DNR Outdoor Report as of October 11, 2007
Much of the Northwoods received additional rain in the last week, with some areas reporting up to 5 inches. This has raised water levels on lakes and flowages by up to 2 feet, brought up the flow on many of the northern rivers--such as the Bois Brule, Namekagon, St. Croix and Chippewa--and recharged wetlands. Fall colors are now past peak in the far north, and with all of the rain, leaf drop was progressing rapidly, but some areas of the north are still reporting good rust and gold colors for oaks, aspen and tamarack. Fall colors are at or very near peak through central Wisconsin, including the Door County peninsula.
Unseasonably warm temperatures have delayed the fall lake turnover, and the high water levels in the north seem to have disrupted fall fish activity. Musky continue to be the most sought after species. Fishing success was mixed, with some areas reporting slower musky action but other areas still reporting good action. Walleye fishing has been erratic and it seems that the fish haven't settled into a solid fall pattern yet. Panfish action has been fair, with some nice crappie still being found around any green weeds and near mid-depth cover. Fishing activity has been fair in the south, with bass and northern pike providing most of the action.
Fishing on Green Bay was very good this past week. Anglers fishing from shore were catching chinook salmon and brown trout from the piers. Numerous limits of perch were reported. Northern pike were extremely active over the weekend with some very large fish were recorded including a 40-inch, 18-pounder. Anglers trolling out on Lake Michigan had a fair weekend picking up chinook salmon just outside around harbors. Anglers had a fair week targeting chinook salmon migrating up rivers. Some nice chinook were caught on the East and West Twin, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Root and Pike rivers.
The Mississippi River is on the rise and was up to 9.3 feet at Prairie du Chien on Oct. 10. The Wisconsin River has stabilized, but was still higher than normal. Fishing action was good this week, with bluegill and crappie being caught in many areas. Walleye action was good below locks and dams, but was slower along wing dams.
Despite hot weather and conditions more like summer than fall, there was good participation in the special deer hunt for youth hunters last weekend, with many first time hunter safety graduates acquiring their free antlerless tags for the gun season. Mostly antlerless deer were taken but some bucks were harvested as well. Bow season is going well and hunters are reporting excellent antler development because of the mild winter, with some trophy 2- and 3-year-old bucks taken. Deer are really starting to move, especially in the early morning hours, so drivers need to start being especially cautious of deer darting into roadways.
Turkey hunting is going well and the earlier opening date and later ending date is expect to result in an increased harvest. Grouse hunters are reporting good success with most reporting flushing many birds. Waterfowl hunters have had good early hunting for mallards, wood ducks, pintails, gadwalls, American widgeons and teal. Most of the blue-winged teal are gone but ring-necked ducks and some scaup are replacing them. Woodcock have been migrating through northern Wisconsin. The second week of October is usually the peak of woodcock migration in this area.
The unseasonably warm weather and persistent south winds stalled the progress of the Canada goose migration, but with the shift in winds, the birds are moving again. About 50,000 Canada geese were holding on Horicon Marsh through early October, which is a bit behind the normal migration schedule. It is expected that the cool north winds will be bringing more birds into the area and building numbers to more than 100,000 over the next few days. Peak numbers of 200,000 Canada geese are usually reached by the end of October. The warm temperatures slowed the pace of other bird migrations as well. Sparrows and juncos have begun to move into central Wisconsin and an invasion of red-breasted nuthatches continued with large numbers recorded in southern Wisconsin.
Mushrooms have been thriving on the moist conditions and mushroom hunters are busy with quite a variety of fungi present in the woods.
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A new report is put on the line each week.
Statewide Birding Report
Unseasonably warm temperatures have slowed the pace of bird migration across the state. Sparrows and juncos have begun to move into central Wisconsin and the red-breasted nuthatch "invasion" continues with large numbers of this species recorded in southern Wisconsin outside of its breeding range. A strong frontal passage earlier this week probably cleared the state of many of its remaining Neotropical migrant warblers and vireos and also included large numbers of white-throated sparrows, hermit thrushes, kinglets, bluebirds, yellow-rumped and palm warblers and other passerines. Waterfowl migration should pick up over the week with many blue-winged teal leaving and some puddle ducks and early diving ducks moving into marshes across the state. Rare birds reported this week included the continuing green-breasted mango in Beloit, cattle egrets at the Horicon NWR, Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrows in Madison, scoters from Wisconsin point and Chequamegon Bay, a Townsend's solitaire in Long Lake, and a black-backed woodpecker in Florence county. Birders at Concordia and along the Mississippi River have had good days for raptors during appropriate winds. As always, please report observations to eBird at
www.ebird.org/WI.
