Eventually, I came to see the public consultation process as a farce and an exercise in futility. I am now more than just disappointed with the staff and leadership of the Wisconsin DNR because they have taken Aldo Leopold’s wildlife management model, including true public engagement, and thrown it aside.
I’ve been involved in setting migratory bird seasons in Wisconsin for about 40 years, and I’ve seen the process erode to the point where it’s clear the DNR is completely willing to ignore public opinion — even the opinion of the Conservation Congress Migratory Committee, a legislatively recognized advisory group to the Natural Resources Board.