Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Topics - mudbrook

Pages: 1 ... 3 4 [5] 6 7 ... 404

Wisconsin General Events and Activities / 2017 Wild Rice Date-Regulated Lake Openings and Closures

« on: August 30, 2017, 11:51:37 AM »

2017 Wild Rice Date-Regulated Lake Openings and Closures

The following date-regulated lakes are opening to wild rice harvest for the 2017 season

Barron/Washburn Counties

Bear Lake, opening September 1st
Burnett County

Mud Hen Lake, opening September 1st
Long Lake, opening September 1st; closed 9/2 and 9/3; opens 9/4
Briggs Lake, opening September 1st
Mud Lake – Swiss, opening September 1st
Polk County

Big Round, opening September 1st
White Ash Lake, opening September 1st

The following date-regulated lakes are closed to wild rice harvest for the 2017 season

Barron County

Beaver Dam Lake
Red Cedar Lake
Bashaw Lake
Big Sand (historic)
Gaslyn Lake
Mud Lake – Town of Oakland (historic lake)
Spencer Lake
Trade Lake
Douglas County

Allouez Bay (historic lake)
Mulligan Lake
Forest/Oneida Counties

Atkins Lake (historic lake)
Oneida Lake

Little Rice Lake (historic lake)
Spur Lake
Polk County

Balsam Branch
East or Lotus Lake
Glenton (Rice Lake near Milltown – historic lake)
Butternut Lake
Rice Lake (Alden Town)
Mud Lake (Mickeys)
Allequash Lake
Aurora Lake
Devine Lake
Frost Lake
Irving Lake
Little Rice Lake
Nixon Lake
Rice Lake (on G)
West Plum Lake
Gilmore Lake
Little Mud Lake
Long Lake
Mud Lake
Spring Lake (Minong Township)

For further information on harvesting wild rice, licensing, rules and regulations, common questions and answers, or to watch a short video on the tools and techniques of wild rice harvesting, visit the Wisconsin DNR's wild rice webpage by clicking here, or by searching the DNR homepage using keywords "wild rice." Future date-regulated lake opening and closure notifications will be sent as information becomes available.

Fire Arm News / Concealed Carry Reciprocity with West Virginia Made Official

« on: August 24, 2017, 04:54:20 PM »

Wisconsin: Concealed Carry Reciprocity with West Virginia Made Official

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that government officials of Wisconsin and West Virginia have worked out a formal reciprocity agreement where each state will honor concealed carry permits issued by the other.

While West Virginia has had constitutional carry since 2016 with the enactment of House Bill 4145, residents of West Virginia still often obtain concealed carry permits in order to take advantage of reciprocity agreements in order to carry in other states. Wisconsin has previously, informally recognized concealed carry permits from West Virginia. This agreement codifies this previous arrangement.

Your NRA applauds the efforts of officials from both Wisconsin and West Virginia as they work to ensure their citizens may exercise their Second Amendment rights as they travel to each other’s states.

General Hunting Dog topics / Wisconsin Bear Hunters 'Criminally Harassing' Wolves Environmental Group PEER Cl

« on: August 24, 2017, 08:50:12 AM »

Complaint: Wisconsin Bear Hunters 'Criminally Harassing' Wolves
Environmental Group PEER Claims Wisconsin DNR Subsidizing Activities Outlawed By Endangered Species Act
Monday, August 14, 2017, 3:10pm
By Rich Kremer

A complaint has been filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alleging Wisconsin bear hunters are "criminally harassing gray wolves" and that the state Department of Natural Resources is subsidizing the crimes.

Public Employees For Environmental Responsibility (PEER) — based in Washington, D.C. — is urging criminal investigations into 22 Wisconsin bear hunters who received payments from the DNR for dogs killed by wolves last year. The group claims the payments, known in Wisconsin as wolf depredation payments, are evidence hunters harassed wolves.

"Wisconsin encourages hunting practices that seem calculated to cause fatal conflicts with wolves," said PEER staff attorney Adam Carlesco. "Endangered species are legally protected from human activity which adversely affects the animals, not just physical injury but harm to habitat or breeding. Loosing packs of dogs on them absolutely constitutes an adverse impact."

Depredation payments have been made since 1985 whenever wolves have killed livestock, pets and hunting dogs in Wisconsin. In 2016, a record 41 hunting dogs were killed and $99,400 in payments went to hunters.

"You're looking at a state that's paying nearly $100,000 on an annual basis to people that are willfully committing violations of an Endangered Species Act in support for a hobby that many hunters see as unsportsmanlike," Carlesco said.

Carlesco said PEER would like to see Wisconsin’s wolf depredation policy regarding hunting dogs revised and more restrictions placed on using dogs for hunting in areas known to have wolves.

According to the DNR, it doesn't know why there was a spike in hunting dog deaths last year. Some have pointed to a steadily growing population since wolves were placed back on the endangered species list by a federal judge in 2014. Figures from the DNR show between 925 and 952 wolves across Wisconsin.

A 1999 DNR wolf management plan set a goal of 350 wolves in the state.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hasn’t commented on PEER’s request to investigate the Wisconsin bear hunters who were paid for dogs killed by wolves other than to say it has received the group’s letter.

Wisconsin DNR big game ecologist Dave MacFarland said wolves have been in Wisconsin for 30 years and bear hunters have been using hounds the whole time, "and the Fish and Wildlife Service has not raised concerns with the state of Wisconsin over that practice, and we're not aware of them raising concerns with other states either."

Further, while PEER claims the bear hunters they want investigated harassed wolves by using dogs in what the DNR calls "wolf caution areas," which denotes where other attacks have happened, MacFarland said there’s nothing stopping them from hunting there.

"They don't represent closure areas. It's still perfectly legal to hunt in those places," MacFarland said. "We just want to provide that information to our hunters so they can make informed decisions."

In a statement, Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association Vice President and spokesman Luke Withrow dismissed the complaint filed by PEER.

"PEER appears to be yet another out of state fringe organization whose long term goal is to destroy Wisconsin's hunting heritage.

They clearly have no concept of how bear are hunted in Wisconsin, as their claims of harm to the wolf population are laughable.

Wisconsin bear hunters have been using hounds in our hunts for the entire time since wolves were reintroduced into the state and the recovery of the species has occurred while this activity has gone on. If there were harm being done, the wolf would not have fully recovered to the point where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the state DNR, have concluded that the wolf is eligible to be removed from the endangered species list."

For decades wolves have been targeted in Wisconsin.

Between 1865 and 1957 the state offered bounties of up to $20 for every wolf killed. In 1960, wolves were officially declared extirpated, then given federal protection by the Endangered Species Act in 1973 and remained on the list until 2012. After the gray wolf was de-listed, the Wisconsin Legislature ordered the DNR to implement an annual wolf hunting season, which lasted until 2014, when a federal judge reversed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to de-list the gray wolf. During that time 528 wolves were killed by hunters.

Now, a bipartisan bill to de-list the gray wolf yet again has been introduced in the U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; and John Barrasso, R-Wyoming.

https://www.wpr.org/complaint-wisconsin-bear-hunters-criminally-harassing-wolves

General Hunting Dog topics / Hunting Dogs Killed in Burnett County

« on: August 21, 2017, 09:30:14 AM »

Hunting Dogs Killed in Burnett County

Wildlife Services confirmed that wolves depredated the following hunting dogs over the weekend:

- A Walker Hound on 8/12/17 in the Town of Blaine, Burnett County.

- Two Walker Hounds in the same incident on 8/13/17 in the Town of Blaine, Burnett County.

More information and a caution-area map are available on the gray wolf webpage.

Hunters are reminded to use the caution-area maps on the DNR website (dnr.wi.gov, keyword "wolf depredation") to help reduce conflicts.

Birding, Bird Watching / Explore Minnesota Birding Update

« on: August 11, 2017, 09:00:42 AM »

This is your monthly Explore Minnesota Birding Update. Happy birding!

August Nature Notes

Despite being in the midst of summer, some birds are already preparing to migrate to their wintering grounds. Waterfowl are testing their wings. Some young are flying for the very first time, and the adults are flying once again following their molt -- they have been unable to fly since mid-June! Sandhill crane families are emerging from nesting marshlands, feeding heavily in nearby hayfields and grasslands. Shorebirds are beginning to migrate, and can be seen in groups in shallow wetlands and mudflats. Watch for piping plover, glossy ibis, little blue heron, and least tern. And purple martins, the largest of the swallow family, are starting to gather. All of these early fall migrants must spend additional time feeding in order to store fat reserves for their impending migrations.

Did You Know?

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are also feeding more often as they attempt to store extra fat for their long journeys south. Ruby-throated hummingbirds travel individually, and the males leave earlier than the females to secure wintering territories. This is a good time to set out additional feeders. If you keep them full, you will be rewarded with greater numbers of resident and migratory bird species.

Audubon just released the top 100 bird photos chosen from thousands of images submitted for the 2017 Audubon Photography Awards. Check out these stunning images and discover the stories behind them.

Upcoming Birding Events

Aug. 4, Houston
International Owl Awareness Day
The International Owl Center will host a free open house, complete with owl-themed refreshments and programs for different audiences. Enjoy the Owls and Us Game Show, Owl Detectives, and Owls Through the Ages.

Aug. 5, Elba
Owl Prowl
Most of us are unfamiliar with the elusive creatures known as owls. Learn how to identify owls, then go "prowling" for owls using your new owling skills. Whitewater State Park. 507-932-3007

Aug. 6, Altura/east of North Branch
The Migration Game
Join the naturalist at the St. Croix Lodge and play a giant migration board game. Learn about the challenges faced by migratory birds and see if you can survive the journey. St. Croix State Park. 320-384-6591

Aug. 6 & 18, Taylors Falls
Bird Basics: Investigation Station
Soar into the world of our feathered friends as you discover what makes each bird unique, then take a bird walk with an identification guide to practice your new skills. Interstate State Park. 651-465-5711

Aug. 16 & 23, Battle Lake
Nature Explorations: Birds and Blooms
The prairie is bursting with color this time of year. Take a walk along colorful trails filled with flowers, and view the birds that benefit from the shelter and food these plants provide. Glendalough State Park. 218-864-0110

Aug. 19, Henderson
Henderson Hummingbird Hurrah
Celebrate the ruby-throated hummingbird and learn all about these tiny birds, how to attract them, and keep them coming back. A licensed hummingbird bander will catch and band birds, allowing you to see them up close. There will also be garden tours, speakers, book signing sessions, children's activities, and a Hummingbird Mall. Don't forget to bring your camera! 507-665-6570

Aug. 20, Red Wing
Cannon River Bottoms Bird Hike
Hike a productive but little known state forest trail near Red Wing. Birds often seen along this trail include acadian flycatcher, scarlet tanager, cerulean warbler, ovenbird, wood thrush and yellow-billed cuckoo. Cannon River Bottoms. 612-978-3993

Aug. 25, Duluth
Migration: Who's Moving Now?
Explore the only Minnesota pine forest on Lake Superior's sand dunes. This site is the perfect place to witness early bird migration, especially shorebirds. Bring binoculars if you have them, or borrow a pair from the guide. Minnesota Point Pine Forest Scientific & Natural Area. 218-525-0001, 218-753-2580

Aug. 26, St. Paul
Birding For Beginners
Join the naturalist for a birding hike and learn about the basic techniques of bird identification. Binoculars are provided. Fort Snelling State Park. 612-725-2724

Sept. 2-4, Warroad
Northwestern Minnesota Birding Weekend
Expect to see roughly 150 bird species when visiting sites in and around Roseau County such as the Roseau River and Thief Lake wildlife management areas, the migrant traps along the Warroad waterfront and Springsteel Island, and the always productive sewage ponds in Warroad, Roseau and Greenbush.

Rare Bird Alerts and Recent Sightings

On Aug. 1, a blue grosbeak was found by Gerlad Hoekstra near the Flying Cloud Airport. These birds are considered "rare regulars" in Hennepin County in the summer season.

On July 30, a white-breasted nuthatch was found by Allan Meadows near Rainy Lake. White-breasted nuthatches are considered "uncommon" in Koochiching County in the summer season.

A Le Conte's sparrow was observed by Marsha Shuff on July 23 near the town of Littlefork. Le Conte's sparrows are classified as "uncommon" in Koochiching County in the summer.

Check the Duluth/North Shore Rare Bird Alert and the Northwest Minnesota/Detroit Lakes Rare Bird Alert for other recent bird sightings.

