Skip to content
Bills from the 2021–22 session

Senate Bill 54

Shot shell restrictions and the hunting of fur-bearing animals

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 29, 2021. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 28, 2021

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2021

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Mar 17, 2021

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2021 Wisconsin Act 16

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 29, 2021: “Published 3-27-2021”

Read the bill

Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.

What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill prohibits the Department of Natural Resources from limiting the use of shot shells based on shot size for the hunting of fur-bearing animals, which current law defines to include otter, beaver, mink, muskrat, woodchuck, marten, fisher, skunk, raccoon, fox, weasel, opossum, badger, wolf, coyote, bobcat, cougar, and lynx.

Under current law, DNR is required to regulate the hunting, fishing, and trapping of wild animals. In general, a person may hunt, fish, or trap a wild animal only during the open season for that animal and only with the appropriate approval issued by DNR. However, current law provides that a landowner or occupant may hunt or trap beaver, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, woodchucks, rabbits, and squirrels (commonly referred to as nuisance wildlife) on the land at any time and without a DNR approval.

Read the full summary

Under current rules promulgated by DNR, no person while hunting may use, possess, or have under the person's control shot shells containing shot larger than T. Under the bill, DNR may not limit the use, possession, or control of shot shells on the basis of the size of the contained shot for the hunting of a fur-bearing animal during an open season established for that animal by the department or for the hunting of nuisance wildlife as provided under current law.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its ⁠. All 4 are Republicans.

14 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 18 names

Authors (4)

Signed on in support (14)

How lawmakers voted

There was one vote on this bill.

Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 9, 2021

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Sporting Heritage, Small Business and Rural Issues, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 29, 2021

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 29, 2021

    The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 16.

  3. Mar 25, 2021

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 17, 2021

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Mar 11, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 16, 2021

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Feb 16, 2021

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Feb 11, 2021

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  9. Feb 9, 2021

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  10. Feb 2, 2021

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  11. Feb 2, 2021

    The committee held a public hearing.

  12. Jan 29, 2021 to Feb 1, 2021

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  13. Jan 28, 2021

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Small Business and Rural Issues.

  14. Jan 28, 2021

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 28, 2021 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Stafsholt, Petrowski, Cowles and Felzkowski; cosponsored by Representatives Callahan, Magnafici, Horlacher, Rozar, Edming, Spiros, Tittl, Kurtz, VanderMeer and Skowronski

  2. Jan 28, 2021 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage, Small Business and Rural Issues

  3. Jan 29, 2021 · Senate

    Representative Moses added as a cosponsor

  4. Feb 1, 2021 · Senate

    Senator Nass added as a coauthor

  5. Feb 2, 2021 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Feb 2, 2021 · Senate

    Representative Brooks added as a cosponsor

  7. Feb 8, 2021 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  8. Feb 9, 2021 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Sporting Heritage, Small Business and Rural Issues, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  9. Feb 9, 2021 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  10. Feb 11, 2021 · Senate

    Representative Wichgers added as a cosponsor

  11. Feb 12, 2021 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-16-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  12. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Read a second time

  13. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  14. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  15. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  16. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  17. Feb 16, 2021 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  18. Mar 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  19. Mar 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 3-17-2021 by Committee on Rules

  20. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  21. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  22. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  23. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  24. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  25. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  26. Mar 17, 2021 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  27. Mar 24, 2021 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  28. Mar 25, 2021 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 3-25-2021

  29. Mar 29, 2021 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-26-2021. 2021 Wisconsin Act 16

  30. Mar 29, 2021 · Senate

    Published 3-27-2021

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary