NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - The Bois Brule River is flowing at 115 cubic feet per second (cfs). The 60 year average is 143 cfs. Although most of the leaves are off of the trees in the Brule area, the tamarack trees are showing off their yellow needles. The Tamarack tree is the only native conifer in Wisconsin that will turn color and shed its needles in the fall. For more information on the tamarack tree check out the Wisconsin DNR's EEK site at . The extended weather forecast calls for high temperatures in the upper 30s to lower 40s, low temperatures in the 20s with chances of rain and snow though the weekend. Deer hunters are reminded again that there is not an October herd control hunt this year.The Orionid Meteor Shower will take place this weekend. The shower gets its name because it appears to shoot out of the constellation Orion. The source is ancient clouds of dust from Halley's Comet, which itself is far away. A northern lights display has also been forecast as possible for this weekend. The best time to see the display should be a couple hours before daylight on Saturday morning. The chances of snow now are a reminder that cross-country skiing at the Afterhours Ski Trails will be going on in the near future. There will be a ski club meeting on Wednesday Oct. 25 at 6:30. The Brule Valley XC Ski Club is looking for volunteer help for trail maintenance. For more information contact Cordell Manz at 715-372-8539 ext. 119.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Variable weather conditions with plenty of wind and snow flurries have made for some erratic fishing success in the Northwoods in the last week. Water temperatures are getting colder by the week and most fish species have retreated to deeper water. Along with colder temps, fewer and fewer anglers have been venturing out. Musky and walleye have been the two main species of interest and musky have once again been providing the most consistent action. Most of the musky anglers have been dragging large suckers around and have been seeing quite a few fish. No recent reports of any large fish, but quite a few 34 to 38 inch fish have been landed. Many anglers were still throwing artificial baits and have been experiencing some action, with fish being more active on the sunny days when the water has warmed a bit. Walleye fishing has been inconsistent -- some days provided good action on small and medium-size walleye and other days bites were hard to come by. Live minnows continued to best the best bait, whether fished below a slip bobber, on a jig or a bare hook dragged along the bottom. Cloudy days often produced some catches all day long, but on sunny days, fish mostly were biting in the hour right before dark. Some panfish success has been reported with some nice crappie being caught on minnows in the larger flowages. The fish have been found near the old river channels in 25 to 35 feet of water.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Conservation wardens and guides report that water temps continue their seasonal downward drop. Most of the lakes in the area have turned over. Musky and walleye activities were expected to pick up now that turn over is completed. Fall colors are now done and last weekend’s wind and snow brought down most of the leaves. Grouse and woodcock hunters are reporting greater visibility in the woods resulting in more birds in the bag. Archery hunters are reporting signs of the pre-rut beginning with both scrapes and rubs becoming more prevalent. There have been several reports of moose sightings in the area. This is not that uncommon this time of year as the bulls travel the country side looking for mates.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Snow showers last week are a reminder of the not-so-far-off winter weather for northern Wisconsin. Diving ducks and redheads are moving through the area bringing smiles to the faces of hunters and birdwatchers. Reports of some minimal deer scraping activity has begun. The late harvest of corn is keeping deer on the fields. The acorn crop is poor this year, which means deer may stay on the fields longer. The brown trout, salmon, and walleye fishery on the Menominee River below the first dam is producing some nice catches. Saturday was cold and windy, which kept anglers away till Sunday. The salmon run is expected to last another week or so. A snowmobile safety course will be taught at the Amberg Ranger City Riders Clubhouse beginning Dec. 2. Call the instructor to sign up at (715) 856-5749.
Oconto County - Deer movement across roadways is picking up along with an increase in car-killed deer. Drivers again need to drive cautiously during dusk and dawn hours when visibility is low to avoid deer collisions. Waterfowl hunters are seeing a good year for duck populations. Hunters along the bay are reporting successful outings. Chase Community Hall will be hosting a snowmobile safety course on Oct. 24 through 26. Register by calling the instructor at (920)899-3731.
