10-9-13 rifle hunt debate

Fond du Lac County residents are debating whether rifles should be allowed during the upcoming gun-deer hunt.  The Fond du lac Public Safety Committee discussed the matter at their meeting Tuesday night and decided to leave the question up to the individual townships.  The DNR announced last month that rifles will be allowed during the gun deer seasons beginning November 1^st.   Some municipalities have enacted rules prohibiting rifles for deer hunting.  Many hunters in attendance spoke in favor of allowing rifles.  A couple of hunters said "its the person not the weapon and another said rifles are "just as accurate if not more than shotguns."

Town of Rosendale resident Bryan Johannes is a deer hunter…but is against using rifles.  "Fond du Lac County has been shotgun for an awful long time with no problems and I think people are used to that,'  Johannes said.  "They can have their opinion, but I think whenever you are going to err, you should err on the side of safety."   State DNR conservation warden Todd Schaller says 53 counties allow rifle hunting for deer…19 do not.