Your Wisconsin Outdoor Community

Spring truly arrived with last week’s Vernal equinox ushering in very warm temperatures and some strong winds and rain showers that opened up lakes across southern Wisconsin, started frogs calling, and had trees buds swelling and the first plants coming up in the southern part of the state. No areas of Wisconsin were reporting any snow cover yet this week, with the exception of some of the larger snow piles that haven’t melted.

Lakes and rivers in southern and central Wisconsin have opened. Some northern lakes still have 12 to 15 inches of ice but the upper layer has become soft and honeycombed and the overall ice conditions are generally unsafe and dangerous nearly bringing the ice fishing season to an end. Very few anglers have been venturing out as access onto the lakes has become difficult with open-water areas showing up along shorelines. Anglers on open waters in the south have been concentrating their efforts on the dark bottom bays that warm quickly. Crappies and bluegills are the main target. Northern pike are currently in the creeks and ditches spawning and walleye spawning won’t be far off.

Walleye and sucker runs have begun on some rivers, including the Menominee, Wolf and Fox, Rock and Crawfish. Dipnetters were having good success dipping suckers, carp and buffalo for smoking. The main channel and backwaters of the Mississippi River and most boat landings are free of ice and accessible. The Mississippi River stage topped out at 12 feet last week and slowly fell and was at 11.3 feet at Prairie du Chien early this week. Barge traffic is starting to show up on the Mississippi River. Anglers have been having sporadic success catching walleyes on wing dams and below dams, and catching northern pike, crappies and perch in area backwaters.

Green Bay is still partially frozen, but opening up rapidly. Sawyer Harbor has open water, but the mouth of the harbor was still locked by ice as of March 27. Along Lake Michigan, anglers fishing in the Manitowoc Sheboygan, Port Washington and Kenosha harbors had good catches of brown trout this week. Some brown and rainbow trout have been taken at the Milwaukee lakefront.

Water levels were ideal for steelheading on some Lake Michigan tributaries this week. The East and West Twin Rivers saw good runs of steelhead this past week. The Sheboygan and Pigeon rivers were producing some steelhead. Flows were still high on the Milwaukee River, but some steelhead have been taken out of the Menomonee River. On the Root River in Racine flows remain high, but the river is fishable. The Root River Steelhead Facility is open and approximately 240,000 Chambers Creek strain eggs have been taken so far.

Warm temperatures have accelerated bird migration across the state. Robins, meadowlarks, grackles, blackbirds, killdeer and other early migrants are now present statewide. Waterfowl migration is in full swing with many birders reporting the main push of Canada geese having already passed through. Red-shouldered hawks, winter wrens, hermit thrush, fox sparrow, kinglets, phoebes and other early woodland migrants are pushing through southern and central Wisconsin. Canada geese are pairing up and getting ready to nest. Whooping cranes have returned to Central Wisconsin at and near Necedah national refuge.

Chipmunks have come out of hibernation and are active around bird feeders. Black bears will soon begin to roam in search of food after there long winter rest. Don’t be the target of nuisance bears. Clean up your yard and consider bringing bird feeders and pet dishes in at night to reduce the temptation of bears to visit your home. Maple syrup gathering is continuing but with greatly reduced production reported due to the warm temperatures. Turkey season is just around the corner and it would be a good time to start scouting the area you plan to hunt. Turkeys continue to disperse and smaller groups are being found over broader areas.

Wood frogs, chorus frogs and spring peepers began their springtime chorus, garter snakes have been seen emerging from their hibernacula and mourning cloak butterflies were spotted this week at Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee.

A final reminder that current hunting and fishing licenses expire this Saturday, March 31. 2007-2008 licenses are on sale now at license outlets and service centers.



A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.

A new report is put on the line each week.




Statewide Birding Report
Warm temperatures have accelerated bird migration across the state. Robins, meadowlarks, grackles, blackbirds, killdeer and other early migrants are now present statewide. Waterfowl migration is in full swing with many birders reporting the main push of geese already passing through southern WI. Red-shouldered hawks, winter wrens, hermit thrush, fox sparrow, kinglets, phoebes and other early woodland migrants are pushing through southern and central Wisconsin. Rare birds seen include a barrow's goldeneye and black scoter in Ashland, a displaying lek of spruce grouse in Vilas County, harlequin ducks at Harrington Beach State Park and Sheboygan, and a Harris' sparrow in Racine. The main eagle push probably went through on south winds last week including golden eagles reported at various locations. Many birders are seeking out the young, wet shrubby habitat to watch the nuptial dance of the American woodcock. Some birders are still reporting short-eared owls at large grassland areas. Birders are encouraged to monitor those birds for nesting and report their sightings to ebird (www.ebird.org/wi) so that we can better track bird populations across the state.




NORTHERN REGION


Park Falls DNR Service Center area

Unseasonably warm weather quickened the spring awakening. Recent rains and above 70 degree temperatures have badly eroded shoreline ice and opened area rivers. Any remaining ice should be considered questionable at best so use extreme caution before venturing out. Northern pike spawning activity is occurring and walleye spawning won’t be far off. Wildlife activity is increasing and a number of species have returned including sandhill cranes, redwing blackbirds, bluebirds, swans and increased number of geese and mourning doves. Chipmunks have come out of hibernation and are active around bird feeders. Black bears will soon begin to roam in search of food after there long winter rest. Don’t be the target of nuisance bears. Clean up your yard and consider bringing bird feeders and pet dishes in at night to reduce the temptation of bears to visit your home. Maple syrup gathering is continuing but with greatly reduced production reported due to the warm temperatures. Turkey season is just around the corner and it would be a good time to start scouting the area you plan to hunt. Turkeys continue to disperse and smaller groups are being found over broader areas. Wood frogs, chorus frogs and spring peepers began their beautiful chorus of springtime and will continue to add music as other frogs join the spring ritual. Go out and enjoy some of nature’s spring ritual.


Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - With the mild weather of the past week, ice conditions have deteriorated quickly and nearly brought the ice fishing season to an end. Very few anglers have been venturing out as access onto the lakes has become difficult with open-water areas showing up along the south and east facing shorelines. Most lakes still have 12 to 15 inches of ice but the upper layer has become soft and honeycombed and the overall ice conditions are generally unsafe and dangerous.


Woodruff DNR Service Center area

Warm temperatures the past few days have reduced snow depth and rains have soaked into the ice on most lakes causing dangerous ice conditions. Snowmobile and skiing activity is over for the year. The warm days and cold nights are great conditions for maple syruping right now. Fishing activity is improving with crappie activity reported throughout the area. Area anglers and guides are gearing up for the upcoming opening of fishing season. Sports shows are being held this time of year. This is a great time to get out with kids and start thinking about preparing for annual fishing and boating traditions. March 31 is the expiration date of 2006-07 hunting and fishing licenses. 2007-08 licenses are on sale now at license outlets and service centers. A continuing reminder to those interested, April 16 is the date for the Spring Fish and Wildlife Rules Hearings and Conservation Congress Meetings. These hearings are held in every county of the state beginning at 7 p.m. If you are busy tending to your yard and dealing with after winter clean up chores; please remember that burning permits are required once the snow cover goes and are available at area service centers. Remember that careless outdoor/debris burning is the major cause behind wildfires. Lakeshore property owners who are spending the spring season working on projects such as repairing of piers and construction of swim rafts, we remind you that information is available at DNR service centers related to the construction/placement of piers, swim rafts and water trampolines. There are specific guidelines and regulations involved in connection with the construction and placement of these objects on the waters. The spring wildflowers will soon be appearing and those of you who enjoy those hikes in the woods or along the roadsides will enjoy the annual floral displays that will begin to unfold. One of the early arrivals will be the trailing arbutus, the wood violets and the marsh marigolds. Please remember that you must not pick the wildflowers. Take a camera along with you on your hikes so that you can record and keep their beauty for your future enjoyment.



NORTHEAST REGION


Peshtigo DNR Service Center area

Marinette County - High water on area rivers is being observed with additional rain in the forecast. Peshtigo fisheries crew are working Bagley Rapids on the Peshtigo with a spring netting survey. Water temperatures were at 46 degrees at Bagley Rapids with a report from High Falls of water temperature in high 30s. The Menominee is flowing at typical flow rates usually seen in the later part of April. Anglers are reporting good sizes for walleye being caught, some near 30 inches (the current bag limit is one walleye - 15 inches). Please check new walleye regulations for the Menominee below the first dam and Green Bay waters, signs are posted at boat landings. Robins, sandhill cranes, and redwing blackbirds are being observed more often. An unidentified swan species was observed on Lake Noquebay earlier in the week. Turkey flocks are still holding together in the northern section of the county with toms displaying during the warm days. Deer ticks are active inland.


Oconto County - Northern pike are currently in the creeks and ditches spawning. A reminder that all tributaries to Green Bay other than the "Major Tributaries" listed in the rule book are currently closed to hook and line fishing. Suckers are starting to run and people dip netting are having some success. Walleye and rainbow fishing in the Oconto is a little slow right now due to the high water. People were catching some brown trout off the break wall and in the Oconto River in the City of Oconto. Another reminder on walleye fishing in Green Bay and the Oconto County tributaries of Green Bay please see the new rules in your fishing regulations.