Birding, Bird Watching / WI Statewide Birding Report

« on: August 11, 2017, 08:50:44 AM »

WI Statewide Birding Report

Like it or not, it's late summer, and that means nesting season is winding down. Bird song is minimal now, family groups are dispersing more widely, and many adult birds have become more secretive as they initiate feather molt (replacement) in preparation for the migration season. In the north, look for mixed foraging flocks of warblers, vireos, grosbeaks, finches, and other species, often in the company of vocal groups of black-capped chickadees. Farther south birders are noting building congregations of blackbirds, swallows, and chimney swifts. Ruby-throated hummingbirds and their fledged young are ramping up feeder activity, while area wetlands remain active with bitterns, herons, egrets, pelicans, rails, coots, and local waterfowl species like blue-winged teal, wood ducks, and mallards.

Shorebirds continue to dominate migration news, though numbers and diversity have been below average so far this year. Horicon Marsh has sporadically provided some good viewing conditions wherever mudflats occur, as have other flooded fields and drying shallow wetlands in portions of southeast Wisconsin. The Lake Michigan shore is also a place to watch for sanderlings, ruddy turnstones, and other small shorebird species like least, semipalmated, and Baird's sandpipers. Away from the water, some bobolinks, warblers, and flycatchers are on the move now. A notable influx of pine siskins has occurred in northwest Wisconsin as well. Look for common nighthawks to being their migration over the next week, peaking in late August and early September. Rarities spotted this week included a scissor-tailed flycatcher briefly seen in Rock County, adult male rufous hummingbird and female long-tailed duck in Door, up to 38 cattle egrets in Calumet, Franklin's gull in Ashland, blue grosbeak continuing in Sauk, and the season's first buff-breasted sandpipers unexpectedly photographed in Price. As always, report your sightings and find out what others are seeing at www.ebird.org.wi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, Bureau of Wildlife Management research scientist, Ashland

General Hunting Dog topics / Hunting Dog Killed in Sawyer County

« on: August 11, 2017, 08:47:20 AM »

Hunting Dog Killed in Sawyer County

Wildlife Services confirmed that wolves killed a Redtick Hound on 07/22/17. The attack occurred in Hunter Township, Sawyer County. More information and a caution-area map are available on the gray wolf webpage.

Hunters are reminded to use the caution-area maps on the DNR website (dnr.wi.gov, keyword "wolf depredation") to help reduce conflicts.

General Hunting Dog topics / Hunting Dog Killed in Washburn County

« on: August 11, 2017, 08:45:45 AM »

Hunting Dog Killed in Washburn County

Wildlife Services confirmed that wolves killed a Bluetick Hound on 08/02/17. The attack occurred in the Town of Minong, Washburn County. More information and a caution-area map are available on the gray wolf webpage.

Hunters are reminded to use the caution-area maps on the DNR website (dnr.wi.gov, keyword "wolf depredation") to help reduce conflicts.

Birding, Bird Watching / Wisconsin Statewide Birding Report

« on: July 28, 2017, 08:43:06 AM »

Statewide Birding Report

In the bird world, and now the calendar as well, summer is firmly here. Many birds are in the heart of their nesting season -- males singing vigorously to announce their territories while females take up the bulk of duty incubating eggs. By late June many of these nests host tiny, fast-growing young, meaning adults can often be seen carrying food in their beaks and chipping with agitation when potential threats, like us, get too close. Our earliest-nesting species are even fledging young now, including killdeer, American robins, eastern bluebirds, eastern phoebes, wood ducks, starlings, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, and more. The nesting season is a critical time for many birds, especially our rarer species, which makes stories like these on the peregrine falcon and whooping crane (exit DNR) all the more pleasing.
Dickcissels invade the state
Dickcissels are being seen in good numbers across the state.
Dickcissels are being seen in good numbers across the state.
Photo Credit: Ryan Brady
Making the biggest splash this month, however, is a sparrow-like bird of grasslands known as the dickcissel. Though common in the plains south and west of Wisconsin each year, their numbers vary here annually, perhaps related to poor, drought-induced habitat conditions in their typical core range. Well, this year is a great one for dickcissels in Wisconsin -- the best since 2012 -- so perhaps visit your favorite patch of grassland, pasture, or weedy field to look and listen for this showy species.
Feeders slow? Don't despair
A final note on breeding season -- you may have noticed your feeders haven't been getting much action of late. That's pretty typical for this time of year. Natural food sources are plentiful, adult birds are busy feeding young, and nestlings generally require insects not seeds, all leading to less feeder use. That should change some come July, however, as families of grosbeaks, buntings, finches, chickadees, woodpeckers, orioles, and other species resume their feeder visits, often with youngsters in tow. And don't forget to offer a shallow water source, which often attracts more species this time of year than feeders do.
Rarities and reporting
The week's best find was no doubt a buff-bellied hummingbird seen briefly and photographed in Ozaukee county, marking a first state record of this species that typically nests from south Texas into Mexico. You never know what you might find this time of year so be sure to report all of your sightings to Wisconsin eBird at www.ebird.org/wi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, Bureau of Wildlife Management research scientist, Ashland

Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Reports and News / Complete WDNR Outdoor Report 7.27.17

« on: July 28, 2017, 08:41:23 AM »

WDNR Outdoor Report as of July 27, 2017
Rain soaked major portions of the state for yet another week, with much concentrated in the southwestern region. This has kept area lakes and rivers high and flowing water moving fast. Several properties in the southwest are still dealing with storm damage. Badger State Trail has some closed sections and areas with standing water. The Sugar River State Trail is usable but needs resurfacing at various locations. Mountain bike trails remain closed at Blue Mound and horse trails and the horse camp at Wildcat Mountain remain closed. All roads have reopened at Wyalusing and Nelson Dewey state parks, but some trails in both parks remain closed.
Fishing pressure waxed and waned with the weather this past week. Northern pike, bass and musky continue to be caught on the Flambeau River. Anglers on inland lakes have been reporting success for panfish, bass and walleyes.
Anglers were out in force though the weekend on Green Bay many brought out by a walleye tournament. Walleye fishing was relatively consistent, with most boats catching at least a couple fish. The bass bite has slowed along Door County with the best success coming from piers, but perch anglers were having some luck over the past week with most boats harvesting more than 10 fish for half a day’s trip. Trout and salmon fishing was beginning to pick up off Marinette on the west shore of the bay but trout and salmon off the Door County side were struggling to find fish.
On Lake Michigan salmon fishing had been good early week but has since tapered off with changing winds and fronts moving through the area. A salmon tournament also brought out a lot of anglers over the weekend with various levels of success. Reports from southeast harbors indicate pressure fishing was relatively low due to poor weather conditions at times. Mainly rainbow trout and chinook salmon were caught, along with some coho salmon, a few lake trout, and two brown trout.
And while it is the middle of summer it’s also time to think about spearing through the ice next winter: the deadline to apply for an Upriver Lakes Sturgeon Spearing license is quickly approaching on August 1. Spearing permits will be allotted to 500 applicants for the February 2018 season.
Some young wildlife, such as songbirds, are becoming more independent, while others, like fawns, continue to spend time with mom. Young Canada geese are beginning to test out their new flight feathers and swallows are flocking up. Some shorebird species are beginning their migration.
Prairie wildflowers are in bloom, including black-eyed-Susans, goldenrod, compass plant, cup plant, yellow and purple coneflower, rattlesnake master, blazing star, bergamot and sunflower. Blueberries are still in swing, with raspberries and blackberries ripening.
The public is reporting numerous sightings of sphinx moths. All sphinx moths are fast, powerful fliers. Sphinx moths that forage during the day are often seen hovering at flowers in the act of gathering nectar and may be mistaken for hummingbirds or bumblebees.
If you are interested in being more involved with deer management, various counties are still looking for qualified individuals to serve as stakeholder representatives on their local County Deer Advisory Councils.
This is the last weekend to see Shakespeare in the Parks with workshops and performances of “The Comedy of Errors” at Lakeshore State Park Friday, Kohler-Andrae on Saturday and Pike Lake on Sunday.

Wildfire Report
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources fire control program is assisting in western suppression and protection efforts. Three fire engines staffed with three operators per unit, are headed to Lame Deer, Montana near the Cheyenne Indian Reservation and will be assisting in initial attack operations while local resources continue to be exhausted with steady fire activity. In addition, seven firefighters are also en route to aid in fire suppression efforts in British Columbia, Canada through an agreement Wisconsin has with Ontario and the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact. - Jolene Ackerman, wildland urban interface coordinator, Madison

Statewide Birding Report

- Ryan Brady, Bureau of Wildlife Management research scientist, Ashland

Upcoming State Natural Area Workday
Observatory Hill: July 29, 9 a.m. - noon. A large-scale restoration is taking place here and new gaps in the canopy have been created. Native seed has been spread, but invasives like Japanese hedge parsley are threatening to take over. We will remove hedge parsley to encourage native plants to fill in the gaps. Bring a bag lunch to eat afterwards. No skills needed you will be trained onsite.
Check the State Natural Areas Volunteer Program http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/lands/naturalareas/volunteer.html page of the DNR website for details. - Jared Urban, conservation biologist, Dane. - Jared Urban, conservation biologist, Dane

Northern Region

Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - It has truly felt like summer this week, temperatures have been in the mid-80s, but the nights have cooled off to make for comfortable sleeping. Some rain has kept the river flow just above normal for this time of year, and at a perfect level for canoeing and kayaking. Anglers are reporting some lake-run brown trout are in the lower stretches of the river. Late July and early August is when fishing generally starts picking up. Campgrounds continue to be busy on the weekends, but are quiet during the weekdays. If you prefer to camp spur-of-the-moment, about half of the sites are first-come, first served. Looking ahead, there are very few Labor Day weekend reservations--so make plans for that end of summer camping trip. The public has a final opportunity to review and comment on proposed revisions to the master plan for the Brule River State Forest that proposes additional recreational opportunities for the property. Plan revisions include expanding the popular Afterhours ski area, including additional miles and developments, additional remote campsites along Lake Superior and the Brule River, and a small number of electric campsites. The revised draft Brule River State Forest master plan and associated documents are available for review on the DNR website by searching keywords "master planning," and clicking on the link for Brule River State Forest. The documents will also be available during a public open office scheduled at Brule River State Forest Ranger Station, 6250 South Ranger Road, Brule, on August 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and August 3 from 2 to 8 p.m. A 21-day public comment period runs through August 14, 2017. People can submit comments online, by email or by mail. Documents, maps, and contact information is available on the Brule River State Forest master planning web page. Following this final public review of the Brule River State Forest Master Plan, a draft revised master plan will be presented to the state Natural Resources Board for consideration and approval. - Diane Gobin, visitor services associate

Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Flambeau River State Forest - Anglers continue to have success fishing the Flambeau River for musky, walleye, northern pike and bass. The water levels are moderate. Eaglets are fledging, jewelweed pods are ripening, blueberries and raspberries are ripe. Milkweed is blooming and so is basswood. Yellow and white water lilies are blooming in ditches and ponds. The lavender colored pickerel weed is also blooming. Horse flies and mosquitoes are out, so be prepared. The dragonflies are filling up on those pesky mosquitoes. Grouse coveys are being seen. The weather forecast for the weekend calls for Saturday to be sunny with a high of 80 and a low of 58, and Sunday, will be mostly sunny with a high of 80 and a low of 59. Monday will be mostly sunny with a high near 82 and a low of 58. This weekend there will be a Campfire Cookout at Connors Picnic Area on at July 29 at noon. Staff will be demonstrating how to cook different foods over a campfire and coals, and you can enjoy the results. - Diane Stowell, forestry technician advanced and visitor services associate - Judy Freeman, visitor services associate

Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest - If you are a berry picker, you probably already know that the blueberries are ripe, raspberries are starting, and strawberries are just about done! The lavenders of fireweed, milkweed and bergamot are adding to the summer pallet of colors of the summer wildflowers. Primrose and compass plant are also starting to show their lovely yellow flowers. Most birdsongs are absent except for the lovely evening song of the hermit thrush, and don’t forget the hum of those mosquitos! The big white water lilies are a sure rest stop for dragonflies, and the horse and deer flies will pester you while out swimming. Water levels in area lakes and rivers are still high providing many boating and paddling opportunities. - Rosalie Richter, visitor services associate

Northeast Region

Northern Lake Michigan fisheries team report

Marinette County - Fishing the lower section to the mouth of the Peshtigo River has been producing drum, catfish, smallmouth and a few walleye both trolling and fishing on bottom with live bait. Reports of some very nice brown trout being caught out by the trout bar have been confirmed with one brown weighting 18 pounds. Anglers are fishing in about 40 feet of water crisscrossing the bar. Green has been a very productive color. Anglers on the Menominee River have been catching walleye, drum, catfish, and smallmouth bass from shore and from boats. Shore anglers are generally using live bait fished on bottom while boaters are both trolling live and stick baits and casting spinners and plastics. - Kevin King, fisheries technician, Peshtigo

