Update To Wisconsin Access Rights For Hunters

In my previous post I talked about how Wisconsin regulates access by hunters to private land. While writing the post, I wondered whether these rules would also apply to wild pigs, since pigs were not mentioned in the material from the State of Wisconsin.

My e-mail to the Bureau of Wildlife Management brought this reply from the wildlife specialist in charge:

“The Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (WDACP) does not provide damage abatement assistance or partial compensation for feral pig damage. The WDACP only provides damage abatement assistance and partial compensation for damages to agricultural crops by deer, elk, bear, turkey, and geese. The eligible species are listed in Wisconsin State Statute.

Fortunately for Wisconsin, we don't have a huge population of feral pigs maybe 75 - 100 statewide and for the most part landowners have been willing to allow hunters on their property to hunt feral pigs.”

Though wild pigs are not specifically covered by the damage abatement program, the access regulations for hunting other species on private land give ample opportunity to access private land easily and to harvest wild boar in the process.

'Managed Access' Wisconsin style to private land for hunting remains a feasible solution to the access problems hunters encounter here in California and elsewhere.

Next I will look into the question of who actually owns game living on someone's property. I suspect that there is a vexing problem with conflicting rights to be unveiled.

PJJ