Shawano County - There are bigger flocks of tundra swans, Canada geese and sandhill cranes being seen. New bird species that have returned are song sparrow, phoebe, and wood duck. Larger bird species included red-shouldered hawks and turkey vultures also last week. The spring peepers, wood frogs and chorus frogs are calling. The Wolf River is now open but backwaters still have ice.



Green Bay DNR Service Center area

Walleye fishing has been very good on the Fox River for both shore anglers at Voyageur Park and boat anglers early in the week but slowed down later in the week due to muddy water from recent rains. It should be picking up as the water clears. Jigs and minnows, jigs and plastics, crankbaits, river rigs with minnows, all have been producing lots of fish in the 16 to 23 inch range throughout the day and at night as well. The Voyageur Park area in DePere is where most of the anglers were fishing.


Manitowoc County - In Manitowoc, anglers fishing off the north pier had good catches of brown trout this week. Anglers fishing from the south pier also had good luck catching catfish and some nice brown trout. Successful anglers used spawn sacs or spoons. Boaters trolling Lake Michigan outside the Manitowoc harbor had a good week picking up brown trout along the shoreline. In Two Rivers, anglers fishing inside the harbor and off the piers had a slow week for brown trout, but were able to pick up some bullheads while casting spoons. The West Twin River saw a good run of steelhead this past week. Most anglers were fishing near the Shoto dam with spawn sacs. Fishing was excellent as many anglers were catching near limits with many sizable rainbow taken. Boaters fishing the East Twin River via the Shoto Public launch had some success catching steelhead and catfish. The East Twin River is flowing fast and high, but anglers had a busy week around the Mishicot dam and Village Park. Anglers had great success catching steelhead floating a bobber and spawn sac combination. Many anglers reported picking up suckers while fishing steelhead.


Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area

Door County

Peninsula State Park - As of March 26, snow cover was gone though piles and patches remain. Many trails are wet or muddy. All trails are closed to bicycling until trails dry Most roads in the park are now open and free of snow (except section of Middle road). Water levels in Green Bay are still very low. The Bay is still partially frozen, but opening up rapidly.


Potawatomi State Park - Spring is here. There are only traces of snow and ice left in the park. Bird activity in the harbor is plentiful and very vocal. Bikers are biking. There were even a couple of jet skiers in the bay of Sturgeon Bay last week! Sawyer Harbor has some open water, but the mouth of the harbor is still locked by ice as of March 27. The south campground is open to reservations as of April 1. The north campground loop, fish cleaning station, and shower building open for the season in May.


SOUTHEAST REGION

There was a report of a morning dove with an egg between the March 12 and 16 in the City of Sheboygan. There have been reports of a gray tree frogs calling, and a garter snake out and about in Washington County.


Havenwoods State Forest - Song sparrows, bluebirds, blue-winged teal, downy and hairy woodpeckers, bufflehead and wood ducks, flickers, kestrels, fox sparrows, meadowlarks, great blue heron, Cooper's hawks, and a bald eagle flying over have all been seen or heard recently. Also, mourning cloak butterflies have been spotted.


Lake Michigan fisheries team report

Water levels are ideal for steelheading on some of southeastern Wisconsin’s smaller tributaries. Larger river systems still have some strong flows, but they have been dropping over the last several days. Rain is in the forecast all week, which could make tributary fishing quite challenging.


Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, the Sheboygan and Pigeon rivers were producing some steelhead on flies. In the Sheboygan harbor, anglers have been catching good numbers of brown trout off the south pier. Spawn sacs have been effective, as well as a variety of spoons and crankbaits. The launch piers are now in the water at Deland Park, and boaters have been catching limits of browns on spoons and spawn.


Ozaukee County - In Port Washington, shore anglers continue to catch fair numbers of 2- to 3-pound brown trout in the harbor and near the power plant. Spoons and spawn sacs have been effective.


Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, flows are still high on the Milwaukee River, but some steelhead have been taken out of the Menomonee River at Miller Park as well as out of Oak Creek. Flies have been productive in both places. At the lakefront, some brown and rainbow trout have been taken by the Summerfest grounds. Browns have been hitting spawn or minnows, and steelhead have been taking blue & silver spoons. Boaters launching at Bender Park have been catching good numbers of browns at the Oak Creek Power Plant, and shore anglers fishing at Bender with spawn have been taking a good number of browns as well.


Racine County - On the Root River in Racine flows remain high, but the river is fishable. Fish were processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility on Monday, March 26. Approximately 240,000 Chambers Creek strain eggs have been taken so far. DNR crews will spawn fish again Thursday morning. Above the weir, the most steelhead action has been just below the Horlick dam, where large brightly colored egg imitations have been producing the most fish. Downstream of the facility most steelhead have come from the deeper bends of the river in Island Park. Chartreuse egg patterns and large black wooley buggers or egg sucking leeches have been taking the most fish.


Kenosha County - In Kenosha steelhead and browns have been caught by anglers fishing the harbor. Water levels on the Pike River are good, but fishing has been slow.


Inland fisheries team report

The ice is now gone from most area lakes. Anglers are concentrating their efforts on the dark bottom bays that warm quickly. Crappies and bluegills are the main target. The stocking of rainbow trout in over 50 Urban Ponds throughout the region has begun. Stocking should be completed in time for the for the Kid's Fishing Clinics on April 14. For more information call the Urban Fishing hotline at (414) 263-8494.


Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - The lakes are opening up and it's time to get the boats out. Look for good panfish action in protected bays with dark bottoms. The panfish tend to head into those areas after a couple of warm and sunny days. Northern pike are now spawning and walleyes will soon follow. Remember that the gamefish seasons are closed on most inland waters and it is not legal to "practice" fish for gamefish during the closed season.


SOUTH CENTRAL REGION


Dodgeville DNR Service Center area


Wyalusing State Park - Spring has indeed arrived at Wyalusing State Park! The ice is off at the boat landing and throughout the backwaters. Time to dust off your canoes, kayaks, and other craft. From the bluffs, visitors can see bald eagles in their intricate mating flights. On March 17, 197 eagles were spotted from Bagley Bottoms (just a few miles south of Wyalusing State Park) to Ferryville (north of Prairie du Chien), with 143 eagles counted near Ferryville. Look for them at The Knob, Point Lookout, Sentinel Ridge, and Henneger Point. The first white pelicans of the season were reported March 16. A flock of 350 pelicans flew over Prairie du Chien, followed 10 minutes later by a flock of 21, all heading north. Waterfowl are easily observed as they raucously lift off or land in the water nearby. In fact, Wyalusing State Park is one of the best places in Wisconsin to bird. A variety of habitats and the nearby Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers make it a prime destination for woodland, prairie, shore, and water species, both year-round residents and migrants. Spring is a great time of year for observing species that are otherwise obscured by foliage. Bluebirds have recently been seen in the park near the vicinity of the bluebird houses. Other sightings at the feeders and in the park include: cardinals, blue jays, crows, mourning doves, rooster pheasant, juncos, chickadees, nuthatches, red bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, red headed woodpecker, tree sparrows, tufted titmice, house finches, song sparrows, turkey vultures, kestrels, red-winged blackbirds, and red tailed hawks. New arrivals for this week include a fox sparrow near the office feeders, and killdeer. Staff are happy to help with a bird checklist and information about what species have recently been spotted in the park. Sand Cave Trail is a good choice for an early spring jaunt. The trail bed is dry except along a couple of short stretches, which are easily navigable, even though a little damp. Sand Cave is always a view worth the hike but, this time of year, spring melt waters trickle down over its lip, and the saturated sandstone weeps. The tinkling music of intermittent streams is a welcome companion on your way. Look for emerging spring ephemerals. Sharp-lobed hepaticas are already starting to bloom. Romping gray and fox squirrels will delight visitors, and deer are plentiful in this area of the park. Mourning cloaks are flitting in the sunshine, their apparent delicacy belied by the fact that they are among our longest-lived butterflies, surviving for close to a year in the imago, or adult, stage. Old Immigrant Trail will take visitors on a relaxing springtime stroll along the Wisconsin River. Quartz drusy, covering chunks of flint and chert, sparkles in the early spring sunbeams that filter through the still leafless trees. Look for scarlet cup fungi as they vividly perform their rather mundane, but necessary, task of reducing fallen wood to soil.


Fitchburg DNR Service Center area

Jefferson County - Anglers were catching some legal size walleye on the upper Rock and Crawfish rivers. A couple 24- to 27-inch female walleye have been caught in Watertown on minnows. Most of the fish were males between 14 and 16 inches. The best success has been below the lower dam and by Bethesda in Watertown. Some northern pike were also being caught in the same area on minnows. The pike caught so far are beat up from spawning. In Hustisford, walleye fishing success has been slow. There is a lot of water coming over the dam so the current is swift. On the Crawfish River by Milford, a few walleye were being caught but the water is pretty high. Dipnetters are having good success dipping carp and buffalo out of the rivers for smoking. Most of the bridge railings are being used at this time of year for dipnetting. A few garter snakes as well as spring peepers and leopard frogs have been seen due to the warmer weather. Most of the Canada geese are now paired up getting ready to nest. Both the upper Rock and Crawfish rivers are out of their banks in many locations. Jefferson County has enacted an emergency slow-no-wake ordinance on the Rock River to keep boaters from creating damaging wakes along the shorelines.