Oconto County - Panfish and smallmouth bass are still being caught below the dam at Stiles on the Oconto River. Live bait has been working the best. The lower portion of the Oconto River has been producing some very nice catfish, smallmouth and drum. Live bait, spinners, and plastics have been working well. The perch and walleye bite from the mouth of the Pensaukee River to Oconto Park II has been slow although a few reports of walleye being caught out of the mouth of the Oconto River trolling with crawler/harness have been heard. - Kevin King, fisheries technician, Peshtigo

Off Geano Beach, fishing pressure was very high Saturday July 22 likely due to the walleye tournament taking place on Sunday. As for fishing, anglers found a pretty consistent bite on average bringing in about 2-3 keeper sized walleyes for the dinner table. Along with the keeper sized fish anglers were still reporting catching good numbers of short fish (less than 15 inches). This is a good sign of things to come in the future. Most anglers were using crawler harnesses and running up to Pensaukee shoal. Other fish caught were: freshwater drum, white bass, white perch, channel catfish, and yellow perch. - Derek Apps, fisheries technician, Green Bay

Brown County - Near Bayshore Park, fishing for walleye the past week has been relatively consistent. Most boats found themselves catching at least a couple fish for a half days trip. Around half the boats interviewed harvested fish. Only a few boats were fishing for perch out of Bayshore this week and they didn’t have much luck. As always the freshwater drum bite has been hot and anglers were catching plenty of them. Anglers also caught white perch, white bass, and catfish while out fishing for walleye. Anglers from shore were having a tough week hooking into anything. The parking lot averaged about 20-25 trailers at 1:00 pm throughout the week each day. - Adam Garlie, fisheries technician, Green Bay

On the Suamico River, fishing pressure was very high Saturday July 22 due to the upcoming tournament the next day. Walleye anglers reported having some success and bringing home an average of two to three fish per boat. Anglers were running crawler harnesses out with mixed success. Other species caught were freshwater drum, yellow perch, white bass, white perch, and channel catfish. On the Fox River, anglers targeting smallmouth were having no success likely due to the high water temperatures, around 81 degrees at the surface. - Derek Apps, fisheries technician, Green Bay

Door County - Anglers were out in force though the weekend, with most reporting limited success regardless of the species sought. Anglers fishing with live bait, in particular leaches on small dark jig heads, found constant success with smallmouth bass off their piers at Rowleys Bay and Ephraim. Smallmouth bass anglers also found limited success from docks in Peninsula Park and the Egg Harbor Marina. Unfortunately for individuals targeting chinook and steelhead the bite decreased dramatically during the second part of the week. This left anglers from Ellison Bay to Baileys Harbor struggling to find fish in all depths of water over the weekend. This dramatic change can be linked shifting winds and fronts moving through the area. Anglers that were successful with both steelheads and chinook reported that they had the best luck with brightly colored spoons. Anglers reported that water temperatures changed significantly during the week, with temperatures ranging from 60 to 53 degrees in 55 feet of water. - Lydia Doerr, fisheries technician, Sturgeon Bay

At Chaudoir’s Dock, walleye fishing has been inconsistent over the past week with some boats hooking into 25 or more fish while others struggled to land a fish. Walleyes harvested were from 17-25 inches long. Drum were biting hard and anglers were having a tough time keeping them off their lines. There has also been an increase in the number of white perch caught over the past week while out fishing for walleye. Other fish caught included catfish and white bass. Off Little Sturgeon Bay, bass fishing has died down considerably over the past week. Those who did go out for bass caught between two to 20 fish for half a day’s trip. A few anglers bass fishing also landed a northern pike or two. Perch anglers were having some luck over the past week with most boats harvesting more than 10 fish for half a day’s trip. The perch anglers also hit pockets of small panfish while out on the water. The round goby catch has decreased but is still present when jigging with live bait. At Sawyer Harbor, the perch fishing has been consistent. Every boat that was fishing for them found at least ten and had at least three for the freezer. A few fish were measured and had lengths around nine inches. Bass fishing is slow, most boats are only catching a few fish, but occasionally there was a group that would catch 15-plus bass for half a day’s trip. Anglers would also catch freshwater drum, white bass, white perch, catfish and round goby while out. - Adam Garlie, fisheries technician, Green Bay

Kewaunee County - Salmon fishing was good early week but has since tapered off with changing winds and fronts moving through the area. The 150-200 feet of water range was producing fish but in the last few days anglers have had very limited success. Surface temperatures from Kewaunee up to the Bank are in the mid 60s. There seems to be cold water 50-plus feet down but the salmon don’t seem to be hungry. Many anglers have been out fishing longer hours than normal for the KD tournament with little to no success. Perch action in the canal has been decent with the occasional angler getting a 15 fish limit. They sort through a lot of small fish but 10- to 11-inch perch are being caught. Anglers have had success on worms, minnows and bugs. - Benjamin Thome, fisheries technician, Sturgeon Bay

Manitowoc County - The bite out of Manitowoc and Two Rivers wasn’t exactly hot over the past week. Most days the fishing was slow to the extent that bringing in two fish was a very successful trip. Days of easterly winds ensured that the water miles out from shore stayed near a balmy 70 degrees at the surface. Anglers using temperature probes did report that the water 50-60 feet below the surface cooled slowly over the course of the week, with some finding water in the mid to upper-40s. Many of the fish that came in were 5-6 pound rainbows, with chinooks coming in second place. Although not many chinooks were caught, a good number of them were in the mid to upper-teens in weight. Successful presentations this week were dominated by spoons. Most anglers reported catching close to all their fish on spoons of varying colors. Chinooks seemed to be hitting any color, when they were active, and rainbows were hitting on bright orange as well as green. Most anglers fished from about 90 to 140 feet of water and got chinooks down 40-100 feet, and rainbows were coming on a mix of deeper presentations or lures run higher in the water (with planer boards or lead core). The anglers that came in with the most fish throughout the week said that their successes were largely attributed to finding slightly cooler water which was much more likely to hold fish. Others just happened to come upon groups of fish that were active, with no apparent reason as to why they were there. Some anglers could troll back through waypoints and get hits, and some wouldn’t get another hit after going through one flurry of activity. Pier anglers are also having a rough go of things, as the water is only warmer closer to shore. Many almost-daily anglers find themselves leaving with a box of freshly-washed lures and nothing more. The occasional sheepshead or carp is caught and just as promptly returned to the water, but no trout or salmon have been reported this week. A few days of strong westerly winds looks to be about the only thing that may change the success of many anglers, as warm water temps seem to be the primary culprit behind slow fishing. - Jacob Steckmesser, fisheries technician, Mishicot

Peshtigo DNR Service Center area

Marinette County - The rivers in Marinette County are beginning to recede, but more rain and storms are in the short-term forecast. The Bay of Green Bay remains high and the boat landing at the end of Harbor Road at the mouth of the Peshtigo River has had a large pile of sand deposited on the ramp. Users with 4X4 trucks are able to launch, but other users may want to use another landing until the sand can be removed. Trout and salmon fishing has begun to pick up a bit on the bay. Inland lakes remain high too, but varieties of fish are being caught. Nice weather over the weekend saw a large number of tubers floating various stretches of the Peshtigo River. Mosquitos and ticks remain at tolerable levels; although, some spots may require you to use bug spray. The first monarch caterpillars showed up on milkweed in the Crivitz area. Blazing star, bergamot, sunflowers, and many other plants are blooming in open areas. Butterfly weed and other milkweeds have begun to form seed pods. A very interesting plant, Indian pipe (aka Ghost Plant), is flowering now too. This tall white plant draws its energy from a fungus that grows on neighboring tree roots rather than creating its own through photosynthesis! - Aaron McCullough, wildlife technician, Wausaukee

Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Manitowoc County - It is looking like it will be a beautiful dry weekend ahead of us for those living and visiting in Manitowoc County. Anglers have been reporting success on various fish throughout the county. I have seen panfish, bass, and walleyes caught this past week. Water levels still remain much higher than this time last year. For those visiting from out of the area or locals looking to see pelicans - Collins Marsh and some of the rest stops along Lake Michigan on Memorial Drive in Manitowoc have had a number of pelicans that can be seen along the water. If you are hiking or biking along the trails in the county bring along bug spray as mosquitoes and horse flies are out and about. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying the great outdoors! - Alyssa Neff-Miller, conservation warden, Mishicot

Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
The deadline for applying for an Upriver Lakes Sturgeon Spearing license is quickly approaching on August 1. Interested applicants can either apply for a permit in the lottery drawing or can purchase a preference point. Spearing permits will be allotted to 500 applicants who will have to purchase their spearing license by October 31, 2017. The 2018 sturgeon spearing season on Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes will begin on Saturday February 10, 2018. - Ryan Koenigs, fisheries biologist

Southeast Region
Milwaukee County - Young wild animals are traveling with mom or on their own throughout the county, and most songbirds have fledglings outside the nest. If you see a young wild animal you think is injured, visit the DNR webpage and search keyword “Keep Wildlife Wild” to decide what to do, or search keyword “rehab” to find a local wildlife rehabilitator. Remember that most young wild animals you see have mom nearby or are safely exploring their surroundings, a natural part of life. Prairie wildflowers such as blue vervain, gray-headed coneflower, and rattlesnake master are in bloom, with dragonflies, damselflies, and butterflies all over during our warm summer days. Bring your favorite ID book out with you this weekend and see if you can learn something new! Also, keep your eyes open for raspberries and blackberries on your hiking trips. They are ripe and can provide a quick snack on the road. But leave some for the wildlife, too! On your travels this weekend, make sure to bring extra water. Your safety should always be your number one concern when in the field. - Dianne Robinson, wildlife biologist, Waukesha

Milwaukee DNR Service Center area
Southern Lake Michigan fisheries team report - Compiled from creel clerks by Cheryl Masterson and Jeffrey Zinuticz, fisheries technicians, Milwaukee

Sheboygan County - Fishing pressure was relatively low during the week, with a greater number of anglers and boaters present over the weekend. However, there was more reported success during the middle of the week, possibly due to increasingly windy conditions as the week progressed. As in previous weeks, boaters still reported the bulk of the success, with anglers reporting little to no success off the piers. Of the success that was reported this week, the majority of the catches came off of the North Pier. A few brown trout and chinook salmon were caught, along with two rainbow trout. Only two catches of brown trout were reported off of the south pier on Saturday, July 22. The brown trout ranged in weights from 6.5-12 pounds, while the rainbow trout were slightly smaller, weighing 5.5-6 pounds. On the other hand, the chinook salmon were all considerably larger, weighing anywhere from 12.5-21.5 pounds. Most anglers were using spoons and alewives fished on the bottom, although the windy, wavy conditions over the weekend appeared to increase the difficulty of catching and using alewives as bait. The surface temperature of the water remained warm throughout the week, ranging from to 60-65 degrees. Success off of boats was limited this week, with some boaters reporting catches of a couple of fish while others returned to the ramp with none. Interestingly, more fish were caught in the evening compared to the early morning hours. Mainly rainbow trout and chinook salmon were caught, along with two brown trout, two lake trout, and one coho salmon. Most of the rainbow trout weighed about 6-9 pounds, although a couple of them were considerably smaller, weighing only 0.75-3 pounds. The chinook salmon had a significantly larger weight range of 1.5-24 pounds. Fish were caught in water depths ranging from 75-280 feet on spoons, flies, and dipsy divers.

Ozaukee County - Fishing pressure was relatively low this week, which was likely due at times to poor weather conditions. Success off of the piers was rare, and although more success was reported from boaters, the catches still remain extremely inconsistent. Only one catch of yellow perch was caught off the North Pier on Friday, July 21. It was caught with a crappie minnow. Most anglers were using spoons as there were hardly any alewives visible throughout the week. The surface temperature of the water was warm and ranged from 65-67 degrees. Boaters seemed to report more success when returning to the ramp in the evening rather than in the morning. Mainly rainbow trout and chinook salmon were caught, along with some coho salmon, a few lake trout, and two brown trout. The rainbow trout weighed anywhere from 1.8-12.5 pounds, while the coho salmon were more consistently in the 3-5 pound range. The chinook salmon had the largest weight range spanning 1.5-22 pounds. Catches were reportedly made in water depths ranging from 80-350 feet on spoons, flasher flies, and dodger flies.

