Paul DeMain
HELP is available 24/7 in the Penokee Mountains. Iron County attempted to criminalize treaty harvesters by claiming we are violating the 14 Day County Camping Ordinance. My 1st offer to them was for them to change their language so as to decriminalize us, and differentiate Treaty Harvesters from Recreational Camping, hence the attempt to lose the word "camp" and "camping." We are not camping within their definition, and by any means within anything previously defined by treaty harvesting activities. There is no camping provision within either the Treaty, or within any of the agreements/MOUs with the federal or state government as Indians didn't camp in the woods, we lived there - hmmm, if you remember, the northern 3rd of WI.
It does not bother me that people still use the term, as I often catch myself using it as well, It was a very understandable term in its basic concept. However, the Scientific Investigation Permit issued for the LCO Harvest Education Learning Project, and pursuant to Section 3.07 of the Tribes Treaty Off-Reservation Conservation Code is a well thought out 10 page document providing the basis for our presence in the Penokees.
I look forward to Atty. Mike Poppe and Iron County arguing that they believe the 14 day "camping" provision caps a Federal Treaty ratified by the US Senate because they saw in another document that some other county used that number rather then 13 or 15 days. I think that is a winner when you relate that to the public health and safety concerns that led to the use of the number 14. 14 protects the health and safety of the public, and is a very understandable number compared to "ricing season" or for example, "the sugar run" or other harvesting vs recreational concepts.