DNR Northern Region
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - Brule is still showing some fall colors. The majority of the trees that are in color are the oaks and aspen creating rust and gold colors. So far for the month of October Brule has received 6.37 inches of rain. This has surpassed the October historical average of 2.52 inches of precipitation. The rain has brought up the flow and height of the Bois Brule River. Heavy rains on Oct. 8 brought the flow of the river up to 412 cubic feet per second (cfs). As of Oct. 11 the Bois Brule River is flowing at 298 cfs. The 61 year average is 149 cfs. Canada geese have been migrating into and though the area this past week. This has provided people with wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities. Woodcock have also migrating now. The second week of October is usually the peak of woodcock migration in this area. The northern winds should be pushing songbirds through the area now. How long the birds stay in the area depends on how long the winds stay in their favor. Mushrooms have been thriving on the moist conditions. Several varieties have come up through the forest floor recently. The Brule River State Forest will hold its annual fall public open house meeting at October 13 at noon at the Cloverland Town Hall, located off County Highway 13 between Skoglund road and Balsam Bend road. The agenda includes presentations by Brule River State Forest staff on their annual operations and projects including; recreation program, law enforcement, development projects, real estate transactions and the recent land purchase in the Town of Cloverland. Additional information is available on the Department’s Web site at dnr.wi.gov/forestry/stateforests/ or by calling the State Forest Headquarters 715-372-5678 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Cumberland DNR Service Center area
Despite hot weather and conditions more like summer than fall, youth hunters had a successful hunt this last weekend. There were 203 deer registered at Barron and Polk county stations, for an average of about 10 per station. Mostly antlerless deer were taken but some bucks were harvested as well. This is a hunt they will probably not forget because of temperatures but the memory of some will be the first deer they ever harvested. Hopefully this will encourage them for a lifetime of hunting in all kinds of conditions. Turkey hunting is going well and 177 turkeys have been registered so far. At this time last year, the season had only been going two weeks but with the earlier opening date and later ending date, harvest is expect to exceed the 414 that were registered last year, which was the highest ever. Bow season is going well and hunters are harvesting both antlerless deer and some nice bucks. Antler development is excellent because of the mild winter and some trophy 2- and 3-year-old bucks have already been taken. Interest in grouse hunting is increasing as the leaves drop and the woodcock flight should be riding the north winds into the area. The last two weeks of October are often the best time for woodcock hunting in this area as migrating birds settle into young aspen and tag alder habitats on their way south. Waterfowl hunters had good early hunting for resident mallards, wood ducks, and blue-winged teal. Most of the blue-winged teal are gone but ring-necked ducks and some scaup are replacing them. There have been some good flocks of ring-necks in the area on lakes and large marshes.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Colder temperatures are forecast for the week along with possibly more precipitation. Rivers are flowing above normal and wetlands are being recharged by recent rains. Anglers are having fair success as water temperatures cool and turnover occurs. Leaves are quickly falling and the trees are bare in many areas. Deer are active around field edges and oak trees as they find less browse due to the declining vegetation. Geese have been using the favorable north wind for migration travel. Songbirds are very active around bird feeders as fall progresses and it’s relaxing to watch their activity. Grouse hunters are reporting good success with most reporting flushing many birds. Anglers have taken advantage of the recent nice weather to be on the water and reports have been fair to good on inland waters. Bear season closed Oct. 9. Trapping season opens Oct. 20 north of Highway 64 for bobcat, raccoon, fox, fisher, mink, muskrat and coyote. Deer shining is prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. from Sept. 15 through Dec. 31. Local laws may be more restrictive so anyone intending to shine deer should check local ordinances also. Please respect private lands and agricultural animals when shining.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Most of the Upper Chippewa Basin has received over 5 inches of rain in the last 10 days and this has raised water levels on lakes and flowages by up to 2 feet. In addition, these high water levels do seem to have disrupted fall fish activity and most anglers have reported some tough angling conditions. Musky continue to be the most sought after species at this time of year and action has been generally slow. With water temperatures continuing in the low 60s, most anglers have stayed with artificial baits--though many are also dragging a live sucker behind the boat. Medium-size bucktails and stick baits have been the preferred lures of late and most of the musky caught have been in the 30- to 38-inch size. Walleye fishing has been especially erratic 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 combinations working best along shallow and mid-depth breaks. Water temperatures on some of the smaller lakes have just dropped into the upper 50s and this has pretty much shut down most bass activity. A few die-hard bass anglers have still been trying their luck and have had some success in the afternoon on warm, sunny days. Soft plastics fish around woody cover in 4 to 6 feet of water have produced the largemouth that have been caught. Panfish action has been fair, with some nice crappie still being found around any green weeds and near mid-depth cover. Trout activity has been good on Patterson Lake, with anglers catching some nice brooks, browns and rainbows.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Unseasonably warm temperatures in the Northwoods have been delaying the fall lake turnover. Anglers and guides report that fishing continues to be very good for both musky and walleye. Walleye have not yet gone to their deep haunts that commonly occurs during turnover time. Suckers are now the bait of choice for the muskies; however, jerk type baits were also still working well. Smallmouth bass were being caught in the deep wood. Fall colors are past peak with leaf drop occurring. Most local waterfowl have dispersed and moved southward. Good numbers of woodcock are now moving through the area. Approaching cold weather should bring some migrants into the larger bodies of water. Grouse hunters are reporting some encouraging news with much higher numbers than the last few years. With leaf drop occurring the birds are now visible after the flush. Bow hunters are reporting good success all around the area.
