Fall colors are at or very near peak now in northern Wisconsin, and despite the dry conditions this summer, colors are reported as very vibrant in many areas. There is a hint of fall color in the south, with some sugar maples having patches of bright orange, ash trees turning yellow and staghorn sumac turning a deep scarlet. Check the Wisconsin Department of Tourism Fall Color Report for current updates.
Fishing pressure has continued to drop off with the combination of erratic weather and the fact that many hunting seasons are now open. There have still been a fair number of musky anglers out on northern lakes and they have been enjoying some real good success. Artificial baits such as bucktails and stick baits continue to be most productive, but anglers using suckers have also been having some good success. Walleye fishing has been slowly improving with more and more fish showing up in the shallows. Bass fishing has been on the slow side. Panfish action has been good and some nice catches of crappie have been made in the late afternoon hours. Fishing action has also slowed down in the south, with panfish providing the best action. Bluegills were coming from deep weed cuts in 9 to 21 feet of water. Crappies have been caught suspended on deep weed edges and suspended over deep water. A few northern pike and walleye have been caught below dams on larger rivers.
Along Lake Michigan and Green Bay, salmon and trout are staging in the bay and at harbors for fall migrations, with a few fish moving up tributaries. Tributary flows are generally low, and fish seem to be staging in areas outside of their natural spawning grounds. Salmon anglers were out in high numbers fishing inside harbors this past weekend. Brown trout and chinook salmon were being taken in many of the harbors and piers. Anglers trolling out on Lake Michigan had a good weekend with large catches of chinook salmon with few coho salmon and brown trout mixed in. Perch anglers on Green Bay over the weekend had limits or close to a limits of perch.
Anglers are reminded that the general inland trout season closes after Sept. 30. Trout lakes that remain open are listed in the Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations and Guide pamphlet.
A moose is wandering around somewhere in Bayfield County, based on moose track a forester in the area found recently. Based on the track size, stride distance, and time of year, it is assumed this is a lonely bull looking for a friend. White-tailed deer are starting to break out of their family groups and are moving around at all hours. Archers are taking some bucks still in velvet antlers and hunters are reminded if they shoot a deer in velvet and intend to keep the antlers they need to contact a local conservation warden.
This fall's nut crop appears to be above average. Squirrels are currently busy harvesting and gathering black walnuts and hickory nuts. Coyotes have been very vocal over the last several weeks. Family groups have established rendezvous sites, where they meet to socialize and prepare for an upcoming hunt. Pups are especially vocal at this time and will readily respond when howled at.
The blue-wing teal migration is near peak along the Mississippi River. Green-wings will not peak until well into October. Each passing cold front brings more Canada geese to Horicon Marsh and numbers are growing. The fall population tends to peak around late October. Fall naturalist programs are going on each weekend at the marsh. Check the DNR Web site for a schedule.
The raptor migration continues with large numbers of broad-winged and sharp-shinned hawks reported along with turkey vultures, harriers, peregrine falcons, merlins and American kestrels moving through. Great gray owls are already being seen periodically near Cornucopia in Bayfield County and an extremely early northern hawk owl was spotted in Douglas County. And rare bird mania hit southern Wisconsin this week as a Central American green-breasted mango hummingbird showed up at a rural residence outside of Beloit. Hundreds of birders from all over the U.S. have now traveled to view this wayward migrant.
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.
