A bill to establish an open season for raccoon hunting in Wisconsin gets a thumbs down from sporting groups.
Representative Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) is a member of the Assembly’s sportsmen’s caucus and the bill’s author.
“Right now there’s a two week differential in the issuance of raccoon hunting licenses from in-state to out-of-state,” Kleefisch said. His bill would allow those licenses to be issued at the same time, eliminating “red tape” for out-of-state hunters.
“We’re going to get a lot of people from Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, coming up here into Wisconsin for three weeks before their seasons upon up for non-residents,” said Patrick Quaintance is with the Wisconsin Association of Sporting Dogs. “That’s the problem I have with this bill. I think we should leave it as it is.”
Also testifying against the bill, the Wisconsin Trappers Association and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.