Fall color has been slightly erratic this season, possibly because of the variable weather conditions Wisconsin experienced through the summer, including some areas experiencing drought followed by prolonged periods of cloudy and rainy weather. Some portions of northern Wisconsin are reporting colors past peak in the north, but some far northern counties are still reporting peak color, as are areas of central and southern Wisconsin. Only a handful of counties are now reporting colors not yet near or at peak on the Department of Tourism fall color report. The entire state has received rain in the last week, and fall fire danger levels remain low statewide.
The variable and generally cool weather, as well as the abundance of hunting opportunities, has limited fishing pressure. Water temperatures have now dropped into the mid to upper-40s and fall turnover has been completed on most northern lakes. Musky continue to provide most of the fishing action and success has been generally good, with most anglers now fishing with live suckers. Walleye success continued to be slow and it seems that the fish haven't settled into a solid fall pattern yet. There was a recent surge in crappie action.
Very few trollers have been heading out onto Lake Michigan or Green Bay, but the fall trout and salmon run has continued on Lake Michigan tributaries with good numbers of anglers out last weekend with fair to good numbers of chinook being caught. An estimated 800 people turned out for the open house at the Root River Steelhead Facility in Racine County last weekend and they were able to watch fisheries crews harvest eggs from hundreds of chinook that passed through the facility. A slide show from the open house is available on the DNR?s Fish Wisconsin flickr page.
The Mississippi River has maintained a fairly level water stage this week. It held around the 7.6 foot mark all week at Prairie du Chien. Water clarity continues to be very good. Walleye and sauger action improved greatly this week, with sauger particularly active on several days last week.
Archery deer hunters continue to report good activity, especially as more and more leaves fall and visibility increases in the woods. After a couple weeks of hunting pressure squirrels are becoming more wary.
The southern zone waterfowl season re-opened last weekend. Duck hunters in the Wisconsin River bottoms were still finding a few wood ducks and teal, but in much lower numbers. Diving duck numbers, mostly canvasbacks, are rising on the Mississippi. Canada goose hunting has also been good. Woodcock have been slowly moving through the state.
Bald eagles and turkey vultures have been seen soaring over the bluffs overlooking the confluence of Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers at Wyalusing State Park, where bluebirds and robins were also still being seen. The first tundra swans have also arrived along the Mississippi, though their numbers will not peak until mid November or so.
While most state parks and forests are now in the process of closing some facilities for the upcoming winter season, there is still plenty of time to get out and enjoy the fall colors at parks and forests, a number of which will be hosting special fall and Halloween events such as candlelight hikes and hayrides, over the next two weekends. Check the October events page on the DNR Web site for more information.
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A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.
A new report is put on the line each week.
DNR Northern Region
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - The color show around the Brule River State Forest may be past peak but it is still worth coming to see. Oak and aspen are prominent with their yellow/gold leaves and the tamarack trees are now a rich golden color complimenting the green of the surrounding spruce and balsam. It is reported that the woodcock migration is coming through the area.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Variable and generally cool weather, as well as the abundance of hunting opportunities, has limited fishing pressure in the Northwoods in the last week. Water temperatures have now dropped into the mid to upper-40s and fall turnover has been completed on all but the large, deep lakes in the Upper Chippewa Basin. Musky anglers have provided most of the fishing pressure on our local lakes and their success has been generally good. Most anglers have switched from artificials to live suckers, and a medium-size sucker (12 to 16 inches) on a quick-set rig has been the most productive method. Most of the musky caught have been in the 32 to 40-inch size, though fish up to 46 inches have also been reported. Walleye success continues to be slow and it seems that the fish haven't settled into a solid fall pattern yet. Late October and early November should provide a little better walleye action with jig/minnow and slip bobber/ minnow combinations working best on deeper rocky structure and along mid-depth break lines. There has been a recent surge in crappie action with some nice fish being found along and near the mid-depth cover, such as emergent weed lines and brush in 4 to 8 feet of water. With the cold water temperatures, bass fishing is all but over for the year.
DNR Northeastern Region
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Temperatures at the landings are in the mid 40s with good water clarity. Fishing pressure has been extremely light with few boaters on the water. The Hattie Street Dam is producing some nice browns over 15 pounds along with a few walleye and the occasional salmon. Rapalas and spoons as well as drifting crawlers have been working. Fishing the Little River for salmon has been slow as has been the Peshtigo River with a few salmon being caught daily. Leaf fall is in full swing with the current rains driving more off the trees. Waterfowl are moving southward. Area bird feeders are beginning to see some traffic with birds looking for quick sources for energy.