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Statewide Birding Report
Rare bird mania has hit southern Wisconsin this week. An immature green-breasted mango, a Central American hummingbird, has shown up at a rural residence outside of Beloit. Hundreds of birders from all over the U.S. have now traveled to view this wayward migrant. In other rare bird news, the annual Wisconsin Society for Ornithology Superior trip turned up all three species of jaegers, brief looks at Sabine's gull, Harris' sparrow, and good numbers of migrant passerines and raptors. Great gray owls continue to be seen periodically near Cornucopia in Bayfield County and an extremely early northern hawk owl was spotted just north of Gordon in Douglas County. Raptor migration continues with large numbers of broad-winged and sharp-shinned hawks reported along with turkey vultures, harriers, peregrine falcons, merlins and American kestrels. White-throated sparrows, kinglets, creepers and other late passerine migrants have now begun to move through the state. Warm temps have allowed many hummingbirds and other passerine migrants to linger. Birders will notice large numbers of blue jays, flickers and bluebirds moving in the next week or so. This appears to be a good year for siskins, purple finches, and red-breasted nuthatches in southern Wisconsin and all forecasts point to a large redpoll year in Wisconsin. In all more than 200 species were reported to Wisconsin eBird last week, so birding is good! As always, please report sightings to ebird (
www.ebird.org/WI) to better track populations as they move through the state.
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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - The Bois Brule River is flowing at 127 cubic feet per second (cfs). The 62 year average is 143 cfs. The fall colors are becoming much more pronounced as the days go by. The Barnes area toward the Gordon area is at 85 percent color. Western Douglas County near the Black Lake area is at 35% color change. The Brule area is at 35 to 50 percent color change. Other signs of fall are the red coats on deer are starting to turn to the darker winter color and a large number of dark-eyed (slate colored) juncos are in the area now. A moose is wandering around somewhere out there! A forester for Wausau papers found this moose track in near Barnes recently. Based on the track size, stride distance, and time of year, it is assumed this is a lonely bull looking for a friend. Most of the local deer management units are now on a earn-a-buck watch list. Based on population trends, deer management unit history and harvest history, deer managers have created an EAB watch list. These are deer management units that could potentially be designated as EAB in 2008. Individuals who register an antlerless deer in 2007 in these units will pre-qualify for a Buck Authorization sticker for the 2008 season if the unit does become earn-a-buck. If earn-a-buck does go into effect qualified hunters will receive a Buck Authorization sticker in the mail in late summer. The Brule River State Forest will hold its annual fall public open house meeting 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 or by calling the State Forest Headquarters (715) 372-5678 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Fishing pressure has continued to drop off with the combination of erratic weather and the fact that many hunting seasons are now open. There have still been a fair number of musky anglers out and they have been enjoying some real good success. Artificial baits such as bucktails and stick baits continue to be most productive and quite a bit of action was found along the deep weed edges. Anglers using suckers have also been having some good success but it's been hard to keep the suckers alive with the water temperatures climbing back to the mid-60s. Walleye fishing has been slowly improving with more and more fish showing up in the shallows. Jig and minnow combinations worked on the deep edges and crank baits in the shallows near dark have produced the best success. Largemouth bass fishing has been on the slow side with the best action being in the late afternoon hours after the water has warmed up over the course of the day. Soft plastics fished near mid-depth cover has produced the best success. Smallmouth bass have been a bit temperamental in their biting but some nice fish are still showing up in the local flowages. They have still been found near cover along the deep water areas--but look for the fish to go deeper (and become harder to catch) with the declining water temperatures this fall. Panfish action has been good and some nice catches of crappie have been made in the late afternoon hours. The fish have been found along deeper weed edges and near mid-depth cover, and small minnows have produced the best catches. Anglers are reminded that the general trout season closes after Sept. 30 and most trout streams and spring ponds closed to trout fishing. Many stocked trout lakes do remain open and those can be found in the Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations and Guide pamphlet.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Musky action is picking up and again, this has been a great summer for this particular species of fish in this area. Bear season reports have been very good with multiple bear making visits to the bait stations due to the lack of natural foods in the woods this year. The hunting of bear is now open for all methods with reports of good success. Archery deer season is producing some deer still in the velvet. Should you harvest a deer of that nature be sure to contact your local warden to get a free permit if you intend on keeping the antlers. Some fawns still have faint spots on their coats. Grouse numbers are up as compared to last year with a few flushes of coveys reported so far. Heavy foliage hampers bird visibility at this point. This is also a time to remind people that it is illegal to shine wild animals between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Some areas prohibit the practice altogether so local law enforcement officials should be consulted for information regarding specific regulations/laws in your area. This past weekend saw the opening of the waterfowl season in the north. Hunters hit their favorite spots in good numbers. Success was varied around the area but reports of teal, wood duck and geese filled the bag. Fall colors are very close to peak with some spectacular sights around the area.
