Wisconsin has been experiencing some erratic and changing weather patterns in the last week, with many areas reporting a drop in the high temperature of more than 20 degrees from one day to the next. The state received some rainfall in the last week, with up to an inch reported in the south, and lesser amounts to the north. Wildfire conditions have lessened and were at low in most locations and moderate in a few.
With the arrival of spring, deer fawns are starting to be sighted along with many other young animals. Deer and other animals will leave their young for long periods of time. These babies are not abandoned…leave them where they are so their parents can find them later. No one takes care of them better than their parents. Early nesters attending young include sandhill cranes, mallards and Canada geese.
Also at this time of year, drivers need to be on the lookout when coming up on wetlands and rivers as turtles are crossing roads to find a suitable place to lay eggs. Some turtles such as the wood and Blanding’s turtles take 15 years to reach maturity. If seen crossing the road, motorists are encouraged to move the turtle across the road in the direction that they were traveling as long traffic conditions are safe.
The erratic weather made for some rather tough fishing conditions across the Northwoods. The cold front that moved through really disrupted fish activity. Walleye success has been mediocre, with no real consistent pattern to the early season bite. Northern pike action has been fair. Panfish action has also been only fair as the colder water temperatures have kept most fish in deeper water. Both crappie and bluegill have been creeping back up into shallows on warmer days. Bass activity is just starting to pick up and there have been the first few observations of largemouth being fanning out their spawning beds.
In the south, bluegills and crappies are in the midst of spawning and largemouth bass will be finishing up spawning soon. A few walleyes were being caught, but bass and northern pike have been more active. Carp spawning activity should be peaking over the next week.
Musky were still being found in the Fox River at Green Bay and walleye were still being caught in lower Green Bay. The yellow perch bite has been slow but should get better as water temperature increases. Lake Michigan trollers had some good and some bad days because of weather conditions, but still managed to land mixed catches of salmon and trout. Shore and pier fishing at more northern harbors has generally been slow except for occasional brown and rainbow trout. A few coho were being caught at the piers in Racine and Kenosha.
The Mississippi River has been on a steady decline and was down to 10.1 feet at Prairie du Chien this week. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action picked up as the water receded. Fishing for sauger and walleye also picked up, and large numbers of white bass are being caught below the dams. Northern pike action has also really been picking up.
The sixth and final spring turkey hunting season ended Sunday. Hunters were met with pretty good weather. Most hunters report good gobbling action with a decent number of sightings.
Bird migrations are entering their later stages. Most warbler species are now in the state along with many other Neotropical migrants like vireos, tanagers, and orioles. Flycatchers have been quite late this year but things are starting to speed up as southern Wisconsin received a recent influx of pewees, yellow-bellied, alder, willow and olive-sided flycatchers. Bobwhite quail are whistling their characteristic "bob-white" call. Usually it is unpaired males that call, hoping to attract an unmated female.
The warm weather also brought on the first mosquito swarms, and the wet spring has created conditions for tremendous mosquito populations. Good numbers of black flies are also out in some areas, including southern Wisconsin where they are not normally abundant. Black flies only live for about two weeks and, unlike mosquitoes, only have one hatch, so they should not be around much longer.
Spring wild flowers blooming include shooting star, bellwort, bloodroot, anemones, hepatica, columbine, showy orchids, and woodland phlox.
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wildfire Conditions for May 29, 2008
Current statewide Wildfire conditions are Low to Moderate around the state and burning permits are required. current statewide fire danger and information on burning restrictions. This week a total of 82 wildfires burned 45 acres. The largest was a 20-acre fire in Oconto County that resulted from a lightning strike as a storm system passed through the area. Overall, debris burning continues to be the main cause of wildfire with equipment a close second. Prescribed burning is winding down. Six burns were conducted this week on 296 acres, including a 109-acre burn on the Spread Eagle Barrens in Florence County for barren restoration. Year-to-date prescribed burn totals are 479 burns on a remarkable 18,406 acres!