WEST CENTRAL REGION


Baldwin DNR Service Center area

St. Croix County

Willow river State Park - Outstanding weather brought out the visitors over the past weekend, even some campers. Fog was the morning weather feature with the frost melting out of the ground. Rainfall has been light since the heavy weather missed. Trails are free of ice and snow and they are generally dry and soft as of March 27. Trails have scattered areas of wet and mud. Rain is predicted. The Willow River has been relatively stable and clearing. It has been coming up a little during the middle of the day and then dropping back to normal level. The lake is open in the upper two-thirds and it should be clear of ice by the weekend. Bluebirds have returned to the park. The next Full Moon Hike is Saturday, March 31 at the Nature Center at 7 p.m. A presentation about bluebirds and kingfishers will be first, then the hike. A vehicle admission sticker is required.


La Crosse DNR Service Center area

Ice is rapidly leaving rivers and lakes. The main channel and backwaters of the Mississippi River and most boat landings are free of ice and accessible. Fishers have been having sporadic success catching walleyes on wing dams and below Dresbach Dam on the Mississippi River, and catching northern pike, crappies and perch in area backwaters. Fishers have had limited success catching walleyes below the Neshonoc Dam on the La Crosse River. Fishers are reminded although the La Crosse River below the Neshonoc Dam is open to game fishing year round all other general inland regulations apply and that Lake Neshonoc above the Neshonoc Dam is currently closed to game fishing under the general inland regulations. Also the Black River for 300 feet below the Onalaska Spillway is closed to all fishing March 15 through April 25. Signs of spring continue with spring peepers active in the area, turkeys displaying in the fields and multitudes of birds returning to and migrating through the area. During the last week a large influx of migrating birds has occurred. Many ducks and geese and some tundra swans are present. Different migration routes in spring result in most swans bypassing western Wisconsin in spring. Other recent sightings include flocks of pelicans and snow geese. Chipmunks are emerging from their winter burrows. Chipmunks are generally forest creatures, have large, fur-lined cheek pouches for carrying nuts and seeds, black and white facial stripes, and five dark stripes separated by four light stripes on the backs and sides of their bodies. Instead of depending on stored body fat to sustain them during hibernation, chipmunks awaken every couple weeks during the winter to feed on stored nuts and seeds. There are two species of chipmunks in Wisconsin: the eastern chipmunk, which is found statewide, and the least chipmunk, which is relegated to about the northern half of the state. Eastern chipmunks can be differentiated from their smaller cousins by their size and back stripes which do not cross the rump. Back dorsal stripes of least chipmunks, on the other hand, extend all the way to the base of their tails. Chipmunks typically breed from late March to late April, with two to seven blind and hairless young being born after about a one month gestation. Baby chipmunks are weaned in about 40 days. Chipmunks are preyed upon by long-tailed weasels, short-tailed weasels or ermine, bobcats, red fox, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, Cooper's hawks, snakes, and cats.


Buffalo River State Trail - The trail is but soft and muddy in spots.


Great River State Trail - The trail is soft and muddy. Please use caution when walking. Bald eagles have been seen along the water and in the trees along Lake Onalaska, especially near the spillway which is about 1/4 mile north on the Great River State Trail from the Irvin Street parking lot..


Merrick State Park - Hiking trails have some snow in the woods and the remaining trails are soft and muddy in spots. Fishing has been slow. Both boat ramps are free of ice.


Perrot State Park - North facing trails still have some snow remaining. Other trails are clear but soft and muddy in spots. Fishing has been slow. Lots of waterfowl have returned to the Bay. This past week eagles, swans and mallards are a few that have been seen.


Wildcat Mountain State Park - Turkey Vultures have returned and can be seen soaring. Sandhill cranes have returned and can be heard in the mornings. The Horse camp and Group camp will open May 1. Horse trails will open May 1 also.



Crawford County - A week ago the Mississippi River stage topped out at 12 feet. This week the river slowly fell and is at 11.3 feet. The river’s forecast is a slow rise back to 12 feet by the end of the week. Both the Wisconsin and Kickapoo rivers are also full of water. Last week’s warm temperature and some rain caused all the ice to leave. Most if not all the backwater areas on the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers are now ice free. All the boat landings in the area are open; however, some do not have their piers out yet. A fair amount of debris is floating downstream on both river systems. Boaters are urged to use caution. Barge traffic is starting to show up on the Mississippi River. Fishing action was really spotty. Early in the week the high water created some difficulties for anglers. Water in the river systems was dirty and full of floating debris. Strong current hampered panfish action. The dirty and increasing water levels made walleye/sauger fishing difficult. Most of the traditional bluegill/crappie/perch areas in the county have slowed due to the higher water. Few panfish anglers were out because of the water conditions. Bluegill and crappie action at Cold Spring was slow this week. Bluegill action on the backwaters of the Wisconsin was spotty. Walleye and sauger started to pick up late in the week. Most of the action was up by the Lynxville dam. Some decent action was happening near the MacDonald Slough and up near the dam. The boat landing at Gordon’s Bay is open. Bald eagles were still being seen throughout the county, but many have returned to the Mississippi River. Eagles can be observed tending nests along the river. Waterfowl enthusiasts can view a wide variety of ducks on Pool 9 near Lynxville/Ferryville. Robins, red-winged blackbirds, sandhill cranes and a variety of other song birds have returned to the county. The large flocks of turkeys are starting to break up a bit. Some of the gobblers have been seen displaying. Some gobbling is starting to be heard in the mornings. Rooster pheasants are actively cackling throughout the day. Unfortunately garlic mustard is really visible right now. It’s a good time of year to fight this invasive species.


Black River Falls DNR Service Center area

Unseasonably warm weather has the Fire Danger at moderate. Burning permits are now required in the DNR intensive forest protection areas of Monroe, Jackson, Clark, Eau Claire and Chippewa counties. Individuals are encouraged to use alternatives to burning yard wastes and household paper waste by composting and recycling. Only clean dry paper products, clean dry wood is allowed to be burned. If one chooses to burn it is best to wait until the vegetation greens up. Burning permits are currently being issued for three days from 6 p.m. to midnight. Dry conditions may result in burning permits being cancelled as the spring fire season progresses. Remember you are responsible if your fire gets away. You become liable for all expenses incurred in suppressing a fire and will be responsible for all damage caused by this fire.


Eau Claire DNR Service Center area

Geese are flying overhead in the Eau Claire vicinity and sandhill cranes are back.


Wausau DNR Service Center area

Rib Mountain State Park - Trails are in good condition but wet in some areas due to melting snow and recent rains. Plenty of deer can be seen while in the woods along with other wildlife. Signs of spring are starting show. Granite Peak Ski Area is closed for downhill skiing, due to the recent warm weather and rain. The Friends of Rib Mountain have entered into an agreement with UW-Stevens Point - Schmeeckle Reserve to develop a conceptual plan for a Nature Center at Rib Mountain State Park, stay tuned for further details as the staff at Schmeeckle Reserve will be seeking public input about the proposed nature center throughout the next year. Please note this is for the proposed Nature Center only and is not for general park operations. Mountain Biking is not allowed on the trails at Rib Mountain, but mountain bike trails are available at the near by 9-mile County Recreation Area.


Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area

Whooping cranes are coming back to Central Wisconsin at and near Necedah national refuge.


Buckhorn State Park - Spring is here! Hikers have been seeing sandhill cranes and bluebirds in the savanna. Deer have been moving around the trails in early morning. The lake level is slowly rising from the winter drawdown. There are many sandbars still exposed and launches are shallow at this time. Many people have been fishing for walleyes along the Buckhorn bridge each day. Spring is a great time for taking wildlife photos for the annual photo contest. 2007 youth deer hunt applications are now available. Deadline is July 15. Sites 8, 9 and 16 are still open for camping. More sites will be opening in the next couple weeks.
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/or/2007/or070329.htm

Earn A Buck Program to be expanded 21-35The Natural Resources Board approves an expansion of the contentious Earn a Buck Program for the fall deer hunt and a lead game manager says it's needed to keep cutting the herd down to size.

The board voted unanimously in approving the recommendation of the DNR to expand the program from 21 zones last year to 35 and impose it in all chronic wasting disease zones.

Earn a Buck requires hunters to kill an antlerless deer before they can take a buck.

Wisconsin DNR Wants To Ban Baiting Deer Statewideby Tom Remington
The Wisconsin DNR already prohibits baiting deer in 26 counties and now they want to do it throughout the entire state. The reason? To stop the spread of chronic wasting disease, they say.

In 2003 lawmakers made provisions for hunters and landowners to use “small” amounts of bait to lure deer. Baiting always draws in the question of ethics but the science of chronic wasting disease is another issue. While the jury is still pretty much out on exactly how the disease is spread, many feel that when large numbers of deer feed in confined places, eating from the same food source, bin or pile, the odds of spreading the disease increase.