Upper Wisconsin Basin fisheries report (Oneida, Vilas, Lincoln, Langlade, Forest and Florence counties) - Fall color is evident all around the area and a few leaves are even beginning to fall. This is a sign that walleye fishing typically begins to improve for several weeks, until real cold weather sets in. Switching back to spring-like patterns work best...jigs and minnows are best baits, with small stick and crank baits a close second. Fishing will always be best just before dark, unless fishing on a flowage or "coffee-color" water. Musky fishing has been slow lately, with action being extremely "hit and miss." This trend will likely continue as folks turn toward bird hunting and bow hunting--although hard-core musky anglers will stick it out until Nov. 30 (the last day of musky season), which can be the time of year to catch a true trophy.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Breezy conditions have knocked down some leaves in the north although most understory bushes still are full. Colorful touring in the area can be expected this weekend with great weather predicted. Water levels on the upper Menominee River have increased although water levels below the Hattie Street Dam in Marinette remain low. Brown trout and coho salmon are beginning the fall migration up to the first dams on the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers. Early morning is the best bet for catching one using spawn sacs and cleos. Fishing for chinook on the Little River was slow. A few small smallmouth bass were caught and released in the Menominee River, and smallmouth anglers continued to do well on the Menominee flowages. The last day for the inland trout season is Sunday, Sept. 30. Trout can be expected in the upper reaches of streams and tributary waters. Archers are reporting bucks in velvet being taken. Waterfowl hunters reported good success on the opener in the northern zone.
Oconto County - Brown trout and chinook salmon were taken off of the Oconto Breakwater. Fish measured from 24 to 30 inches. A few walleye were also taken. Yellow perch limits were taken straight out from Oconto County Park 2 (North Bayshore Recreation area) in 40 feet of water on fathead minnows.
Shawano County - Sandhill cranes seem to have moved on. This past weekend they had been gathering in large flocks, and now there are none to be seen in the farm fields. The fall leaf colors are growing brighter every day with the sumac just beginning to turn red. Luckily the rain and wind of the past few days have not had a significant impact on the leaves, as they are staying on the trees for now. White-tailed deer are starting to break out of their family groups and are moving around at all hours. Turkeys are still bunched in large family flocks and the jakes are still together. It is not uncommon to see 15 to 30 birds at a time.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - Fishing over the past week was fair throughout the bay. Perch were somewhat cooperative as long as the weather was also. About half the perch anglers surveyed near Bayshore park over the weekend had limits or close to a limits of perch. A few nice perch have been caught off shore on Duck Creek although many undersize perch accompany the keepers. Walleye action continued to be slow although a few fish had been reported off the reefs outside Chaudoir’s and Bayshore parks. Mature salmon continue to infiltrate the peninsula near Sturgeon Bay with fishing opportunities in the canal. With water very low in the creeks these fish seem to be staging in areas outside of their natural spawning grounds. Musky action continued to be slow although some anglers have rumored a few legal fish were spotted in Fox River. One rumor was of an enormous fish only a few pounds off the state record. The shad have yet to move in the river in full force bringing those big musky with them that many are searching for. Rough fish continue to be caught throughout the bay, and some decent channel cats were being reported. The fall colors continue to move in with trees at about 50 percent changed.
