Starting very soon, Wisconsin will be offering a special deal to recipients of the Purple Heart.
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who receive wartime injuries. Combat wounded military veterans in Wisconsin will soon get a break on their outdoor sporting activities.
State Senator Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) says he worked with the Department of Natural Resources to offer these veterans the price break for hunting, fishing, and other activities. “This bill (SB-178) would allow a Purple Heart recipient to be able to purchase what used to be a Sportsman License for a cost of $10.00. There really are not all that many, and the Department (of Natural Resources) was supportive of doing this.”
Petrowski says the bill is now on Governor Scott Walker’s desk awaiting signature. He says they did rush it through the special Legislative session because they wanted it signed before November. “We were trying to make sure it got done so it would coincide to be ready for deer hunting season.”
This bill would provide a conservation patron license, which grants a number of hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, for a reduced cost of $10 per year for Wisconsin recipients of the Purple Heart medal. The current cost of that license is $165 for Wisconsin residents.
Approximately 1,900 Wisconsin residents are Purple Heart recipients.
This bill would also allow nonresident recipients of the Purple Heart to receive the various licenses at the lower resident rates.
Larry Lee, WSAU