Even though it is still not certain, I think putting a ban on baiting for that purpose is a reasonable request until better science can confirm one way or another, when you consider the results of widespread CWD.

Tom Remington
http://mainehuntingtoday.com/bbb/?cat=7

Wisconsin DNR News

March 27, 2007

No chronic wasting disease found in west central Wisconsin
Hypothermia is a serious concern during spring boating
Yellow perch recovery continuing on Lake Michigan and Green Bay
Geneticist assists state’s musky stocking program
Don’t prune oaks April through July to avoid oak wilt
Improper trash burning is hazardous, alternatives offered
MacKenzie center to hold Maple Syrup Festival April 7
Grants available to help landowners manage, restore habitat for ‘at-risk’ species


No chronic wasting disease found in west central Wisconsin
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Sampling conducted in 19 west central Wisconsin counties during the 2006 deer hunting seasons found no signs of the fatal chronic wasting disease, indicating the disease has not spread to that part of the state, according to state wildlife officials.
Department of Natural Resources biologists, technicians and volunteers collected 9,304 samples for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing from the agency’s West Central Region and areas of southern Wisconsin that are not in a CWD zone.  None of these samples tested positive for the disease.
“This level of sampling was possible only because most hunters now recognize the statewide threat of this disease and helped us in the sampling,” said Bob Michelson, DNR West Central Region wildlife biologist, who noted many hunters volunteered to have the deer they registered tested for the disease.
Michelson said the findings show that hunters in west central counties now have some assurance the disease is not present in their hunting areas.
The DNR West Central Region includes St. Croix, Pierce, Pepin, Dunn, Chippewa, Eau Claire, Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson, Clark, Marathon, Portage, Wood, Adams, Juneau, Monroe, La Crosse, Vernon and Crawford counties.  In the 19 sampled counties, more than 7,500 samples were taken, which provides a very high probability of discovering the disease if it were present, according to Michelson.
The agency collects samples outside of the CWD zones on a rotating, regional basis, to confirm that the disease is not spreading beyond the boundary of the herd reduction zone in the southern third of the state.  The DNR Northeast Region was sampled in 2005, and during the 2007 deer seasons, the department will collect samples from the DNR Northern Region.
“Not finding the disease outside of the CWD zones is good news that reinforces the Department’s efforts to contain the disease in southern Wisconsin” said Alan Crossley, CWD project leader.
CWD was discovered in Wisconsin in February 2002 through routine testing of deer harvested during the November 2001 season. Since then, 129,019 wild deer have been tested across the state, and a total of 834 of those deer have tested CWD-positive. All infected wild deer were harvested in the current CWD zones of Southern Wisconsin.
CWD is an always fatal nervous system disease affecting deer, elk and moose. It is a member of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) family of diseases which also includes mad cow disease in cattle, scrapie in sheep, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
According to the World Health Organization, any tissue that may have come from deer or elk with CWD should not be used in animal or human food; however, at this time there is no evidence that CWD in deer and elk can be transmitted to humans.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Michelson- (715) 839-3736









 

Hypothermia is a serious concern during spring boating
MADISON – The dramatic rescue of a kayaker from a flood-swollen river in west central Wisconsin last month offers what state boating safety specialists say is a compelling example of how quickly cold water can affect a person and why boaters need to take special precautions when on Wisconsin’s waterways this spring.
On March 13 around 5:30 p.m., the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department received a call that a woman kayaking in flood conditions on the Rush River had overturned and become separated from her boat. The victim was in the middle of the river on a log and the caller said that the woman had been there for about 45 minutes and was becoming hypothermic.
Rescuers wearing survival suits were able to reach the woman, but she said she was unable to grasp anything with her hands and that she was unsure if she could even move from the log due to how cold she was.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Brad Peterson arrived at the scene in a flat bottom boat, was able to navigate to the victim, and rescuers were able to get her into the boat for transport to a hospital. Peterson was commended by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for his life-saving efforts.
“This person’s survival is due in large part to the expertise of DNR Warden Brad Peterson,” Pierce County Sheriff’s officials said.  “The skill that he showed on this rescue was unbelievable.  We watched Brad navigate extremely dangerous currents and debris to get to the victim.  How he did this is only due to skill and professionalism that truly saved this lady’s life.” 
DNR boating safety specialists caution boaters that even though spring has arrived and the weather is warming, the water can still be very cold and hypothermia is a real threat to boaters who capsize.
Hypothermia can occur when the body’s temperature drops below 95 degrees, according to Roy Zellmer, DNR boating safety administrator.
“The loss of body heat results in loss of dexterity, loss of consciousness, and eventually loss of life,” Zellmer says. “Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air.” The three main areas of heat loss from the human body are the head, the armpits and the groin.
Boaters can take steps to ensure their safety
To have a safe time boating in cold water, DNR safety specialists recommend:
•   Taking a boater safety course.
•   Always wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. You can float without using energy and they cover part of your body thereby providing some protection from the cold water.
•   Avoiding alcohol. Most hospitalized hypothermia cases involve people who have consumed excessive quantities of alcohol. Alcohol impairs judgment and inhibits the body’s normal shivering trigger—denying the body its most effective heat producing response.
•   Packing an extra set of clothes, towels, blanket or sleeping bag.
•   Sitting low in the boat. Don’t stand or move around unless absolutely necessary. Capsizing and falling overboard is often due to a victim losing balance or tripping over equipment in the boat. Never allow passengers to ride on gunwales or seatbacks or outside of protective railings, including the front of a pontoon boat. A sudden turn, stop or start could cause a fall overboard.
•   Not overloading a boat. This is a common cause of capsizing among duck hunters.
•   Not slowing down too quickly. Sudden deceleration often allows the stern wake to overtake and swamp the boat by washing over the transom.
•   Being weather wise. Sudden wind shifts, lightning flashes and choppy water all can mean a storm is brewing. Bring a radio along and keep a close eye on the weather.
•   Bringing emergency supplies such as maps, flares, and a first aid kit. Put them in a floating pouch.
•   Telling someone where you are going and when you will return.
•   Planning what to do if you should fall in.
Zellmer says the physical shock of cold water can cause cardiac arrest or cold-induced gasping.
“If your mouth is underwater when this gasp occurs, drowning is the most probable outcome,” he says. If you know you are about to fall into cold water, cover your face with your hands. This helps you to avoid gasping water into your lungs.
“If you do fall in, get back in the boat if possible. The more of your body that is out of the water -- on top of an over-turned boat or anything that floats -- the less heat you will lose. See professional medical care as soon as possible even if the victim has seemingly made a complete recovery.”
If someone is not able to get back in a boat, they should limit body movement, and not swim unless they can reach a nearby boat or floating object. Swimming lowers your body temperature and even good swimmers can drown in cold water.
Instead, Zellmer says people should “assume the heat-escape-lessening-position” (H.E.L.P.). Begin by crossing your ankles, then cross your arms over your chest, draw your knees to your chest, lean back, and try to relax.
People who ski in cold water temperatures should be sure to dress properly. Wear a wetsuit and preferably a drysuit. A wetsuit allows water into your suit but insulates and warms it once it enters. A drysuit does not allow any water in because it has rubber seals that fit snugly around the neck, wrists, and ankles. Be sure to use gloves and booties when appropriate.
Hypothermia progresses through three stages
Zellmer says there are three stages to hypothermia marked by the following symptoms:
1. Mild hypothermia -- the person feels cold, has violent shivering and slurred speech.
2. Medium hypothermia -- the person has a certain loss of muscle control, drowsiness, incoherence, stupor and exhaustion.
3. Severe hypothermia -- the person collapses and is unconscious and shows signs of respiratory distress and/or cardiac arrest probably leading to death.
Hypothermia can be treated by gradually raising the body temperature back to normal. If an extra change of dry clothes is available have the person change into them immediately. Cover the person with layers like towels, sweatshirts, or hats. A dry life vest will also do. Have the person move around to increase blood flow to warm the body. Position the person in the boat as to where they are shielded from wind.
Give the person non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic hot liquids, sweets, carbohydrates, and proteins and fats. Avoid nicotine. Put the person in front of a heat source. If none is available share the body heat of other people on board by grouping together under towels. A warm bath could be used for mild to medium hypothermia, gradually increasing the temperature. Keep arms and legs out of the water and do not attempt to raise the body temperature too quickly. Do not massage the victim’s arms and legs. 
“At Wisconsin DNR we want you to be safe in Wisconsin’s outdoors,” Zellmer said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Zellmer (608) 264-8970 or Bill Engfer at (608) 266-0859


 