Manitowoc County - In Two Rivers, salmon anglers fishing inside the harbor were out in high numbers this past week. Fishing was fair with some anglers landing some nice-sized chinook salmon. Anglers have been successful casting bright colored stick baits or spoons and fishing off the bottom with spawn sacs. Anglers fishing from the piers had a good weekend that saw several nice catches of chinook salmon and few brown trout landed. Anglers trolling out on Lake Michigan off of Two Rivers also had a good weekend fishing the shoreline and landing some large catches of salmon. Most trollers fished in between 15 and 30 feet of water. In Manitowoc, this past weekend produced fantastic weather for the salmon and trout anglers that were out in high numbers awaiting the migrating chinook salmon. Anglers fishing inside the harbor concentrated around the towers and submarine and some successful anglers landed several good sized chinook salmon. Anglers fishing off the piers had a little bit more action and landed a few more fish for their effort. Successful anglers were casting large diving stick baits or using a spawn sac and fishing just off the bottom. Anglers trolling on Lake Michigan via the Manitowoc ramp had a good week with large catches of chinook salmon with few coho salmon and brown trout mixed into some catches. Some trollers were having success running with J-plugs or spoons and trolling just off shore. The East Twin River has just started to see a few migrating chinook salmon. Anglers have been fishing near the dam in the Mishicot all week casting spinners, spoons, and stick baits trying to hook a mature chinook salmon. Fishing was slow most of the week, but by Sunday a few more fish were starting to be caught. Panfish anglers had a great week of fishing near the dam. Most panfish anglers were using a bobber and worm and were catching a lot of bluegill and sunfish. Fishing on the West Twin River was slow this past week. Salmon anglers have been concentrated around the dam and were using spawn sacs or floating stick baits. On Wednesday one angler landed a nice chinook drifting a spawn sac in the current that weighted around 12.5 pounds.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County – Bright sunny skies and seasonable temperatures combined to make for another nice week. Fall is in the air and many of the trees are beginning to don their autumnal finery, it looks like there may be a great year for fall colors. Please remember that there are still burning bans in effect in portions of Door County, with some areas requiring permits, be careful with fire. Strong winds early in the week made fishing out on Lake Michigan very difficult. Later in the week anglers fishing the Bank Reef brought in some fish trolling spoons and fly and dodger combinations 35 to 75 feet down in 80 to 100 feet of water. Good success was reported by anglers trolling in the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal and areas of Sturgeon Bay. Anglers fishing from shore did fairly well from the piers on the Lake Michigan end of the canal and along the canal shore. Conditions were much the same in the Baileys Harbor area with anglers trolling both north and south doing well in 80 to 120 feet of water, again on fly and dodger combinations and spoons. Up north, Washington Island, Ellison Bay and Rowley’s Bay also were producing some fish. Some fish were starting to show up cruising the northern Door harbors. Smallmouth bass action was good for anglers fishing the deeper structure using tube jigs and goby imitating baits. The deeper structures off of Sherwood and Henderson points were producing some nice smallmouth, as were Sister Islands and shoals. Toward the end of the week some nice walleye 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 were apparently most productive during the daylight hours, with crawler harnesses producing the most walleye from about 5 p.m. to midnight. Perch remained scattered this week. As in the past, the waters off of Chaudoir’s dock, as well as Little Sturgeon and Sand Bay produced some perch, along with the weed edges between the bridges in Sturgeon Bay and along the buoy line from the Bay View Bridge to the Sturgeon Bay ship canal. Minnows fished under a slip bobber were the bait of choice for most of the Perch anglers. 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 Spawning Facility - As of Sept. 21, there was very low flow in Strawberry Creek and salmon could not get up the creek and into the pond. There are many chinook salmon in Sturgeon Bay proper, staging to make a spawning run up Strawberry Creek when the conditions permit. Fisheries crews plan to turn on the pump that delivers supplemental water to Strawberry Creek on Friday, Sept. 28. They hope for salmon harvest with hatchery egg collection at Strawberry Creek on Monday, Oct. 1. If there are heavy rains before Sept. 28, these plans will likely have to be modified. There will be some major changes in how salmon eggs are collected at Strawberry Creek this fall due to VHSv (viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus). There will be major emphasis on disinfection of the eggs collected and the gear used to collect them.