Oconto County ? The Stiles dam has been producing some panfish for anglers using slip bobbers and leaf worms or minnows. Drifting the Oconto River for smallmouth bass with crank baits and chug baits has been working well. A few salmon and browns were being caught at the Oconto Breakwater Harbor casting cleo's and stick baits. Perch were also biting on minnows and crawlers at the Breakwater and Oconto Park II.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Manitowoc County - Salmon anglers fishing in the East Twin River had a good week of fishing. Anglers were concentrated around the Mishicot dam catching large chinook salmon. Anglers were catching fish during daylight hours by casting spinners or using spawn sacs. Some spawn sacs were combined with yarn balls, ear plugs, or small marshmallows. On the West Twin River, salmon anglers also had a productive weekend harvesting some big chinook salmon. Fishing pressure was high in Shoto all weekend with anglers fishing from both river banks at the dam and in the river downstream. Successful anglers were using spawn sacs or yarn balls with a single hook. In Two Rivers, boat fishing was slow this past week, with very few anglers fishing from boats. On Sunday a couple anglers were casting spoons from both the north and south piers with little success.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - Cool temperatures and rainy days made for less than ideal weather this past week. Again, no report of salmon action on Lake Michigan this week, there just didn?t seem to be anyone going out on the big lake. Action off the piers at the Coast Guard Station remained poor; the rain and cold temperatures seemed to keep most anglers off of the piers. A few anglers reported taking some kings trolling spoons and crank baits in the canal. Farther north kings could still be seen swimming in most of the harbors. Again this week there was not a lot of action on the other species, probably due to the weather.
Strawberry Creek Egg Collection Facility - On Thursday, Oct. 15, crews collected the last of the chinook salmon eggs needed for DNR fish hatcheries. The pump supplying the supplemental water to Strawberry Creek was shut off on Friday and crews are done collecting salmon at Strawberry Creek for 2009. Although a few salmon may still try to make their way up Strawberry Creek, they will no longer be able to enter the pond this fall. Over the next week crews will be closing up the Strawberry Creek facility and getting it ready for winter. The salmon run is not over and crews are still operating the Besadny Fisheries Facility on the Kewaunee River where over the next couple of weeks we will be collecting coho salmon eggs for the Wisconsin DNR hatchery system.
Kewaunee County - Weather over this last week has been cool, windy, and rainy throughout the week making for some foul weather fishing this week. Some kings continue to move up the rivers this week, but the numbers have started to drop off. Fish are still being caught in the Ahnapee and Kewaunee rivers from the mouths all the way up to the fish refuges below the dams, but there has been much less success this past week. Anglers that have been fishing in the harbors have been able to pick up a browns and rainbows this week, but upstream it is all kings.
Wautoma DNR Service Center area
The Wild Rose Fish Hatchery will be open Fridays and Saturdays through October from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Daily tours are at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Last day for fall tours will be Sat., Oct. 31. The hatchery is closed to the public and all vehicle traffic from November through March. For 2010 spring and summer group tours, please call the visitor center at (920) 622-3527, Ext. 209 and leave your contact information and the naturalist will return your call to schedule a tour.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Fall colors are definitely still popping in Winnebago County. Wolf river fishing has been spotty. White bass and crappies were found in holes and there were reports of sporadic walleye activity on the river. Pheasant hunters at Eldorado marsh should be aware of the 2 p.m. closure in effect through Nov. 3. This rule is set in place for safe stocking of birds by DNR wildlife staff who are releasing the pheasants. The enclosed portion of the Eldorado Marsh Wildlife Refuge is currently closed for hunting until the nine day gun deer season at which time it is open for deer hunting only.
DNR Southeast Region
Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit - All trails are open to hiking and in good condition. Fall color has reached its peak. Come enjoy the color before it is gone! The campground is closed for the season. The Friends of Pike Lake will be conducting a forest clean up on Saturday October 24 from 9:00 am to noon. If you would like to join in come to the forest office at 9 a.m.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan shore anglers have been catching chinooks and browns on spoons and skein in the marina. A few chinooks, rainbows, and coho have also been caught off the north pier on spawn. In the Sheboygan River anglers have been catching fair numbers of chinooks between Taylor Avenue and the Kohler dam. Most fish have been taken on flies, but spoons have caught some as well.
