County committee advances draft County Forest Use Ordinance to county board after requested clarifications

The Ashland County Forestry Committee voted to forward a draft County Forest Use Ordinance to the full county board after members identified multiple places where the language needs legal and editorial clarification.

Committee members said the draft—intended to codify rules on hunting blinds and tree stands, dispersed camping, motorized uses, and open-fire restrictions—largely reflects existing practice but contains phrasing that could be misread by the public or enforcement officers. Members asked corporate counsel to clarify the definition and calendar reference for “Wisconsin’s big game hunting season,” to require a placement date for tree stands so removal timelines are enforceable, and to add explicit direction about proper disposal of camping waste.

Chris (forestry department representative) said corp counsel drafted the current version and staff will incorporate committee edits before it goes to the board. Committee members also recommended sharper language on hunter‑walking trails—specifying whether mountain bikes and ebikes are prohibited—and on open-fire rules during emergency burn restrictions to distinguish those restrictions from routine red-flag advisories.

The committee debated whether to approve the draft “as is” subject to counsel edits or to reconvene for another committee review. Ultimately members voted to forward the ordinance to the county board conditioned on the suggested legal clarifications and agreed to review any counsel revisions if necessary before the board meeting.

The committee emphasized the importance of finalizing clear language before the fall hunting season to reduce confusion for visitors and enforcement staff. The ordinance will be returned to the county board for consideration once the corporate-counsel revisions are incorporated.