Racine County - At the ramp, anglers caught between five and nine fish this week. Early in the week most fish were caught on spoons in 35-75 feet of water north of Racine. Later in the week anglers caught fish straight out from Racine in 100-220 feet of water. Most anglers reported catching their fish on spoons and running their lures from 50 feet down up to near the surface. Brown trout, lake trout, steelhead, coho and king salmon were all caught. The water temperature was 68 degrees at the surface. Off the pier, four perch and two brown trout were reported caught this week. One brown trout was caught on a blue and chrome spoon and the other was caught on a live alewife. Both were caught in the early morning hours. One perch was caught on a small white plastic jig and the other three were caught on live minnows under a bobber. A large number of sheepshead (freshwater drum) were also caught on worms, live alewives, spoons, crank baits, and plastic jigs. The water temperature was 70 degrees.

Kenosha County - At the ramp, most anglers reported catching no fish this week, but a couple of anglers did catch a few fish in 150-220 feet of water. Coho salmon, king salmon, and steelhead were all reported caught. Anglers reported catching their fish on spoons and ran them from 50 feet down from the surface up to 20 feet down. The water at the surface was 67 degrees. Four browns were caught from the pier this week. The anglers caught the browns late at night on white or pearl tube jigs, and blue/chrome spoons. The water temperature was 64 degrees when the fish were caught, but more recently the water was 70 degrees and fishing has slowed down with most anglers not catching anything. Off the shore, 13 brown trout were reported caught this week. The browns were caught on spoons of various colors, white and pearl tube jigs, and live alewives. Most of the browns were caught in the early morning hours and late evening hours when the water temperature was 64 degrees. More recently the water temperature was 70 degrees and fishing has slowed down with most anglers not catching anything.

Plymouth DNR Service Center area
Theresa Marsh State Wildlife Area - Marsh viewing opportunities are excellent for egrets, herons, pelicans, wood ducks, mallards, Canada geese, black terns and a host of other wetland birds using the Theresa Marsh Wildlife Area sub impoundments located along Highway 28 just west of Highway 41. A pair of bald eagles are also frequently seen in the area. Another good bird viewing area is at the “Safari Club” ponds, located on Wildlife Road north of Highway K on Allenton Marsh. During the past two weeks we have done annual maintenance mowing of the grass service roads, dike tops, and other areas that people use as hiking trails on Theresa, Allenton and Jackson wildlife areas. Now is a good time to get out and hike and look at the wild flowers, since most of the prairie fields are at or close to peak bloom. Anglers have been having pretty good luck up and downstream of the Theresa Marsh dam catching northern pike and bullheads. If you are interested in being more involved with deer management we are still desperately looking for several qualified individuals to serve as stakeholder representatives on the County Deer Advisory Councils in Washington and Ozaukee counties. Other nearby counties have open member slots as well. Applications and information can be found on the “CDAC” section of the DNR website. At the first CDAC meeting in late August we will be looking at deer management unit and subunit boundaries, and recommending the deer population goal for the county for the next years, so now is the perfect time to get more involved with the CDAC program. - Tom Isaac, wildlife biologist, Hartford

South Central Region
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area

Governor Dodge State Park - Portions of the exterior horse trail remain closed. Several of these sections are under water.

Blue Mound State Park - All mountain bike trails remain closed. Indian Marker hiking trail is closed.

Wyalusing State Park - All the roads in Wyalusing are open. Day use areas open. All sites in campground are open. The Sugar Maple Nature Trail, Sand Cave Trail, Mississippi Ridge Trail, and Sentinel Ridge Trail remain closed but could possibly reopen by the weekend. - Chad Breuer, property supervisor

Horicon DNR Service Center area
Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Native prairies are in full bloom! Compass plant, cup plant, yellow and purple coneflower, rattlesnake master, blazing star, bergamot and sunflower are just some of the beautiful natives in full bloom in the uplands. Canada Geese young are beginning to test out their new flight feathers and are taking small practice laps around the marsh. Young fledglings of many species are now being seen and swallows are already flocking up. Some shorebird species are beginning their migration. Highway 49 and the auto tour are your best spots for shorebirds at this time. Don’t forget to visit the Horicon Marsh Explorium located at the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center on Hwy. 28. Visit www.horiconmarsh.org for a list of all the upcoming special events such as an open Outdoor Skills Day to be held on Saturday, August 5 from 9:30 a.m.-noon. - Elizabeth Herzmann, natural resources educator

Fitchburg DNR Service Center area

Columbia County - Many does can be spotted out and about with their fawns in tow. Sandhill colts are nearing the size of their parents. Mosquitoes, deer flies, and ticks are making it hard to spend much time in the woods. Now is the time to take a walk through the prairies. There’s a plethora of color with goldenrod, yellow coneflower, Culver’s root, bergamot, black-eyed-Susan, milkwort, spiderwort and blazing star all in bloom. Unfortunately, the purples of invasive species like crown vetch and spotted knapweed also are adding their colors to the landscape as well. - Sara Kehrli, wildlife biologist, Poynette

Badger State Trail - The section between Purcell Road to Basco Road is closed. This section will require engineering and emergency funds to repair erosion damage. This section currently has standing water on it. Melvin Road to Town Center Road is also closed. Closure is expected to last two to three weeks to repair erosion damage. Everything else is open and useable but needs a lot of additional cleanup work

Sugar River State Trail - The trail is open and usable but needs some resurfacing work at various locations, mainly the Monticello area.

Yellowstone Lake State Park - The entire park it is open for public use, but beach sand has been lost due to flooding.

West Central Region

La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Vernon County - The public is reporting numerous sightings of sphinx moths. Some sphinx moths are nocturnal; some are diurnal. Sphinx moths that forage during the day are often seen hovering at flowers in the act of gathering nectar with their long proboscis and may be mistaken for hummingbirds or bumblebees. All sphinx moths are fast, powerful fliers. A short horn typically adorns the posterior end of their caterpillars, and they are known as hornworms. Instead of spinning cocoons, most sphinx moth caterpillars pupate in underground earthen burrows or cells. One of the most common species of sphinx moths in southwestern Wisconsin is the white-lined sphinx, a beautiful, large, stout-bodied moth with a furry brown body crossed by six white stripes. It has long, narrow, triangular forewings and shorter hindwings, with a wingspan of 2½ to 3½ inches. Each dark olive brown-colored forewing has a broad tan band going from the base to the tip of the wing, crossed by a series of thin white stripes along the wing veins. The black hindwings are bright reddish-pink in the middle. Watch for these and other species of sphinx moths as summer begins to wane. Red raspberries are now at or just past their peak. Blackcaps are mostly dried up, but blackberries will probably be ready in about a week or so. Wild flowers currently blooming in Crawford County include Culver’s root, bee balm or bergamot, hemlock water-parsnip, butterflyweed, and black-eyed-Susan. - Dave Matheys, wildlife biologist, Viroqua

Perrot State Park - Portions of Brady’s Bluff and Perrot Ridge Trail remain closed. - Lois Larson, park manager

Wildcat Mountain State Park - The horse camp and all horse trails remain closed. - Robert E. Ramsey, park manager

Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - We do not have any flooding at the park and trails and campsites are open. Another round of storms is predicted for Friday-Saturday. If camping, keep an eye out for changing weather conditions. Arts and crafts also on Thursdays through August 17. On Friday, July 28, join our astronomy students at the amphitheater at 8:45 p.m. and then check out the stars with a telescope for Universe in the Park! - Heather Wolf, park manager

Roche-A-Cri State Park - We do not have any flooding at the park and trails and campsites are open. - Heather Wolf, park manager

Minnesota Fishing / Reminder: Mille Lacs walleye fishing closed from July 7-27

« on: July 05, 2017, 11:37:48 AM »

Reminder: Mille Lacs walleye
fishing closed from July 7-27
Lake open to fishing for all other species including bass

Mille Lacs Lake walleye fishing will be closed July 7-27, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural of Resources. Fishing for all other species, including bass, is open. Mille Lacs was recently named the No. 1 lake for bass fishing in the nation by Bassmaster.

With the ban on night fishing already in place for the season, walleye fishing on the lake effectively closes at 10:01 p.m. on Thursday, July 6, and reopens at 6:01 a.m. on Friday, July 28.

The walleye fishing closure is to prevent fish from dying after being caught and released. “Conserving the Mille Lacs walleye fishery is a top priority for DNR and the closure is happening when fish are most vulnerable to stress from warm water and high fishing pressure,” said Don Pereira, DNR fisheries chief.

The tendency for caught fish to die after being released is called hooking mortality, which increases as water temperatures warm.

The decision to close walleye fishing in July was first announced in March. The closure is expected to help extend the fishing season through Labor Day.

During the period walleye fishing is closed, anglers can fish for all other species in the lake including bass, muskellunge and northern pike. When fishing for other species, only artificial baits and lures are allowed in possession, except anglers targeting northern pike or muskie may fish with sucker minnows longer than 8 inches.

A ban on night fishing remains in place from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Nov. 30; however, anglers can fish for muskie and northern pike at night but can only use artificial lures longer than 8 inches or sucker minnows longer than 8 inches. Bowfishing for rough fish also is allowed at night but possession of angling equipment is not allowed and only rough fish may be in possession.

Following the July walleye closure, anglers can catch and release walleye through Labor Day. Walleye fishing will then be closed from Tuesday, Sept. 5, through Thursday, Nov. 30.

More information about Mille Lacs, including progress toward the level of walleye that can be safely harvested in 2017, ongoing DNR management and research, and area opportunities is available on the DNR website at mndnr.gov/millelacslake.

Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Reports and News / Complete WDNR Outdoor Report 6.28.17

« on: June 28, 2017, 11:54:53 AM »

Complete WDNR Outdoor Report 6.28.17

The wet weather has continued into our first astronomical week of summer, with rain falling in some or all of the state every day in the last week. This has continued to keep rivers high and many trails wet and muddy. The lower Wisconsin River continues to flow at more than twice its normal flow and very few if any sandbars are available. The Oconto, Peshtigo, and Menominee rivers are all at or above flood stage. One exception is the Bois Brule, which has returned to normal flow and is getting heavy use by paddlers.

Despite high water levels anglers have been fishing the Flambeau River with some success for musky, walleye and bass. Crappie, bluegills and perch are being caught on northern lakes. A few walleye are being caught around the mouth area of the Peshtigo River and anglers at the mouth of the Oconto River were having success catching catfish, smallmouth, and sheepshead. Trout streams were just getting fishable again but levels are up again and running turbid with a lot of debris making it very tough to fish.

Anglers that got out southern Green Bay in between storms found some success trolling crank baits for walleyes along with a big increase in freshwater drum and catfish being caught. The weather conditions made the smallmouth bite throughout Door County much more inconsistent than past weeks. Some bass are still on beds while others are post spawn. Perch fishing is starting to pick up a bit in the bay side harbors of Door County.

Salmon fishing out on Lake Michigan also suffered some this week thanks in part to the abundance of almost-daily nasty weather. The most frequent catch of the week was steelhead, with a few coho and chinook mixed in. In Milwaukee a thick cloud of alewives were stacked up on the lake side of McKinley Pier and the catch rate on the pier increased as the trout and salmon followed the baitfish closer to shore, with limits of trout and salmon landed.

Early-nesting species are fledging young now, including killdeer, American robins, eastern bluebirds, eastern phoebes, wood ducks, starlings, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, and more. This is a great year for dickcissels, a sparrow-like bird of grasslands. Though common in the plains south and west of Wisconsin each year, their numbers vary here annually.

New wobbly elk calves and deer fawns are out and are now following their mothers all the time. A large bull elk has been seen feeding off a road in the Flambeau River State Forest with his antlers in full velvet.

In the north, the forest floor is bursting swamp dewberries, bunchberry, twin flower, buttercups, blue flag iris, false Solomon's seal, Canada mayflower, oxeye daisies, yellow and orange hawkweed are in varying stages of bloom, and blueberries are ripe or soon to ripen. Pink lady slippers are blooming in Door County.