DNR Northeastern Region
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Blustery weather will continue this week after a humid weekend for the Youth Deer Hunt. There was good participation in the early hunt with many first time Hunter Safety graduates acquiring their free antlerless tags for the gun season from the DNR Service Center. Six hundred plus yearling muskie were finclipped and then stocked this week in Lake Noquebay by fisheries staff. The salmon harvest on the Menominee River and along the bay continues although most tributary water levels remain low. Many trees are now loosing their leaves with the blowing winds. Mushroom hunters are busy with quite a variety of fungi present in the northwoods.
Oconto County - Perch were still biting in 10 to 15 feet of water off of Oconto and Pensaukee areas. Some nice size perch were being caught with minnows being the preferred bait but some nice catches have been reported on night crawlers as well. Anglers fishing out of Pensaukee were able to reach limits of 10- to 14-inch yellow perch in 9 feet of water. Salmon fishing is very slow in the Oconto River due to low water levels. Most of the fishing pressure recently has been at the Little River with a few anglers catching 32-inch, 14-pound chinooks. Waterfowl re-opens this coming weekend on Green Bay or the south zone. Large numbers of ducks and geese are currently on the bay and should offer some great hunting opportunities. A Snowmobile Safety Course will be offered October 22nd through the 24th at the Chase Community Hall in Pulaski. Please register by calling the instructor at 920-899-3731.
Shawano County - Two snowmobile safety courses will be offered at the Shawano High School. The first will run Nov. 3 through 10 and the second starts on Dec. 1 through 8. In order to sign up for these classes you must call the instructor at (715) 526-8722.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - The past week fishing on the bay was very good. Perch were very cooperative for most anglers resulting in numerous limits of fish reported. Bayshore and Chaudoir’s parks led the way for launches with most of the fish being caught on minnows in 15 to 25 feet of water. Occasional catches of channel cats, drum, and round gobies rounded out the catch. Northern pike were extremely active over the weekend in and near of Little Sturgeon Bay. Some very large fish were recorded including a 40-inch monster that weighed nearly 18 pounds. This and a few other fish were taken in 20 to 25 ft of water by anglers trolling lead core line and fairly small crankbaits. Another awesome northern was caught outside Bayshore on a perch rig that was nearly 37 inches and extremely fat. An angler outside Potawatomi State Park also reported a 36-inch northern caught on a small spoon. The fall colors remain at or very near peak viewing. A few chinooks were reported being seen swimming with in the shallows with noticeable fungus growth near Little Sturgeon.
