that isn't going to cut It for the rest of us.

And 49er wears a size 50 shirt and I'm not to sure about his hat size, LOL

I'm going to start next week on my ADC rat work and I'm betting that those rats will be the best rats of the year.

"Now you sound like some Politician."

"And that Isn't cutting It for the younger generation and us old guys."

It's for the children and people on fixed income.

Gary, not every spring is like this one . Our beaver season closes may 12. It's entirely possible there are areas won't see ice out, next year we may see an April 10th ice out. You take the bad with the good.

WHT you are trying to avoid is not building consensus, of course I sound like a politician let's face it that's how the process works. I think I could push a 2 or three week extension on rats here in MN I ask for six I'll get laughed out of the building. Politics

LMFAO.

Boat?



We just wanted access to better rats before the weight loss.

Beav I agree it can be a very difficult period for mobility within the marsh. Every year is different. I am sure that there was a window of great opportunity between your close and that honeycomb stage you experienced.