In June of this year, Armed Wisconsin anglers can now breathe a sigh of relief and carry firearms while fishing without fear of fines.
In June of this year, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) repealed a decades-old rule that prohibited the possession of firearms on state waterways. This decision, effective immediately, marks a significant victory for gun rights advocates and fishing enthusiasts across the state.
The repeal stems from a lawsuit filed by the conservative law group, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), on behalf of Travis Kobs, a resident of Sheboygan Falls. The lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of the rule, arguing that it infringed on the rights of Wisconsinites under the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms.
Historically, the rule was intended to prevent the illegal shooting of fish—a practice that has long been outlawed. However, the rule had been in direct conflict with the state’s concealed carry law enacted in 2011. This conflict prompted a reevaluation of the rule’s relevance and legality.
The Republican-controlled Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules acted on the DNR’s request and temporarily nixed the rule on December 17, 2024, with plans for a permanent repeal. The committee voted 8-2 in favor of repealing the firearm ban for anglers, despite opposition from some who cited concerns over increasing gun presence in public spaces following recent violent incidents.
The committee’s decision reflects a broader shift in recognizing the rights of law-abiding citizens to carry firearms in traditional settings like the great outdoors, which historically have not been considered sensitive places where firearms might be restricted.
Skylar Croy, Associate Counsel for WILL, highlighted that the rule’s repeal honors a long tradition of firearm possession in outdoor activities and corrects an overreach that unnecessarily restricted the rights of citizens. “This rule was not just an infringement on our Second Amendment rights but also on our state constitution’s guarantee to fish and hunt,” Croy stated.
As a result of the legal pressure and subsequent repeal, Travis Kobs and other sportsmen can now legally carry firearms while engaging in fishing and other recreational activities on Wisconsin’s waterways. This change not only restores constitutional rights but also aligns state law with practical realities of outdoor sports and personal protection.
The success of this legal challenge underscores the importance of vigilant advocacy to ensure that regulations do not overstep constitutional boundaries. Wisconsin’s fishing and outdoor community, backed by legal advocacy, has set a precedent that could influence future discussions and policies regarding firearm rights in other states.
As the DNR works to officially remove the outdated regulation from the books, the fishing community celebrates a return to a more traditional understanding of fishing rights—one that recognizes the importance of self-defense and the responsible exercise of Second Amendment rights.
usually people go fishing in areas that are not easy to describe to police. A firearm can be very handy when help is too far away. That is one reason Smith & Wesson marketed the kit gun for many decades. A 22lr can be used against snakes, rabid animals and even change the mind of a two legged predator.
This is progress. We can’t just focus on federal laws, we must also pay close attention to what the states, and counties and cities are doing too.
If the anti gun nuts play at all levels of government, then we must as well.
I remember when they passed this rule. My dad had just bought a Iver-Johnson 9 shot .22 for muskie fishing. Boy was he pissed, he didn’t like wasting money. I learned to shoot with that revolver and took many a squirrel with it. About time they revoked it.
“…despite opposition from some who cited concerns over increasing gun presence in public spaces following recent violent incidents.”
I’ll give you three guesses as to which political party these individuals belong to.
What a stupid ass rule. That was as bad as Oregones you have to have a license to be armed in the woods during hunting season. BS, I have a right to carry any day, any time, any where and my CCW or the 2nd doesn’t make it that way. Maybe the new rule if it gets signed that all National Forests and BLM lands are required to have a shooting range might fix that. Oh, it’s hunting season and you have a gun and no hunting license, that’s against the law BOY!!!! I’m sorry sir, I am taking the… Read more »
At first I was having trouble figuring what a Wisconsin Do Not Resuscitate rule had to do with guns and fishing.
Illegal to shoot a fish??? Do they have sharks in Wi?
Wiskonsin is as a special place a kalifornia and kolorado