Following last weekend’s rain, the wind shifted out of the north bringing both cooler air to Wisconsin and providing ideal conditions for migrating birds. This cold front took some of the summer birds out of Wisconsin and at the same time brought northern birds into the state. Among recent arrivals are the Canada geese that nest on the Hudson Bay lowlands of northern Ontario. These are the birds that comprise the tremendous flocks that gather at Horicon Marsh each fall. Migratory geese have begun to arrive at the marsh and should number at least 100,000 by early October and reach a peak of 200,000 birds by late October.
There was also a significant raptor movement this week, with the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory [www.hawkridge.org] (exit DNR) in Duluth recorded more than 20,000 raptors on Monday with the majority being broad-winged and sharp-shinned hawks. Other migrant raptors include osprey, northern harrier, peregrine falcon, merlin and American kestrel.
The changing weather of the past week made for some challenging fishing conditions, but fishing success has been generally good. In the north, walleye have become more active and anglers were having increased success. Musky fishing continued to be very good with live suckers starting to getting a fair amount of action. Largemouth bass are starting their heavy fall feeding binge. Many bass have been cruising the shallow-water weed beds. Panfish success has been improving with crappie showing up near the shallow-water weed lines.
Anglers have been bringing in some good catches of bluegill in channels and streams off of Lake Butte des Morts. Perch fishing has been good on Lake Winnebago. An occasional walleye was being caught along the channel on the Fox River of Green Bay. Lake Michigan anglers had a decent weekend despite having to contend with some high seas and rainy weather. Trollers had mixed success trolling shallow seeking the salmon that are staging for fall spawning runs. The staging salmon continue to keep the shore and pier anglers busy. Coho and chinook salmon have been caught from the piers in Algoma, Kewaunee and Two Rivers, where one angler landed a 17-pound chinook salmon. Chinook salmon have begun migrating upstream on the West Twin River. Shore fishing has picked up at the more southern Lake Michigan ports as well. Chinooks were caught at Sheboygan, Port Washington and Milwaukee. Shore anglers fishing near the mouths of the Root and Pike rivers have caught some chinooks and browns. The Root River Steelhead Facility is not yet in operation, but the facility should be running in a couple of weeks.
The Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien was at about 7 feet this week. Nice catches of bass, catfish, and bluegills were being reported.
Dove hunters have been having fair success on the public hunting grounds in the sunflower plots. Goose hunters have been having limited success as many of the fields still have standing crops.
September is the month in which white-tailed deer shed their summer hair and replace it with winter hair. It takes several months for a deer to obtain a complete winter coat. Summer coats are reddish-brown and rather short and thin, while winter coats are brownish-gray, dense, and long. Deer hair is hollow, trapping more insulating air than non-hollow hair. Winter deer hair insulates so well that a deer may become covered with a layer of snow during a snowstorm that does not melt.
Monarch butterflies migrating south have been seen in the hundreds near Lake Mills. The next few weeks may be a good time for late season mushrooms as recent rains have soaked the ground and warm daytime temperatures provide good growing conditions.
Fall color is slowly starting to increase, with a handful of counties in northern and central Wisconsin now reporting colors from 25 to 50 percent on the Department of Tourism’s Fall Color Report (exit DNR)..
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:
Migration continues statewide with recent fronts that have moved through Wisconsin. This week has brought the first push of northern geese and ducks into the area. Birders early this week reported snow, Ross's, cackling and migrant Canada geese statewide. Shorebird migration continues along where there is adequate habitat. Dominant shorebird migrants this week included lesser and greater yellowlegs, pectoral sandpipers and some of the larger plovers. Good spots to watch shorebirds include flooded fields in the Columbia and Dodge county area, Lake Mills Wildlife Area, and Fish Lake Wildlife Area. This week also brought the first significant raptor movement of the year. Hawk Ridge in Duluth recorded more than 20,000 raptors on Monday with the majority being broad-winged and sharp-shinned hawks. Other migrant raptors include osprey, northern harrier, peregrine falcon, merlin and American kestrel. Passerines continue to move through the area. This week should mark the beginning of the end for Neotropical migrants including warblers, thrushes and vireos. Southern Wisconsin got its first batch of late migrants including white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler, and yellow-bellied sapsucker. Birders can expect more migration throughout the next week. Sparrow migration should begin to heat up. To see migrant sparrows seek out prairie restorations with lots of seed, fallow fields and brushy open areas. As always, please report sightings to eBird at
www.ebird.org/WI (exit DNR) to help better track bird populations.