West Central Region Wildfire Report
Seventeen wildfires burned across the region this week, including a 5-acre fire on Memorial Day which resulted in damage to a vacation cottage. The public is reminded that burning is not allowed on Sunday or holidays. Two prescribed burns were completed on 137 acres in the Black River Falls area.
Northern Region Wildfire Report
In parts of Northern Region where DNR is responsible for wildfire suppression, 46 fires burned a total of 19 acres with 12 structures saved and three structures receiving damage this week. The fire danger is Moderate across the region. Prescribed burning is winding down, with two prescribed burns on 25 acres completed. Burning permits are required and burning is only allowed from 6 p.m. – Midnight with no burning on Sundays or legal holidays.
Northeast Region Wildfire Report
In parts of the Northeast Region where DNR is responsible for wildfire suppression, 22 fires burned a total of 24 acres with three structures saved and three structures receiving damage this week. Most fires were caused by equipment, with fewer caused by debris burning. One fire was 20 acres in size and from a lightning strike on Memorial Day due to the storms that moved through on the weekend. One prescribed burn was completed on the Spread Eagle Barrens in Florence County; 109 acres were burned for barren restoration. Another prescribed burn took place in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Oconto County with help from the Langlade Station. Manpower and equipment assisted the Forest Service with the burn; 50 acres were burned to kill of the hardwood understory to make way for white pine restoration. Another 25-acre prescribed burn was completed in the Waupaca Area.
Firewise Tip: Make sure campfires are made in a fire-safe pit or container and are completely extinguished before leaving. Clear an area around the fire pit and never burn when it’s windy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statewide Birding Report
Migration is chugging slowly along and is entering its later stages! Most warblers are now in the state and on territory along with many other Neotropical migrants like vireos, tanagers, and orioles. Flycatchers have been quite late this year but things are starting to speed up as southern Wisconsin has received a recent influx of pewees, yellow-bellied, alder, willow and olive-sided flycatchers. Cuckoos are also finally starting to show up in southern Wisconsin. Shorebird migration has been quite good, if a little late. In the last week good numbers of the expected migrants have been seen, and lots of Wilson's phalaropes are being reported due to the good water levels in fields across much of the state. Rare shorebirds reported include a snowy plover and ruff in Green Lake County, Hudsonian and marbled godwits, willets, and American avocets. Last weekend brought a good push of whimbrels along Lake Michigan with several large flocks sighted making their way to the arctic. Other interesting sightings include many summer tanager reports from across the state and a Bewick's wren from west-central Wisconsin. Early nesters are already attending youngsters including young sandhill cranes, mallards and Canada geese. There's still plenty of migration left despite the heavy leaf cover in southern and central Wisconsin. Birders looking to see good numbers of warblers could still take advantage of leaf-less conditions in many parts of northern Wisconsin. As always, please report sightings to eBird [www.ebird.org/WI] (exit DNR) to help better track bird populations in the state.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - With the arrival of spring, many young animals are being born in the wild. Many animals will leave their young for long periods of time. These babies are not abandoned…leave them where they are so their parents can find them later. No one takes care of them better than their parents. Many well-meaning people will bring these animals home only to have these animals die of stress, sickness, or improper nutrition. Deer fawns are starting to be sighted more often. Many people get worried that fawns are starving while waiting for the doe to return and will then feed the fawn from a bottle. This can be very dangerous to fawns. Cow milk can upset the digestive system of a fawn, sometimes causing diarrhea which can dehydrate the fawn to the point that they can't be saved. Unless there is a dead doe nearby it is best to leave the fawns alone. Molt migration Canada geese are now moving into and through the area. These are non-breeding birds, either sub-adults or non-breeding adults. They move away from (migrate) from their breeding areas to undergo their annual molt during which time they are flightless. They will migrate back to their breeding areas in August. The Ring-billed gull population in the St. Louis River estuary area remains stable. A recent survey of Interstate Island found nearly 10,000 nesting pairs, which about the same as it has been for the last several years. Don't forget the bug repellent or protective clothing. Mosquitoes have come out in force due to the previous rainfalls and warmer weather. Turtles are on the move and quite often on the move across roads and highways. Drivers should be on the lookout when coming up on wetlands and rivers as many of the turtles are crossing roads now to find a suitable place to lay their eggs. Some turtles such as the wood and Blandings turtles take 15 years to reach maturity. These rare turtles are often found locally in the Brule River valley, the Nemadji River and near Lake Nebagamon. If seen crossing the road, motorists are encouraged to move the turtle across the road in the direction that they were traveling (as long as the traffic conditions are safe).