Manitowoc County - In Two Rivers, anglers enjoyed warm temperatures and clear skies this past weekend. Although temperatures were good, fishing was a little slow for salmon inside the harbor. Anglers casting spoons and crank baits from the piers also had a slow weekend with only one chinook salmon landed on Saturday morning. Anglers trolling out on Lake Michigan had a fair weekend picking up chinook salmon trolling just off the pier heads with J-plugs and stick baits. On the East Twin River, salmon anglers had a fair week targeting chinook salmon. Angler pressure was high on Saturday morning although fishing was very slow. On the West Twin River, angler pressure around the Shoto dam was very high this weekend and a fair number of fish were landed. Most anglers were using spawn sacs or spinners. The average chinook salmon harvested at the dam ranged from 10 to 13 pounds. In Manitowoc, conditions on Lake Michigan were very good this past week, which brought out many pleasure boaters and salmon anglers. Anglers trolling outside and around the harbor had a good Sunday with good catches of chinook salmon being taken. Pier anglers had some success fishing off the end of the south pier. The chinooks harvest off the piers ranged from 12 to 14 pounds. On the Manitowoc River, salmon anglers had a good week picking up migrating chinook salmon with most success and pressure concentrated from County Highway R to Manitou Park. Anglers were fly-fishing and drifting spawn with bobbers or other light semi-buoyant lures. Farther upstream at Cato Falls, anglers that were casting spinners and stick baits were picking up some nice large-mouth bass and a couple northern pike.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County – There was unseasonably hot and humid weather last week, along with a little rain and even a few claps of thunder. The strong winds of the last few weeks died down a little and more anglers were able to get out on the water. Please remember that there are still burning bans in effect in portions of Door County, with some areas requiring permits, be careful with fire. Anglers out on Lake Michigan found that there are still plenty of fish available. Anglers trolling the big lake brought in fair numbers of fish caught on fly and dodger combinations fished over 180 to 300 feet of water. Good success continued to be reported by anglers trolling in the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal and between the bridges in Sturgeon Bay. Anglers fishing from shore were still catching chinook salmon and brown trout from the piers on the Lake Michigan end of the canal and along the canal shore. Up in Baileys Harbor the launch ramp at the city marina is closed due to a dredging project. Farther north the waters off of Washington Island, Ellison Bay and Rowley’s Bay were still producing some fish. Lots of nice fish were being taken from all of the northern Door harbors. Smallmouth bass action remained fair to good for anglers fishing the deeper structure using tube jigs and goby imitating baits. Most of the smallmouth reported were still coming from structure in 15 to 35 feet of water. Again this week some nice walleyes were reportedly taken from 17 to 25 feet of water around Larsen’s Reef, Monument Shoals and the areas around Strawberry and Chambers Islands. Crank baits remained the choice during daylight hours, with crawler harnesses producing the most walleyes from about 5 p.m. to midnight. Perch were still scattered, however decent numbers of perch were taken from 20 to 30 feet of water off of Chaudoir’s dock. Little Sturgeon, Sand Bay, the area between the bridges in Sturgeon Bay and along the buoy line from the Bay View Bridge to the Sturgeon Bay ship canal also produced some perch. Minnows fished under a slip bobber remained the bait of choice for most anglers. Again this week the northern pike fishing was good to very good. Crank baits along with jerk baits and various spoons fished along the weed beds in front of the marines and along the channel in Sturgeon Bay, as well as in Little Sturgeon, Riley’s and Sand Bays all produced some big northerns. The areas over deep water weed edges in 15 to 25 feet of water were productive for most of the bigger pike.
Strawberry Creek Egg Collection Facility - Crews conducted chinook salmon harvests at Strawberry Creek on Thursday, Oct. 4 and Monday, Oct. 8. To date they had harvested about 1,300 salmon and collected about 1 million eggs for DNR hatchery salmon production. The number of chinook salmon in the run seem to be down some from previous years and as a result we are often done processing the fish before noon. Chinook numbers at the weir were looking pretty low as of Oct. 10. Crews estimated approximately 50 fish Oct. 9 and it hadn't improved much overnight so a scheduled egg harvest has been called off. With the wind conditions and lack of fish activity at the mouth of the creek, any influx in the next day or two doesn't look likely. At this point, the decision has been to target next week Monday as the next harvest date.
Peninsula State Park - As of Oct 10, fall colors were at approximately 60 percent. Plants and trees in the park are very stressed due to dry conditions. Despite recent rains, conditions remain dry. Water levels in green bay and Lake Michigan are still very low, approximately 18 inches below the long-term average. Next weekend will be very busy as fall colors continue to emerge and visitors enjoy the Sister Bay Fall Festival. Traffic along the main highways will be heavy over the next two weeks, so plan on hiking and biking the park's many trails rather than braving the traffic. Peninsula State Park golf course remains open. Tours of the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse are still offered daily for a small fee. American Folklore Theatre’s summer season in the park is over.
Kewaunee County – The week was filled with unseasonably warm weather and some rain mixed in as well. Water temperatures out on the lake have gone up just a little bit from last week, but water is still cool near shore. Anglers fishing off of the piers in Algoma and Kewaunee have had a decent week of fishing off the piers. Brown trout, and coho and king salmon were being caught almost everyday, but not in very large numbers on most of the days. Casting with spoons or crankbaits has been the best tackle, but spawn sacs have been working as well. Low water levels are still present in all of the rivers; however, some fish were starting to go farther up the rivers with some fish being caught almost all the way up to the dams. Most anglers were using spawn sacs, but some have been casting as well. Many fish were still holding closer to shore and in the harbors as well. The few anglers that have been trolling out on the lake have been coming in with some fish. Most boats are coming in with a few kings, but there have been a few browns and cohos being caught as well. Anglers this week have been trolling in the shallow waters outside of the harbors and along the shore. The best choice for tackle has been spoons and stick baits however some anglers were still using some flies and flashers. Anglers have also been casting spoons from boats inside of the break walls or just outside of them.