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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - Animals are busily working on building up their fat reserves or storing their winter cache. Acorns and black walnuts are falling providing numerous animals such as deer, bear, and squirrels some much needed energy. Leaves have started changing color giving the northland splashes of bright colors. According to recent history, peak color for Brule has been around the last week of September, although heavy frost and wind can make the leaves drop sooner. For more information on how and why leaves change color see [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/veg/trees/treestruecolor.htm]. Over the past week 2 3/4 inches of rain has fallen at the Brule Ranger station. Although the rains temporarily brought the river up to normal levels, the flow is now back down to 119 cfs (cubic feet per second), below the average of 137 cfs. Anglers are reminded that the inland trout season closes September 30. The Bois Brule River trout season will close on this date from it's headwaters in Solon Springs to Highway 2 in Brule. The stretch of the Bois Brule River from Highway 2 to Lake Superior will remain open until November 15.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) -The continually changing weather of the past week has made for some challenging fishing conditions -- but fishing success has been generally good. The best news is that the walleye have gotten more active and anglers were having increased success with this species. Walleye are starting to show up in shallow water and along weed lines, with minnows and crank baits producing some decent catches. Look for this pattern to continue to develop into the fall. Musky fishing continues to be very good with most of the fish being seen along weed lines, around mid-depth cover, and in the scattered weed beds. Bucktails and large stick baits have been the favorite lures, though live suckers have also been getting a fair amount of action. Largemouth bass fishing has shown the most consistency of the season so far, with the fish starting their heavy fall feeding binge. Many bass have been cruising the shallow-water weed beds -- especially on sunny and warm days, and have been caught on top waters and soft plastics. The mid-depth cover has still produced quite a few fish, with some nice 4- to 5-pounders caught near woody structure and deeper bog edges. Smallmouth bass action continues to be fair, with the fish still being found on hard bottoms near wood and deep-water areas. Panfish success has been improving with crappie showing up near the shallow-water weed lines. Small minnows fish a foot below a bobber in the late evening hours has been producing some nice catches.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Weather was the big story this week with cooler than normal temperatures and some much needed rain. This did not play well with the fishing community. Water temperatures at the landings have dropped to 68 degrees, water clarity has been good but fishing pressure has, on the whole, been light. A few salmon were being caught off the light house pier fishing the Michigan side of the bay using spoons, gold seems to be the color of choice. The smallmouth bass bite dropped off to next to nothing and the only other fish being caught with regularity have been sturgeon below the Hattie Street Bridge, strictly catch and release. Little River is the place getting the most attention with numerous chinooks from 16 to 20 pounds being caught. The bite takes place after dark and due to the limited space where anglers are able to set up a person must get there early. Reports of walleye being caught out by Green Island using crawler/harness continue.
Oconto County - Perch anglers out of the Oconto Breakwater have been having a tough time of it; the weather is making it hard to locate and then stay on the fish. A few chinook were still being caught off the breakwater on spoons but the numbers have dropped since last week. Stiles Dam, which has been a prime spot for bluegill, has come up empty this week.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County – An occasional walleye was being caught along the channel on the Fox River of Green Bay. Anglers fishing from shore were catching rough fish on worms. Along the west shore and east shore of the bay, the walleye and yellow perch bite have been slow and spotty. Finding these fish is the first big challenge; then, the challenge is getting them to bite. Few anglers were consistently finding good luck with these species. There has been no musky or northern action to report.
