My brother's testimony before the Wisconsin DNR.

You can reference the previous blog post for background information on my brother's testimony. I could not have written a better speech.

The Brotherhood of the Arrow
A fraternity of archers bound by the legacy of Kenny Koepsel

We, The Brotherhood of the Arrow, stand opposed to the amendment of Section 9 Chapter 29.08 and the creation of Section 10 Chapter 29.08 of ACT 168. We hope that the addition of this amendment to AB 311, after the public session of AB 311, was simply an oversight on the part of our trusted Representatives and not intentional. We feel that the policy of "closed till open" has worked and forcing the DNR and the NRB to accommodate this new policy of "opened till closed" was not a wise decision. After all, 36 of 54 State Parks already have some hunting as a result of the "closed till open" policy under the recommendation of those qualified to do so. Many, if not all, with little public opposition. Now, by treating the parks as a whole instead of individually, the law has created an issue between hunters and non-hunters. An issue that could have been avoided by sticking with the old policy. If it was the intention of legislatures, as some have publicly stated, to create more opportunity for small game and waterfowl hunting, we wish they would have done so under the old law to avoid public outcry. If more deer hunting was wanted then this could have also been added with the input of the people that manage the parks on a daily basis. We are not opposed to hunting in state parks; we are just opposed to the way it was handled.

The Brotherhood of the Arrow is a fraternity of archers bonded by the legacy of Kenny Koepsel. It is upon his encouragement before his recent passing that we are here.

Buckhorn State Park is only open to archery deer hunting. It has been this way since its beginning. The park is a peninsula jutting out into the Castle Rock Flowage. At one point in the history of the peninsula before it became a State Park it is said that during the gun deer season the locals lined up on Hwy G and pushed the entire peninsula south to the flowage. The flowage was ice. The ensuing carnage that occurred is believed to be the main reason why the park was open to archery only. The Wisconsin Bowhunters Association also lobbied for an archery only season and I suspect that Necedah being at one time The Bowhunting Capital of the World played a part in it.

The park grew immensely after Joe Stecker- Kochanski took over as park manager. Acquiring lands north and east of the original park boundaries, these lands were also set aside as archery only. Joe thought that since these power company lands were originally open to gun deer hunting it should stay that way. He didn't want to people to lose hunting areas. One year later he had it back open for gun hunting. The original park remained as archery deer only. Joe could have changed that, he didn't, probably for the same reason. It is a place for archers. Lands were also acquired north of the Buckhorn Bridge and became known as the Yellow River Wildlife Area. This area is open to archery deer, gun deer, small game, turkey and waterfowl hunting. Joe also had the park opened to a limited number of turkey permits and the Buckhorn Wildlife Area offers archery, small game and waterfowl hunting.

We feel that gun deer hunting would destroy the quality archery deer hunt that has existed at the Buckhorn for 40 years. We fear that history would repeat itself if guns are allowed back on the peninsula to hunt deer. Bowhunters have kept deer numbers in check throughout the years along with the Learn To Hunt Weekend. Our plea to you is, in the spirit of tradition and the fact that there are few places unique to archery only, that the park remain as is. We ask that all state park areas in the original boundaries including the parcels west of 19th street and south of hwy G remain as archery deer only. Therefore the suggested season opening would not have to be October 15 and could remain the traditional September start. The point of Act 168 is to gain not to lose. Archers would lose 30 days of hunting in a park that has had no conflict of interest in 40 years. If small game and waterfowl hunting are to be permitted they could open October 15.

The wildlife areas along with the park areas West of Hwy G and North of 31st street currently offer 3831 acres of small game, waterfowl and trapping opportunities and 3390 acres of gun deer hunting. The addition of the 1200 acres West of Hwy G and North of 31st street would bring the total for small game and trapping to 5031 acres.

We hope you can see that the Buckhorn Peninsula already has ample hunting and trapping opportunities. Opportunities that exist without any implementation of the new Act 168. Opportunities that exist through the diligence of knowledgeable people that knew what was best for the park they managed.

Please consider continuing this great tradition of archery at Buckhorn State Park for the archers of today and those yet to be.

The Brotherhood of the Arrow.