DNR Southeast Region
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan fishing on the Pigeon River has been slow, but some chinooks have been caught out of the Sheboygan River in the River Wildlife area and downstream at the Eighth Street boat launch. Fishing off the piers has been generally slow, although a few coho and browns have been taken on spoons or shiners. Trollers have been catching chinooks in and around the harbor or out in 125 to 160 feet of water.
Ozaukee County - Shore fishing in Port Washington has slowed somewhat, although anglers near the power plant have been catching brown trout on spawn. A few coho have also been taken off the pier on alewives, spawn, and spoons. Trolling in Port Washington has been slow near the harbor, but boats working in 30 to 40 feet of water have been catching fair numbers of browns, chinooks, and coho.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee a few chinooks have been caught in the Milwaukee River on yarn flies or spawn in Estabrook Park. Milwaukee County has scheduled the opening of the Estabrook dam gates for Wednesday, Oct. 17. At the lakefront a few brown trout have been caught on minnows behind the Summerfest grounds, and a few chinooks and coho have been hitting glow spoons off McKinley pier in the pre-dawn hours. Trollers in Milwaukee have been catching chinooks in 35 to 50 feet of water off the filtration plant.
Racine County - In Racine shore anglers have been catching chinooks and a few coho and rainbows off the piers and in the harbor. Green and silver and green glow spoons have been the most effective. Trollers have been working in and around the harbor mouth and have been catching chinooks and a few coho on spoons and J-plugs. In upstream stretches of the Root River, good numbers of chinooks have been caught all the way from Colonial Park to the Horlick dam. Egg imitation flies have produced the most fish. Anglers in the downstream stretches of the Root have found chinooks and occasional browns and coho in Lincoln Park, Washington Park, and further downriver. Flies as well as spawn have been producing. Approximately 600 chinooks were passed above the Root River Steelhead Facility on Thursday, Oct. 4. So far this season crews have processed 2,429 chinooks, 74 coho, 29 steelhead, and 27 brown trout.
Kenosha County - Shore anglers in Kenosha have been catching a mixed bag of chinooks, browns, and coho on spawn in the harbor near the Best Western. Chinooks have also been taken on spawn in the lower stretches of the Pike River.
Inland fisheries team report
Fishing activity has been fair in the region. Bass and northern pike were providing most of the action.
Walworth and inland Racine and Kenosha counties - Northern pike were hitting spinner baits over vegetation in 8 to 12 feet of water on Whitewater Lake. Largemouth bass were hitting plastics in 4 to 8 feet of water on Geneva Lake in Geneva Bay. Anglers using shiners or night crawlers were doing well on smallmouth bass near conference point, cedar point, and the military academy on Geneva Lake. Waubeessee Lake has been producing nice bluegills on night crawler pieces along the deeper weed lines. Black crappie and bluegills were biting on small jigs and minnows in 20 to 25 feet of water on Delavan Lake. Anglers using waxworms and night crawler pieces over weed edges in 18 to 30 feet of water were catching bluegills and yellow perch on Lake Beulah.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - Very few fishing reports have been coming in. Northern pike seem to be picking up some and should become more active as fall weather starts to cool down the water. Turnover is expected to occur over the next two weeks assuming that cool weather comes in and there are a few nights near freezing.
Waukesha County - Fishing over the past week has been very spotty with the recent warm weather. Bass have been biting on Okauchee, Beaver and Pewaukee lakes, with the best bite coming from deep weed cuts using plastics. Northern action has been on and off again with some anglers reporting success on Oconomowoc, Lac Labelle and Golden lakes. Best bites coming around mid afternoon on circle hooks and large suckers.
DNR South Central Region
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Iowa County - The deer are really starting to move especially in the early morning hours, despite the warmer temperatures. This is a very good year for acorn production in Iowa County and the deer are spending a lot of time in the woods feeding versus the cornfields, especially in the day. Waterfowl hunters in the Bakkens pond area reported some wood ducks and blue wing teal but that they have been seeing more geese than years past. The goose hunters checked have been very happy with the numbers of geese they are seeing in this area of Sauk County just west of Spring Green.