Ozaukee County - Shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching good numbers of chinooks, coho, rainbows, and browns near the power plant. Both skein and spawn sacs produced fish. In the north slip anglers have been catching chinooks and browns, and anglers fishing Sauk Creek have taken a few chinooks and coho near the mouth.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee trollers fishing in the harbor and around the gaps have been catching a few chinooks and browns. Milwaukee shore anglers have been catching browns on spawn in the lagoon at Lakeshore State Park, and anglers fishing near the Milwaukee Yacht Club have been catching chinooks. Fishing has been slow in the Menomonee River, but some chinooks have been caught in the Milwaukee River in Kletzsch and Estabrook Parks. Black flies and spawn have both been productive. In Oak Creek, anglers have been catching a few chinooks on yarn in orange, green, or red.
Racine County - Shore anglers fishing in the Racine harbor have been catching a few browns on spawn. Trollers fishing off Racine have been catching lake trout and a few coho 20 to 40 feet down in water 100 feet deep. On the Root River good numbers of chinooks, along with a few steelhead and coho, can be found below the Root River Steelhead Facility all the way down to the Main Street bridge. Large black flies and yarn have both been productive. In Colonial and Quarry Lake Parks, fish have been scattered and more difficult to locate, but there is a small concentration of chinooks below the Horlick dam. Fish were processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility on Saturday, Oct. 17. A total of 648 chinooks, 19 coho, 3 steelhead, and 2 browns have been passed upstream. The next processing day is tentatively Thursday, Oct. 22. An estimated 800 people turned out Oct. 17, for an open house at the facility. The event, put on by DNR, Salmon Unlimited, Southeast Wisconsin Trout Unlimited, and Kenosha Sportfishing and Conservation Association, was designed to showcase the facility?s operations and Lake Michigan fishing opportunities. Participants enjoyed guided tours of the facility along with hands-on demonstrations of fish spawning procedures, seminars in rod casting, fly tying and fishing, knot tying, and boater safety. A slide show of the event is available on the Fish Wisconsin flickr page [http://www.flickr.com/photos/fishwisconsin/sets/72157622619559334/show/]. The Root River steelhead facility was built in 1993 by DNR in partnership with Salmon Unlimited and other local fishing clubs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to assist in the capture and egg collection of migrating trout and salmon. Millions of trout and salmon are stocked annually into Lake Michigan tributaries, where they live before entering Lake Michigan. The adults return to the same stream for annual spawning.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha a few chinooks and browns have been taken in the harbor on skein under a slip bobber, but fishing has been slow overall.
DNR South Central Region
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Wyalusing State Park - Fall color this October in southwestern Wisconsin can best be described as ?muted?. The brilliant reds and oranges of past years were lacking this year. Though some trees have lost their leaves, many trees are still boasting a variety of yellow, light green and copper hues. Even though we may never have reached ?peak color? this year, it is still beautiful on the bluffs of both the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Cathedral Tree Drive on the way to Henneger Point can only be described as ?pure gold? this week. Trails that are open are in good hiking condition. Many of the summer bird residents have left the area enroute to warmer climates. Bluebirds and robins are still in the area. Two birdfeeders have been erected near the park office. Bird sightings at the feeder include chickadees, nuthatches and gold finches. Bald eagles and turkey vultures have been seen soaring over the bluffs overlooking the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Canoeists using the marked canoe trail through the Mississippi River backwaters report a number of mature and juvenile bald eagles. Wisconsin Ridge Campground remains open through the winter. Homestead Campground sites 201-219 are open for until Oct. 31. Showers in the Homestead Campground, all water faucets throughout the park and the flush bathrooms in the Wisconsin Ridge Campground are closed for the season. The shower/flush bathroom in the Wisconsin Ridge Campground will remain open for this weekend, (October 25) pending the threat of below freezing temperatures. The concession stand is closed for the season. Most reservable electric and bluff sites are reserved for this weekend. There will be plenty of non-electric sites available for this weekend. Weather forecast as of Wednesday, October 21, for the upcoming weekend includes good chance of rain during the day on Friday, decreasing to 40 percent for Friday night and a 20 per cent chance of rain or snow on Saturday. Temperatures should be in the upper 40?s during the day and mid 30?s overnight. The Starsplitters of Wyalusing will present their final Astronomy Program of 2009 on this Saturday, October 23. The program will begin at 8:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Huser Astronomy Center.