Yellow perch recovery continuing on Lake Michigan and Green Bay
MILWAUKEE – Yellow perch from the big pond are making a comeback in anglers’ creels, reflecting the growing recovery of this species in Lake Michigan and Green Bay.
Recently analyzed angler surveys show that anglers pulled in nearly two to four times as many yellow perch in 2006 as they did in 2005 from Lake Michigan and Green Bay, respectively.
Anglers in 2006 reported catching 822,555 perch from Green Bay, up from 297,917 in 2005.  They caught 67,660 perch from Lake Michigan, up from 32,848 in 2005, survey results show.
The increased harvests are positive signs for these important fisheries, both of which suffered precipitous declines in yellow perch populations over the last decade, says Brad Eggold, the Department of Natural Resources fisheries supervisor in Milwaukee who analyzed the results.
Green Bay perch harvest
Green Bay’s increased harvest reflects increasing yellow perch abundance and the fact that anglers were able to keep more yellow perch because the bag limit increased from 10 to 15 effective May 20, 2006, according to Mike Donofrio, DNR fisheries supervisor in Peshtigo.
Poor natural reproduction between 1988 and 2000 resulted in a 90 percent decrease in yellow perch and triggered DNR to drop sport bag and harvest limits on Green Bay in 200l to protect the 1998 year-class, Donofrio says. Fish hatched in that year, along with those from 1991, were the only ones that entered the fishery in any kind of numbers and which comprise the bulk of the harvest.
The more protective bag and harvest limits seem to be paying off, with remaining members of the 1998 year-class exhibiting strong natural reproduction, Donofrio says. DNR fall trawling surveys found reasonably strong year-classes in 2002, 2004 and 2005, and an extremely strong year-class in 2003. That 2003 year-class comprises the bulk of the fish anglers are harvesting now. Of the 244 angler-caught fish that were aged by DNR fish biologists, 75 percent were determined to have hatched in 2003.
Lake Michigan perch harvest
In southern Lake Michigan, where the bag limit stayed the same for 2006, the increased harvest is a positive sign that there are more young perch out there helping rebuild the population. That’s very important because Lake Michigan has experienced a lakewide decline in yellow perch populations since the early 1990s, caused by a large decline in the number of yellow perch surviving their first year of life. Until recent years, the only year with strong natural reproduction was 1998.
Wisconsin, along with other Great Lakes states bordering Lake Michigan, took several measures to protect the remaining female fish, including prohibiting commercial fishing for yellow perch, imposing lower bag limits for recreational anglers, and closing the perch fishing season at different times of the year.
DNR yellow perch assessments, and now the harvest results, seem to indicate those efforts to protect the fish are paying off, Eggold says. DNR assessments have documented hatches and survival of fish from 2002, indicating more young fish are joining the 1998 year-class in rebuilding the population. In 2005, the 2002 year-class comprised 41 percent of the fish anglers were harvesting, compared to 37 percent from the 1998 year-class. In 2006, the numbers were 57 percent and 26 percent, respectively.
In addition, DNR egg deposition surveys and young-of the year surveys in 2005 indicated that a large amount of eggs were deposited and a successful hatch occurred, suggesting a potentially strong year-class, Eggold says.
It’s too early to tell how many of those 2005 fish survived and are entering the fishery. They were too small in 2006 to be caught in the nets DNR uses for assessments and were just starting to be kept by anglers.
“We hope the 2005 year-class will be as strong as the 1998 year-class, providing anglers with fish for 2007 from three distinct year-classes and helping rebuild the fishery as well,” Eggold says.  The state Natural Resources Board will be considering the status of yellow perch populations and determining whether changes in sport limits and commercial fishing quotas are warranted early this summer
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Eggold (414) 382-7921; Mike Donofrio (715) 582-5050; Bill Horns (608) 266-8782







 

University geneticist assists state’s musky stocking program
HAYWARD, Wis. – By collecting muskellunge eggs from different lakes where muskies have proven they can grow to large sizes and reproduce successfully on their own, state fisheries officials are hoping to improve Wisconsin’s musky rearing and stocking program and provide better musky angling for years to come.
Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologists are working with a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point fish geneticist who helped them develop genetic criteria for selecting lakes for musky egg collection.
Dr. Brian Sloss, a geneticist at the UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources, helped DNR biologists develop criteria to select lakes for egg collection using factors such as documented natural reproduction and adequate number of fish.  Trophy-fish potential is another factor considered when selecting brood source lakes.
Dr. Sloss also recommended annually rotating collection among the lakes that meet the criteria for providing eggs for hatchery production. 
“The greater the genetic diversity among sources of stocked fingerlings, the greater the odds they will adapt to their new home, resist disease, and perhaps even spawn successfully as adults,” said Dave Neuswanger, DNR fisheries supervisor for the Upper Chippewa Basin.
Following the criteria, biologists last year obtained all the fertilized eggs needed for fingerling production at the Governor Thompson Hatchery in Spooner from adult muskies on the Chippewa Flowage.
“During that operation, we mated an unprecedented number of individual females -- 26 of them -- up to 51 inches in length with multiple unique males up to 45 inches in length,” Neuswanger said. “This ensured a healthy level of genetic diversity among the hatchery-produced 10- to 12-inch fingerlings stocked last fall throughout northwestern Wisconsin,” he said.
This year, biologists chose Butternut Lake near Park Falls in Price County as the source of eggs for the DNR musky hatchery in Spooner. Neuswanger said that Butternut is one of the few lakes in northwestern Wisconsin that meets all the criteria recommended by Dr. Sloss for sources of muskellunge brood stock.  Further, Butternut produced many trophy-class fish over 50 inches long until it became overpopulated in the early 1990s.  More recently, body condition (plumpness), growth rate, and average size declined in the face of extreme competition for food among abundant adults.
“We propose to fix the overpopulation at Butternut by removing some adult fish surplus to our spawning needs.  That will also help us start a new musky fishery in Lake Neshonoc near La Crosse,” Neuswanger said.  “As a source of eggs for hatchery production and adults to start a new fishery, Butternut is ideal because its adult muskellunge have the demonstrated potential to reach trophy size, and they have reproduced naturally at a high rate since 1995, even in the presence of northern pike.”
Biologists initially considered moving a couple hundred adult muskies from Butternut Lake to Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) near Hayward.  LCO currently has fewer muskies than desired.  That plan was changed when tests showed substantial genetic differences between adult fish in the two lakes. 
“We have no reason to believe there is anything wrong, genetically, with the fish in either lake,” Neuswanger explained.  “They simply appear to be different, and we thought it unwise to flood LCO with spawning adult fish from a different genetic stock at a time when biologists are trying to get the native stock at LCO to reproduce better on their own.”
“Using Butternut Lake offspring will help maintain overall genetic diversity in northwestern Wisconsin,” Neuswanger said.  “The stocking of 10- to 12-inch fingerlings to maintain a musky fishery at LCO, where about 90 percent will die before reaching sexual maturity at age 6, poses far less risk to future natural reproduction at LCO than doubling the population instantly with a transfer of hundreds of spawning-age adults from Butternut Lake.”
Neuswanger added that he appreciates the help from the University of Wisconsin in moving the state’s musky program forward.  “I have worked in other states,” said Neuswanger, “but none are applying the principles of muskellunge genetic stock conservation more progressively than Wisconsin right now, thanks in large part to Dr. Sloss.” 
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Neuswanger - (715) 634-9658






 

Don’t prune oaks April through July to avoid oak wilt
MADISON – People who don’t want to run the risk of losing their oak trees should avoid pruning them in April through July. Spring and early-summer pruning makes oak trees vulnerable to oak wilt, a serious and almost always fatal fungal disease of oaks, according to the Jane Cummings Carlson, forest health coordinator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Special care should also be taken not to accidentally wound a tree during this time, according to Cummings Carlson. Any action that might provide an opening into the tree – carving initials, attaching a birdfeeder or clothes line, etc. – could also provide an opportunity for the fungus to invade and establish itself in the tree. Builders and developers should be very careful as many oak wilt infections and deaths have occurred because of these practices.
“While the risk of spreading oak wilt is low after July, to be on the safe side you should avoid pruning oaks until the fall,” Cummings Carlson said. If spring comes early and daytime temperatures begin to reach the 50F degree mark, you should stop pruning oak at that time, even if it’s still March, she said. If there is a reason oaks must be pruned during spring or summer, she recommends applying a wound dressing or paint on the cut surface as soon as the wound is created because waiting even half an hour can be enough time for the beetles that transmit the disease to land on a fresh wound and infect a tree.
“Oak wilt can spread from a diseased tree to a healthy tree through a connected root system and by insects,” Cummings Carlson said. “Very small sap beetles transport fungal spores by landing on fungal mats found beneath the cracked bark of trees that died the previous year. The spores are then transmitted from the beetle on to the fresh wounds of a healthy oak tree while the beetle is feeding at the pruned or damaged site.”
The beetle that transmits oak wilt disease is not capable of boring into a tree, Cummings Carlson said. Any tree that is not pruned or damaged during the recommended time should remain free of the disease from beetle infestation.
Once oak wilt exists in an area, control of the disease is both difficult and costly. The prevention of oak wilt is the best approach. If a wound is left unprotected, Cummings Carlson said, a new oak wilt pocket may begin in a location where oak wilt did not previously exist and will radiate to other oaks through the connected root systems. If no management steps are taken, the pocket could continue to expand year after year.
Oak wilt is commonly found in the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin. Every year, this disease kills many oaks in the state by interfering with the tree’s water and nutrient conducting systems, essentially starving it. The leaves begin to wilt and the tree may eventually die. Those in the red oak group, such as northern red and northern pin oak, are especially vulnerable and once wilting symptoms become visible, the tree loses most of its leaves and dies very quickly, often within weeks.
Trees in the white oak group – those with rounded or lobed leaves – are more resistant to oak wilt and the disease progresses much more slowly, often one branch at a time. White oaks could live with oak wilt for many years, and some trees may recover from the disease.
“Besides oaks, pruning deciduous trees in general should be avoided in the spring as this is the time when tree buds and leaves are growing and food reserves are low,” Cummings Carlson added. “The best time to prune any deciduous tree is winter, followed by mid-summer after leaves have completed their growth.”
Please visit the DNR Forestry website for more information about oak wilt and other forest pests at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/Fh/ and regarding pruning at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/publications/Tree_Pruning_brochure_Color.pdf. For information on proper pruning techniques contact your community forester, a University of Wisconsin-Extension agent or the DNR urban forestry coordinator for your area.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane Cummings Carlson (608) 275-3273