There is a New Moon on Friday so it should be a great weekend for astronomy programs being held this weekend at Kettle Moraine south, Governor Dodge, Wildcat and Devil's Lake state parks. There will also be music performances Saturday at Rib Mountain State Park and at Mirror Lake State Park. Shakespeare in the Park performances and workshops continue this weekend at Havenwoods State Forest Friday and at Devil's Lake State Park on Saturday. For a complete listing of events search the DNR website for "Get Outdoors."
________________________

Statewide Birding Report

In the bird world, and now the calendar as well, summer is firmly here. Many birds are in the heart of their nesting season -- males singing vigorously to announce their territories while females take up the bulk of duty incubating eggs. By late June many of these nests host tiny, fast-growing young, meaning adults can often be seen carrying food in their beaks and chipping with agitation when potential threats, like us, get too close. Our earliest-nesting species are even fledging young now, including killdeer, American robins, eastern bluebirds, eastern phoebes, wood ducks, starlings, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, and more. The nesting season is a critical time for many birds, especially our rarer species, which makes stories like these on the peregrine falcon and whooping crane (exit DNR) all the more pleasing.
Dickcissels invade the state
Dickcissels are being seen in good numbers across the state.
Dickcissels are being seen in good numbers across the state.
Photo Credit: Ryan Brady
Making the biggest splash this month, however, is a sparrow-like bird of grasslands known as the dickcissel. Though common in the plains south and west of Wisconsin each year, their numbers vary here annually, perhaps related to poor, drought-induced habitat conditions in their typical core range. Well, this year is a great one for dickcissels in Wisconsin -- the best since 2012 -- so perhaps visit your favorite patch of grassland, pasture, or weedy field to look and listen for this showy species.
Feeders slow? Don't despair
A final note on breeding season -- you may have noticed your feeders haven't been getting much action of late. That's pretty typical for this time of year. Natural food sources are plentiful, adult birds are busy feeding young, and nestlings generally require insects not seeds, all leading to less feeder use. That should change some come July, however, as families of grosbeaks, buntings, finches, chickadees, woodpeckers, orioles, and other species resume their feeder visits, often with youngsters in tow. And don't forget to offer a shallow water source, which often attracts more species this time of year than feeders do.
Rarities and reporting
The week's best find was no doubt a buff-bellied hummingbird seen briefly and photographed in Ozaukee county, marking a first state record of this species that typically nests from south Texas into Mexico. You never know what you might find this time of year so be sure to report all of your sightings to Wisconsin eBird at www.ebird.org/wi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, Bureau of Wildlife Management research scientist, Ashland
________________________

Upcoming events at Wisconsin recreational properties
Friday, June 23 25, 2017
Friday, June 23

Havenwoods State Forest - Playing with Shakespeare: Get Outside with Will Children's Workshop; Shakespeare in the Park: "The Comedy of Errors"
Hartman Creek State Park - Invasion of the Invasives!
Interstate State Park - Bats - An often misunderstood Creature of the Night
Saturday, June 24
Horicon Marsh Visitor and Education Center - Guided Horicon Marsh Paddle
Kohler Andrae State Park - Alien Invaders Hike
Richard Bong State Recreation Area - Champion Tree Tour
Whitefish Dunes State Park - A walk in the Dunes
Richard Bong State Recreation Area - American Radio Relay League Field Day
Newport State Park - Orchids of Door County; a Special Presentation by Charlotte Lukes
Devil's Lake State Park - Playing with Shakespeare: Get Outside with Will Children's Workshop; Shakespeare in the Park: "The Comedy of Errors"
High Cliff State Park - Solo Camping and Travel
Rib Mountain State Park - Concert in the Clouds - The Lost Forty
Kohler Andrae State Park - Singing in the Park with Kathy Paulson
Harrington Beach State Park - Geocaching for Beginners
Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit - Twilight Paddle
Mirror Lake State Park - Music in the Park with Late 4 Dinner
Governor Dodge State Park - Saturn - Coming to a Park Near You!
Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit - Universe in the Park
Wildcat Mountain State Park - Universe in the Park
Sunday, June 25
Aztalan State Park - Aztalan Guided Tour
Blue Mound State Park - Playing with Shakespeare: Get Outside with Will Children's Workshop; Shakespeare in the Park: "The Comedy of Errors"
For all events search the DNR website for "Get Outdoors."
Find a park, forest trail or recreation property
________________________

Upcoming State Natural Area Workday

Bluff Creek SNA: July 9, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Come help volunteers during our second Saturday workdays. We'll divide into teams to cut or remove white sweet clover and wild parsnip. This work is done annually because white sweet clover and wild parsnip can displace the native plants living in the wet prairie. No skills needed you will be trained onsite.
Check the State Natural Areas Volunteer Program page of the DNR website for details. - Jared Urban, conservation biologist, Dane. - Jared Urban, conservation biologist, Dane
________________________

General | Northern | Northeast | Southeast | South Central | West Central | Top
Northern Region

Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - Tuesday was the first official day of summer. The weather this week has been mild and pleasant with highs in the 70s and nighttime temperatures in the 40s and 50s. The coming week looks like it may be on the cool side with highs only reaching the 60s for a few days. Clouds and a small amount of rain are in the forecast as well. All in all, a pleasant reprieve for visitors coming from areas of stifling hot weather. As of this morning, the river was running at 162 cfs, which is right on average for this time of year. There have been reports from anglers that they have been having some success catching fish. It's always a good day when you can spend some time on the river, regardless of whether the fish are biting or not! Lots of canoers and kayakers are also enjoying the mild weather out on the water. About half of our campsites are reservable (but you have to reserve at least 48 hours in advance), the rest are available on a first-come-first-served basis. The campgrounds have been busy, especially on the weekends. The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and the reservable campsites for the weekend of July 1-2 are pretty much booked up already. But if you get here early, chances are you'll be able to nab one of those first-come-first-served sites. Reservations for July 3-4 are still available. On the morning of Monday, June 26, planes will be applying an organic, biodegradable gypsy moth mating disruption product to areas near the Brule River State Forest. The product is aerially applied and dispersed across the forest canopy as small waxy droplets, which slowly release the synthetic gypsy moth mating pheromone. Female gypsy moths do not fly, but give off a pheromone, or a chemical scent, which attracts male gypsy moths. The product applied to the tree canopy emits the same scent. These treatments are highly effective at reducing the mating success of this insect. Treatments are necessary to control the spread of gypsy moth, a destructive and invasive pest that feeds on the foliage of oak, aspen, crabapple, birch, and hundreds of other species of trees and shrubs. More information is available at http://gypsymoth.wi.gov - Diane Gobin, visitor services associate
Spooner DNR Service Center area
Burnett County - Fishing in the Burnett County area has been very good for most species as of lately. With the fairly constant rain events we have been having it has kept the ATV trails in good shape with low dust conditions. Bird watching is good right now as well with goose, duck, and swan hatches very visible. - Dustin Gabrielson, conservation warden, Webster
Crex Meadows State Wildlife - There have been some sightings of rare or unusual birds, including a northern mockingbird, dickcissels, white-rumped sandpipers, a red-shouldered hawk and a blue-gray gnatcatcher. There are many golden-winged warblers in the area. The red-necked grebes seem to be re-nesting on Phantom Lake. Be sure to watch out for the many young that are around, including swan cygnets, crane colts, hooded merganser chicks, loon chicks, and more. There have also been many species of butterfly sighted within the last week, including: monarch, Karner blue, eastern-tailed blue, American copper, silvery checkerspot, northern crescent, little wood satyr, common ringlet, common buckeye, painted lady, white admiral, viceroy, red admiral, orange sulphur, pink-edged sulphur, cabbage white, silver bordered fritillary, Hobomok skipper, long dash, dusted skipper, dreamy duskywing, northern cloudywing, black swallowtail, - Lauren Finch, wildlife educator
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Flambeau River State Forest - Anglers have been fishing the Flambeau River in hopes of catching musky, walleye and bass, with some success. The water levels are very high due to large amounts of precipitation that we have received. Due to large amounts of rainfall be sure to call ahead if planning to use the Tuscobia (Cameron Bump, (715-839-2786) or the Dead Horse Run (US Forest Service, Park Falls) ATV/UTV trails. Blooming plants are everywhere. Especially the yellow and white blossoms. Cherry trees, highbush cranberries, the white blossomed dogwoods, basswoods with their bell shaped flowers and soothing fragrance, the forest floor is bursting with newness. Strawberries, swamp dewberries, American fly honeysuckle, and blueberries are ripe or soon to be ripe. Don't eat the American fly honeysuckle though, they are poisonous. Song birds are defending their territories where some of the females are still sitting on their nests or renesting. The roads are full of snapping turtles and painted turtles crossing to lay their eggs. Horse flies and mosquitoes are out so be prepared. The dragonflies are filling up on those pesky mosquitoes. New wobbly elk calves and deer fawns are out and about following their mothers. The biggest bull elk in the area was seen feeding off the side of the road in the southeast part of the Forest. His antlers are so majestic and still in velvet. He is drawing lots of attention. A bear and her three cubs were seen suckling by the wildlife biologist. There is a New Moon on Friday. The weather forecast for the weekend calls for Friday to be mostly sunny with a chance of showers after 2 p.m. with a high of 69 and a low of 49. Saturday, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. with a high of 65 and low of 47, and Sunday, again has a chance of showers and t-storms with a high of 66 and low of 46. - Diane Stowell, forestry technician advanced and visitor services associate
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest - The summer green explosion is in full force in the forest. Everything is lush and green and has caught up with the rest of the state. Bunchberry, twin flower, buttercups, blue flag iris, false Solomon's seal, Canada mayflower, oxeye daisies, yellow and orange hawkweed are in varying stages of bloom. The showy white blossoms of blackberry are gracing the roadsides. Highbush cranberry, mountain maple and pagoda dogwood are in bloom. Yellow and white water lilies are poking their heads above water here and there. Lupine are just about done blooming. The wild strawberries that bloomed the earliest are starting to show ripened berries with some plants still blooming! Slow down and enjoy the bloom and watch for road crossing turtles and baby animals! Campers can be serenated by the lovely song of the hermit thrush as they enjoy the evening by the fire. Hopefully the hum of mosquitos won't drown the song out! - Rosalie Richter, visitor services associate
________________________

General | Northern | Northeast | Southeast | South Central | West Central | Top
Northeast Region