Shawano County - Milder temperatures with moderate rainfall is expected this week. Waterfowl are in good numbers and can be viewed at many inland waters such as Shawano Lake, the Wolf River and the Navarino Nature Center in Shiocton. Sandhill crane viewing on Pike's Peak Flowage at dawn and dusk has been great at the Navarino Wildlife Area. During the day, they are in surrounding fields feeding on waste grains. Deer hunters are reminded that there is no October antlerless hunt this year and Unit 47 is not an Earn-a-Buck unit; therefore, no sticker will be given if an antlerless deer is harvested. Ruffed grouse are more numerous this year and woodcock are also migrating through. Waterfowl numbers on Shawano Lake have increased since the cold weather has pushed them down from the north. Wildlife health crews have begun collecting dead coot on Shawano Lake. This is due to parasites (trematodes) and has occurred annually since 1996. An ATV course will be held in Bowler on Oct. 25; call (715) 793-4809 to register. The Shawano High School is hosting two snowmobile safety courses starting Nov. 4 and again Dec. 2. Register for the classes by calling the instructor at (715) 526-8722. "Halloween Happenings" at Navarino Nature Center will be on Oct. 21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Manitowoc County - In Two Rivers, anglers fishing from the north pier had a fair week catching chinook salmon. Salmon fishing further inside the harbor was slow this past week. Anglers fishing the East Twin River near the Mishicot dam had another busy week catching chinook. Fishing pressure was high with most anglers using spawn sacs to catch salmon. The Shoto dam was also very busy this past week. Anglers had a great week catching many large chinook and a couple of brown trout. Boaters fishing the West Twin River, downstream from the dam about a quarter mile, had a good week picking up some nice chinook and a few northern pike. The Branch and Manitowoc rivers were still experiencing nice runs of chinook this past week. Fly fishers wading in from Mill Road (via Hwy. R) and working the Manitowoc River had a lot of success catching the migrating salmon. Lower Cato Falls Park and the Clarks Mills dam were a little slow this past week for salmon anglers. Most anglers were using spawn sacs or medium sized spinner baits.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County – There was not much sun this week, with cool or even cold temperatures. Winter reared its head with snow flurries on Wednesday and Thursday. Fall colors remained spectacular and along with the nip in the air, the flocks of Canada geese in the ski, and apples to be enjoyed, it has been a great time to be outdoors in Door County. Lots of big chinook salmon and brown trout were being taken throughout the county. Baileys Harbor and Ellison both produced limit catches of big fish for persistent anglers. Anglers trolling the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal continue to take big salmon and northern pike. Perch fishing continued to be good to excellent in Sturgeon Bay with limit catches of nice perch coming in. Perch action also continued to be good on Green Bay from Little Sturgeon Bay all the way to Dyckesville. Lots of pheasants have been seen around the county.
Peninsula State Park – As of Oct. 17, tree color was past peak. Many trees, particularly maples, dried out and lost their leaves early. Water levels in Green Bay are still very low, but have come up in recent weeks. Gentians and other wildflowers abound on exposed lake bottoms. All hiking and biking trails are in great shape. Another section of the Eagle Trail has been renovated. Sections of the Sunset Bike trail will be graded and re-surfaced this fall. The south Nicolet Bay and Weborg campgrounds are open until Oct. 22. The Tennison Bay campground is open year-round. Peninsula State Park golf course is open though October. Tours of the 1868 Eagle Bluff lighthouse have ended for the season.