 

Improper trash burning is hazardous, alternatives offered
SPOONER, Wis. -- Anyone taking a match to a woody debris pile this spring may want to think twice.  If the pile contains household trash the fire will be adding dangerous pollutants to the air.
According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, a single household open burning unsorted trash can produce as much of some cancer causing emissions as a 200-ton-per-day municipal waste incinerator with high efficiency emission control technology. 
“Burning any material, whether plastic, paper or wood, produces a variety of hazardous and toxic air pollutants, including carcinogens such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde,” said Neal Baudhuin, Department of Natural Resources air management supervisor at Rhinelander. “Looking for alternatives to burning is one thing everyone can do to help our environment,” he added.
Burning poses fire danger
Debris burning is also the number one cause of wildfires in Wisconsin.  These fires often threaten the safety of citizens and fire fighters, burn structures, and damage natural resources.  Because of their danger, debris burns are regulated by state code.  Requirements include not burning until after 6 p.m. nor on Sundays, holidays and during high winds when the ground is not snow covered.
Permits for burning outside of city limits may be obtained at DNR service centers local ranger stations or from volunteer emergency fire wardens in the community. Permits help inform local citizens of the correct method to burn allowable materials and alerts fire fighters to locations of where to expect smoke.
Even though a person has a permit, if a fire escapes from control or the person fails to extinguish the fire, he or she can be held responsible for all costs of suppression and civil damages. Anyone burning without a permit may be issued a citation.
Campfires and cooking fires are allowed without a burning permit unless an outdoor burning ban has been announced by the department.
In addition, burning the following materials is prohibited under any conditions:
•   wet, combustible rubbish;
•   oily substances, such as oily or greasy rags and oil filters;
•   asphalt products such as shingles or tar paper;
•   plastics of any kind, including plastic bottles and plastic bags;
•   rubber products, including tires and hoses;
•   treated, stained or painted wood; and
•   upholstered furniture, bedding, carpeting, etc.
•   recyclable paper or cardboard; and
•   garbage.
Homeowners
Homeowners may also burn small quantities of nonrecyclable paper and unpainted, untreated wood.  State and local laws require recycling of plastic containers, corrugated cardboard, newspaper, magazines and office paper.  Penalties can be assessed to individuals and businesses for the improper disposal of recyclables.
However, if people do choose to burn, DNR air quality specialists say they should be courteous to neighbors and be aware of the effect the smoke and air pollution has on people and the environment downwind.  They recommend people look into alternatives to getting rid of burnable waste.
“Property owners may want to donate items like furniture, appliances and other usable household items to local thrift stores, charities or schools as a first option rather than burning or landfilling them,” said Bob Germer, a DNR recycling specialist.
Brush, leaves and plant clippings could be composted.  Backyard composting information is available at local DNR Service Centers.
Outdoor enthusiasts may want to use renewable paper products for meal preparation rather than more costly, hard-to-manage plastic and foam utensils. Burning a paper plate in a campfire creates less of an environmental and human health impact than the black noxious smoke of a foam plate.  Wash and reuse the plastic utensils.
Businesses
Businesses, commercial enterprises, and industries may not use burn barrels or openly burn wastes and may not be granted burning permits by municipalities.  Businesses may obtain a permit to burn small brush piles that are the result of clearing business property on a case-by-case basis.
No business or individual property owner may burn standing structures such as houses, sheds, cabins, garages, etc.   
The Department of Natural Resources encourages all persons to consider alternatives to open burning such as reducing the amount of waste produced, reuse of items, recycling, chipping and composting yard and brush and landfilling.
Waste reduction, reuse, and recycling information is also available at local DNR Service Centers or electronically at [dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/wm.publications].   
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Neal Baudhuin, DNR Rhinelander – (715) 365-8958 or Bob Germer, DNR recycling specialist – (715) 635-4060

 

MacKenzie center to hold Maple Syrup Festival April 7
POYNETTE, Wis. – Wisconsin ranked fourth in the nation as a producer of maple syrup in 2006, with 360 producers tapping sugar maple trees and boiling the sap down to produce 100,000 gallons of syrup, accounting for nearly 7 percent of national syrup production.
“Maple syrup production is a tradition in this area dating back for centuries, when Native Americans established sugar camps in the spring to tap trees,” says Derek Duane, director of the MacKenzie Environmental Education Center.  “It is still very important to Wisconsin, which is reflected in the sugar maple being designated as the Wisconsin State Tree.”
Maple syrup season is highly dependent upon weather conditions, but generally runs from mid to late February through the end of April in Wisconsin. The flow of sap inside the tree is triggered by cold nights with below freezing temperatures and warmer days with temperatures pushing into the 40s.
People who are interested in learning more about the traditional methods of making maple syrup can attend the annual Maple Syrup Festival at the MacKenzie center on Saturday, April 7.
The festival includes free guided tours, demonstrations of tapping sugar maple trees in the “sugar bush,” collecting sap in buckets and boiling down the sap in an authentic sugarhouse at the center.  The tours will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  There will be horse-drawn wagon rides from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. available for a fee, along with live music. The MacKenzie Center’s native wildlife exhibit and museums will also be open until 2 p.m.  The event kicks-off with an all-you-can eat pancake breakfast – featuring maple syrup made from trees at the center -- served from 8 a.m. until noon at the resident center lodge.
The Friends of MacKenzie will be offering refreshments and selling maple products and souvenirs, with a raffle taking place at 1 p.m.  The MacKenzie Center is located 2 miles east of Poynette on County Highway CS/Q.  The festival is being sponsored by the Friends of MacKenzie, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and Department of Natural Resources.  The breakfast is sponsored by the Poynette Optimist Club.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: MacKenzie Environmental Education Center – (608) 635-8110



 

Grants available to help landowners manage, restore habitat for ‘at-risk’ species
MADISON -- Landowners interested in managing or restoring habitat on their land for plant or animal species that are considered “at risk” have until April 20 to submit pre-applications that would make them eligible for cost sharing grants.
Up to 75 percent of the costs of projects to help “at risk species” may be covered under the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP), which is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and administered by the Department of Natural Resources.
At-risk species are rare plants and animals such as those listed as state or federally endangered or threatened, state special concern or species of greatest conservation need. 
“The ultimate goal of this program is to support the recovery of rare species and natural communities and to prevent their further decline,” says Signe Holtz, director of the DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources. “The biggest threat to most rare species is loss or degradation of habitat. More than 85 percent of the land in Wisconsin is in private ownership and we estimate about 90 percent of at-risk species have populations on private land, so supporting private landowners in their efforts to restore and enhance habitat is an essential part of the strategy to preserve biodiversity in Wisconsin.”
In 2006, 16 separate projects received grants totaling $97,336 through the program.  The projects primarily focused on restoring prairies and removing exotic species to benefit rare turtles, lizards, snakes as well as grassland birds, and rare plants, such as the eastern prairie fringed orchid, a federally endangered species.
The Landowner Incentive Program is currently accepting proposals for two areas in Wisconsin: the prairie and savanna region that covers much of the southern and western part of the state and the northern Lake Michigan coastal region along Green Bay and around Door County.
“We are initially asking eligible applicants to submit a pre-application rather than having them complete the full application, which is a much more detailed process,” explains Heidi Nelson, LIP coordinator. “This first step will help us to determine if the project would qualify for LIP and allow us to provide feedback for development of the final application.”
The DNR is also sponsoring a series of workshops in April to provide landowners and land managers with information about the program.  Participants will learn how to read the land to see what species and characteristics identify ecological communities, and will discuss some of the management options that are eligible for funding, including prescribed burns, restoring native vegetation, and removing invasive and woody species.  The workshops will also provide guidance on the LIP application process.
Different workshops will address topics specific to each priority area, three for the Prairie and Savanna Region, and two for the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape.
Prairie and Savanna Region workshops will be held:
•   April 5, Madison - 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lussier Family Heritage Center, 3101 Lake Farm Road.
•   April 13, Fennimore (Grant County) – 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, Room 493, 1800 Bronson Blvd.
•   April 16, Eau Claire -  7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Community Center, Room 204, 1300 First Ave.
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Landscape workshops will be held:
•   April 11, Door County - 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Bailey’s Harbor Town Hall, 2392 CTH F, (Downtown in Bailey’s Harbor- Corner of Hwy 57 and EE/F).
•   April 9, Suamico (Brown County) - 6:30 to 8 p.m. at he L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve- West Shores Interpretive Center, 2024 Lakeview Drive.
More information is also available on the Landowner Incentive Program pages of the DNR Web site at [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/WLIP/]. 
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Heidi Nelson – (608) 267-0797, Darcy Kind (prairie and savanna region) - (608) 267-9787 or Christina Hodge (Lake Michigan region) (920) 662-5401



 
OUTDOORS CALENDAR
*Indicates date remains the same each year, except some permit deadlines may be extended one day if they fall on a Sunday or Federal Holiday.