DNR West Central Region
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
Fall color has been really odd. There was scattered color. It never really peaked and then what had turned color blew down fast on the weekend. Up here on the higher ground, it?s rather bland on the week it should be great Six miles from here in downtown Hudson it is wonderful. Along the St. Croix River valley there remains quite a bit of color. Box Elder trees are all bare. The Oak trees are brown but the Popple are still green. It's just kind of a mixed up year for weather related events. It?s been the coldest October on record. There was almost enough snow to ski on not long ago. White-Tailed deer and wild turkeys remain the most easily visible wildlife. The female deer are the most frequently sighted but there are some healthy bucks around also. Eastern Bluebirds were still moving through the park late last week. The campground remains open to vehicles until measurable snow falls and sticks. Pit toilets are open near site # 63. The dump station will remain open to unload water until freeze up. Water may be picked up at the service building down the road on the left side. Some camp sites have firewood in them. If the site is vacant, help yourself to the wood. You may find some scattered along the edges of the campground road. Nordic ski training continues although turnout in wet weather may be a bit limited. Meet at the Purple trail head by 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Bring sturdy footwear and classic length ski poles. Its two more weeks till headlamps will be needed. Construction work continues on the new campgrounds. These areas are considered construction zones even though it may look like the work is done. These areas are not officially open for use by the public. Please respect any signs posted to that effect. The Halloween Bash is Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Nature Center from 6 to 8 p.m. This is a non scary event for younger kids. Indoors there will be games and snacks. Outdoors there will be guided hikes to meet various animals that live in the park. Cost is $2 per person plus the vehicle admission sticker.
Black River Falls DNR Service Center area
Monroe County - Signs so far are that an Oct. 8 chemical treatment to eradicate common carp from Lake Tomah is working and that re-stocking may begin yet this month. A new video Reclaiming Lake Tomah [VIDEO Length 7:12] and web page
http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/pages/laketomah.html show the treatment and describe other aspects of the project. The chemical used to treat the lake, rotenone, is breaking down and DNR crews expect to be able to stop drip barrels dispensing a neutralizing chemical on Monday. "That means we?ll possibly be able to start restocking fish this month. We have an opportunity to get fish from Fort McCoy that are certified disease free," says Dave Vetrano, DNR fisheries supervisor in La Crosse. ?There?s a fair amount of dead fish that have floated to the surface, but little to no odor. We were really lucky with the cold temperatures. We?re confident we had 100 percent kill of carp on the lake and everything should be on the positive from this point on." The DNR uses this lake management tool once or twice a year on shallow lakes. The aim is to try to flip these lakes back from systems dominated by blue-green algae to lakes dominated by rooted aquatic plants that provide fish habitat, take up nutrients and help keep the water clear, and produce substances that keep the algae in check. "It gives us a chance to basically start over," says Paul Cunningham, who leads the DNR's rotenone application team. The fish species planned for stocking next year will suppress populations of any carp that make their way back into the lake.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Woodcock have been slowly but steadily filtering into the area. Bottomlands along the Kickapoo River are prime areas to hunt for these erratic-flying migratory birds. Woodcock may also be found in upland shrubby habitats with an herbaceous ground cover, especially where soil moisture is adequate to support earthworms, a woodcock's primary food source. Diving duck numbers, mostly canvasbacks, are rising on the Mississippi. The first tundra swans have arrived. Numbers will not peak until mid November or so. Small numbers of white pelicans are still around.