Northern Lake Michigan fisheries team report
This report is for the period of June 11-17. Rain and high winds kept fishing pressure low this past week. The Oconto, Peshtigo, and Menominee Rivers are all at or above flood stage. Rivers are running brown with a good deal of debris being carried down to their mouths and out into the Bay of Green Bay.
Marinette County - A few walleye are being caught around the mouth area of the Peshtigo River using jigs and live bait or plastics. Early in the week walleye and small mouth were being caught on the Menominee River trolling and casting to structure and current seams. Since then the river has become high and dirty with heavy current. - Kevin King, fisheries technician, Peshtigo
Oconto County - A few panfish and smallmouth are being caught below the dam at Stiles on the Oconto River using live bait, small spoons and plastics. The most productive place to fish has been the mouth of the Oconto River at Break water Park where anglers are having success catching catfish, smallmouth, and sheepshead using stick baits and live bait, (crawlers). A few small panfish were being caught by shore anglers at Oconto Park II using live bait. - Kevin King, fisheries technician, Peshtigo
There has been an inconsistent catch of walleye over the past week at Geano Beach. Most groups were only catching a few fish and keeping Anglers also caught freshwater drum and northern pike while out for walleye. - Adam Garlie, fisheries technician
Brown County - Off Bayshore Park, the weather once again played a huge roll in fishing this week which kept many anglers at home instead of on the water. Anglers that got out in between storms found some success trolling crankbaits for walleyes, generally in water depths around 9-14 feet. Along with walleyes anglers noticed a big increase in freshwater drum and catfish being caught with the water temperatures reaching into the 70s. A few perch anglers were interviewed with no success thus far in the early perch season. - Derek Apps, fisheries technician, Green Bay
Modest weather over the past week brought a decent group of anglers to fish out of the metro launch. Most boats were targeting walleye with slim success catching between 1-4 fish. Out of those fish caught only a couple made it to the cooler. A few boats took advantage of the increased catch in catfish and took a few of those home instead. There were a few crappie anglers fishing from shore over the past week but none of them landed any crappie. Anglers found themselves catching white bass, freshwater drum, and catfish. Most people at Voyager Park were out to have a good time and weren't fishing for anything specific over the past week. They found themselves hooking into a lot of white bass, freshwater drum, common carp, round goby, and catfish. Anglers off the Suamico launch targeted walleye over the past week with continued inconsistent success. Few boats were catching over 10 fish for half a days worth of fishing but most were bringing in between 1-5 fish. Anglers also caught northern pike, freshwater drum and white bass. - Adam Garlie, fisheries technician
Door County - In northern Door County, the recent weather conditions have made the smallmouth bite throughout Door County much more inconsistent than past weeks. Water temps vary from 60-70 degrees depending on where you are and which way the wind is blowing. The water in most places has become more turbid making it hard to spot bass in shallow water. Some bass are still on beds while others are post spawn. Despite these conditions some anglers have still found success. Rowleys Bay has remained a consistent producer of smallies. Bass action should heat up again if the weather gives us a break and conditions become more stable. Perch fishing is starting to pick up a bit in the bay side harbors of Door County. Minnows and crawlers have been working but the most important thing is to have your line in the water when the schools come in to feed. Being in the right place at the right time has been the key. No word on walleye action or salmon/trout action on lake side.
Off Stugeon Bay, Anglers in boats on the bay-side had a rough go this week around the Sturgeon Bay area. Strong winds and storms made it tough for anglers to get a good day in on the water, and the catches of smallmouth were reflective of that. Some anglers did manage to catch some in more sheltered areas, but not with much consistency in patterns or lures. Anglers are reporting smallmouth beginning to come off beds and follow more post-spawn patterns with the warmer weather. Some boat anglers did have success fishing for rock bass, casting toward shore with nightcrawlers.
Shore anglers in the area had some of the best success of all anglers interviewed in Sturgeon Bay over the past week. Anglers at both Sunset Park and Stone Quarry Landing caught perch, rock bass, and smallmouth from shore. Most of the fish were caught with a bobber and live bait. The best bait for perch was a small minnow, but some were caught on nightcrawlers as well. Smallmouth and rock bass were caught primarily on nightcrawlers. Anglers fishing with artificial lures did not have as much success as those fishing with live bait. Anglers who launched at Sawyer Park and headed to Lake Michigan did have some success over the weekend. Almost all anglers interviewed came in with at least one fish, and some came in with good numbers. Only steelhead and chinooks were brought in, and those anglers indicated that most of the fish, including the steelhead, were caught in deeper water on flasher/fly combos down 50+ feet in green or blue colors. - Jacob Steckmesser, fisheries technician
At Little Sturgeon Bay, bass anglers found fishing to be tough at times but most anglers still managed to catch fish every trip. Most of the smallmouth bass are done spawning and are holding in deeper water looking for bait but males can be seen still guarding nesting in the shallow water. Bait presentations that worked the best were drop shots and crankbaits. Walleye anglers found little to no success during the daylight hours with the best bite being reported after dark. Perch anglers have started to put in some more hours with success varying between high numbers of small fish or low numbers of bigger fish. Live bait was the best for perch anglers. Muskie anglers had a difficult week with no muskies reported being caught. Smallmouth bass in Sawyer Harbor are much of the same as in Little Sturgeon Bay with most fish in the post-spawn pattern. Perch anglers found success just out from Sawyer Harbor as it drops off to 12 feet. Anglers reported catching upwards of 60 fish with a few anglers just missing their limit of 15 fish. Live bait under a float seemed to be the best technique for catching the perch. Other fish caught were freshwater drum and rock bass. - Derek Apps, fisheries technician, Green Bay
Kewaunee County - Salmon fishing in Kewaunee and Algoma suffered some this week thanks in part to the abundance of almost-daily nasty weather. The most frequent catch of the week was steelhead, with a few cohos and chinooks mixed in. Anglers have been targeting mostly the same depths as the last couple weeks, about 80-200 feet of water, but some have tried deeper yet, with no depth bringing reports of more fish. Anglers are still reporting catching steelhead on high lines with spoons, and some have also reported them deeper, down 50-100 feet on flasher/fly combos (set up more-so for chinooks). The few cohos reported have come on red/orange dodgers with peanut flies, still mostly in the top 50 feet. Anglers have reported catching chinooks more on flasher/fly combos again this week, with green/white colors down 50-100 feet being the most productive.- Jacob Steckmesser, fisheries technician, Sturgeon Bay
Manitowoc County - Continuous bad storms and windy weather conditions appear to have affected the fishing pressure of the week of the 11th. Very few interviews were obtained as many boaters were unsure about chancing the rough waters. The few boaters that did take their boats onto the lake only stayed out for a very short trip. Some reported catching one or a couple Coho Salmon. A charter boat in Two Rivers was able to reach their limit on Sunday June 19th, and caught a 28lb King Salmon. Surface water temperatures have dropped a little this week, averaging about 56?F. - Mallary Schenian, fisheries technician, Mishicot
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Oconto County - Oconto County ATV trails are still busy with some trails still closed. Please check the Oconto County Tourism website and trail report for updated trail conditions. There are many deer running around and some with fawns. Drive slow at night and be careful. Turtles are crossing roads so be extra cautious. Lots of bugs are out, haven't seen this many bugs out at night in a few years. Panfish are still being caught on multiple lakes, Kelly Lake and a few small lakes around are still a favorite for crappie, bluegills and perch. There have been walleye caught on White Potato Lake. Water levels are also high and be careful, always where a life jacket out on the water. - Paul Hartrick, conservation warden
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Potawatomi State Park - All trails are open. Bald eagles, great blue herons, common mergansers and buffleheads have been seen flying over Sawyer Harbor. Many visitors are still spotting wild turkeys mainly by the park entrance. - Jaclyn Moeri, visitor services associate
Whitefish Dunes State Park - A few fawns have been spotted in the park. The bird feeder has been busy with downy, hairy and red-bellied woodpeckers, along with goldfinches and juncos. This week a pair of red-headed woodpeckers have been sighted. Standing on the overlook you can see pelicans on the lake from the observation deck by the office. Wildflowers in bloom are columbine and pink lady slippers. A lot of frog sounds have been heard in the afternoon by visitors hiking the Green Trail. - Jaclyn Moeri, visitor services associate
Wautoma DNR Service Center area
Waupaca County - Been a super wet week in central Wisconsin. Spent all week cleaning up storm damage from previous week. Catfish have been biting decent on the Fox River. Streams were just getting fishable again for trout and is now raining again and will likely be very tough to fish after today's rains. Fawns are now with mom all the time. The first report of turkey brood came in the other day. Biting insects have not been a problem lately, surprising given that we've been so wet. Have not had a tick in two weeks - good! Could really use a dry stretch. - Karl Kramer, wildlife technician, Wautoma
________________________

General | Northern | Northeast | Southeast | South Central | West Central | Top
Southeast Region

Milwaukee DNR Service Center area
Southern Lake Michigan fisheries team report - Compiled from creel clerks by Cheryl Masterson and Jeffrey Zinuticz, fisheries technicians, Milwaukee
Sheboygan County - Fishing pressure was relatively low toward the end of the weekend, most likely due to weather conditions and heavy wind. Anglers were reporting little success off the piers, with most of the catches coming from boats. Off the harbor and the piers in Sheboygan, only two catches of coho salmon were reported off the north pier during the weekend. Most anglers were using alewives fished on the bottom, although the coho were caught using spoons. The surface temperature of the water was 55 degrees, and water on the harbor side was dirty. Most of the reported success came on Saturday, June 17, with boaters mainly catching coho salmon along with a couple chinook salmon, a rainbow trout, and a lake trout. The coho salmon averaged from 3-4 pounds. Fish were caught at depths anywhere from 50-190 feet on spoons, dodger flies, and flasher flies. Only a handful of boaters reported success on Sunday, June 18 due to rough, windy conditions.
Ozaukee County - Fishing pressure was slightly higher on earlier in the weekend, probably due to the windy conditions on June 18. Most of the success was reported from boaters; however, several catches were also reported by anglers off the south pier on Sunday morning. At the Port Washington harbor and piers, several fish were caught Sunday morning, mostly coho salmon with a couple brown trout, with the coho salmon averaging a weight of about 6-7 pounds. Most anglers were using alewives and spoons, although the brown trout were caught with spawn sacs. The surface temperature of the water ranged from 50-60 degrees. At the Port Washington ramp, success was hit or miss, with some having caught several fish while others returned to the ramp with none. Mainly coho salmon were caught this weekend, along with a few chinook salmon and rainbow trout, a couple of brown trout, and one lake trout. The coho salmon averaged about four pounds, although the largest weighed 7.5 pounds. Catches were reportedly made at depths ranging from 80-140 feet on spoons, dodger flies, flasher flies, and dipsy divers.
Milwaukee County - Daytime temperatures were in 80s and 90s at the start of the week with high humidity. The temperature dropped to the 70s by the end of the week after a series of thunderstorms and heavy rain moved through the area. The fishing pressure and catch rate along the shoreline increased as large schools of baitfish moved into shallow water. A thick cloud of alewives were stacked up on the lake side of McKinley Pier on June 15. The catch rate on the pier increased as the trout and salmon followed the baitfish closer to shore. A couple of limits of trout and salmon (coho, kings, rainbows, and browns) were landed. The catch rate on the pier tapered off on the weekend. Large numbers of rock bass, a few bluegills, and a couple of largemouth bass were landed by anglers fishing the Lake Shore State Park lagoons. There were no reports of perch landed on opening day June 16. Boats out of McKinley continue to target coho and kings averaging of 5-6 hours looking for fish this week compared to 2-3 hours last week. The catch rate decreased as well. A large number of boats trolled along the lake side of McKinley Pier where a large number of baitfish were stacked up towards the end of the week. Some of the boats had two fish on at a time. Boats out of Bender landed nice size coho and kings in 40-70 feet of water off the Cudahy Towers by College Avenue. A few perch (up to 13-14 inches long) were landed on the boils in front of the South Milwaukee Water Treatment Plant.
Racine County - Off the ramp, anglers caught some fish this week, but none reported catching a limit. Most anglers caught 7 to 9 fish and most were coho salmon, however, a few king salmon were caught as well. The best fishing was from 50 out to 100 feet and anglers ran their lures from 40 feet down to near the surface. The fish were caught on dodger/fly combos and spoons. Only three perch were reported caught from the shore this week. The angler reported catching the perch on live minnows under a bobber. The water temperature was 52 degrees.
Kenosha County - Anglers from the ramp reported catching coho salmon and a few steelhead this week. Anglers were most successful in 70 out to 120 feet of water. They ran their lures from 30 feet down up to near the surface and reported catching their fish on dodger/fly combos and spoons.
Plymouth DNR Service Center area
Washington County - DNR staff from the Pike Lake, Plymouth and Oshkosh DNR offices along with many volunteers finished goose banding this week, banding about 450 geese at sites in Sheboygan and Washington counties. On Saturday morning, June 24, wildlife biologist Dianne Robinson will be leading a wildflower walk on Theresa Marsh Wildlife Area. For details, contact Dianne at 262-424-9827. Wildlife viewing opportunities for geese, ducks, sandhill cranes, herons, egrets, black terns, a pair of bald eagles, and other birds has been excellent along Highway 28 through the Theresa Marsh Wildlife area, just west of Highway 41. Anglers have been having some luck catching northern pike, bullheads and pan fish at the Theresa Marsh dam and downstream along the Rock River. - Tom Isaac, wildlife biologist, Hartford
Sturtevant DNR Service Center area
Racine County - Wildlife crews spent Tuesday banding Canada geese in Racine and Kenosha counties. A total of 246 geese were banded and 36 were recaptured in four areas including Burlington, Camp/Center Lake, Rochester, and Sturtevant. The Richard Bong Recreation Area has seen an influx of dickcissel songbirds this year. The dickcissel is not a common grassland songbird at Richard Bong over the years, but there has been a noticeable increase this year. As an Important Bird Area, Richard Bong is also home to many other grassland songbirds' species including Henslow's sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, savanah sparrow, eastern meadow lark, and bobolinks. Grassland areas in the Special Use Zone area and south of the Wolf Lake are good locations to see and hear grassland songbirds. - Marty Johnson, wildlife biologist, Sturtevant
________________________

General | Northern | Northeast | Southeast | South Central | West Central | Top
South Central Region

Lower Wisconsin State Riverway - The water levels on June 21 at the Prairie Du Sac dam was 21,500 CFS. These water levels are high and most of the sandbars are under water. It will be difficult finding camping locations along the Riverway until the water levels recede. Please call 1-800-242-1077 for current river flow at the Prairie Du Sac dam. Please remember that camping is restricted to no more than three days on state owned islands and sandbars. Camping at these locations is restricted to persons and their equipment arrived by watercraft only. A camping permit is not required. Portable toilets are in place at most DNR managed landings along the river and water is turned on at locations where available. All of the trails within the LWSR have been mowed and are in good shape. Mosquitoes have been quite active within the river bottoms and bug spray would be recommended. - Matt Seguin, property manager
________________________

General | Northern | Northeast | Southeast | South Central | West Central | Top
West Central Region