Whitefish Dunes State Park - Fall colors are beginning to appear as the last of the warblers head south. The turkeys are gathering at dusk along the red trail and segments of the Brachiopod Trail. Porcupines have been active on the maple trees near old baldy. Early morning, beach hikers have viewed the soaring bald eagle while day visitors watched sanderlings and yellow legs skitter along the shore.
Kewaunee County - A week of nice weather made for a very nice week of fishing. Fairly calm winds and warm temperatures moved in to let anglers know that summer isn’t done just yet. Water temperatures out in the lake are still fairly uniform from the surface down. Anglers fishing off of the piers in Algoma and Kewaunee have had a little bit slower week of fishing off the piers. Cohos and kings were being caught almost everyday, but not in very large numbers. Casting with spoons or crankbaits has been the best tackle, but spawn sacs have been working as well. Some salmon have started to move up the rivers, but with low water still present there are not that many fish in the rivers. Many fish are starting to hold closer to shore and in the harbors as well. Anglers that have been trolling out on the lake have been coming in with some fish, but it has been tough fishing out on the lake this last week. Most boats are coming in with kings, but there have been some browns, cohos, and steelhead being caught as well. Anglers this week found most of the fish out in water of depths between 70 and 90 feet with fish being caught anywhere from the surface all the way down to 100 feet. The best choice for tackle has been fly and dodger combos as well as dipsies. Spoons and plugs have also been working well this week.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, fishing in the Pigeon River has been slow, but on the Sheboygan River anglers have taken a few chinooks and coho on spoons downstream near the Eighth Street launch and at the base of the south pier. Water levels remain low on both rivers. The lake side of both the north and south piers has also produced a few coho and chinook on spoons in green or blue & silver. Trollers working in and around the Sheboygan harbor have been catching mostly chinooks on crankbaits or J-plugs.
Ozaukee County - Shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching fair numbers of browns and chinook near the power plant and in the west slip. Most of those fish have been hitting spawn sacs. A few chinook and coho have also been taken off the lake side of the pier on crankbaits and spoons. Most trollers in Port Washington have been sticking close to the harbor, with chinook and occasional brown trout taken in 20 to 50 feet of water on J-plugs or spoons. Trollers have also found smaller chinook out in 65 to 110 feet of water.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee water levels are very low on all area tributaries, but a few chinook have been caught below the Estabrook dam on spawn. At the lakefront a few small brown trout have been caught behind the Summerfest grounds, and McKinley pier and Veterans Park have been providing decent action for chinook. Green glow spoons have worked well for shore anglers, and a few fish were taken on blue & silver spoons as well. Trollers in Milwaukee have been concentrating in the harbor and have been catching good numbers of chinook with occasional brown and rainbow trout. Stick baits have worked well, with fire-tiger producing the most.
Racine County - In Racine shore anglers have been catching good numbers of chinook off the south pier and in the basin near the boat launch. 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 chinook and a few coho on spoons and J-plugs. On the Root River water levels remain low, and fish movement has been minimal. In upstream stretches of the river, some chinook have been holding in Colonial park. Orange or chartreuse egg pattern flies as well as dark colored wooley buggers and egg sucking leeches have produced the most fish. Anglers in the downstream stretches of the Root have found chinook and occasional coho in Washington Park. Black, brown, and green flies fished in the deeper areas of the park have taken the most fish. The Root River Steelhead Facility is now running. Fish will be processed most likely on Thursday, Sept. 27.
Kenosha County - Shore fishing in Kenosha remains relatively slow. A few chinook have been caught on spoons or crank baits in the harbor and near the mouth of the Pike River. Kenosha trollers have been catching chinook in 40 to 60 feet of water off the mouth of the Pike River. Fish have been hitting spoons and J-plugs in green or silver.