Manitowoc County - During the past week, anglers had a fair week of fishing on Lake Michigan near Manitowoc. Boat anglers had a decent weekend despite having to contend with some high seas and rainy weather. Most anglers were trolling in between 20 and 50 feet of water and were landing mostly chinook salmon with a few brown trout mixed in. Most anglers were running dipses or lead core line with dodger flies and spoons. Pier fishing was slow this past week with only a couple chinook salmon landed although many were visibly active especially on Sunday. Inside the harbor, chinook anglers had more action with the fishing pressure concentrated around the mouth and upstream to Associated Bank. Many anglers were having some success casting bright colored spoons but crank baits also seemed to produce some nice fish. Two Rivers anglers also had a fair week of fishing. Boat anglers had success trolling in 20 to 50 feet of water landing some nice chinook salmon, a few brown trout and an occasional coho salmon. Pier fishing was fair over the week and slowed down a little bit over the weekend due to unfavorable weather. Over the weekend anglers had some success fishing near Seagull Marina and the Coast Guard Station with spawn sacs and alewives or casting spoons. However, long hours of fishing produced only limited catches. On Sunday morning, one salmon angler was casting a blue and silver spoon and landed one 17 pound Chinook salmon and a nice northern pike that was around 32 inches in length. On the West Twin River, anglers had a fair week of fishing as chinook salmon have begun migrating upstream. Tuesday was an especially good day with a few salmon anglers harvesting a few large adult chinook salmon and one rainbow trout. Angler pressure was concentrated around the Shoto dam and anglers were mostly casting spinners and spoons or drifting a bobber and spawn sac. Further downstream, fly fishers were having some success salmon fishing. On Saturday, downstream from the Shoto Public Boat Launch one bass angler caught a few smallmouth bass and one northern pike. On the Manitowoc River salmon fishing was slow over the past week. Fishing pressure was low especially farther upstream. A few salmon anglers were fishing near Manitou Park and Mill Road on Sunday with no success.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - On the bay side of Door County and the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer Harbor area, yellow perch have been spotty and slow to bite. The Chaudoir’s and Rite’s Cove areas seem to be giving more success relative to other areas. The walleye bite on the North Reef is fair, but Larson’s Reef seems to be a bit better place to find them. Crawler harnesses are working as well as anything. Smallmouth bass have been biting along the shipping canal in approximately 20 feet of water. Drifting while using worms and plastics has been working well. The northern pike bite has increased over the last week. Along the shipping canal and shallower weed beds near shore and reefs are good places to find them. Many large musky inhabit these same areas.
Peninsula State Park - Fall colors are just starting to emerge. Expect the peak colors in mid October. Weather has been dry but recent rains have greened things up. All park facilities are open and in good condition. All trails are open and in very good condition, though somewhat dry. Watch for pelicans, cormorants and eagles over the waters of Green Bay. Interesting wildflowers include the fringed gentians along the park's shoreline. All campgrounds are open through the middle of October. Peninsula State Park golf course is open until the end of October. American Folklore Theatre’s summer season over. Eagle Bluff Lighthouse remains open for tours seven days per week.
