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WCC Information Sheet from Amy Sprecher (April 9, 2014)

Title: Albino and White Deer – New Legal Definition

The Problem: Conservation wardens are having illegally shot white deer cases dismissed because judges feel the legal definition of white deer is too vague.

Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 10.02(3) Protected wild animals describes protected deer as “Albino or white deer which are white except for the hooves, tarsal glands, head or parts of the head.”

According to the DNR Administrative Warden, the Department interprets this to mean “if a white deer has a small patch of brown hair–outside of the head, hooves, or tarsal glands–they may be harvested”.

White deer are being shot because their coats are just dirty (i.e., mud, stains) – which was the case with several recent illegally shot deer.

Resolution: Be it resolved that the Conservation Congress at its annual meeting held in Sauk County on April 14, 2014, recommends that the Conservation Congress work with the Department to take action to correct this problem by introducing rule changes as follows:

Change the legislative definition of albino and white deer to read: “…if the natural coat hair coming from the deer’s skin is white over 75% or more of its body, the deer is protected.”

Iowa Definition – 1987 Iowa Code 481A.124 defines white deer as “predominantly white” (more than fifty percent). According to the DNR Legislative Liaison, Iowa has not had issues with hunters understanding this definition.

Illinois Definition – 520ILCS5/2.24 states, “totally white” deer are protected. The DNR Duty Officer stated it is unenforceable – deer get dirty, judges say they aren’t totally white.

Please Help The State Keep Their Hidden Treasure
The White and Albino Deer

A Natural Resources Board Member has placed Question 35 on the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing ballot:

35. Would you favor legalizing the harvest of white and albino deer statewide?

The following comment precedes the question:

Albino, white and piebald deer have a recessive genetic mutation that causes a total absence (in the case of albinos) or lack of (in white and piebald deer) body pigment. Albino deer are completely white with eyes, nose and other soft parts being pink. White deer are deer that are white except for the hooves, tarsal glands, head or parts of the head, and their hooves, eyes and nose are dark. Piebald deer have varying amounts of brown fur beyond what is present in white deer and they too have dark eyes, nose, and hooves.

In the wild, white fur and markings place these animals at a selective disadvantage because they lack the typical protective coloration and are more visible, making them more susceptible to predators. These animals often have other recessive traits and physical maladies such as poor eyesight in albinos, because of their pink eyes. These recessive genetic conditions are quite rare (estimated at less than one percent under natural conditions) and the phenomenon is often localized in a specific area. From a strictly biological perspective, there is no reason to protect white deer. It is currently illegal to harvest albino or white deer in Wisconsin outside of the CWD zones. At the January meeting of the Natural Resources Board, the Board took action to reinstate protection of white deer in the CWD zones. This change will be in effect for the 2014 deer hunting season, so in 2014 it will be illegal to harvest white and albino deer statewide. Piebald deer are not protected.

By no means are these animals defective as this statement leads you to believe – a lack of melanin in a color coat gene is the only difference. They are strong and healthy and have lived up to 13 years in Buffalo, Sauk, and Vilas counties.

Question 40 we presented at the WCC hearings in 2013 in Sauk County asking to restore the white and albino deer protection in the chronic wasting disease areas. We had also taken another approach working with our State Representative Fred Clark – he contacted DNR Secretary Stepp to consider their protection through the Deer Trustee Report. This resulted in the NRB’s restoring protection at the January 22, 2014 Board meeting. This question still remains on the ballot – please vote YES:

40. Do you support extending protection of white deer to the CWD zone?

A Little Background

–The protection law for these magnificent creatures has been in place since 1940.

–The rarity of these animals is 1 in 20,000 – the estimated deer population is 1.5 to 1.8 million deer – approximately 75-100 white and albino deer reside in WI.

–These animals have significant economic impact on our state – especially in the Boulder Junction, Vilas county area. Everyday someone stops in or calls the Chamber to inquire about them. 14 million people have viewed the website video of the albino deer in the Boulder Junction area that aired on PBS’ On Wisconsin TV show – the potential economic impact from these viewers is huge. If just one percent of those people came to our state and spent $1000 that would bring 14 million dollars into the state. If ten percent spent the same amount that would bring in 140 million dollars!

–Question 40 is both a hunter and nonhunter supported effort and was initiated by a Sauk county hunter who could no longer stand by and watch anymore be killed.