Strawberry Creek Spawning Facility – Fisheries crews conducted a chinook salmon harvest at Strawberry Creek on Thursday Oct 12, cleaning the pond out and harvesting about 570 chinook, and Wednesday, Oct. 18, harvesting another 350-plus salmon and closing out the egg collection season at the facility. Wild Rose hatchery staff was there and completed the collection of chinook eggs necessary to raise next spring's quota of chinook fingerlings. Thursday was by far the coldest day that crews have ever conducted a chinook salmon egg harvest at Strawberry Creek. They had trouble with water freezing on the deck and platforms and in the hoses. With the gusty winds, the temperatures were brutal. The chinook run has slowed down and may be past peak but the run is NOT OVER. All of the data has not been analyzed yet, but in 2006 the facility handled more than 4,500 chinook at Strawberry Creek Weir. This is down considerably from recent years, when the facility handled more than 10,000 fish. That number of fish taxed the ability of the facility to safely handle the fish. For the last several years crews have been stocking fewer fingerlings at Strawberry in the spring and it looks like the reduced stockings have resulted in more manageable numbers of adults returning to the pond in fall. Many of the fish returning to Strawberry Creek are marked with an identifying mark so the age of the fish when they return is known. This year crews had 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old fish captured at Strawberry. Last fall (2005), the chinook salmon captured at Strawberry were the smallest in length and weight at age that had ever documented and the average weight of a 30-inch fish was the lowest since calculated for fall spawners. Even though the 2006 data has not been analyzed, it appears that the length and weight at age and condition factor will show an improvement this fall, over last year.
Kewaunee County – The majority of anglers have already winterized their boats for the season; however, a few anglers are reporting catching a few younger chinooks, rainbows, and browns. If the weather permits, try fishing one last time in 75-180 feet of water. The chinook salmon run is most likely on its down slope, then again a large run of chinooks have made it up to the DNR Besadny facility in the last two days. Shore fishing has been rather slow this past week. A few anglers have taken fish either with spawn sacs or by casting spoons. Coho salmon and brown trout are starting to enter the harbors and tributaries in greater numbers. Anglers fishing the Kewaunee County tributaries are still catching chinooks and are also starting to report more coho and brown action as well. Spawn sacs have been productive, as well as various flies. The Besadny facility is planning on harvesting salmon on Monday Oct. 23. Leave color was also at its peak last week making it an excellent weekend to check out the fall foliage on the Lake Michigan shoreline.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan action in the harbor and off the piers has been slow, but Sheboygan River anglers have been catching chinooks throughout the river. Water levels are low, and chinooks can be seen all the way upstream to the Kohler dam. Drifting spawn has been productive, as well as fishing yarn and other small flies.
Ozaukee County - In Port Washington shore anglers have been catching chinooks and a few browns and coho in the harbor and near the power plant. Spawn has produced the most fish, but some have also been hitting crank baits. Water levels are low on Sauk Creek, but chinooks can still be found in the deeper holes downstream of the Wisconsin Street bridge.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, flows on the Milwaukee River jumped up today after the gates were opened on the Estabrook Park dam. Flows should drop back down overnight. Good numbers of chinooks and a few steelhead have been taken in Estabrook Park. Water levels are low on both Oak Creek and the Menomonee River. Oak Creek anglers have reported chinooks on spawn sacs and wooly buggers. On the Menomonee chinooks have been found between Miller Park and the concrete channel near 45th and State Street. Shore anglers in Milwaukee have been catching good numbers of chinooks in McKinley Marina as well as the Summerfest lagoon.
Havenwoods State Forest - A female wild turkey, northern flicker, phoebe, red-bellied woodpecker, and yellow-bellied sapsucker have been seen in the forest. A couple of forest naturalists were lucky enough to spot a great horned owl this week, and were pretty thrilled to see it the city.
Racine County - In Racine about 750 fish were processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility on Monday. Nearly 9,000 fish have been handled at the facility so far this season, and DNR crews will process fish again on Thursday, Oct. 19. On the Root River, water levels have been dropping since late last week, but flows remain above average for this time of year. Good numbers of chinooks can be found throughout the upstream portions river from the Steelhead Facility to the Horlick dam. Drifting orange or green yarn eggs has been effective, in addition to large black flies. Action has also been good downstream of the weir in Lincoln Park. Bright egg imitations have been productive. Angling pressure has been lighter in Island and Washington Parks, but fish can still be found in those areas as well.
