Wildlife Damage Abatement & Claims Program

The Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (WDACP) was implemented in Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas and Iron Counties in 1987. The program functions as a 4-County service based out of Ashland County. Other costs for claims, abatement materials, and bear trapping contracts are reimbursed directly to the county.

 

The WDACP aims to reduce the damage to commercial agricultural crops caused from:

• deer, elk, bear, geese, turkey

 

Techniques used to abate damage include: modifying agricultural practices, repellents and scare devices, live trapping and relocation of bear, temporary or permanent fences, control with managed hunting

 

WDACP also supports an annual deer donation program. If abatement measures are insufficient to reduce damage, qualified participants may file a claim for reimbursement of crop/livestock losses. Damage has included: corn, sunflowers, soybeans, stored forage (alfalfa, clover, etc.), apples, cherries, plums, strawberries, blueberries, vegetables, flowers, honey, nursery stock, livestock

 

 

o learn more about the program visit the DNR site here.