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Fall colors are approaching their peak in the Horicon Marsh area, providing a brilliant backdrop for the migrating geese and other birds. The recent warm weather and persistent south winds had stalled the progress of the migration, but with the shift in winds the birds are moving again. About 50,000 Canada geese were holding on Horicon Marsh through early October, which is a bit behind the normal migration schedule. It is expected that the cool north winds will be bringing more birds into the area and building numbers to more than 100,000 over the next few days. Peak numbers of 200,000 Canada geese are usually reached by the end of October, yet most visitors come to the marsh in mid-October when geese and other birds are becoming abundant and fall is at its peak. At present, not only are geese arriving in good numbers but ducks are readily seen on Horicon Marsh. All of the puddle ducks are here at this time and the first of the northern diving ducks are showing up with the arrival of the first ring-necked ducks. Some of the summer birds are departing, with the white pelicans having left over the past week or two. Great blue herons remain common as are other marsh birds and sandhill cranes are being seen in rather large flocks, but this is a time of change so the variety of birds to be seen during this month may be different each week. For those that wish to experience the great flights of Canada geese, plan to spend the day at the marsh. The geese depart each morning to feed in the surrounding uplands and the large flights take place in the first two hours of daylight as they head out and again during the last two hours of the day as they return to rest on the marsh for the evening.
DNR West Central Region
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - As of Oct. 9, the Willow River was running high but the lake appears to be clearing in the park. Prior to the rise in level, pan fish were biting around sunset at the dam on the lake side. The coming weekend should bring the best of the fall color season. A lot of leaves are down. The deer were in mixed groups this week. Water is turned off in all campground and day use bathrooms. Pit toilets are open in the beach area and in the campground by site # 62. Campers with tanks and small water containers may load water at the service building just down the hill from the office building. Campers may unload at the dump station but there is no rinse or refill water. Day visitors may pick up water at the office. Flush toilets, showers, and the dump station will remain closed until May, 2008. The new pit toilets at the group camp parking lot are open. The Willow River Nordic skiers have added Wednesday evenings to the dry land training schedule. All begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Nature Center. The typical route is around the Purple trail, up the Brown, around the Red, and back down the Brown. The skiers will be working on trail brushing Saturday, Oct. 13. Meet at the service building at 8 a.m. Tools will be provided. The Tuesday evening ski trainers saw a Bald Eagle and an Osprey this week along the Purple trail. For Tuesday, Oct. 16, the training session will be shortened for a regular meeting of the ski club. All skiers are welcome; 6:30 p.m. is the meeting time in the Nature Center classroom.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Anglers have been having moderate to good success harvesting crappies and bluegills on Lake Onalaska, and some walleye fishers have reported improving walleye action fishing wing dams and jigging below area dams on the Mississippi River. Tree leaves are really starting to fall, improving visibility in the woods. Recent cooler weather conditions and brisk winds should help improve visibility in the woods reduce mosquito numbers and improve whitetail deer hunting conditions in the area. Hunters should keep in mind, however, improved visibility works both ways. Hunters have an easier time seeing game, but game animals have an easier time spotting hunters. Proper camouflage techniques, patience, and stillness can help hunters to remain unseen by their quarry. Waterfowl hunting action over the second weekend of the 2007 waterfowl season varied from poor to good. Waterfowl hunters had varied success harvesting various species including mallards, teal, wood ducks, pintails, gadwalls, American widgeons, ring necks and Canada geese. Hunters are reminded to practice sound duck identification as there are significant numbers of pintail ducks in the area and hen pintails can be challenging to identify on the wing. The daily bag limit is one pintail per hunter. When a hunter is uncertain about identifying a species of duck, the best advice is don't shoot. Smaller flocks of canvasback ducks have begun arriving on Lake Onalaska over the past few days. Red-breasted nuthatches, golden-crowned kinglets, song sparrows, and fox sparrows are some of the migratory songbirds currently passing through the area.