March 31
•   Hunting, fishing, sports, and conservation patron licenses expire.*
•   Otter trapping season closes in central and southern zone.
•   Trout season opens on designated sections of some Lake Superior tributaries.  See the current Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations and Guide for more information. NOTE: There is an error in the 2007-2008 Trout Fishing Regulations and Guide pertaining to the open season date for some Lake Superior tributary streams. Those streams listed under the "Specific Waters Listed By County" section for Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, and Iron Counties which show an "Open Season" date of March 21 are incorrect. The correct Open Season date for these streams should be March 31.

April 7 – 8
•   Youth turkey hunt.
April 11 – 15
•   Spring turkey hunting period A
April 15 through July 31
•   It is illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal Waterfowl Production Areas lands during this time unless the dog is on a leash no longer than 8 feet.  Doe not apply to class 1 field trial grounds or DNR lands open to dog training.*
April 16
•   Spring Fish and Wildlife Rules Hearings and Conservation Congress county meetings held in every county.
April 18 – 22
•   Spring turkey hunting period B
April 25 – 29
•   Spring turkey hunting period C
April 28
•   Frog season opens.  Runs through Dec. 31
April 29
•   Early catch-and-release only trout season closes at midnight.  Season is artificial bait, barbless-hook only.
•   Otter trapping season closes in the North zone.*
April 30
•   The yellow perch season closes on Lake Michigan and tributaries.  The season reopens June 16.*

May 2-6
•   Spring turkey hunting period D
May 5
•   General inland waters game fish opener (trout, walleye, northern pike, bass in the southern zone). Check current Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations pamphlet for exceptions regarding specific game species and waters.
•   Catch and release only bass season opens through June 14 in the northern zone.
•   Muskellunge season in waters south of State Highway 10 opens:
May 9 – 13
•   Spring turkey hunting period E
May 16 – 20
•   Spring turkey hunting period F:
May 20
•   Yellow perch season opens on Green Bay, the Fox River and other Green Bay tributaries through March 15 with a bag limit of 10.  Yellow perch season on Lake Michigan opens June 16.*
•   Set or bank pole and setlines can be used on specified waters in the Wolf and Fox river basins through Sept. 30.  Check the current Setline, Set or Bank Pole Regulations for open waters.
May 26
•   Muskellunge season opens north of State Highway 10.

 
DNR Public Hearings and Meetings

Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call the contact person listed for the meeting or hearing with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.

Hearings

April 11 - The Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on revisions to ch. NR 809, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to drinking water standards via video conference beginning at 10 a.m.  On Jan. 14, 2002, U.S. EPA published National Drinking Water Regulations for Long-Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment (LT1).  These changes impact all public drinking water systems using surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDI) and serve fewer than 10,000 people.  In order to maintain primacy, Wisconsin must adopt all federal requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA) or have requirements that are equal to or more stringent than the SDWA.  The proposed rule will also include revisions to correct minor errors in and updates to the following:  the existing interim enhanced surface water treatment rule; the stage 1 disinfection and disinfection byproducts rules; the lead and copper rule; the drinking water public notification rule; the radionuclide rule; and updating analytical methods.  Additionally, language is to be clarified with regard to total coliform rule maximum contaminant level determinations impacting systems collecting less than 40 samples per month. The department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code.  The proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be reviewed and comments electronically submitted at the following Internet site: http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov.  Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted via U.S. mail to Carol McCurry, Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707.  Comments may be submitted until April 20, 2007.  Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings.  A copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate may be obtained from McCurry at - (608) 267-2449. Video conference participation ll be available at:
Eau Claire - Room 138, Eau Claire State Office Building, 718 W. Clairemont Ave.,
Green Bay - Room 618, Green Bay State Office Building, 200 N. Jefferson St.,
Madison - Room G11, GEF #2 State Office Building, 101 South Webster St.
Milwaukee - Room 98, Milwaukee State Office Building, 819 North 6th St.
Spooner  - Conference Room, DNR Northern Region Headquarters, 810 W. Maple St.

April 11 - The Department of Natural Resources will be conducting a Public Informational Hearing regarding a permit application from Riverboat Lofts, LLC, of Milwaukee, to place slips on the bed, and for temporary structures and minor dredging associated with construction of a seawall on the shoreline of Milwaukee River.  The hearing will be at 1 p.m. at the DNR Headquarters Building, 2300 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Milwaukee.  For more information, contact Jennifer Jerich at (262) 884-2356.

April 12 – A Class 2 contested case public hearing on the matter of whether withdrawal orders issued by the Department of Natural Resources for lands enrolled under Managed Forest Land Designation shall be affirmed will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the offices of the Division of Hearings and Appeals, 5005 University Avenue, Suite 201, Madison. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 77.88(1)(b) and (c), the Department of Natural Resources issued an Order of Withdrawal (#26-018-1996) to Valuation Systems, P. O. Box 2013, Santa Monica, CA, 90406, effective Jan. 1, 2004, withdrawing managed forest land designation from 40 acres of land comprising the SE ¼ of the SE 1/4 , Section 36, Township 44N, Range 04E, Town of Oma, Iron County (Parcel Identification No. 14-1279-0000 and 0100).  Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 77.88(1)(b) and (c), the Department of Natural Resources issued an Order of Withdrawal (#26-019-1996) to Planning Technology, P O Box 799, Santa Monica, CA, 90406, effective Jan. 1, 2004, withdrawing managed forest land designation from 68 acres of land comprising part of the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ and the entire NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 36, Township 44N, Range 04E, Town of Oma, Iron County (Parcel Identification No. 14-1277-0000 and 14-1276-0100). For information contact the Division of Hearings and Appeals at (608) 266-7709.


Meetings

March 27& April 4 – The Department of Natural Resources will be conducting public informational meetings on the agency’s “Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan” [http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/management/index.htm] to guide how federal grants and funds from the sale of hunting and fishing should be used to manage sport fish and wildlife populations.  Wildlife, fisheries, and law enforcement staff will review their programs during meetings ask how those funds should be used in Wisconsin over the next six years [http://dnr.wi.gov/invest/fwhplan/]. The meetings are open to anyone interested in the work of the Department of Natural Resources. For more information contact Barb Zellmer at - (608) 266-8724. The meetings scheduled at this time will be:
March 27, Eau Claire - 6:30 p.m., Chippewa Valley Technical College Auditorium, 620 W. Clairemont Ave.
April 4, Wisconsin Rapids - 6:30 p.m., Mid-State Technical College 500 32nd St. North.

March 27-28 – The state Natural Resources Board will meet in Room G09, of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster Street Madison, to act on items as listed in the meeting agenda. For information contact Laurie J. Ross, Natural Resources Board Executive Staff Assistant at (608) 267-7420.

March 28 – The DNR Brownfields Study Group will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., Madison.  The meeting is free and open to the public.  If you need more information about the meeting agenda, location or parking, please contact Andrew Savagian at (608) 261-6422, or [andrew.savagian@wisconsin.gov].

March 29 – The DNR Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest ATV Stakeholders group will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reuland's Catering, 1571 Hwy. 51 North, Arbor Vitae to continue to evaluate sustainable use of ATVs on the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. For information contact: Bob Dall at (715) 365-8993 for details.

April 4 - The Groundwater Advisory Committee created by 2003 WI Act 310 will meet from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Gathering Waters conference room at the South Central Region Service Center in Fitchburg.  For more information, contact Jill Jonas at (608) 267-7545. The agenda is available on the drinking water pages of the DNR Web site.

April 11 – The State Trails Council quarterly meeting will be held at 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Governor’s Conference Room, 116 East State Capitol, Madison. (If unavailable, the back up room is, Room 330 SW, State Capitol).  The agenda includes: recreational trails program projects overview, water trails, snowmobile and ATV emissions, funding for parks and trails, invasive species, motorized state recreation area concept update, master plans update, trail crew update, Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest ATV Trail Stakeholder Committee update and other trail issues.  For more information contact Joseph Warren, at (608) 267-7487, or by e-mail at joseph.warren@wisconsin.gov .

Edited by Paul Holtan
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison WI  53707-7921
(608) 267-7517
Fax: (608) 264-6293
E-mail: paul.holtan@dnr.state.wi.us
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/

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Minnesota Fishing Report  March 23Reports are very limited this week due to deteriorating ice conditions and the close of the gamefish season on most Minnesota waters.

The Fishing Hot Spot this week is the city of International Falls, where good numbers of walleyes, crappies and northern pike are being taken from Rainy Lake.