Crawford County - The Mississippi River has maintained a fairly level water stage this week. It held around the 7.6 foot mark all week. Water clarity continues to be very good. Floating weeds are continuing to come down the river causing some difficulties for anglers and congestion at some boat ramps. The Wisconsin and Kickapoo Rivers are at normal fall-time levels and water clarity is good. Water temperatures are starting to drop in area waterways. A few mornings last week thin ice formed on a few backwaters. Of course it quickly melted once day time temperatures rose. Boaters, anglers, and hunters should wear life jackets as a safety precaution because of the cooling water. Bluegill action was very spotty again this week. Some nice sized bluegills were caught on wing dams, but back water sloughs have produced better. The most popular bait has been a small jig tipped with a wax worm. Fishing at Cold Spring was spotty this week. Perch fishing was slow again this week. Walleye and sauger action improved greatly this week. Some of the days last week sauger were very active. Many small sauger were caught. Trolling or drifting with live bait or just a jig and twister tail has been successful. Anglers using live bait have switched over to minnows. A few days last week the sauger really bit well at the Lynxville dam, below Deer Island (upstream from the Lynxville boat landing), and outside Prairie du Chien on the East Channel. Smallmouth and largemouth bass action was fair. Smallmouth activity on local wing dams and rocky shore lines has been good. Largemouth bass can be found in a variety of habitats to include the ?slop?, weed edges, wing dams, and in the timber. Plastics, spinner baits, and crank baits have worked well. Catfish, white bass and northern pike actions has been spotty. Some white bass have been taken at the Lynxville dam. Archery deer hunters are reporting good activity again this week, even though the four-day antlerless gun season was open for part of the week. As more and more leaves fall visibility increases in the woods. Also corn and soybean fields are beginning to be picked. Some farmers have voiced a concern that the corn is still to wet to harvest. Standing corn could be a detriment to all deer hunters. Deer hunters are finding a few scrapes and rubs. Deer sightings vary greatly in the county. Some areas are more populated than others. The southern zone waterfowl season re-opened last weekend. Duck hunters in the Wisconsin River bottoms were still finding a few wood ducks and teal, but the numbers are much lower than the opening weekend. On the Mississippi River the increased water level offered more hunting areas. Hunters in the lower bottoms and the Ambro Slough areas around Prairie du Chien reported fair numbers of wood ducks, some teal and mallards. Farther up river in the Lynxville/Ferryville area (Pool 9) duck hunters found a variety of species in the bags. Mallards, wood ducks, teal, widgeon, and gadwall were the primary species found up there. Canada goose hunting was pretty good also up in Pool 9. Many ducks and geese are utilizing the closed hunting area outside Lynxville. Squirrel hunters are still having pretty good success. After a couple weeks of hunting pressure the squirrels are becoming more wary. Hunting conditions continue to improve. Over night frost, cool and damp days were the norm for the past couple days. Nuisance insects have been set back because of the frosty nights. With the wet, cool and breezy conditions some tree species are loosing their leaves. Black walnut, sumac, and elm are all changing color and dropping their leaves. Other trees species, especially maple, aspen and hickory are brilliant. Fall colors are starting to show.
Perrot State Park - Fall colors should peak this weekend. The flush toilet/shower buildings are closed for the season. The only drinking water available is at the Maintenance Shop. The dock has been removed for the season.
Merrick State Park - Fall colors should peak this weekend. Duck season is open but hunters are reporting limited success. Fishing has been slow this past week.
Great River State Trail - Fall colors should peak this weekend.
Buffalo River State Trail - Fall colors should peak this weekend.
UPCOMING EVENTS AT STATE PARKS, FORESTS, AND TRAILS
WATCHABLE WILDLIFE OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS
Check with the park or forest of your choice for additional activities and special events not listed. Most events are free of charge; park admission sticker required unless otherwise noted. Events and times subject to change.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
? Kettle Moraine State Forest--Northern Unit, Campbellsport, (920) 533-8322 - Exploring Nature: Climb a Kame. Join us as we climb Dundee Mountain to gain a better understanding of how the glaciers created kames, eskers, moraines, kettles and outwash plains. The trail is one and a half miles long and requires hiking up and down a steep hill. This adventure is for people over the age of 8 years. Sponsored by Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit. Meet at the Ice Age Visitor Center and then car pool the 3 miles to the Summit Trail on Dundee Mountain. 9:30-11 a.m.
? Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 - Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hike with John Johnston to search for the wild edible and medicinal plants found at Kohler-Andrae. John will share tips on using these unique and interesting plants. Wear comfortable shoes. The hike lasts about an hour. Meet at the closed gate. 2 p.m. Saturday Night at the Movies. View our new video, "How the Heron Finds Its Home," and learn how the elegant Great Blue Heron is a remarkably sensitive indicator of wetland health. No pets allowed. Sanderling Nature Center. 7 p.m.