Inland fisheries team report
Fishing reports have slowed down over all in the region. With stable weather, this time of year can be a great time to be on the water. There is less boat traffic and the fishing will improve as Fall patterns start to develop.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - Fishing action slowed last week. Anglers reported seeing fish at boat side or on cameras that would not bite. Action should improve as water temperatures decline.
Waukesha County - Fishing has been spotty this last week. Bluegills have been providing the best action from Nagawicka, Little Muskego and the Nemahbins. Best catches coming from deep weed cuts in 9-21 feet of water. Crappies have been caught suspended on deep weed edges and suspended over deep water.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Grant County
Wyalusing State Park – The Mississippi River level has dropped to normal levels for this time of year. River level at Prairie du Chien Sept. 21 was 7 feet. Even though it is a few weeks from projected peak color, there is a hint of fall in the leaves. Some sugar maples have patches of bright orange. Staghorn sumac has turned a deep scarlet. Bluffs have various shades of green and yellow. Fall colors in this area usually peak around the second weekend in October, but that can vary based on weather. Some trails are still closed due to washouts and mudslides from the August storms. The road to the boat landing is open, but Homestead Hill Road remains closed. There are still a few hummingbirds feeding on the nectar feeders at the park office. We are not sure if these are migrants on their way south, or summer residents who are taking advantage of the warm weather. Common bird sightings include: cardinals, gold finches, blue jays, nuthatches, chickadees, red-bellied, downy and hairy woodpeckers. Eagles, hawks, and turkey vultures can be seen soaring above the bluffs. Large flocks of pelicans have also been frequenting the area. Final bluebird report of the year: 79 bluebirds fledged. The number of fledged birds for previous years was 2004- 28 fledged, 2005 – 44 fledged, 2006 – 54 fledged for a for a total of 205 fledglings over four years. The success this season was remarkable. This is the first year that young were raised in all 12 boxes. It was also the first year that a pair successfully raised a third brood, which fledged on Sept. 6. The success this year may be due to a number of factors, including a larger adult population, mild spring weather, abundant food, absence of parasitic blow fly larvae, and less apparent wren competition.
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - At this time the fall migration is well underway. Many of the summer birds have already departed Wisconsin for their wintering grounds in Central and South America, but many of the northern birds have been coming through the area. Canada geese are building in numbers as the October peak approaches, and with the passing of cold fronts more birds come into the area from their sub-arctic nesting grounds. The fall population tends to peak around late October, while most visitors come in mid-October when numbers exceed 100,000 geese and fall colors are at their peak. Fall colors are already beginning to turn in southern Wisconsin, providing a great backdrop to the wildlife spectacle at Horicon Marsh. Duck numbers are also building and providing an opportunity to see a wide variety of species at this time of year. Sandhill cranes, herons and many other birds are flocking as they prepare for their eventual departure from the state Along with these larger birds, white-throated sparrows, yellow-rumped warblers and numerous other songbirds are gathering among the uplands. This is a great time of year to experience the annual flocking and seasonal movement of birds as they prepare for departure throughout the fall season. Each bird species migrates at a different time, so by getting out at various times throughout the fall will provide opportunities to see a wide variety of birds at this time of year. To help visitors understand wildlife and their behavior, public naturalist programs are available at the DNR field office on the south end of Horicon Marsh each weekend through the end of October. For more information call 920-387-7877 or check
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/reclands/horicon/edcntr/natprog/Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Sauk County
Devil’s Lake State Park - Fall colors are just beginning with the staghorn sumac and Virginia creeper showing the earliest color at their deep intense reds. A few trees are partly colored, but 95 percent of the trees are still green. The peak, duration, and intensity of fall color season are impossible to predict, since they are greatly affected by humidity, temperature, weather, and wind and who-knows-what! In general, October 12-21 may be your best bet for seeing nice fall colors at Devil's Lake, but there'll be some color before and after that time. The lake is up a couple of feet. The sandy beaches are much narrower, but still present. Mountain bike trails are temporarily closed because muddy conditions make the trails vulnerable to further damage.