Kewaunee County - The salmon spawning run continues to keep the shores and piers busy in both Algoma and Kewaunee. There were better days than others on the piers this past week, but fish continue to be caught. Coho and chinook salmon have been caught from the piers, and possibly an occasional brown trout. Depending on water clarity each day, fishing plugs worked better in clearer water and spoons worked better in cloudier water. Salmon have also been caught from the Kewaunee pier fishing with marshmellows on a sinker and hook three way swivel set up. Early mornings and later evenings still typically provide a better chance for success. Trolling out on Lake Michigan is still quite busy during weekends and slower during the week. There has been mixed success for boats trolling shallow seeking the running salmon. Other boats have continued to catch younger salmon and an occasional rainbow trout out as far as 80-100 feet. The salmon run will continue to get anglers out on the water at least through the next few weeks.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Anglers are bringing in some good catches of bluegill in channels and streams off of Lake Butte des Morts. Perch fishing has also been good this past week on Lake Winnebago. Reports are varying on walleye action. Winnebago and Waupaca counties are currently looking at setting a speed ordinance on the Wolf River. The fish crew recently collected 455 bass from Black Otter Lake in Hortonville. The lake is being drained in an effort to remove the invasive vegetation that has taken over. The fish were relocated to an area private pond. A portion of these fish will then be tested for disease before returning to Black Otter Lake at the completion of the project.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan anglers fishing off the south pier and in the harbor have been catching a few chinooks and browns on spoons and spawn. Water levels on the Sheboygan River are up somewhat, and a few chinooks have been caught near the mouth on spawn. Trollers have been catching fair numbers of browns, coho, and chinooks. Fish have been taken both near the Sheboygan harbor as well as 40 to 80 feet down in 70 to 130 feet of water.
Ozaukee County - In Port Washington, shore fishing has picked up, and chinooks and browns have been caught in the harbor and near the power plant on spawn. Trollers in Port Washington have had the most success fishing 45 to 80 feet down in 80 to 120 feet of water. Chinooks and coho have been taken on J-plugs and flasher and fly combinations.
Milwaukee County - Shore anglers in Milwaukee have been catching chinooks off McKinley pier before sunrise. Chartreuse and silver spoons have produced the most fish. A few chinooks have also been taken from Oak Creek. Milwaukee trollers have been catching chinooks and a few coho in 40 to 100 feet of water. Flasher and fly combinations and glow spoons have been most productive in the early morning hours.
Racine County - In Racine shore fishing has been slow overall, but a few chinooks have been caught in the harbor near the mouth of the Root River and off the south pier. Glow in the dark spoons fished early in the day have provided the most action. Racine trollers have been catching a few chinooks and lake trout in 100 to 120 feet of water, and mature chinooks have been taken inshore near the mouth of the Root River. Shore anglers fishing the Root River have caught some chinooks and browns from the Washington Park area, and natural flies and spawn have taken the most fish there. The Root River Steelhead Facility is not yet in operation, but the facility should be running in a couple of weeks. Please check back for updates.
Kenosha County - For shore anglers in Kenosha, a few chinooks have been caught in the harbor on crank baits and near the mouth of the Pike River on gold spoons. Kenosha trollers have been catching chinooks and a few lake trout, but fishing has been inconsistent. Most fish have been caught from around 100 feet of water, but some chinooks have also been caught off the mouth of the Pike River.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Grant County
Wyalusing State Park - The Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien is 7 feet, up .2 from yesterday. Nice catches of bass, catfish, and bluegills are being reported by local anglers. Trails that are open are in good hiking condition. There are a number of campsites open on a first come, first served basis available for this weekend in the Homestead Campground. The forecast for this weekend is close to perfect – temperatures in the mid to upper 70s during the day and mid 50s during the night, with very little chance of rain. Peak fall color is still a few weeks away, but it is still beautiful in the park and surrounding area. The bright red of the sumacs and the yellow of the goldenrod add a splash of color to the landscape. A few sugar maples are showing signs of the beauty yet to come. The few hummingbirds remaining at the park office continue to delight park visitors. The hummingbirds that are here now are most likely migrant birds on their way south. Recent sightings in the park include: turkey vulture, hummingbird, red-headed woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, Eastern wood peewee, rough-winged swallow, blue jay, American crow, red-breasted nuthatch, white-breasted nuthatch, house wren, Eastern bluebird, Swainson’s thrush, robin, catbird, cedar waxwing, red-eyed vireo, Tennessee warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, magnolia warbler, black and white warbler, rose-breasted grosbeak, Eastern towhee, chipping sparrow, gold finch, chickadee, mourning dove, & wild turkey. Blackbirds and grackles are starting to head south. If you are inundated with them one day, be patient and the flock will move on in a day or two. Keep at least one feeder filled with plain safflower – blackbirds will keep out of it.