–See our website www.protectthewhitedeer.com for more information, videos, photos and to sign our petition.

What You Can Do

1.  Attend the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing on Monday, April 14^th in all 72 counties. Registration begins at 6:30 PM. All of the county locations are listed at the end for your convenience. Bring a number 2 pencil to complete the ballot. You can download the complete ballot and prepare your answers (you’ll still have to fill out the official ballot) prior to the meeting by going to:

http://dnr.wi.gov/About/WCC/Documents/spring_hearing/2014/2014SpringQuestionnaire.pdf

Vote NO to question 35 and vote YES to question 40

2.  If you cannot attend, since this is a NRB question, comments can be written to Mr. Scott Loomans, Bureau of Wildlife Management, via U.S. mail, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 or email him Scott.Loomans@Wisconsin.gov. Written comments must be postmarked by April 14, 2014. Comments will not be counted as a vote but will be summarized for the NRB members.

Even if you are attending the hearing please send a comment – they need to know how you feel.

3.  Send this to everyone you know so we can get statewide support at the meetings and comments to the NRB.

4.  Place this document at businesses around your area.

5.  Sign the petition on our website www.protectthewhitedeer.com.

6.  Plan on attending the NRB May 28th meeting in Green Bay when the Board will be reviewing the results and comments for Question 35. If you plan to attend please let us know by going to www.protectthewhitedeer.com and click on the “contact us” page. You will need to register to speak to the Board by emailing or calling:

Laurie J. Ross, Board Liaison Office of the Secretary
Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov
608-267-7420

Thank You For Helping Protect the State’s Hidden Treasure

DNR Spring Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress County Meeting Locations

Adams Adams County Courthouse County Board Room, 400 Main Street, Friendship, WI 53934

Ashland Ashland County Court House 3rd Floor Court Room, 201 Main Street West, Ashland, WI 54806

Barron Barron County Government Center Auditorium, 335 E Monroe Avenue, Barron, WI 54812

Bayfield Drummond Civic Center, 52540 Front Avenue, Drummond, WI 54832

Brown NWTC Corporate Conference Center Room CC210, 2740 W Mason Street, Green Bay, WI 54307

Buffalo Alma High School Gymnasium, S1618 State Road 35, Alma, WI 54610

Burnett Burnett County Government Center Room 165, 7410 County Road K, Siren, WI 54872

Calumet Calumet County Courthouse Room B025, 206 Court Street, Chilton, WI 53014

Chippewa Chippewa Falls Middle School, 750 Tropicana Boulevard, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

Clark Greenwood High School Cafetorium, 306 W Central Avenue, Greenwood, WI 54437

Columbia Poynette Village Hall, 106 S Main Street, Poynette, WI 53955

Crawford Prairie du Chien High School, 800 E Crawford Street, Prairie du Chien, WI 53821

Dane Middleton High School Performing Arts Center, 2100 Bristol Street, Middleton, WI 53562

Dodge Horicon Marsh International Education Center Lower Auditorium, N7725 STH 28, Horicon, WI 53032

Door Sturgeon Bay High School Commons, 1230 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

Douglas Solon Springs High School, 8993 E Baldwin Avenue, Solon Springs, WI 54873

Dunn Dunn County Fish and Game Club, 1600 Pine Avenue, Menomonie, WI 54751

Eau Claire CVTC Business Education Center Casper Room 103, 620 W Clairemont Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54701

Florence Florence Natural Resources Center, 5631 Forestry Drive, Florence, WI 54121

Fond du Lac Theisen Middle School, 525 E Pioneer Road, Fond du Lac, WI 54935

Forest Crandon High School, 9750 US Highway 8 West, Crandon, WI 54520

Grant Lancaster High School Auditorium, 806 E Elm Street, Lancaster, WI 53813

Green Monroe Middle School, 1510 13th Street, Monroe, WI 53566

Green Lake Green Lake High School Small Gymnasium, 612 Mill Street, Green Lake, WI 54941

Iowa Dodgeville High School Gymnasium, 912 Chapel Street, Dodgeville, WI 53533

Iron Mercer Community Center, 2648 W Margaret Street, Mercer, WI 54547

Jackson Black River Falls Middle School LGI Room, 1202 Pierce Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615

Jefferson Jefferson County Fair Park Activity Center, 503 N Jackson Avenue, Jefferson, WI 53549