Jefferson County - Anglers have been having fair success on Rock Lake catching bluegill both in the marsh and out on the main lake. The best success has been on waxworms and worms. A few northern pike and walleye have been caught recently at the lower dam in Watertown on both minnows and twister-tails but activity is slow overall. Goose hunters are now beginning to hunt cut cornfields and having some success. Duck numbers look good for the upcoming opener with water levels still in good condition even though the rivers have dropped significantly over the past couple weeks. Duck hunters using outboards should have no problem navigating around on the rivers and streams in Dodge and Jefferson counties. Dove hunter numbers have dropped off after the first couple weeks of the season with success becoming more limited and hunters switching to archery deer and waterfowl hunting. There are still good numbers of doves around.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - Fall color has begun with ash, popple, and maple beginning to show some color, perhaps 10 to 15 percent as of this week. It has been warm. The high winds with the storms late last week missed the park. Crappies and bluegills have been reported caught in the dam area on the lake side. This is the final week of trout fishing in the park. Rain was falling on Sept. 24. Campers are reminded that water will be shut off and pit toilets opened the week of Oct. 1. The dump station will remain open to unload but not rinse. Water will be available at the service building just down the hill from the office. The next Full Moon Hike and bird presentation will be this Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Nature Center starting at 7 p.m. The birds are hawks and waxwings. The bird presentation is first, then the hike. The event is free with vehicle admission. The Willow River Nordic ski group is active with trail brushing and dry land training sessions. Trail brushing will be done on Saturday mornings. Dry land training (pole walking, hill bounding, uphill V-1) began Tuesday, Sept. 25. A ski season primer and date details may be found on the Willow River State Parks Current Conditions web page dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/. Call the park office for more information at (715) 386-5931.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
This fall's nut crop appears to be above average. Squirrels are currently busy harvesting and gathering black walnuts and hickory nuts, but they will turn their attention to acorns as black walnuts and hickory nuts become depleted. Ever wonder how a squirrel can successfully open the hard shells of black walnuts and hickory nuts? Squirrels typically chew a groove around the entire nut until it splits into two perfect halves. Sharp incisors and perseverance pay great dividends for squirrels in their pursuit of nuts, which are excellent sources of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Coyotes have been very vocal over the last several weeks. Family groups have established rendezvous sites. These are typically open areas including old log landings, abandoned quarries or grassy hillsides, where family groups meet to socialize, and prepare for an upcoming hunt. Pups are especially vocal at this time and will readily respond when howled at.
Mississippi River - Late September marks the peak of the blue-wing teal migration, but green-wings will not peak until well into October. Many of the green-wings around now are adult males. Adult males migrate before females and their young in many duck species. Duck numbers, particularly teal, recently dropped in the La Crosse vicinity, but are expected to increase again later this week. White pelicans and double-crested cormorants are migrating in sizable numbers. Some can be seen on any Mississippi River pool.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - The trees are starting to change along Highway 58. There are a few mosquitoes still. The park is open for early and late bow seasons. 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, 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. Canoes and kayaks are still available for renting. There are 6 non-reservable/1st-come-1st served sites. Check out the new signs on the barrens nature trail. The trail is great for bird watching. Take photos of the wildflowers, wildlife, sunsets, people using the park, etc. for the annual photo contest. Deadline for the photo contest is Sept. 30.
Roche-A-Cri State Park - Many late summer wildflowers are in bloom in the woodlands and prairies, including goldenrod and aster. Deer and turkey have been abundant throughout the park. Take an evening hike and listen to the owls, coyotes, and turkey vultures of Roche-A-Cri. The 2007 photo contest is underway, but the Sept. 30 deadline is approaching! The Roche-A-Cri Woods state natural area east of state highway 13 is open for hunting, and deer have been actively moving through the area. Many fall mushrooms have been present throughout the park.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/or/#top
