Local legislators are among 21 from Wisconsin’s Northwoods who’ve sent a letter to Governor Tony Evers over what they feel are sudden and dangerous actions by the Wisconsin DNR. They say the agency has begun instructing snowmobile clubs to remove signage for private establishments along ATV/UTV and snowmobile routes throughout the state. These signs allegedly have been along the routes for decades and the lawmakers call them emblematic of a public-private relationship and the foundation of tourism for the region. While the DNR is said to simply be following state law which prohibits business advertisements on state land, Representative Jeff Mursau and others who penned the letter say they “find it perplexing that the DNR is choosing now- mid-pandemic…to revise their approach to a 56 year old rule.”

More importantly, the letter states, the signs are a matter of safety, as they’re relied upon as markers in the case that anyone is separated from a snowmobile party, or in the case of emergency to direct emergency responders. Mursau says they’ve not yet received any response from the DNR on the matter.