▁to ▁har vest ▁wal ley e ▁and ▁other ▁fish ▁using ▁traditional ▁methods ▁during ▁the ▁sp aw ning ▁season , ▁when ▁la kes ▁are ▁closed ▁to ▁state - lic ensed ▁ang lers . ▁ ▁Conf lict ▁By ▁late ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁of ▁the ▁spring ▁spe arf ishing ▁season , ▁residents ▁and ▁visitors ▁of ▁Park ▁F alls , ▁Wisconsin , ▁r al lied ▁at ▁But tern ut ▁Lake . ▁A ▁band ▁of ▁fish ers ▁were ▁led ▁by ▁Tom ▁Ma ul son , ▁a ▁former ▁judge ▁and ▁council ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Lac ▁du ▁Fl am be au ▁Band . ▁The ▁crowd ▁pressed ▁against ▁the ▁fish ers , ▁the ▁trib al ▁w ard ens , ▁and ▁the ▁few ▁state ▁game ▁w ard ens , ▁pushing ▁them ▁toward ▁the ▁water . ▁Local ▁police ▁decl ined ▁to ▁render ▁aid , ▁and ▁the ▁st ando ff ▁last ed ▁until ▁a ▁con voy ▁of ▁officers ▁was ▁brought ▁from ▁Super ior , ▁almost ▁ ▁distant . ▁They ▁made ▁their ▁way ▁through ▁the ▁crowd ▁to ▁rescue ▁the ▁fish ers ▁and ▁game ▁w ard ens . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁fish ing ▁season , ▁the ▁O j ib we ▁and ▁other ▁interested ▁groups ▁wonder ed ▁what ▁would ▁take ▁place . ▁Governor ▁Tommy ▁Thompson , ▁a ▁Republican , ▁mobil ized ▁the ▁state ' s ▁Division ▁of ▁Emer gency ▁Government ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁Tre aty ▁Rights ▁Task ▁Force . ▁He ▁ordered ▁them ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁peace . ▁ ▁D ress ed ▁in