Ashland DNR Service Center area
Big Bay State Park - The hiking trails are all open for a new season of wonderful hiking and nature walking. The boardwalk trail is a wonderful way of viewing our state natural area without impacting on the vegetation. Please take notice that we ask that visitors stay on the boardwalk because there is very fragile vegetation on this trail. The Bayview and Point trails have some of the best views of Lake Superior and during clear days hikers can see the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan from across the big lake. There also are wonderful sights to take wonderful pictures of the rock formations of the Apostle Islands from these trails. Many Lake Superior anglers are starting to target walleyes, lake trout and salmon. Some anglers were also catching fish heading to the tributaries on Lake Superior. The lagoon within the park also is a great place to cast for northern pike and some of the panfish. Visitors are seeing an explosion of wildlife at the park since the snow has left. The whitetail deer are by far the most visible animals at this time. The staff has also seen black bears on the Lagoon Ridge trail. Various birds such as flickers and common mergansers have been seen throughout the spring. There have still been no major hatches of mosquitoes. The shower building is now open and awaiting all of our campers for the 2008 season. Please take note that the shower facilities are for our over-night campers only. Reservations for camping on many weekends this summer are already booked solid.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) -The erratic and continually changing weather has made for some rather tough fishing conditions across the Northwoods in the past week. Several days of nice weather have been followed by severe cold fronts and this really disrupted fish activity. Fair success has been experienced during the stable weather, but the cold fronts seem to really shut down the action. The biting insects have just started to come out in the far north and the first mosquitoes and black flies were noted in the last few days. Mayfly hatches have not yet begun and look for those to start in the first part of June. Walleye have been the most sought after fish so far in May and reports have indicated just mediocre success. There really hasn't been any consistent pattern yet to the early season bite and walleye anglers have been having some success on both jig/minnow combinations and crank baits. The jig and minnow anglers have had the best success in 8 to 15 feet of water on the deep edges and break lines. The action has been concentrated in the early morning hours and in the hour before dark, and most of the walleye have been in the 11 to 15-inch size. A few nicer fish in the 18- to 23-inch size have been caught on Rapalas in the shallow muddy bays, but the strikes have been generally light and short. Northern pike action has been fair with anglers catching medium-size fish along the newly developing weed beds. Panfish action could only be termed fair as the colder water temperatures have kept most of the fish in deeper water. Both crappie and bluegill have been creeping back up into shallow water on warmer days and this has provided some decent action when conditions were right. Look for this to greatly improve with any kind of warming trend. Bass activity is just starting to pick up and there have been the first few observations of largemouth being seen fanning out their spawning beds. Anglers are reminded that the catch and release season is still in effect in the Northern Zone and all bass anglers must be using barbless hooks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - The post spawn bite has calmed considerably and the variety of baits and tactics has also changed. Fishing pressure on the Menominee River could be described as moderate to light. Still fishing at the dam on the Menominee and the lighthouse pier/government pier has increased. Drift fishing from boats and wading is also on the rise. The water temperature at the mouth of the Menominee is approaching 64 degrees and the dam is shut down. A few muskies were being caught in the Menominee River on huge stick baits in colors, fire tiger, chartreuse, and clown; anglers were keying on structure and breaks. Fresh water drum were being caught on Rapalas by anglers trolling and still fishing with live bait. Walleye are still the number one fish that people have been targeting. The type of baits being used is as varied as the anglers using them, Cleo's, Raps, jig heads and minnows/crawlers, color seems to matter little -- finding the fish does. Anglers report good numbers of undersized walleye being caught and released and no anglers reported any limits of walleye. There were still a few rainbows hanging in the rapids by the library along with a goodly number of carp. Fishing by the spill way at the Menominee dam has been producing many panfish along with a few walleye and bass; live bait fished on the bottom and slip bobbering were the primary methods of fishing. A note of caution: hang on to your fishing rod, this portion of the river contains sturgeon. Mosquitoes are out in droves when there isn't a breeze. Make sure you have repellent along for any outdoor activity. Kayaking the Peshtigo River is becoming more popular with pullouts along the Peshtigo River State Forest. A word of caution though for changes in flow during periods of precipitation. An overnight freeze in the county should be followed by warming temperatures for the remainder of the week.
