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Wildlife Damage and Abatement Program
The Wildlife Damage Program (WDP)
provides assistance to producers for crop damage caused by bear, deer, geese,
and turkey. The program is administered by the Land Conservation Department
for the DNR. The LCD works with the DNR and APHIS to implement abatement
practices that will reduce the amount of damage sustained by the producers.
Abatement practices include the use of temporary fencing, trapping, and
shooting permits where needed. All program costs are reimbursed by the DNR,
with monies generated by a $1.00 surcharge on hunting licenses and the sale
of bonus deer permits.
In 2000, there were 17 claims made for crop damage that resulted in $48,768
in reimbursement to the landowners. The number of claims for deer damage was
10 and for bear damage 6 claims were filed. One turkey damage claim was filed
and no goose damage was reported. Thirteen claims on agricultural crops
resulted in claims of $26,289.46, with the average claim being $2,022. The
remainder of claims were for damage sustained by four Christmas tree
producers which amounted to $22,479.17, with the average claim being $5,620.
Technical assistance for 2000 involved investigating 35 reports of wildlife
damage. These reports resulted in the placement of 25 exclosure cages, and
issuing shooting permits for deer on three farms and for bear on one farm. No
temporary fences were erected in 2000. The LCD staff compiled a total of
620.5 hours of administering various aspects of the Wildlife Damage Program.
Hunters Against Hunger
A new program implemented in 2000 by the Wildlife Damage Program was the
Hunters Against Hunger program. Implemented as another means to reduce the
record deer herd, hunters were given multiple antlerless deer tags and
offered free processing for deer donated to charity. This program covered the
processing costs of butchering deer that were donated to the needy. The State
turned to the Counties to develop and implement this program at the local
level. Price County had an excellent program that included a quality
marketing and advertising plan, production of a cookbook, bumper stickers,
posters, and brochures developed by LCD and UWEX staff, a functioning
distribution system, administrative oversight, and building a network of
cooperating agencies and people. Price County LCD developed and implemented
one of the best and most efficient programs in the State.
The Price County program used three processors to butcher 185 deer, yielding
6,475 lbs. of meat. The meat was distributed to needy people through seven
agencies, in three different counties. The total staff time dedicated to this
program was 59 hours. All costs associated with this program were reimbursed
by the State. >>Back to
Programs
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