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Following the weekend rain, the wind shifted out of the north bringing both cooler air to Wisconsin and providing ideal conditions for migrating birds. This cold front took some of the summer birds out of Wisconsin and at the same time brought northern birds into the state. Among recent arrivals are the Canada geese that nest on the Hudson Bay lowlands of northern Ontario. These are the birds that comprise the tremendous flocks that gather at Horicon Marsh each fall. These geese begin to arrive in mid-September and reach a peak of 200,000 birds by late October. A variety of ducks came streaming into the area as well with some significant flocks having recently been sighted. Along with the waterfowl, migrant warblers, thrushes and other songbirds are coming through the area providing good birdwatching opportunities. As cold fronts periodically pass through during the fall season, the birds will be traveling south as they are aided by favorable winds. Therefore, birdwatchers should get out several times over the next month or so since the variety of birds present will change every week or so, marking the progress of the season. Fall colors in this part of the state are barely noticeable at this time, but will soon be changing. The next several weeks will mark not only the peak of the bird migration, but also the peak time for visitors coming to Horicon Marsh to enjoy our wildlife. By early October there should be at least 100,000 Canada geese at Horicon Marsh, plus numerous ducks and other birds and as the fall colors begin to peak so will visitor numbers as people come out to enjoy the season and the sight of thousands of geese and a brilliant background of fall colors. The next few weeks may also be a good time for late season mushrooms as recent rains have soaked the ground and warm temperatures provide good growing conditions. The asters and goldenrods are in full bloom at this time of year adding to a typical late summer landscape.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Jefferson County - Anglers have been catching a few catfish below the lower dam in Watertown on stink bait, chicken livers and worms. Most of the fish are under 12 inches; however, a few have been in the 2- to 3-pound range. Dove hunters have been having fair success on the public hunting grounds in the sunflower plots. Dove numbers coming into the fields are down from the past couple years. Goose hunters have been having limited success as many of the fields still have standing crops. Those hunters locating the harvested fields and the hayfields were getting some birds coming in to feed. Monarch butterflies migrating south have been seen in the hundreds on the Zeloski public hunting grounds by Lake Mills. A few maple trees are beginning to turn red and orange most likely due to the dry conditions before the recent rain. All other trees are still green.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State park - A few reports of crappies being caught off the dam have come in, along with a report of trout trying to migrate up Willow Falls. Deer fawns still have a reddish coat but the adults are taking on the winter color of gray. The bucks are still not easily seen. Wild turkey broods are commonly seen in the hills between the campground and the ponds. We see them regularly at the office. The 7th Annual Trail Run will be Saturday, Sept. 20. This is a fundraiser for the Willow River OWLs, the park’s Friends group. Pick the 5K or 10K course, both will be challenging with the hilly terrain. A map of the routes is posted inside the office. Registration is at 7:30 a.m. with the run events scheduled to leave at 8 a.m. Relatively few have registered in advance. A delay in the start of the run is expected with same day registrations. Weather forecasts are just right. Fees are $15 for adults, $5 for those under 13 yrs old. The park office will be open early for those vehicles without annual stickers. Campers take notice; only two weekends remain with full services in the campground. Water gets turned off in all campground and day use areas the week of Sept. 29. Flush toilets and showers will be closed from then until May, 2009. Electric sites tend to be reserved first for these last weeks of full services and into October. Deer hunting flyers are available for the coming hunting seasons starting in November. Parts of the park will be open for gun hunting starting Nov. 22 ending Nov. 30. The archery season runs from Dec. 1 to Jan. 4, 2009. There are no extra days to gun hunt antlerless deer within the park. There are extra days within Zone 60M, which surrounds the park. Hikers are reminded that some trails in the park partially border, or are entirely within open hunting zones. Trails that partially border the open hunting area include the Trout Brook Trail, The Willow Falls Trail, and the Burkhardt Trail comes close to the hunting area. The Mound Trail is within an open hunting area. If you are uncomfortable with gun hunting nearby in the park, plan other activities away from the park during the nine day gun season. Archery hunting season tends to be very light in terms of hunters and a non factor for most hikers or skiers. All of Kinnickinnic State Park is open for deer hunting on the same dates.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
September is the month in which white-tailed deer shed their summer hair and replace it with winter hair. It takes several months for a deer to obtain a complete winter coat. Summer hair is reddish-brown and rather short and thin. Winter hair, on the other hand, is brownish-gray, dense, and long. Deer hair is hollow, trapping more insulating air than non-hollow hair. Winter deer hair insulates so well that a deer may become covered with a layer of snow during a snowstorm that does not melt.