Oconto County - The South Branch of the Oconto River has been a great destination for inland trout anglers. A great access site is just off of County T near Boulder Lake Campground. Overall the Oconto River, North and South Branches were well stocked with hatchery trout and self reproducing trout. Inland waters have reported little traffic over the holiday weekend as temperatures were cool for the most part. Moderate fire danger is posted for the area.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - Musky are still in the Fox River at Green Bay. Anglers were successfully targeting musky while trolling. Shore anglers were catching rough fish and a variety of panfish, including crappie, on the Fox. In lower Green Bay, walleye were still being caught on crawler harnesses in 6 to 10 feet of water. Color doesn’t seem to matter; however, metallic and fluorescent colors seem to get better results. The yellow perch bite is slow and expected to get better as water temperature increases. Minnows at 25 to 30 feet seem to show a more consistent bite. In the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer Harbor area, the bite has slowed significantly from last week. Jerk baits, tubes, and spoons were successful with smallmouth bass. When perch can be found, minnows and worms get a slight bite. Walleye can be caught on crawler harnesses. Water temperature in the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer harbor area ranges from 48 to 57 degrees depending on location in that system.
Manitowoc County - Anglers in Manitowoc had a fair week of fishing this past week. Boat anglers had some good days and bad days because of weather conditions, but still managed to land mixed catches of chinook salmon and rainbow trout. Boaters reported the most success trolling in 80 to 100 feet of water. Chinook ranged from 8 to 16 pounds and the rainbow trout averaged around 11 pounds. Pier anglers fished hard through the week and weekend but had only limited success in landing a few chinook salmon. In Two Rivers, boat anglers had a fair week of fishing with some nice catches of chinook salmon. Boaters were trolling in 40 feet of water and out to 200 feet of water to find fish, with the greatest success in deeper depths. The piers had low fishing pressure over the Memorial Day weekend. Harbor anglers were fishing for catfish using with worms just off the bottom. Most catfish harvested ranged in weight from 4 to 6 pounds.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County
Peninsula State Park - After a very busy Memorial Day weekend, things have dramatically slowed down at Peninsula. Cold night time temperatures persist (upper 20s Wednesday morning!). This is a great time to enjoy the park, before the crowds of summer. All trails are open and in very good condition. Standing water remains on one section of the mountain bike trail system. The Sunset Bike Trail is dry and in very good condition. Door county cherry blossoms have not yet fully emerged due to the cool spring weather. Waterfowl sightings are abundant along the shore of Peninsula State Park. New birds are arriving daily. Wood frogs and spring peepers are calling. Warbler migrations are still taking place, subject to changing weather. Watch for bald eagles, sandhill cranes, migrating hawks and turkey vultures. Wildflowers sightings are changing daily. Trillium, Dutchman's breeches, dwarf lake iris, gaywings, and yellow ladyslipper are now flowering. Water levels in Green Bay and Lake Michigan are still very low, but increasing. is open. Tee times are generally available at Peninsula State Park golf course, and reservations may be made through their Web site at [www.peninsulagolf.org] or by calling 920-854-5791. American Folklore Theatre’s summer season starts in mid June [www.folkloretheatre.com]. Park visitors may stop at the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, walk the grounds and enjoy an interpretive exhibit and magnificent views of waters of Green Bay. To learn about the lighthouse and the opening dates for tours, visit their Web site at [www.EagleBluffLighthouse.org].
