The public will have an opportunity to comment on proposed rules that regulate fishing, hunting, trapping and other outdoor recreation activities in Wisconsin by attending the 2008 Spring Wildlife and Fisheries Rules Hearings on Monday, April 14.

The hearings, held annually in every county of the state.

The Monroe County hearing is at the Sparta High School, Auditorium, 506 N. Black River St., in Sparta.

Sites for other area county hearings are:

u Juneau County - Olson Middle School, Auditorium, 508 Grayside Ave., Mauston.

u Jackson County - Black River Falls Middle School, LGI, 1202 Pierce St., Black River Falls.

u Vernon County - Viroqua High School, 100 Blackhawk Dr., Viroqua.

The hearings are combined with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress county meetings during which residents can introduce their solutions to natural resources related issues, as well as elect fellow county residents as delegates to represent them on the Conservation Congress.

All hearings begin at 7 p.m.

The Spring Rules Hearing agenda, questionnaire, meeting locations, and more information is available now for review on the Spring Rules Hearings pages of the Department of Natural Resources Web site.

At the hearings, citizens’ comments on proposed rules are recorded. Results of votes on proposed rule changes, along with written comments on proposed rules, are presented to the state Natural Resources Board to advise them on hunting and fishing matters only.

Some of the key wildlife rule changes proposed include extending the raccoon trapping and hunting seasons by 15 days to coincide with the closing of the coyote trapping and fox hunting and trapping seasons, establishing a new population goal for bobcats, and prohibiting paintball activity on DNR managed lands except when approved by the department.

Musky proposal

Fisheries management questions include extending the open season for musky from Nov. 30 to Dec. 31 in waters south of U.S. Highway 10 and modifying rules for anglers targeting flathead catfish tin the Winnebago system.

As a result of the 2007-09 state budget passed by the legislature, fisheries management is obligated to establish a catch-and-release season for musky in inland waters north of U.S. Highway 10, and require that anglers use barbless hooks while fishing for musky during that catch-and-release season.

The state Natural Resources Board has an advisory question on extending the fall turkey season. The question asks if the turkey season should be extended to include the Monday following the nine-day gun deer season through Dec. 31 in turkey management zones 1-5 for a period of two years. Zones 6 and 7 in northern Wisconsin would be excluded.