Please note that melting and refreezing makes ice less stable, especially in areas with springs or current. Anglers are asked to please call ahead for the most current conditions before venturing out. Please remember that ice is never considered totally safe. The Department of Natural Resources reports that 4 inches of ice is the minimum thickness recommended for travel by foot. Ice safety guidelines also recommend a minimum of 5 inches of new, clear ice for snowmobiles and ATV's, and 8-12 inches of new, clear ice for cars and small trucks.

Before heading out, consider learning how to make and use ice picks and claws by checking out the 1-minute video on the DNR website at www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice

Anglers may obtain fishing licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by dialing 1-888-665-4236, or accessing http://www.wildlifelicense.com/mn/index.html And, please consult Minnesota DNR rules and regulations for slot limits on specific lakes.

The opening dates for the 2007/2008 fishing season for most inland waters in Minnesota are as follows: walleye, sauger, northern pike and lake trout, May 12; largemouth and smallmouth bass, May 26; and for muskie, June 2. The fishing season for crappies, sunnies, perch and catfish is continuous.

=======================
NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA

Duluth
Anglers are doing extremely well on Lake Superior, with the ice off 21st near the Lester River still supporting foot traffic earlier in the week. As the ice melts, expect shore fishing from the river to improve. Another good location has been off the point on the Wisconsin side in 30-50 feet of water. For numbers of walleyes, try jigging rattling buckshot spoons.

International Falls
On Rainy Lake, anglers are catching walleyes near the American Narrows and in Sand Bay. Crappies are also biting in Sand Bay, in 25-30 feet of water, with the walleyes slightly deeper. Large northern pike are hitting ciscoes near Rainy Lake City. Boat accesses have not been cleared, but there is open water downstream from International Falls to Loman. Accesses are traditionally cleared as soon as it is safe, but use caution since drought conditions have resulted in low water levels and launching may be difficult. The walleye season for the border waters runs through April 14th, with special limits both above and below the dam at International Falls.

===========================
NORTHCENTRAL/WEST MINNESOTA

Baudette
On Lake of the Woods, there was still 4 feet of ice as of March 20. The plowed road from Wheeler’s Point remains in good condition. The South Shore is producing nice numbers of walleyes and sauger. The morning and evening walleye bite has been good in the shallows, between 12-17 feet, on a jig and minnow combination. For sauger, hit depths of 28-32 feet. The Northwest Angle and Islands area is giving up numbers of fish during morning and evening hours around Little Oak Island, in 18-20 foot depths. Ice remains in excellent condition, and the Big Traverse snowmobile trail from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island is groomed and in good condition. The Rainy River is producing walleyes and northern pike in the Clementson area. Please note that there is a weak spot in the ice the Birchdale area. The open water at Loman is slowing expanding.

Blackduck
A good perch bite is being reported on Blackduck Lake. There have been reports of a good crappie bite on Sandy and Gilstad lakes. Sunnies are being pulled from Pimushe Lake.

Bemidji
People were still driving out onto Lake Bemidji last weekend, however anglers must check ice conditions daily since the ice can deteriorate rapidly when temperatures turn warm. A good perch bite is being reported on Pike Bay, Cass and Bemidji lakes. For the most fish, try a jig and minnow during morning hours. The smaller area crappie lakes are producing good numbers of fish. And, eelpout fishing on Pike Bay and Lake Bemidji has been steady.

Bena
On Lake Winnibigoshish, travel has become easier with the warm temperatures. The perch bite has also improved, and the fish are starting to show up in their typical spring locations. Hit 18-22 foot depths, or shallower, for the most fish, with some nice catches coming out of 26-28 feet of water. A northland jiggle bug with a minnow head has been best to attract active fish. A buckshot dropper rig and active chub or small shiner has also been good. Some areas to check out include Raven's Point, Mallard, Stony, and the outside of Perch Bar on the North Shore. The shallow flats near Bowen's and Tamarac Point are giving up lots of perch, but sorting has been necessary. The crappie fishing has started to improve on Big Cutfoot Sioux, with lots of anglers doing well this week.

Hackensack
Perch are biting on Pine and Leech lakes in roughly 10-12 feet of water. The sunnies are biting on Pleasant Lake. All smaller area panfish lakes are giving up good numbers of fish.

Park Rapids
Bluegill action has been best on the Crow Wing Chain in 10-12 feet of water on ice flies and waxworms. Fishhook Lake has also been good for panfish. For good numbers of crappies, hit 30 feet of water on Big Toad Lake.

Pelican Rapids
The panfish bite remains good on all of the smaller area lakes.

Battle Lake
Crappies are being pulled from 16-20 feet water on West Battle Lake. The perch are biting in depths of 14-18 feet on Ottertail Lake, as well as out on the humps in 30 feet of water. The sunnies are biting on Rush, South Turtle, Wall and East Battle lakes, to name a few. Tullibees anglers are doing well on Molly Stark and Lida lakes in the deeper waters.

Starbuck
On Lake Minnewaska, sunnies and crappies are biting near the fish hatchery and Lakeside Ballroom. The best approach has been either a waxworm and small jig during the day, or a glow jig and crappie minnow during evening hours. The weed beds at the Starbuck end of the lake are giving up lots of nice sunnies during the day. Further out, off the weed beds, anglers are reporting some nice-size perch when using waxworms. On the east side of Lake Reno, good numbers of sunfish are being taken.

Osakis
On Lake Osakis, anglers are doing well at Caughren's Point and the hill access. Sunfish are being pulled from 12-16 feet of water, especially at sunrise and shortly after. Anglers report that the lighter the tackle, the better; try small wet flies tipped with eurolarvae for the most fish. Crappies are active in the same locations, but further down the drop-off. Start in 22-24 feet of water before sunset, and work your way shallower as the evening progresses. The best bite has been in 16-20 feet of water at night. Some nice 12-inch fish are being caught on glow jigs tipped with crappie minnows. Consistent sunfish action is being reported on Maple Lake, just east of Lake Osakis. Check the area out from the public access, along the north shore, roughly midway down the lake in depths of 8-12 feet. For the most fish, use a glow jig tipped with a waxworm or eurolarvae.

Brainerd/Nisswa
Lots of crappies and sunnies are being taken from many area lakes, such as Gull, North Long, Pelican, Whitefish, Upper Whitefish, Mission, Round, Nisswa, Margaret, Clamshell and Loon lakes, with nice-sized fish being reported. The best approach has been a small jig tipped with a minnow or waxworm.

Crosby
Shorelines have started to melt, but most were still intact early in the week. Crappies are active on most area lakes. East Rabbit Lake is giving up both crappies and sunnies, especially at the many brush piles. Stay mobile for the most fish. Blackhoof, Little Blackhoof and Little Rabbit are also producing nice numbers. Cedar Lake has been good for crappies during the day. During evening hours, hit Mary, Bay and Serpent lakes. Check out Serpent’s numerous weed beds for nice-size bluegills.

Isle
On Lake Mille Lacs, the roads to the flats are open from Hunters Point, and other resorts have roads open to good perch locations. Check the deeper water, as well as the shallow waters in the bays, especially during morning hours. A good perch bite is being reported in Wigwam Bay, heading out from Northstar Resort on the south side. Ann and Knife Lakes are giving up lots of panfish.

====================
TWIN CITIES VICINITY

St. Cloud
Sunfish continue to bite on Sugar, Horseshoe and Julia lakes. Some anglers are doing well fishing very close to the bottom, to replicate the activity of bottom-dwelling insects. For the most fish, try waxworms, eurolarvae and freshwater shrimp. Crappies have been biting on Horseshoe, King and Julia Lakes. Mississippi River anglers are taking crappies.

Wayzata
Lake Sarah is producing crappies and sunnies. On Lake Minnetonka, expect some channels to soon open up for some good shore fishing.

Forest Lake
Panfish are biting on Forest Lake. The deep holes on the Second Lake are giving up crappies. Little Lake in Chisago County, and the shallows near Pancake Island on South Center Lake have also been good. Check out Lake Peltier for sunfish.

===================
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Red Wing
On the Mississippi River, boats are out by the dam, and are able to launch from the Wisconsin side. Minnesota’s access should open up this week. For the most fish, try a hair jig and minnow. Some anglers are doing well at the mouth of the Vermillion River, and near the high bridge.

 "The information in this report is provided courtesy The Outdoors Weekly, and Explore Minnesota Tourism."
http://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/solunar.htm

Should All National Parks Be Considered For Hunting Seasons?March 26th, 2007 . by Tom Remington
One of the first U.S. National Parks to discuss the possibility of using licensed hunters to thin and better manage elk populations was the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Not long after that, debate has begun about how best to reduce elk numbers in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Now, officials for the Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota are discussing the possibilities of using licensed hunters to reduce the nearly 700 elk there down to better manageable numbers.

Isn’t it time we begin asking the question of whether or not it is in the best interest of the taxpayers of this country and for the betterment of the wildlife, to consider using a tried and proven wildlife management method of hunting for our National Parks?

Tom Remington
http://mainehuntingtoday.com/bbb/?p=1873