Kewaunee County - Windy conditions on days this past week slowed down trolling action out of Kewaunee and Algoma. Baitfish are in near shore in many areas which should provide some brown trout action in the next week for pier anglers and trolling anglers closer to shore. Salmon and lake trout can be found out in deeper water still. Warmer weather will bring warmer water, and action out on Lake Michigan should pick up accordingly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOUTHEAST REGION
Kohler-Andrae State Park - All nature and hiking trails are open. The Wisconsin Great Lakes Beach testing program begins May 21. Conditions can be viewed at [www.wibeaches.us] (exit DNR). Rose-breasted grosbeaks, orioles, eastern towhees, chipping sparrows, white-throated sparrows, hummingbirds, and red-headed woodpeckers have all been visiting the bird feeders this week. Various warblers are migrating through the area. Tree swallows have laid five eggs in the nest box at the park office. Visitors can view nesting activities on the television located in the office conference room.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan shore fishing has been slow except for occasional brown trout hitting spoons off the south pier. Trollers have been catching chinooks and rainbows on spoons south of the harbor in 120 to 250 feet of water.
Ozaukee County - Shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching a few rainbows on spawn near the power plant, but shore fishing has been slow overall. Port Washington trollers have been catching a mix of chinooks, coho, and rainbows in 180 to 200 feet of water. Flashers and flies have been producing south of the harbor.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, shore fishing has been slow, but trollers have been catching fair numbers of fish. Chinooks, coho, and rainbows have been found in 120 feet of water north of the harbor off the filtration plant.
Racine County - In Racine shore anglers fishing off the south pier early in the morning have been catching coho and browns, as well as a few rainbows and chinooks. Blue & silver or green & silver spoons have provided the most action. Trollers working nearshore have been catching just a few coho outside the green can or browns on orange spoons in 10 to 20 feet of water. Further offshore, chinooks, coho, and rainbows have been found in 200 feet of water. Coho and steelhead have been hitting near the surface, and chinooks have been 60 to 100 feet down.
Kenosha County - Kenosha anglers have been catching a few coho off the ends of the piers, but shore fishing has been slow overall. Live alewives fished off the bottom have produced the most action, although a few fish have been taken on silver spoons. Kenosha trollers have had to move further offshore, catching coho, chinooks, and rainbows south of town in 120 to 180 feet of water. Spoons as well as dodger and fly combinations have both been producing at times.