? MacKenzie Environmental Education Center, Poynette, (608) 635-8105 - Haunted Hay Rides. A fun and spooky hay ride around the MacKenzie Center property. Zombies, witches, graveyards, ghosts and more! $5 for adults, $3 children age 3-8; includes a campfire with snacks too! Dress appropriately for the weather, costumes welcome. Sponsored by Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Friends of the MacKenzie Center and Department of Natural Resources. 2 miles East of Poynette on County Roads CS and Q. 6:30-9:30 p.m.
? Mirror Lake State Park, Lake Delton, (608) 254-2333 - Halloween Hike and Site Decoration Contest. 5:30-8:30 p.m.
? Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay, (920-746-2890 - Creepy Crafts and Boo-tastic Bake Sale. Make a menacing millipede or a spindly spider while you sip a bit of cinnamon cider. Popcorn will be there for those who dare to turn pumpkins into creatures that stalk and stare. Free creepy crafts, popcorn, and cider! Paint-a-pumpkin and baked treats will be available for a small donation to the Friends of Potawatomi. Event will be held rain (or snow) or shine! Picnic Area Shelter. 3-6 p.m.
? Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Kansasville, (262) 878-5600 - Eco-Halloween Hike. Meet some things with wings at this non-scary, family event. Enjoy jack-o-lanterns, Halloween skits, campfires, refreshments, games and crafts. You may arrive anytime to sign up for a hike. Hikes take about a half-hour. Dress for the weather, you may be outside awhile. Shelter #1. 2-4 p.m.
? Willow River State Park, Hudson, (715) 386-5931 - Halloween Bash. A non-scary event for kids up to age 10. There will be games in the Nature Center and night hikes to meet costumed characters such as the bear. There is a small fee per person. Sponsored by the OWLs Friends Group. 6-8 p.m.
? Wyalusing State Park, Prairie du Chien, (608) 996-2261 - Astronomy Program. Meet at the Lawrence Huser Astronomy Center in the park. Sponsored by the Starsplitters of Wyalusing.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
? Devil's Lake State Park, Baraboo, (608) 356-8301 - Candlelight Walk. This candlelight walk begins at the Rock Elm shelter at the north shore of the lake. Refreshments will be available. A roasty-toasty campfire will be burning so bring some marshmallows and sticks. The walk is at-your-own-pace, about 1.5 to 2 miles in length. Sponsored by the Friends of Devil?s Lake State Park. The event is free, but all vehicles must have a valid vehicle admission sticker. 6-9 p.m.
? Harrington Beach State Park, Belgium, (262) 285-3015 - Halloween Candlelight Hike. Candlelight hike, haunted trail, and public viewing of the night sky. Please, no pets on these hikes. Sponsored by Friends of Harrington Beach, Holy Cross and Jay Road 4-H clubs, and Northern Cross Science Foundation [exit DNR]. Ansay Welcome Center and Puckett's Pond. 6-9 p.m.hikes, 6-11 p.m. sky viewing.
? Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, (414) 527-0232 - Willow Workshop. Make a simple wall hanging of willow and vines using materials collected at Havenwoods. Then decorate it at home for the holiday season. Please register and pay the $5 fee by October 23. 10-11:30 a.m.
? High Cliff State Park, Sherwood, (920) 989-1106 - Great Pumpkin Event. This Spooktacular event begins with a kids' pumpkin carving contest, followed by a kids' costume contest. Wagon rides run from 3:30 p.m. to dusk. The torch-lit trail will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable foods items to help the Sherwood Lions Food Drive and used eyewear will be collected for the Sherwood Lionesses programs. Sponsored by Sherwood Lions with help from the Friends of High Cliff. Meet at the park pavilion. 3 - 9 p.m.
? Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 - Campground Halloween. Campers traditionally decorate their campsites with Halloween displays. This event usually draws large crowds. Campground roads will be closed to motorized traffic from 5-8 p.m. to allow trick-or-treating. Campground.
? MacKenzie Environmental Education Center, Poynette, (608) 635-8105 - Haunted Hay Rides. A fun and spooky hay ride around the MacKenzie Center property. Zombies, witches, graveyards, ghosts and more! $5 for adults, $3 children age 3-8; includes a campfire with snacks, too! Dress appropriately for the weather, costumes welcome. Sponsored by Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Friends of the MacKenzie Center and Department of Natural Resources. 2 miles East of Poynette on County Roads CS and Q. 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Report
Edited by Paul Holtan
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707-7921
(608) 267-7517
Fax: (608) 264-6293
E-mail: paul.holtan@dnr.state.wi.us
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/or/
