LAND RESOURCES > Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (WDACP) >
Wisconsin has a program that assists farmers when wildlife damage their agricultural crops. The Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (WDACP) provides damage prevention assistance and partial compensation to farmers when wild deer, bear, geese, and turkeys damage their agricultural crops. Wildlife managers issue agricultural damage shooting permits to farmers for removal of deer (and occasionally bear, geese, and turkeys) that cause damage.
Local Control
Each county administers the WDACP to provide local control and minimize costs. The WDNR only manages the program. The WDACP emphasizes wildlife damage prevention, but also offers partial compensation for damage caused by wild deer, bears, turkeys, and geese. Currently 70 of the 72 counties in Wisconsin participate in the WDACP. The only counties that currently do not participate in the program are Kenosha and Menominee.
USDA-Wildlife Services (USDA-WS) facilitates and helps administer the Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (WDACP) in many counties with consulation and oversight from with the Land and Water Conservation Committee and the county conservationist.
Program contact:
Jeremy Irish / Wildlife Specialist / USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services / Rhinelander District / PO Box 1064 / Rhinelander, WI 54501 / 1-(800)-228-1368* / (715)-369-5221 / *Toll free numbers only work within Wisconsin.
Funding
The WDACP is funded by a $2 surcharge on hunting licenses, and the sale of unit specific antlerless deer carcass tags valid in "Regular" deer management units ($12 each for resident and $20 each for nonresidents). Revenues from the sale of unit specific antlerless deer carcass tags can only be spent for county WDACP expenses (administration, damage prevention, and damage compensation). The WDNR cannot spend unit specific antlerless permit revenues for other management purposes.