Inland fisheries team report
Bluegills and crappies should be in the midst of spawning and largemouth bass will be finishing up their spawning soon. A few walleyes were being caught but, bass and northern pike have been more active. Trout streams are normal to low for this time of year. A few rain showers would be welcome. Carp spawning activity should be peaking over the next ten days. It is a good time to rig up the bow and harvest some big carp on lakes like Big Elkhart, Crystal, Long, Big Cedar, Little Cedar, Silver and Pike Lakes. Any fish taken by bow must be removed from the lake.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - The warm southerly winds of the Memorial Day weekend provided conditions for many of the late migrant birds to head farther north and also brought some of the last migrants into the area. The cool, slow spring season had kept the migration behind schedule as well as other natural events of the season, but with the approach of summer things are catching up. The wet spring provided good conditions for shorebirds around much of the state, but the recent lack of rain is drying up many of the shallow water and mudflat areas, and the southerly winds are taking some of the birds to their arctic breeding grounds. The warm weather also brought on the first mosquito swarm, and the wet spring has created conditions for a tremendous mosquito populations. So far, the cool spring weather had kept them rather dormant, but it seems that the coming summer temperatures will result in a great hatch and the inconveniences that they bring for outdoor activities. Canada geese young are growing quickly and the first broods of ducks are just beginning to show up along with killdeer hatchlings. The non-breeding geese and failed breeders are beginning to flock up and will soon be flying well into Canada to molt their feathers in mid-summer. While many of the spring wildflowers are ending their flowering period, others are still in bloom or just beginning to provide some of the last color to the forest floor over the next few weeks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - Lake fishing has been off and on with the cooler weather. The lack of rain has cleared the lake and stable water levels will help the fishing. Some keeper crappies have been caught. There are still a few trees down across trails. We will try to get them cleaned up for the weekend. Deer fawns are out. As with all young wildlife, leave wildlife in the wild. Do not touch or feed the young birds or animals.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Bobwhite quail are whistling their characteristic "bob-white" call. Usually, it is unpaired males that call. A male with a mate rarely if ever calls, at least as long as his mate is in view. Whistling males call attention to themselves and may succeed in attracting unmated females or those that have lost their mate. Bobwhite quail prefer grassy cover for nesting, brushy cover for escape, and a source of plant foods, mainly seeds of legumes and weeds, especially ragweed, and cultivated grains.
Trempealeau and Buffalo counties - Large numbers of white bass are being caught below the dams on the Mississippi River in Trempealeau and Buffalo counties.
Crawford County - Once again this week all the river systems in the county have been on a steady decline. The Mississippi River is down to 10.1feet in the Prairie du Chien/Mc Gregor Iowa area. Flood stage on the Mississippi River is 16 feet. The forecast for the Mississippi River is for it to drop to around the 9 foot mark by next weekend. The Wisconsin River and the Kickapoo River are both receding also. Water clarity is getting better on all river systems. All the boat landings in the Crawford County area are open. The boat landing at Gordon’s Bay (Falling Rock) is open but the water is still pretty high. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action picked up a little this week as the water recedes on the Mississippi River. Perch action picked up at Lock and Dam #9. Angers were using a piece of night crawler fished off the bottom to catch perch. Bluegills action in the area of the dam was picking up also. Crappies have been taken in the slack/slow moving backwater areas. Crappie were biting on small minnows. Fishing at Cold Spring picked up a little, with a few reports of bluegills and crappie being taken there. Anglers were targeting the shallows because the receding water and warmer temperatures are causing the bluegill to head into those areas. The boat ramp at Cold Spring is in good shape and usable. The Ambro Slough complex is starting to get fished a bit more now that the water has moved off the Ambro Road. Access to boat landing is much better. There has been some bluegill action in the backwaters. Sturgeon Slough did not see much fishing activity because of the high water. Horseshoe (McGregor or Sturgeon) Lake is starting to produce bluegills. Spring Lake was slow. Fishing for sauger and walleye picked up this week. Many anglers are targeting wing dams, slough closures, and main channels “flats.” Some nice catches of walleye and sauger were taken this past week. Try drifting with leeches or night crawlers or trolling with crank baits. The Roseau Slough area and the S curve have produced fish. Anglers fishing on the long wall at the dam have had limited success walleye. Anglers can park in the lot at Lock and Dam #9 and walk down and access the long wall without hip or knee boots. Northern pike action has really been picking up. Casting crank baits has worked the best. Some good action in the slack water near the long wall at the dam occurred this week. Look for northerns in medium depth areas without current. Bald eagles are actively tending their nests along the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. Some of the best viewing areas can be found along State Highway 35 from Prairie du Chien to De Soto. Many species of birds including waterfowl are actively sitting on eggs. There are reports of a few Canada geese gosling and mallard chicks wandering about. Many species of song birds are actively tending their young chicks also. Hen turkeys are also actively sitting on eggs. A chorus of frogs can be heard on warm days throughout the day. This week a fairly large hatch of mosquitoes and gnats showed up in the river bottoms. Gnats have also been a nuisance on the higher ground also. The sixth and final spring turkey hunting season ended Sunday. Hunters were met with pretty good weather. A fair number of hunters were able to bag their gobbler, while many others report hens disrupting their hunt. Most hunters report good gobbling action with a decent number of sightings. Mosquitoes and dense foliage made hunting difficult at times.