Perrot State Park - All trails are in good condition. Fishing is fast or slow depending on the day and your perspective and the water level is low. Birds continue to stage for migrations and many are moving through right now. Bird activity is very high overall. Maples are turning, Virginia creeper is stunning and walnuts are dropping yellow leaves whenever the wind blows. Canoe and kayak rentals continue to be popular ways of appreciating the fall weather and colors and the water in Trempealeau Bay is perfect for a lazy fall paddle. All sites are open for camping. The upper flush toilet/shower building is open only on weekends now. The lower flush toilet/shower building is open every day. the dump station is open and potable water is available.
Great River State Trail - The trial is open and in good condition. The remnant prairie character of the old railway beds is dominant on the landscape right now with the prairie grasses stunning to behold. A few sunflowers, compass plants and cup flowers continue to hang on and the goldenrods are in full glory.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - The open water game fish action has been good this past week. Bass action on spinner baits and float baits has been productive, walleye action has been spotty. There has been good musky action on Cornell flowage and below the Cornell dam. Pan fish action has been increasing in the bays as the water temperature begins to drop. Park trails are generally dry and in very good condition. Species of birds seen or heard include: ravens, loons, robins, red polls, a variety of wrens, phoebes, turkey vultures, piliated woodpeckers, great horned and barred owls, osprey, and bald eagles. Wintergreen, common mullein, white snakeroot, marsh skullcap, lesser daisy fleabane, Joe Pye weed, pearly everlasting, marsh hedge nettle, the water lilies, some of the aster varieties, a few great blue cardinal flowers are flowering.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - The park is open for early and late season for bow hunting (no special hunting permit is required). New hunting maps are available for the park and wildlife areas. Small game, waterfowl and trapping are allowed in the Yellow River Wildlife Area and in Buckhorn Wildlife Area only, not in the park. Deer can be registered at the park office when it is staffed. All other hunting is allowed in Yellow River Wildlife Area. Several spike bucks were seen by hunters during opening weekend. Visitors have been enjoying the picnic areas and beaches and renting canoes/kayaks. Remember, park stickers are required for Launch C and D and there are no additional launch fees. There are still a couple openings for the youth deer hunt -- contact the park office for more information. The photo contest ends soon on Sept 30. Categories are people using the park, open, plants, animals, and one for photographers under 18 yrs old. Fall colors are starting to change along Hwy 58 between Mauston and the park.
Roche-A-Cri State Park - There are many quiet sites available during the week and on the weekend. There are a few mosquitoes so remember your bug spray. Friendship Lake is about 1 mile south of the park and has a nice beach and swimming area. Hunting is not allowed in the park. There is a hunter parking lot on Cypress Ave for the Roche-A-Cri natural area east of Highway 13. The photo contest ends on Sept. 30. Categories are people using the park, open, plants, animals, and one for photographers under 18 yrs old.
Last Revised: Thursday September 18 2008
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