Kenosha County - In the Kenosha harbor shore anglers have been catching a few chinooks on spawn near the Best Western. Water levels are low on the Pike River, but some chinooks have been caught on dark green or chartreuse flies in Petrifying Springs Park.
Walworth and inland Racine and Kenosha counties - Water temperatures have dropped into the 50 to 55 degree range. Live bait works best this time of year. Anglers fishing in 3 to 10 feet of water were catching some nice yellow perch on minnows. Smallmouth bass have been actively feeding and anglers were catching them on shiners. Walleye fishing has slowed a bit, but anglers using live bait or slowly retrieving artificials were catching some. Northern pike were hitting suckers in 10 to 20 feet of water.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - The muskies on Elkhart Lake went wild last week with the cold and windy conditions. Legal fish were caught each day for several days in a row, mostly on suckers. Northern pike were also active. Look for fast action again on windy cold days in upcoming weeks. Recent surveys on some area lakes show that bass populations are in great shape on several area lakes. Long Lake near Dundee has one of the finest largemouth bass populations in this corner of the state. Many legal size fish were seen there. Nice bluegills were observed on Pike Lake near Hartford. Small northern pike were seemingly everywhere on Long Lake as well. A proposal to drop the northern pike size limit on Long Lake will be voted on next April at the annual spring hearings.
Waukesha County - Fishing on area lakes was good this past week. The cool nights and recent rain have dropped water temperatures to around 50 degrees. This is the time of year fish start feeding heavily to put on weight for the winter. Musky fishing was good on Pewaukee, Okauchee and Oconomowoc lakes. Many of the bigger muskies have been found around deeper weed lines. Casting bucktails, jerk and spinner baits or jig and plastic combos was working well. Top-water baits fished early in morning or during nighttime hours can also work excellent for muskies. Northern pike fishing was great on area lakes, with many smaller pike caught in and around shallower weeds and bigger pike found around deeper weeds. Soaking a large golden shiner, large red-tail chub, or medium sucker worked best for pike. Many fish were also caught on spinner baits, small bucktails, crank baits, or chatter baits. Smallmouth bass were active on Oconomowoc, Nagawicka, Pine, and Lac La Belle lakes around shallower rock bars, or along drop-offs. Tube jigs, skirted grubs, crank and spinner baits or medium red-tail chubs all worked well for smallmouth bass.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Sauk County
Devil’s Lake State Park - Turkey vultures have been “kettling up” in large numbers (100 to 200-plus) and are preparing for that secret signal that will send them south for the winter. Some of the birds will end up as far south as Central America and northern South America! Fall colors have been stubbornly non-coordinated this year with some having turned spectacular colors while others stayed full green. About 70 percent of the park foliage has turned to color, and about 30 percent of the leaves have fallen. Depending on rain, wind, and leaf-drop, the weekend of Oct. 20-22 may be the last time to view nice fall colors this year. It’s likely that by Oct. 27 the majority of the leaves will have fallen. No grand and exuberant five-day clearly defined peak this fall. The woods will be great for hiking during the next two to three weeks, with part of the fall color lingering in the trees, while the rest crunches underfoot. Visibility is increased with the leaves off the trees, and unseen vistas present themselves for the first time since last late winter. The first snow showers of the season were spotted in the air during the first week of October. There will be an Autumn Candlelight Walk on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. beginning at the Rock Elm Shelter near the north shore boat landing. Refreshments, including hot cider and food, will be available. A toasty warming campfire will be blazing outside. A 1-1/2 to 2-mile walk will wind through the Northern Lights campground, following the flickering candle lights. There is no charge for the event, but all vehicles must have a valid vehicle admission sticker. Hiking and mountain biking trails are currently