The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) operates as the statutory bridge between citizen input and the Natural Resources Board (NRB). The 2026 Spring Hearing arrives as state conservation mandates collide with local infrastructure contraction. This process determines the boundary between administrative rulemaking and municipal land-use authority in the Northern Highland-American Legion (NHAL) State Forest.

The Voting Process
Participation follows a dual track. On April 13, residents meet in person at designated county locations to elect delegates. Simultaneously, a digital voting window opens at dnr.wisconsin.gov and remains active through April 15. These data points provide the official record that the NRB must consult when drafting rules for the region.

Ballot Focus: The Knowles-Nelson Fiscal Cliff
The Question: Should the legislature reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program for at least 10 years with a funding commitment of up to $1 billion?

The Reality: The program faces a hard expiration on June 30, 2026. On March 18, 2026, the State Senate adjourned without holding a vote on reauthorization, leaving the initiative in a funding lapse. While the Governor proposed a $1 billion reauthorization, Assembly Bill 612 seeks to reduce the land acquisition subprogram from $16 million to $3 million annually. This fiscal contraction creates a physical vulnerability in the regional land market. It allows commercial entities to outbid the state for shoreline parcels, potentially severing public access to these tracts permanently.

Ballot Focus: The Conservation Funding Deficit
The Question: Do you support increasing hunting, fishing, and trapping fees to account for the 66% inflation rate over the last 22 years?

The Reality: Most Wisconsin license fees have not increased since 2005. During this 22-year freeze, inflation has eroded the purchasing power of the Fish and Wildlife Account by 66%. Simultaneously, the number of resident gun deer hunters has declined from 610,000 to 580,000. Without a fee increase or a dedicated sales tax of 0.125% (similar to the Missouri model), the DNR predicts a permanent reduction in services, including fish and pheasant stocking and active habitat management on state properties.

Ballot Focus: Antlerless Elk Harvest Eligibility
The Question: Should the state remove the statutory requirement that a hunter can only be issued one antlerless elk license in their lifetime?

The Reality: Current Wisconsin law treats all elk tags as once-in-a-lifetime. As the Northern and Central Elk Management Zones reach population goals, the DNR is issuing more antlerless tags. However, hunters are currently hesitant to apply for cow tags because doing so permanently disqualifies them from ever drawing a bull tag. Removing this restriction for antlerless elk allows for a more flexible harvest management tool while preserving the once-in-a-lifetime status for trophy bulls.

Ballot Focus: CWD and the Sauk County Mineral Trial
The Question: Should the state permit a 5-year private research program to place mineral supplements on the landscape in Sauk County to test for CWD resistance?

The Reality: Sauk County currently reports a 33% infection rate among tested deer. This proposal represents a shift from passive monitoring to experimental intervention. Proponents argue that mineral deficiencies caused by modern agricultural herbicides leave deer susceptible to infectious prions. Critics point to the physical risk of creating artificial congregation points, which could inadvertently accelerate the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease through saliva and soil contamination.

Ballot Focus: Invasive Species Containment
The Question: Should the state implement a specific bag and possession limit for Round Goby in the Lake Winnebago system?

The Reality: The Round Goby is a highly aggressive invasive species that consumes the eggs of native walleye and lake sturgeon. In the Lake Winnebago system, where these fisheries drive a multi-million dollar local economy, an unmanaged goby population threatens the recruitment of future year-classes. Current "no-limit" status allows for accidental transport. The proposed rule mandates that any goby kept by an angler must be immediately decapitated or eviscerated. This physical requirement ensures the fish cannot survive in a bait bucket, effectively neutralizing the primary vector for human-aided spread into isolated inland lakes.

Ballot Focus: Accessible Hunting Infrastructure
The Question: Should the state permit the use of overnight blinds or stands on state lands south of Highway 64 for hunters with disabilities?

The Reality: Current state property rules require the daily removal of blinds and stands south of Highway 64. This proposal creates a physical exception for accessibility. By allowing semi-permanent infrastructure, the DNR aims to reduce the physical burden on hunters with mobility impairments, acknowledging that setting up and taking down equipment daily is a significant barrier to participation.

Regional Economics and Infrastructure
The WCC hearings occur as the Northern Highland Forest experiences an infrastructure contraction. In the Town of Little Rice, officials discontinued portions of Kelly Fire Lane and Gobler Lake Road in February 2026. The Oneida County Forestry Department closed these routes on March 12, 2026, to prevent damage during spring break-up. This abandonment signals a shift where municipalities can no longer sustain the tax revenue required to maintain rural roads serving primarily state and county forest lands.

Simultaneously, Assembly Bill 449 creates a state mandate requiring municipalities to permit at least one Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on residential parcels. While the bill allows for certain size restrictions, it limits the ability of local zoning boards to prevent these units from operating as short-term rentals. In lakefront districts, this mandate ignores the physical geology of sensitive shorelines, where increased density risks overloading aging septic systems and altering the residential tax base.