This past year rifles were allowed in another part of Shawano County that is south of Hwy 29 and west of Hwy J with no reported incidents. How about the rest of Shawano County south of Hwy 29? The Pennsylvania study proves that shotguns are really no safer than rifles and actually in some cases more dangerous. To get this going, here is what the process includes and thanks to Ron Kulas for outlining the process.
{Its a two year process that Waupaca county is undergoing right now. Because of the late date, it's actually a 3 year process for you.
1. In April of 2011, write a citizen resolution for the Conservation Congress spring hearing to allow rifles in Shawano county and make sure the resolution passes by having enough people present at the hearing who think like you.
2. If it passes at the hearing, the CC will advance it to a study group and if they think it has merit, they will advance it to the 2012 statewide hearing the CC side of the questionnaire. If it passes statewide. you move on to the DNR side of the questionnaire in 201
3. 2013, the DNR adds the question to the DNR side of the spring hearing questionnaire and it goes to the whole state again. If it passes, your one step closer.
4. If it passes, the DNR takes that info to the Natural Resources Board in May of 2013 and if they agree, it's a done deal for the fall of 2013. BUT along this 3 year journey that began with this thread, several things can happen.
1. it fails at your county hearing
2. If it passes the county hearing but fails with the CC study group.
3. If it passes the CC study group but fails to be supported by the DNR and they don't advance it to the DNR side of the questionnaire.
4. It makes it DNR side of the 2013 questionnaire but does not pass statewide.
5. If it passes statewide on the DNR side of the questinnaire but the NRB votes it down.
Its is a long journey and it's filled with personalities at every step of the way. One person in any of these policy making entities can rain on your parade and send to back to square one and you plan moves back to 2014. Are you up for it??? Nothing really meaningful will happen on an internet chat room. Good luck. Lets us know in 2013, how it went.
This started back in 2009 for waupaca county. In 2011, rifles will be allowed there.}
****Received this from a Shawano County Hunter/Instructor****
In case anyone is interested in reading the Pennsylvania study:
http://6fbd21e64bc817fd097aa54148bd3dab37bc10ee.gripelements.com/documents/AFWA_Presentation_9-18-07.pdf I am a WDNR Hunter Safety Instructor, so we have to point to this scientific study often
when this topic arises. As a hunter, hunting in the shotgun only portion of Shawano County,
I am here to tell you that I have seen this "study" in practice. A number of years ago the
local farm gang was driving and deer ran across the plowed field between our cabin, and
the hunters. At about 500 yards from the cabin, the farm boys opened up, with Fosters slugs, and
smooth bore shotguns. My father standing outside the cabin, watching the circus, was diving under his
truck, as the reflected slugs were piling into the hard maple trees around our cabin. When confronted,
the farm boys had to be shown the fresh slug holes in the hard maples before they would believe
that 12 slugs could travel that far after hitting dirt in the plowed field. A rifle bullet would have
destabilized, and lost energy much faster. So safety wise, there is NO proof that shotguns are
safer, and if you read this study, you could come to the conclusion that in the majority of hunting
scenarios, the shotgun is more dangerous.
Now limiting the EFFECTIVE range of deer hunting weapons is a different issue.
A fully rifled shotgun, shooting an all copper sabot slug has the effective range
of the old standard 30-30 Win. deer rifle, as does the modern magnum black powder rifle. And not
to mention that the WI handgun rules open this effective range more. I have a 308 Win. chambered
bolt action pistol, with a 2-7x scope on it, and it is legal in WI "shotgun only" zones. So just strap
a butt stock on the thing, and it will look more like my 308 BAR. One is legal below HWY 29, and
one is not. This shows how stupid these laws have become.
So if the goal is to limit effective range, then to be honest about it, limitations to shotguns,
and muzzleloaders, need to be added. Only smooth bore shotguns, and non-magnum muzzleloaders,
ought to be in the rules.
Back on the topic of firearms restrictions, I am for the simplest rule. You choose. In firearms season, have
a minimum handgun, shotgun, and rifle restriction, and let the hunter choose which works best for them. It
sure would simplify enforcement, too.
Don't get me started on limiting firearms ranges, for management purposes...The justifications remind me of
a pile of deer droppings. There are many in a pile, and they are only good for fertilizer.
