Sheboygan County added to Deer Baiting Ban - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
09/22/03
Sheboygan County will be added to the list of counties affected by a ban on baiting and feeding of deer, wildlife officials announced today. This brings the number of counties included in the ban to 23.
An emergency rule approved by the Natural Resources Board on Sept. 8 placed a ban on baiting and feeding of deer as part of the state’s efforts to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) and bovine tuberculosis (TB). The ban affects counties that are part of CWD control zones and counties within 10 miles of an animal found positive for CWD or TB.
The county was added when it was learned that the location of a Manitowoc County wildlife farm where a CWD-positive animal was found was not accurately described by the farm’s mailing address. A wildlife biologist working on the ground at the farm site confirmed that a ten-mile radius extending from the farm does dip into Sheboygan County thereby including the county in the baiting and feeding ban.
This finding does not change the inclusion of Manitowoc or neighboring Calumet County in the original ban listing. Wildlife officials stress that this is not a new case of CWD and this action is based on the exact location of a previously known case of CWD in a captive herd.
"The counties identified in the emergency rule are known areas of risk for either chronic wasting disease or bovine tuberculosis because the diseases have been found there," said Tom Hauge, director of the DNR Bureau of Wildlife Management. "Also included are counties within a 10-mile radius of a captive or free-roaming domestic or wild animal that has been confirmed to have CWD or TB since Jan. 1, 1998. We should have included Sheboygan County on the list and simply missed it. It is within 10 miles of a CWD-positive animal that was found in Manitowoc County. The baiting and feeding ban will apply to Sheboygan County by this coming weekend."
Scott Hassett, DNR Secretary, is expected to sign a secretary’s order today and upon publication of the order the ban will be in effect. The expiration date for the ban will be the same as for those counties named on Sept. 8.