open. Trails will be open almost continually through November. Northern Lights and Ice Age Campgrounds are now closed for the season. Quartzite campground remains open throughout the winter. Running water facilities (showers, flush restrooms, RV dump/fill stations) are closed for the season. Running water restrooms (no showers) are available near the headquarters and Visitor Center. Winterized water taps are available near campsite #50 in the Quartzite Campground and at the park headquarters. Pit toilet buildings are open in the camping areas. Gun deer hunting will be allowed by permit only Oct. 19-22 (until noon each day) and Nov. 18 to Dec. 10. Archery deer hunting will be allowed Nov. 18 – Jan. 7. Hunting is prohibited in the most popular areas of Devil's Lake State Park. The north shore Chateau (including canoe and rowboat rental, food, souvenirs, snacks, and some camping supplies) is now closed for the season.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - As of Oct. 17, most leaves were down and visibility along the trails is opening up. This is a great time of year to see beyond the wall of vegetation along the trails. There are no open hunting seasons inside the park boundaries until Nov. 18. Panfish have been biting in the dam area. Good catches of crappies and bluegills have been reported. Water has been turned off and all flush toilet buildings are closed for the season. Pit toilets are open near the beach, the boat launch parking lot, and near site 63 in the campground. Water for trailers or portable containers is available at the service building just down the hill from the park office. The dump station remains open to unload tanks only until freeze up. The campground road will be closed to vehicles when snow falls. Reservable dates for camping end Oct. 31. From then until April 27, all campsites will be first come-first served. Various artists have their works displayed along trails that are easy to walk. The “Into and Out of Nature” exhibit is in partnership with the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson. A companion exhibit is on view in the galleries for the run which ends Oct. 29. Pick up a map at the park office or at the Phipps showing the artwork locations. Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. will be the final tour of the exhibits with one of the artists. The tour is free, but regular vehicle admission rates apply. Call the Phipps Center for details (715) 386-2305. Dry land cross country ski training group meets at the Nature Center Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. A small fee is charged for those that are not members of the Willow River OWLs. The Willow River Nordic skiers will be having a work day on Saturday, Oct. 21 8 a.m. to noon. The ski trail sign posts are ready for installation. Power equipment will do the post hole digging. For more information on the Willow River Nordic ski training or work events, call (715) 386-5931. The park’s Halloween Bash will be Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Nature center from 6 to 8 p.m. This is a non scary event for younger children. A story teller, games, and a night hike to meet some woodland animals is planned. Costumes are optional. The event is $1 per person at the Nature Center and a park sticker is required on all vehicles.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Tree leaves are really starting to fall, improving visibility in the woods. 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. Golden-crowned kinglets, song sparrows, and fox sparrows are some of the migratory songbirds currently passing through the local area. Dark-eyed juncos have arrived in the area. Noted Wisconsin ornithologist Sam Robbins stated in his book "Wisconsin Birdlife" that even though birds know nothing about political boundaries, the U.S. - Canadian border approximates the summer and winter range of the dark-eyed junco. These birds generally summer north of the border and spend winters south of it. Juncos are easily identified by their uniformly slate-gray head, back, and breast, along with white outer tail feathers. The bill and belly are whitish. Juncos readily patronize bird feeders.
Mississippi River - White pelican numbers are near their peak along the Mississippi River. Cormorants are also near peak numbers. Many songbirds and birds of prey are also moving through. Wild turkeys are grouping in increasingly larger flocks as fall progresses.