Crawford County - The Mississippi River is on the rise. Last week the big river was at 7.7 feet and as of Oct. 10 it was up to 9.3 feet. The forecast is for a 12-inch gradual rise throughout this week. The Wisconsin River and Kickapoo Rivers have stabilized, but are still higher than normal. The Mississippi River is seeing a substantial amount of floating vegetation and to a lesser degrees other debris like trees and limbs. Some of the boat landings on the Mississippi River are full of weeds. Late this week the Lynxville boat landing and Gordon’s bay landing were clear. Fishing action was good again this week. Bluegill and crappie action was good in many areas of the Ambro Slough complex and in the Lower Bottoms just south of Prairie du Chien. Cold Spring heated up earlier this week. Near the end of the week bluegill was spotty at Cold Spring. Walleye action was also good at Lock and Dam #9 at Lynxville and farther down stream near the Harpers Ferry slough. Casting One-Eyes has been productive. Walleye were being located in deeper sloughs in the back waters also. The Roseau Slough has produced well. Wing dam action was slow. A fair number of sauger have been taken too. Most anglers were finding bass scattered all over the place. Some of the wing dams have produced bass but the best action was been in the backwater adjacent to deeper water. Some anglers were finding active bass in the recently flooded shallows. The duck season really slowed down for most hunters. Unusually hot weather, above normal water levels, and plenty of food really scattered the ducks. Duck hunting activity was rather slow during the week and even into the final weekend of the first season. The lower Wisconsin River is full of acorns and water. The Mississippi River is still on the rise and newly flooded areas are providing resting and feeding areas for the ducks. Some hunters found decent wood duck and teal activity in the Wisconsin River bottoms. Duck hunting on the Mississippi River was fair for some and pretty poor for others. Most hunters report a decrease in sightings this week. The Prairie du Chien area saw fair action with wood ducks and some teal. Up near Lynxville and Ferryville hunters found wood ducks, teal, gadwall and some mallards. Archery deer hunters continued their fight with mosquitoes. Cooler weather is on the way and some farmers are out in their fields harvesting crops. Hunting field edges seems to be the best tactic right now as deeper in the woods the mosquitoes wait. The deer population looks pretty strong this year. Squirrel hunters are having pretty good success even though there is still pretty good leaf cover. This is a great time for bird watching. The fall migration of hawks is just beginning. Also the white Pelicans can be seen throughout the Mississippi River. Many trees are starting to turn color. Many of the black walnut tress have dropped their leaves. Many maples are starting to turn color. Poison ivy and stinging nettle is still present in many areas. The river bottoms are still full of nettle and poison ivy. Mosquitoes remain out in force especially in the river bottoms. Hornets, box elder beetles and Asian beetles are still active.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - Fall colors appear to be at peak in the area. Fall colors may to be short lived this season. The heavy rainfalls received have been taking the fall leaves down fairly quickly. The open water game fish action has been fair with the heavy rains. Bass action on leeches and small minnows has been productive; walleye action has been good with live baits. Crappies have been very active between storm fronts. Species of birds seen or heard include: great blue herons, ravens, a variety of wrens, phoebes, turkey vultures, northern juncos, piliated woodpeckers, great horned and barred owls, osprey, bald eagles, and Canada geese. The park will be undertaking a major road renovation project through mid-October. Existing pavement on nearly all park roads and parking areas will be ground up and new pavement will be placed over it. The main park road will be widened slightly to accommodate a bicycle/pedestrian lane. All work will be done during daytime Mondays through Fridays.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - The park is open for early and late bow seasons. Buckhorn wildlife area (formerly area A), and yellow river wildlife area (formerly area B). The yellow river wildlife area (area B) is open to everything in the regulations. Buckhorn wildlife (area A) is open for small game, waterfowl, trapping, and deer bow hunting. Deer can be registered at the park office when it is staffed. New hunting maps are available at the park office and on the park website for parkland, Canoes and kayaks are still available for renting. Some campsites are closed. With the nice weather predicted again for this coming weekend, the park will keep some more sites open and they will be available first-come. There are a few mosquitoes lingering in the woods. The 2008 photo contest started Oct. 1.
Roche-A-Cri State Park - Autumn color has been vibrant throughout the park, making it extremely rewarding to hike the 303 steps to the top of the Roche-A-Cri Mound. Many fall mushrooms have been present throughout the park. Turkey Vultures have been congregating on the mound as they take part in their annual migration. Deer and Turkeys have been abundant throughout the park. Take an evening hike and listen to the owls, coyotes, and turkey vultures of Roche-A-Cri. Camping is currently available on a first-come first-served basis, and the campground will remain open through Oct. 18. The Pumpkin Walk is near! The annual Pumpkin Walk and Haunted Hayride will take place on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Activities will include games, a jack-o-lantern lit walk through the park, haunted and non-haunted hayrides, concessions, and “Wolf Howlers,” an interpretive program presented by special guest naturalist Janna Misener. The 2008 photo contest is now underway. The Roche-A-Cri Woods State Natural Area east of Highway 13 is open for hunting.
VHS fish disease update as of Oct. 11, 2007
Stocking
Yearling spotted musky held at the old Wild Rose State Hatchery have received a green light for stocking and were to be transferred this week to about a dozen sites in the Lake Winnebago and Green Bay systems. The fish were originally planned for stocking at a smaller size in spring 2007, but were kept at the hatchery longer to assure they were free of a new deadly fish disease, viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS. [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/#art2]. Musky from the Spooner hatchery have also been cleared for stocking.
In other stocking news, Department of Natural Resources fisheries production staff are completing a comprehensive plan for 2008 fish propagation activities to minimize the risk of spreading VHS and other fish diseases.
