UNDATED (WSAU-Wheeler News) Chippewa Indians in northern Wisconsin can start hunting for deer at night on November first. Federal Judge Barbara Crabb of Madison has approved rules for the special hunt. That was after a federal appeals court rejected the D-N-R’s request to prevent night-time shooting last year.
Tribes have long attempted to let them hunt at night in areas where the Chippewa have treaty rights to hunt-and-fish. The Indians took the matter to court a couple years ago. They say the state D-N-R opened the door to night-time hunting by allowing it for the first year of a statewide wolf hunt in 2012 — and the agency let sharp-shooters kill deer at night to try-and-reduce chronic wasting disease.
The D-N-R claimed the Indian deer hunt would be too dangerous, but the appellate judges didn’t agree. After Crabb’s ruling yesterday (Tuesday), the D-N-R says it’s disappointed — and it will inform the public about the night-time hunt to “minimize potential safety issues.”
The season will run until early January. Night hunting will not be allowed during the state’s general nine-day gun hunt around Thanksgiving.