Juneau Olson Middle School Auditorium, 508 Grayside Avenue, Mauston, WI 53958

Kenosha Bristol School District #1 Gymnasium, 20121 83rd Street, Bristol, WI 53104

Kewaunee Kewaunee High School Little Theater, 911 3rd Street, Kewaunee, WI 54216

La Crosse Onalaska High School Performing Arts Center, 700 Hilltopper Place, Onalaska, WI 54650

Lafayette Darlington Elementary School Large Group Room, 11630 Center Hill Road, Darlington, WI 53530 Langlade Antigo High School Volm Theater, 1900 10th Avenue, Antigo, WI 54409

Lincoln Merrill High School Auditorium, 1201 N Sales Street, Merrill, WI 54452

Manitowoc UW-Manitowoc Theatre, 705 Viebahn Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220

Marathon D.C. Everest Middle School Auditorium, 9302 Schofield Avenue, Weston, WI 54476

Marinette Wausaukee High School Auditorium, N11941 Highway 141, Wausaukee, WI 54177

Marquette Montello High School Community Room, 222 Forest Lane, Montello, WI 53949

Menominee Menominee County Courthouse, W3269 Courthouse Lane, Keshena, WI 54135

Milwaukee Nathan Hale High School Auditorium, 11601 W Lincoln Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227

Monroe Meadowview School Cafetorium, 1225 N Water Street, Sparta, WI 54656

Oconto Suring High School Cafeteria, 411 E Algoma Street, Suring, WI 54174

Oneida James William Middle School, 915 Acacia Lane, Rhinelander, WI 54501

Outagamie Riverview Middle School Auditorium, 101 Oak Street, Kaukauna, WI 54130

Ozaukee Webster Middle School Commons, W75 N624 Wauwatosa Road, Cedarburg, WI 53012

Pepin Pepin County Government Center County Board Room, 740 7th Avenue West, Durand, WI 54736

Pierce Ellsworth High School Auditorium, 323 Hillcrest Street, Ellsworth, WI 54011

Polk Unity High School Auditorium, 1908 State Hwy 46, Balsam Lake, WI 54810

Portage Ben Franklin Junior High School Auditorium, 2000 Polk Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481

Price Price County Courthouse Boardroom, 126 Cherry Street, Phillips, WI 54555

Racine Union Grove High School, 3433 S Colony Avenue, Union Grove, WI 53182

Richland Richland County Courthouse, 181 W Seminary Street, Richland Center, WI 53581

Rock Milton High School Auditorium, 114 W High Street, Milton, WI 53563

Rusk Ladysmith High School Auditorium, 1700 Edgewood Avenue East, Ladysmith, WI 54848

Saint Croix St. Croix Central High School Commons, 1751 Broadway Street, Hammond, WI 54015

Sauk UW-Baraboo Campus, Lecture Hall A-4, 1006 Connie Road, Baraboo, WI 53913

Sawyer Winter High School Auditorium, 6585 Grove Street, Winter, WI 54896

Shawano Shawano Middle School Room LGI, 1050 S Union Street, Shawano, WI 54166

Sheboygan Plymouth High School Auditorium, 125 Highland Avenue, Plymouth, WI 53073

Taylor Taylor County Multipurpose Meeting Room, Hwy 64/Hwy 13, Medford, WI 54451

Trempealeau Whitehall City Center Gymnasium, 18620 Hobson Street, Whitehall, WI 54773

Vernon Viroqua High School Commons, 100 Blackhawk Drive, Viroqua, WI 54665

Vilas St. Germain Elementary School Gymnasium, 8234 Hwy 70 West, St. Germain, WI 54558

Walworth Delavan-Darien High School LGR Room 124/125, 150 Cummings Street, Delavan, WI 53115

Washburn Spooner High School Auditorium, 801 County Highway A, Spooner, WI 54801

Washington Washington County Fair Park, 3000 Hwy PV, West Bend, WI 53095

Waukesha Waukesha Co. Tech. College, Richard Anderson Center, 800 Main Street, Pewaukee, WI 53072

Waupaca Waupaca High School Performing Arts Center, E2325 King Road, Waupaca, WI 54981

Waushara Waushara County Court House Board Room 265, 209 S Saint Marie Street, Wautoma, WI 54982

Winnebago Webster Stanley Middle School Auditorium, 915 Hazel Street, Oshkosh, WI 54901

Wood Pittsville School District Admin. Building Auditorium, 5459 Elementary Avenue, Pittsville, WI 54466