“This plan will contain some major changes in our operations,” says Mike Staggs, director of the DNR fisheries program. “An initial review of the plan indicates we should be able to come close to past stocking patterns, but I anticipate there will be some adjustments in the mix of hatchery numbers and products that we can offer in 2008 and future years.” In the meantime, the fisheries management board has approved some initial operations under the new plan, such as collecting salmon eggs from Lake Michigan using additional disinfection procedures. Those procedures are now being used at crews operating egg collection facilities near Sturgeon Bay, Kewaunee and Racine. [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/DNRNews_Lookup.asp?id=87#art2]
Testing
The DNR has received a $30,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-APHIS program to help with expanded VHS sampling next spring. “We hope to collect samples from 30 additional sites in the Wisconsin River basin as part of our already scheduled fish surveys and use the grant funds to pay for lab testing,” Staggs says. “We also hope to sample another 15 high risk sites from across the state - again as part of already scheduled surveys as much as possible.” That’s good news because it costs $500 to test a fish for VHS.
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.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
• Kettle Moraine State Forest—Northern Unit, Campbellsport, (920) 533-8322 - An Evening With Nature: Wiscon-sing--the History of Wisconsin Through Song. In this multimedia program, David HB Drake presents Wisconsin's vibrant history with music and theatrics enhanced with over 100 historic and scenic images. Through song, the audience will learn about Naive Americans, European immigration, lumberjacks, Great Lake sailors, and farmers. To give the music an authentic flavor, Drake plays many handmade and historic instruments. This program is most appropriate for adults and youth over 12 years old. Sponsored by Wisconsin Humanities Council. Ice Age Visitor Center. 7-8:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
• Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, (414) 527-0232 - Discovery Saturday: Visit With a Snake. The cold weather is coming and the snakes will soon be hibernating. Stop inside to visit with our fox snake and then head outside to see if you can find any snakes. Environmental Awareness Center. 9 a.m. - noon. No admission sticker required.
• Kettle Moraine State Forest—Northern Unit, Campbellsport, (920) 533-8322 - Exploring Nature: Nature's Unloved. Unearth some intriguing facts about some of nature's unloved critters including bats, skunks, slugs and spiders. You may just go away liking them or at least appreciating their role in nature. This program is best for families/groups with children between the ages of 5 and 12 years. Ice Age Visitor Center. 9:30-11 a.m.
• Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 -Halloween in the Park. Celebrate Halloween early at Kohler-Andrae. Campers are encouraged to decorate their campsites for this 5th annual event. Guided candlelight hike on the Woodland Dunes Trail. Meet Nature's Invaders along the way. Groups will leave every 10 minutes with the last group leaving at 8:10 p.m. Popcorn and cider available. Pumpkin carving, crafts, star gazing and entertainment around the campfire. Dress in costume if you wish. Sorry, pets are not allowed on the hike or in the shelters. Enclosed shelter - stop at park office for directions. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Kansasville, (262) 878-5600 - Dutch Oven Cooking. Want to learn to cook with a Dutch oven? Have a good appetite? Join us to learn the basics. You will receive a recipe and all ingredients to make a group dish and we'll have a delicious meal! Please call to preregister and prepay the $5 fee. Shelter #1. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Friday, October 19, 2007
• Harrington Beach State Park, Belgium, (262) 285-3015 or (262) 338-8614 or (262) 894-9756 - Public Viewing Night. Explore the night sky with the Northern Cross Science Foundation at the observatory in the park. Sponsored by Northern Cross Science Foundation. Puckett's Pond. 6-11 p.m.
• Kettle Moraine State Forest—Northern Unit, Campbellsport, (920) 533-8322 - Nature Storytime: Slow-poke Porcupines. Listen! Do you hear that mumbling? It's a slow-poke porcupine. You'll be surprised as we uncover the amazing facts about these forest dwellers. This hour of nature fun awaits 3- to 6-year-olds with accompanying adults. Ice Age Visitor Center. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Halloween Nature Hikes. Duck! The things with wings are invading the forest. Join us for a fun-filled stroll through the dark autumn woods to meet some winged characters, including a wild turkey, a blue darner dragonfly, a monarch butterfly and a little brown bat. This is not a scary hike and is appropriate for those over 5 years of age. Groups leave every 6 minutes. The last hike leaves at 8:30 pm. Each hike last about one hour. While waiting for your hike, enjoy playing some fun-filled games, making a craft to take home, or snacking by the glow of a campfire. In the event of severe weather, the event will be canceled for the night. Long Lake Recreation Area. 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/