Crawford County - Temperatures got darn cold this past week. A little snow also fell in the area. With the exception of the little bit of snow dry weather dominated this week’s weather once again. The Mississippi River continues to be very low, hovering around 6.6 foot range all week. Waterfowl hunters continue to find that navigating in back water areas was very difficult once the duck season re-opened last weekend. Anglers are also finding wing dams and closures that are dangerously in reach of lower units. The Wisconsin River and the Kickapoo River are both low also. Due to the low water the sand bars on the Wisconsin River and Mississippi River are in pretty good shape. Bluegill action continued to be pretty good this week, however the weather played a big part in angler success. Bluegills continue to bite all over the place, but not every day. Successful bluegill anglers might have to search a bit to find “keeper” size gills. Some action was reported in the deeper slow moving sloughs around Prairie du Chien. Bluegill action at Cold Spring was good again this week, but not every day mainly due to the weather. . Bluegill action in the Ferryville/Lansing area was pretty good this week also. Some anglers have been targeting weed edges or snags for crappie and perch. Crappie fishing has been spotty but some have been found along weed beds and in the downed tree tops. Perch action was spotty. Walleye fishing continues to improve with water cooling down. Some walleye action was reported on the wing dams and rocky shoreline drop offs in the lower portions of Pool 10 and up in Pool 9. Largemouth and smallmouth bass action wasn’t as good this week. Most anglers blame the cold front that moved into the area. Catfish action has slowed a bit. Signs of fall are in full swing right now and maybe even on the down swing. Most of the soybeans in the area have been picked, but a lot of standing corn remains in the fields. Red-winged black birds and other species continue to flock together in anticipation of migration. More raptors are being sighted soaring over head. Most of the grasses are starting to brown up. Fall colors have peaked in the area as many tree species have lost their leaves. A few hickory and maple trees are brilliant yellow and red while many oaks are just turning brown. During the early part of this week the cold temperatures really knocked back the box elder bugs and Asian beetles. The White Pelicans can be seen around the Prairie du Chien area soaring over head or resting at the mouth of the Wisconsin River. Pool 9 near Lynxville and Ferryville has good numbers of Pelicans. Cormorants are also using Pool 9 in large numbers. A variety of other waterfowl species are starting to show up in the area. The duck season re-opened last weekend. Duck hunting on the Lower Wisconsin River was fair with some wood ducks, mallards, and teal still hanging around. Hunting in the Prairie du Chien area varied. The Lower Bottoms (Wisconsin River Delta) produced some mallards, teal and wood ducks. The Ambro complex produced teal, wood ducks and some mallards also. Hunters up in Pool 9 reported pretty good success. In the Ferryville-Lansing area success was good as quite a few mallards were in the area. The islands outside of Lynxville had some action but not as good as the Ferryville area. The Exterior Canada goose season is open in Mississippi River sub-zone. Hunters report fair amount of geese in the area. Most hunters report that the geese seem to be a little decoy shy indicating they are probably local birds. Archery deer hunters report pretty good activity. Visibility in the woods is getting a lot better. Bucks are starting the early stages of rutting as many scrapes are being located in the area.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - Fall colors are well past peak in the area. Barred and great horned owls, Canada geese and pileated woodpeckers, have been heard or spotted recently. Fishing on the Cornell Flowage has been a bit slow due to the weather, and a drop off in the number of people fishing. Hikers have many great opportunities within the park. Whether it’s using the island’s trail system, exploring the wilder areas of the park, or a brisk walk on the park road, you’re sure to enjoy these beautiful woodlands. The South Campground is open year round with electric sites, hand water pump, and pit toilets available. The dump station remains open, though the water has been turned off until spring. The North Campground will remain open through the first weekend in November with water and pit toilet facilities being available.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - Park visitors have been enjoying the fall weather for hiking and fishing. Canoes and kayaks are still available for renting. The fishing pier and boat boarding piers will be removed Weds. Oct. 18. The early bow season is open in the park and both wildlife areas. Small game, waterfowl and trapping are allowed in wildlife areas A and B. Fall turkey is allowed in Wildlife Area B only. Deer may be registered at the park office when it is open. Most backpack sites have been closed but some sites are open during the week and on the weekend. Water is available at the park office and in group camp.
Last Revised: Thursday October 19 2006
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/or/