La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Vernon County - There is no need to travel to Australia to view an animal that uses a kangaroo style means of locomotion. Meadow jumping mice use bipedal saltatorial locomotion or ricocheting to propel themselves with their two large hind limbs just like kangaroos and wallabies. When startled, they bound away with 2-3 foot long hops, stopping motionless after a leap or two. Much like any other animal that uses this style of locomotion, meadow jumping mice have long tails for balance, large hind feet for take-off and landing, and enlarged muscles in the hips. These mice are found throughout Wisconsin and prefer moist sites with lush growths of grasses and forbs, including areas such as sedge meadows, swamps, marshes, shrubby fields, woodland edges, and grassy shorelines and streambanks. Meadow jumping mice are mainly nocturnal but may exhibit infrequent daytime activity especially on cloudy days. They feed heavily on grass and weed seeds, berries, beetle and moth larvae, and certain fungi. When traveling roads at night, especially quiet back roads that traverse grassy habitats, keep an eye out for these critters, as they are often observed bounding along the roadway. Their kangaroo-like hopping, long tails, and yellowish sides assist with identification. - Dave Matheys, wildlife biologist, Viroqua
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Eau Claire County -Anglers can find diverse fishing opportunities on the Eau Claire River near the Altoona River Prairie development. Since the River Prairie development is just upriver of the confluence, almost any species found in the Chippewa River can be found in the Eau Claire River. Smallmouth bass are the most abundant game fish in this stretch of river - they are hard fighters and a lot of fun to catch. As the water temperature warms, smallmouth bass begin to feed aggressively. They can be caught on a variety of baits, but top-water baits seem to be preferred. Perch and walleye can also be found in this stretch of the Eau Claire River. These species will generally be found in deep pools and can be targeted with live bait. Another species that draws a lot of interest are musky. The Wisconsin DNR stocks musky annually at the Hobbs Boat Landing on the Chippewa River. A good musky fishery has developed in the Chippewa River near Eau Claire and on the lower Eau Claire River. A reminder that illegal possession of lake sturgeon is a crime - lake sturgeons are found in the Chippewa River and Eau Claire River downriver of the Lake Altoona Dam. - Scott Thiede, conservation warden, Eau Claire
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - Mosquitoes have hatched with the rain and humidity/heat. Remember to bring bug spray, screen tents and/or thermocells. The beach is a great place to hang out! We still have openings for a camp host in September. Please call the park office at 608-565-2789 for information if interested. - Heather Wolf, park manager
Roche-A-Cri State Park - We still have an opening for a camp host in August. Please call the Buckhorn park office at 608-565-2789 for information if interested. - Heather Wolf, park manager

Minnesota General Events and Activities / Explore Minnesota Weekly Events Update

« on: May 31, 2017, 11:08:17 AM »

June 2-4, Owatonna
Smokin' In Steele
Smokin' in Steele is a Kansas City Sanctioned BBQ Competition and live blues music event featuring professional BBQ competitors, ongoing blues music, children's activities, family bike cruise, 5K Fun Run, hot rod show, Kids' Q Competition, antique tractor display and parade, and lots of great food and beverage vendors -- a smokin' good time! Steele County Fairgrounds. 507-455-1428, 507-279-4015

June 2-4, Pine Island
Pine Island Cheese Festival
This year's Pine Island Cheese Festival features an amazing line-up of festivities including rides at Merriam's Midway, a Grande Parade, Miss Pine Island Coronation, Kids' Day, firemen's water fight, bingo, dick races, painting party, Pine Island sing/talent competition, canoe & kayak races, 5K Run, craft & vendor market, cheese, wine & beer gala, bar wars & live music downtown, and button & wristband drawings! Trailhead Park. 507-356-3378

June 2-4, Luverne
Buffalo Days
Buffalo Days festivities include a vehicle cruise-in, street dance, parade, and historic re-enactments at local cemeteries. And on Saturday, June 3, attend the Arts in the Park event with over 100 fine art & crafts vendors, local & international cuisine, free inflatables, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, the Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest, and REFIT demonstrations. Most events at the Luverne City Park. 507-283-4061

June 3, Lanesboro
Rhubarb Festival
13th annual Rhubarb Festival includes a wide array of festivities including the Rhubarb Run along the beautiful Root River Trail, special produce and treats at the Lanesboro Farmers Market, free rhubarb games, rhubarb tasting contest, rhubarb fashion show, an educational zoo, a Story Tree, Rhub-Art opportunities, and music by The Rhubarb Sisters, Bandanas, Hubba, and Tom Schramm and the LPs! 507-467-2696

June 9-11, Morton
Lower Sioux Wacipi
The 40th Annual Lower Sioux Wacipi is a celebration of Native American heritage. This event showcases the music, dance and spirituality of the Dakota nation. In addition, enjoy fun runs, flag raising, the Grand Entry, and community meals. Wacipi Grounds. 507-697-6185

June 9-11, Fairmont
Interlaken Heritage Days
This community festival has a multitude of events packed into one weekend! Enjoy live music, the Borderline Cruisers car show, lip sync contest, hypnotist, Grande Parade, Kiddie Parade, street dance, Bouncefest, dick races, free canoe rides, pie & ice cream social, pork chops on a stick, and much more! Gomsrud Park and Heritage Acres. 507-235-8585

June 11-18, Montevideo
Fiesta Days Celebration
Fiesta Days includes a Fly-in & Pancake Breakfast, live music, senior & junior coronations, community picnic, kiddie parade, bean bag tournament, RibFest & Beer Garden, Fireman's Dance, and ?Grande Day Parade! 320-269-5527

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

June 2-4, Edina
Edina Art Fair
The 51st Annual Edina Art Fair features fine artwork by 280 top artists from Minnesota, the U.S. and Canada, as well as live music by numerous acts, and great food vendors! France Avenue, 50th Street, and Lund's parking lot. 952-922-1524

June 2-4, St. Paul
International Gem & Jewelry Show
The International Gem & Jewelry Show is one of the largest exhibitions of gems, minerals and jewelry in the world. The show features one-of-a-kind jewelry creations, gorgeous wedding bands and engagement rings, exotic gems, beads, exquisite fine jewelry, fashion jewelry, estate collections and much more. This event offers convenience, selection, and value, all in one place. The Progress Center at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. 301-294-1640

June 3, St. Paul
St. Anthony Park Arts Festival
The 48th Annual St. Anthony Park Arts Festival brings together artists, musicians, art lovers, families and a supportive community. The festival features more than 70 high quality artists, as well as a community area, plant and book sales, art activities, good food and great music. The picturesque library grounds of the charming St. Anthony neighborhood. 612-564-2787

June 3, Minneapolis
AZUL - Wild Night
AZUL’s 6th annual Wild Night Gala is a night of fantastic entertainment, unique auction items, Zoomobile animals, and more. This is the wildest young professionals’ gala in the Twin Cities for a great cause: saving wildlife! Ages 21+. The Mansion at Uptown. 952-431-9200, 952-431-9500

June 3, St. Paul
Minneapolis/St Paul Mini Maker Faire
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these "makers" to show their hobbies, experiments, projects. It is the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth, a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. Minnesota State Fairgrounds Grandstand. 612-824-4394

June 4, St. Paul
Grand Old Day
Take part is Saint Paul's first rite of summer, Grand Old Day, featuring 30 blocks of fun! Highlights include more than 20 music acts on 7 stages, a giant parade, Family Fun District, Minnesota-Made "It's Local" District, Sports & Wellness District, lots of food and beverage vendors, and variety of games and activities. St. Paul's Grand Avenue from Dale Avenue to Wheeler Avenue. 651-699-0029

June 9, Prior Lake
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is a musician who touches the hearts and souls of audiences with his legendary vocals and charming stage presence. His long list of achievements, spanning over 60 years, includes 19 Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, making this artist a true international treasure. See him live on the Mystic Showroom! 952-496-6563

June 9-10, Chanhassen
Almost Paradise - 1984 Prom Night
Journey back to your '80s prom night during the time of big permed hair, loud fashion, giant bows, skinny ties, boom boxes, cassette tapes, roller skates and big puffy prom dresses! Wear your '80s prom fashion if you'd like and be part of the radical party as the band, made up of some of your “classmates,” play your favorite hits from '82-'84! Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. 952-934-1525

June 9-10, Winsted
Winstock Country Music & Camping Festival
The 24th Winstock Country Music Festival will feature Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Brantley Gilbert, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Locash, Tucker Beathard, Drake White & the Big Fire, Lindsey Ell, Ryan Hurd, Runaway June and Brooke Eden. Winstock festival grounds. 320-485-4287

June 10, Minneapolis
Northern Spark
Join tens of thousands of people and explore the city's great cultural institutions, play in temporary street installations, and enjoy experimental performances in green spaces and under bridges. Venues throughout Minneapolis. 888-676-6757

June 16-18, Minneapolis
Stone Arch Bridge Festival
Enjoy a full weekend of art and music on the Minneapolis Riverfront with more than 200 artists, concerts on three stages, the Art of the Car Show, the Stone Arch Beer Sampler, and Family Activities Stage. 952-473-6422

Upcoming Twin Cities' concerts and performances:
Diana Krall at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, June 2
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers with special guest Joe Walsh at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, June 3
Rent (Touring) at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, June 6-11
Willie Nelson, the Charlie Daniels Band, Bruce Hornsby, & the Noisema at Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Welch, June 9
Jamm Dance Company Present Jamm Nation at the Ames Center, June 9-10
Wayne Brady at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, June 10
Motown - The Musical at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, June 11-16
Celtic Woman at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, June 13
The Total Package Tour: NKOTB with Paula Abdul & Boyz II Men at the Xcel Energy Center, June 14
Seth Meyers at the Historic State Theatre, June 16
Demetri Martin: Let's Get Awkward Tour at the Historic State Theatre, June 17
Seu Jorge Presents The Life Aquatic: A Tribute To David Bowie at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, June 17
Don Henley at the Xcel Energy Center, June 18
Bethel Music - A Night of Worship at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium at St. Paul RiverCentre, June 19
Adam Sandler: Here Comes the Funny Tour at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, June 21
Lionel Richie at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, June 22
Tig Notaro with special guest Fortune Feimster at the Historic State Theatre, June 22
John Rogan - Strange Times 2017 Tour at the Historic State Theatre, June 23
Led Zeppelin 2 at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, June 25
King Crimson at the Historic State Theatre, June 26
The Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed 50th Anniversary Tour at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, June 27
Dancing with the Stars: Live! at the Historic State Theatre, June 30
Journey at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, July 1
Ed Sheeran at the Xcel Energy Center, July 1
Tickets available through Eventful or Ticketmaster.

Central Minnesota

June 2 & 3, Hutchinson
Dairy Day Celebration & The Zeppelin Experience with Run Like Hell - Pink Floyd Tribute
Dairy Day Festivities at Library Square Park on Friday include a $5 lunch, cheese samples, cow milking contest, live music, tractor displays, children's activities, and more! And on Saturday, enjoy an evening performance of The Zeppelin Experience with Run Like Hell - Pink Floyd Tribute at the Hutchinson Fairgrounds. 320-587-5252

June 2-4, Richmond
Minnesota Homegrown Kickoff
This three day outdoor music and camping festival features stage shows by twenty regional bluegrass, old-time, and related acoustic music groups. Also enjoy workshops, food vendors, jam sessions, and a campground with horseback riding, boat rental, fishing, and a swimming beach. El Rancho Manana Campground. 800-635-3037

June 3, Little Falls
Families on the WW1 Home Front Tour
When the United States entered World War I, its citizens were called to do their patriotic duty and support the war effort. Costumed interpreters portraying the Lindbergh family and neighbors will provide insights into the daily lives of Minnesotans at home during the war. Hear inside stories about farming for the war effort, assist a Red Cross volunteer and learn about the ways Minnesota life changed during the war. Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Home. 320-616-5421

June 9-10, Nisswa
Nisswa-Stamman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival
Enjoy a celebration of Scandinavian and Scandinavian/American folk music in the northwoods. Performers travel from all over the world to come and play at this festival. In addition to performances by 150 folk musicians from throughout America and Scandinavia performing on 3 stages, there will be workshops, day-long dancing opportunities on two dance floors, dance instruction, a cultural children's activity tent, and great Scandinavian food, all under the shade of the majestic Norway pines. Nisswa Pioneer Village. 218-764-2994, 800-950-9610

June 9-11, Onamia
Onamia Days
Highlights of Onamia Days - A Walk Through History include Family Fun Show Carnival games and rides, Grande Parade, Classic Car Show, Demo Derby, Arts & Crafts Fair, street dances, Kiddie Parade, coin hunt, turtle races, medallion hunt, games, sidewalk sales, and much more. 320-532-3202