Perrot State Park - All the trails are in good condition. All sites are open for camping. All flush toilet/shower buildings are open on the weekends. Only the lower loop buildings are open weekdays. Fishing has been picking up and the river level has dropped. The dock is now installed. The spring wild flowers are really going, including shooting star!! Spotted this past week are bellwort, bloodroot, rue anemone, wood anemone, hepatica, columbine, wild ginger, shooting star, bird’s foot violet, wood violet, trillium, wild geranium and showy orchids, miterwort, Virginia waterleaf, woodland phlox and false Solomon's seal.
Great River State Trail - The trail is open and in good condition. Enjoy the unique character of a recently flooded forest due to high water levels of the Black and Mississippi Rivers. The water level is coming down, but still high. The best view is this is between Lytle's Landing and Trempealeau. Many wildflowers are blooming. The toilet buildings at Trempealeau and Lytle's Landing are open for the season.
Buffalo River State Trail - ATVs are allowed year around on the Buffalo River Trail. Grading has begun on the trail. New surfacing will be laid down between Eleva and Strum - sections may be posted as Closed as needed. Check with counties for their trail conditions and opening dates. Many wildflowers are blooming.
Black River Falls DNR Service Center area
Black River State Forest - An 11-mile section of the ATV trail system is temporarily closed due to wet conditions and trail damage. For the remainder of the state forest trails they are in the process of being groomed this week and if the rain holds off should be in fair to good condition by the weekend. There are some wetter areas and riders should use caution and not travel off of the designated corridor to bypass these. Riders should also have their headlights on at all times for safety. This allows other riders to see them coming when conditions are dusty. Ride safe and protect your sport by staying on the trails and riding responsibly.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - Species of birds seen or heard include: ruby throated hummingbirds, scarlet tanagers, a variety of wrens, red polls, bluebirds, lake gulls, golden finches, mallard ducks, common loons, great blue herons, red winged blackbirds, phoebes, Canada geese, sandhill cranes, robins, mourning doves, nuthatches, ravens, black capped chickadees, pileated woodpeckers, great horned owls, barred owls, and bald eagles. Park trails are generally dry and in very good condition. The south campground is open with electric sites, hand water pump, and shower facility available. The north campground is open, with pit toilets and hand water pump available. The picnic area flush toilet building and the camper dump station are open for the summer season.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - Mosquitoes have hatched and are abundant in the park right now. Breezes and cool temperatures kept them away at times over the weekend at campsites. Remember to bring your bug spray. People enjoyed the picnic areas, swimming, canoeing, kayaking and fishing over the weekend. Most campsites are reservable and fill up fast for the weekend. There are a few non-reservable sites at the park. Remember, park stickers are required for Launch C and D and there are no additional launch fees. There are single night stays and dates in Sept and Oct available for the accessible cabin. Applications are available for the November Buckhorn Youth Deer Hunt. Contact the park office at 608-565-2789 for questions or to get an application. The 2008 application is also available on the park website through the DNR internet site.
Roche-A-Cri State Park - The campground is open and campers enjoyed the park over the weekend. There are many quiet sites available during the week. Spraying for gypsy moths should occur in early morning hours sometime this week. There are some mosquitoes so remember your bug spray. Trails are in great condition for hiking. If the office is closed, please self-register in the parking lot. If you self-register for an annual sticker, it will be mailed to you.
Last Revised: Thursday May 29 2008
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/or/#top
