Urgent: By Dec. 10th, Please Send Your Comment to WDNR - Opposing Hunting in Lapham Peak State Park.

Amy Mueller

Hello Friends, I need to call in a personal favor! And it's time-sensitive and means a lot to me...

Please consider sending a quick email to the WDNR before Monday, Dec. 11 opposing hunting in Lapham Peak State Park.

I know it's a busy time of year, so I really appreciate it. 

Quick Background: One of my very favorite places to hike and recharge is Lapham Peak State Park. It has always been closed to all hunting and trapping. The DNR has surprisingly proposed opening up the park to hunting with little reason. 

This is a BAD idea given the heavy year-round use by silent sport enthusiasts, visitor safety concerns for humans, dogs, and horses, limited property size available for hunting, and proximity to residential areas. 

Please take 1 minute and send an email with your comment to:

DNRFWPPRGuidance@wisconsin.gov

Subject: Oppose ALL Hunting in Lapham Peak State Park 

Here is a suggested email and talking points below that you can use as guidance, to be adapted or edited as you see fit! Be sure to include your name & address! 

Hello, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Attn: Brigit Brown, 

I oppose the proposed rule change that would allow bow hunting anywhere in Lapham Peak State Park for all of the following reasons: 

• The Friends of Lapham Peak State Park group opposes this proposed change that would allow hunting in the park.
  
• The random patchwork of land that the DNR is recommending being open to archery is not realistic for even the most ethical hunter to stay within. Hunters most certainly will be tracking and retrieving wounded animals all over the entire State Park and neighboring private properties. This creates conflict, confusion, and reason for concern.
  
• The small staff of the park currently would not be able to reasonably enforce or address the safety concerns of visitors. The DNR would need to add additional staff and Conservation Wardens.
  
• The areas suggested for hunting (Homestead Hollow, Tower, & the Westside Prairie) are too close to incredibly popular hiking trails used by families and dog owners as well as cross-country ski trails during the busiest time of year. This goes against all logic for safety. 
  
• The horse trails on the Prairie Path pose a particularly dangerous risk for trail riders. Just in 2020, a horse in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest was shot by a bowhunter while under saddle on the trail with a group of several riders. 
  
• This regulation is wide open for “archery for all animals” for the entire archery season that runs from September to February. This is far too long of a time that would impact the visitor experience for all recreational users for almost half the year.  Especially, after significant efforts and investments have been made to make the Lapham Peak a winter destination for all of Southern WI with the snow-making and the future Lapham Lodge. 

Thank you for consideration, Name/Address 

*

Amy Mueller (she/her), Wildlife Advocate & Wisconsin Master Naturalist, Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter

Town of Ottawa, WI – traditional homeland of the Potawatomi people

(414) 852-3977 / amymueller10@gmail.com