June 10-11, Milaca
Artisan Festival
Enjoy a festival celebrating artists, crafters and musicians with live music, awesome BBQ, artist demonstrations, and handcrafted items by blacksmiths, jewelers, glassblowers, flintknappers, woodworkers, and more. Hairy Mosquito Trading Company. 320-983-5240

June 10-18, Hutchinson
Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival
Started in 1942, the Hutchinson Water Carnival has evolved into a multi-event celebration. Enjoy fireworks, live music performances, a medallion hunt, Run by the River, performance by the Little Crow Ski Team, Miss Hutchinson Pageant, Grande Day Parade, Kiddie Parade, Painting in the Park, Kids' Fun Day, Queen's Dance, and much more! 320-587-5252

June 14-18, Perham
Perham Turtle Fest
Turtle Fest, Perham's large summer celebration, includes a parade, rodeo, turtle races, magic and fun shows, vendors, train rides, inflatable games, hog roast, live music, children's activities, and much more! Downtown Perham and fairgrounds. 218-346-7710

Northwest Minnesota

April 26 - June 17, East Grand Forks
Hope and Freedom: Mending the Soul by Christine Foster
Christine's artwork tells the stories of abuse survivors who have not only survived but have experienced hope and freedom. Riverwalk Centre. 218-399-0162

June 2-4, Fargo/Moorhead
Fargo-Moorhead Crossroads Contest Powwow
Enjoy performances by the nation's finest Native American dancers and singers competing at the 2nd Annual International Powwow. Designed to promote cultural awareness and expose the public to contest powwow, this is an opportunity to see and hear the different songs and styles of dance of the area's many tribes. Scheels Arena. 701-356-7656

June 3-10, Hawley
Hawley Rodeo Fest
Enjoy an entire week of events starting on June 3 with Breakfast on the Farm at Kasin Farms. Other festivities include Country Cowboy Church Service, horse show, pageants, team roping, health fair, and John Deere Day of Play. On Saturday, June 10, enjoy a full day of activities such as a 5K Walk/Run, vendor market & street fair, water wars, community picnic, bounce houses, pie & ice cream social, and kiddie & grand parades. PRCA Barnes Rodeo performances will be offered Friday and Saturday, June 9 & 10. Most events at the rodeo grounds. 218-483-3331

June 9, Mahnomen
Easton Corbin
Easton Corbin is one of the most successful new artists in country music. His traditional country sound, authentic lyrics, and mastery of understatement have propelled him to the top of country music. Hits include "A Little More Country Than That," "Roll With It," "I Can't Love You Back," "Lovin' You is Fun," and "All Over the Road." Shooting Star Casino. 218-935-2711, 218-935-2701

June 9, Fargo/Moorhead
Happy Harry's Ribfest
Enjoy award-winning BBQ ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, a petting zoo, carnival rides, games galore, and national acts performing on stage at the Fargodome. This year's performers include Collective Soul, Night Ranger, and Diamond Rio. 701-241-9100

June 10-11, Bemidji
Bemidji Bird City Celebration
Bemidji is Minnesota’s newest ‘Bird City!" Join the celebration and learn about native birds through programs and birding tours, and find out what local groups are doing to make Bemidji a 'bird-friendly' town! Lake Bemidji State Park, Bemidji State University, and Cameron Park Pavilion. 218-444-3915

June 17, Moorhead
Everclear "So Much for the Afterglow 20th Anniversary Tour" with Vertical Horizon & Fastball
It's been 20 years since Everclear released their 1997 multiplatinum smash So Much For The Afterglow, yet the album remains a beloved fan favorite, and continues to inspire new generations of musicians & fans today. Everclear is about to embark on a highly anticipated tour celebrating its milestone anniversary, with plans to perform the album front to back, including some tracks the band has never played live. Bluestem Amphitheater. 866-300-8300

Northeast Minnesota

June 2-4, Grand Marais
Northern Landscapes Festival
Explore the spring explosion of life and discover the birds, wildflowers, insects of this dynamic and rich northern landscape. Participation in the festival is open to anyone interested in hands-on learning. Field-focused courses form the backbone of the event with multiple evening and afternoon programs in biology, beauty and biodiversity. North House Folk School. 218-387-9762

June 3, Embarrass
National Sauna Day
National Sauna Day features guided bus tours of area saunas, sauna day conversations & tall tales, live music, games, door prize drawings, and Finnish food and goods. Nelimark Homestead Museum. 218-984-3012

June 3-4, Duluth
Duluth Air & Aviation Expo
The largest air show in Minnesota returns to Duluth on June 3-4, 2017 featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and Canadian Forces Snowbirds. The Duluth Air & Aviation Expo, presented by St. Luke's, will be the first air show in Minnesota history to feature two major jet demonstration teams! Duluth International Airport. 218-628-9995

June 8-10, Grand Rapids
The Wizard of Oz Festival (At Judy Garland's Birth Home)
Come Celebrate the Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland with some very special events including a talent contest, Oz & Judy Jeopardy, high tea & music, Introduction to Oz by historian and documentarian John Fricke, outdoor showing of The Wizard of Oz on a jumbo screen, Dash for the Ruby Slippers 5K, and Emerald City Fest. 218-327-9276, 218-326-1900

June 10-11, Ely
The Great American Canoe Festival
Enjoy all things paddle, and celebrate the story of the canoe and paddles sports, at the heart of the Canoe Capital of the World. The Great American Canoe Festival includes symposiums, demonstrations, a family fun paddle, paddling classes, vendors, The Mighty Paddle Challenge Race, and much more. Semer's Park and other Ely area venues. 218-206-4702

June 17-18, Virginia
Land of the Loon Arts & Crafts Festival
The Land of the Loon Arts & Crafts Festival features hundreds of artisan, craft and food vendors in beautiful, historic Olcott Park. Start the morning with a good, old-fashioned parade, then stroll through pathways lined with unique, handcrafted items. 218-749-8161

Gun Shows / Gun Show Watertown

« on: May 31, 2017, 10:57:44 AM »

Gun Show

July 28-30 Watertown. Turner Hall 301 S. 4th st. SH: Fri 3-8, Sat 9-5 & Sun 9-3. Adm $6. 8' Tbls $40. Call Chad- 262-443-2278

Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Reports and News / Wisconsin Outdoor Report for May 11, 2017

« on: May 12, 2017, 08:30:16 AM »

Wisconsin Outdoor Report for May 11, 2017

Despite much of the state receiving at least some rain in the last week, fire danger levels have reached high to very high in far northern and northwestern Wisconsin, prompting Gov. Scott Walker to declare a precautionary state of emergency. People are urged to continue to use caution with all types of outdoor burning, ash disposal and equipment use and to search the DNR website for keyword "fire" to check on conditions and restrictions in their area.

Sunshine and warm temperatures brought out lots of anglers for the opening of Wisconsin's inland game fish season last weekend. Anglers took to inland trout streams and lakes, with trout fishing reported as excellent on some inland streams with water levels perfect for fishing. Some lake anglers reported water temperatures were still cool keeping fishing slower, but walleye anglers across the north and on Green Bay found good success with many boats coming back to the dock with fish. There were some reports of bluegills biting on area lakes and crappie fishing was starting to heat up on some of the smaller lakes in central Wisconsin

Fishing pressure on Lake Michigan has been low due to large waves and strong winds off the lake. Small craft advisories were in effect on several days over the last couple of weeks. The water along the shoreline was cloudy/turbid nearly half a mile offshore the majority of the week. Alewives have moved in along shorelines and some rivers and cormorants and terns were diving to feed on them at various locations along the lake. The Saturday opener brought many bass fishermen out along Door County but high winds influenced anglers to not stay out too long. Some still found success catching 10-plus bass for a half days trip.

Lake Winnebago system fisheries biologists reported that after a fairly short sturgeon run on the upper Fox and Wolf rivers this spring, sturgeon were again observed spawning at locations on the Wolf River in late April. Second runs likely occur annually, but are so short and never as large as the first so are not always observed or reported. This year it was reported and fisheries crews were able to capture and tag an additional 46 fish.

The spring turkey season is in full swing, with many turkey hunters successful so far this spring. Third period hunters reported modest early morning gobbler activity that ended abruptly about two hours after sunrise, then picked back up from late morning into early afternoon. Most hens appear to be on their nests, incubating their clutch of eggs, which averages about 10-12 eggs.

Sharp-tailed grouse have begun their mating dances seen in the early morning at Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area.

After a long stint of northerly winds kept the bulk of spring migrants at bay, the flood gates opened a bit this week, ushering in the first major push of warblers, orioles, grosbeaks, and more. Birders in southern parks and woodlands tallied 25-plus warbler species, while 13-plus species were tallied north to the Lake Superior shore. Orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks are widespread now, with hummingbirds and indigo buntings less common yet. On Lake Superior blue jay migration is nearing peak with more than a thousand tallied in northern Bayfield County on May 10.

Spring beauties, large flowered bellwort, trilliums, bloodroot, dwarf ginseng, Dutchman's breeches, marsh marigolds, jack-in-the-pulpits, bellwort, trout lily and hepatica are blooming. A few morels are up, but experienced mushroom pickers say the weather has been too cool so far this year for the morel mushrooms to grow.
________________________

Wildfire Report

Statewide fire danger ranged from Low to Very High this past week; 45 fires burned 38 acres in DNR Protection Areas. Annual burning permits have been periodically suspended. The largest fire of the week burned 20 acres in Shawano County. The main wildfire causes this week included equipment, trash/debris burning, improper ash disposal and a couple power line fires. People are urged to continue to use caution with all types of outdoor burning, ash disposal and equipment use. Property owners are reminded to remain present when burning debris in a barrel or on the ground - should your fire escape, you can be held responsible for the cost of fire suppression and any damages resulting from the escaped fire. Clear an area around the pile or barrel and make sure a hose is attached to a working spigot. Wet down the burned area before leaving. Stay aware of the current fire danger for your area by checking our website: dnr.wi.gov, keyword "fire". May 14 marks the fourth anniversary of the Germann Road Fire that burned 7,442 acres and 100 buildings (including 22 homes and cabins) in Douglas County.

Firewise Tip: Are there any branches or dead trees close to power lines on your property? Ask the power company to clear them. - Joanne Ackerman, wildland urban interface coordinator, Madison
________________________

Statewide Birding Report

Statewide
Finally! After a long stint of northerly winds kept the bulk of migrants at bay, the flood gates opened a bit on Tuesday in the south and Wednesday statewide, ushering in the first major push of warblers, orioles, grosbeaks, and more. Birders in southern parks and woodlands tallied 25-plus warbler species, while 13-plus species were tallied north to the Lake Superior shore. Orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks are widespread now, with hummingbirds and indigo buntings less common yet. Other favorites that have returned in numbers include house wrens, gray catbirds, and bobolinks.

Least flycatcher, veery, and red-eyed vireo arrived to the south this week. Birders there even reported some species typical of the mid- to late migration season such as black-billed cuckoo, dickcissel, and olive-sided flycatcher. Waterbird migration is generally waning fast but a daily watch on Lake Michigan at Harrington Beach State Park continues to see good numbers of red-breasted mergansers, common and Caspian terns, common and a few red-throated loons, Bonaparte's, glaucous, and Thayer's gulls, and other species. Shorebird migration remains fairly slow as well, though peak flights for these species, many of which breed in arctic Canada, is yet to come.

Northern Wisconsin
Farther north blue jay migration is nearing peak--more than a thousand were tallied along the Lake Superior shore in northern Bayfield County on May 10. Ruby-crowned kinglets remain common in the north woods, alongside increasing warbler numbers and lingering dark-eyed juncos, American tree sparrows, and even an occasional snow bunting! Lincoln's and white-crowned sparrows have arrived there among increasing numbers of white-throated sparrows. Pine siskins persist amid decreasing numbers of purple finches. Overhead, sharp-shinned hawks, broad-winged hawks, and bald eagles dominate as locals set up territories and migrants press northward.

Rarities & Reporting
Some of the rarities spotted across the state this week include northern mockingbirds in La Crosse, Sheboygan and Vilas counties, glossy ibis in Dodge County, white-faced ibises in Dodge, Winnebago and Green Lake counties, black-necked stilt in Brown County, and white-eyed vireo in Dane and Milwaukee counties. The week ahead looks fairly promising for migration, with at least several days of southerly winds in the forecast. If so, this will usher in the peak of landbird migration in the southern half of the state and improved birding in the north. And don't let bad weather keep you from heading out - rainy days in May often provide the most spectacular birding! Help us track bird populations by reporting your migration sightings to www.ebird.org/wi and observations of nesting birds to www.ebird.org/atlaswi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, research scientist, Ashland