justnorth posted on December 08, 2007 01:59 :: 752 Views
Wisconsin was blanketed by two snow storms in the last week that left anywhere from six inches to more than a foot of snow on the ground, enticing many winter recreational enthusiasts outdoors. Many state parks and forests have begun grooming cross-country ski trails. Some parks update their trail conditions on their current conditions pages of the DNR Web site, but contact the state park or forest office directly for the most current conditions. Snowmobilers are also anxious to hit the trails, but they need to remember that trails are opened on a county by county basis, and riding the trails before they are officially open is trespass. Volunteer trail clubs need time to clear and groom trails before they are opened. Additionally, there is a four-day antlerless only deer hunt that runs from Thursday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 9. Some counties and snowmobile clubs are waiting until after this hunt to open snowmobile trails. Snowmobile, cross-country and downhill ski condition information is also available through the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s online Snow Conditions Report.
This weekend’s antlerless deer hunt is open statewide, and is an excellent opportunity for hunters to help reduce deer populations that are currently above established goals in most of the state as well as to prequalify for any Earn-a-Buck requirements that may be in place in 2008. Deer management units that are on the watch list for possibly being Earn-a-Buck in 2008 can be found in the deer hunting section of the 2007 Wisconsin Fall Hunting Forecast. Hunters can harvest an antlerless deer in Earn-a-Buck and Herd Control deer management units with the free antlerless EAB & Herd Tag they received with their license if they have not already used it, or additional tags for those units are available for $2 at any license vendor. Hunters in regular units may only harvest an antlerless deer with a unit-specific antlerless tag, which are available at $12 each for most regular units, though a few have now sold out. With the antlerless gun season going on through Sunday, skiers, snowshoers, Christmas tree cutters and anyone else venturing out into the outdoors this weekend is encouraged to wear blaze orange or other bright colors.
Some lakes in northern Wisconsin now have as much as six inches of ice, though the larger lakes that just froze over may have areas with just an inch or two of ice, so anglers and others venturing out on frozen lakes need to be extremely cautious. As always, check ice depths regularly as you venture out. Larger lakes in southern Wisconsin are starting to freeze along shorelines, but most remain open at this time. There have been a few early-season ice anglers creeping out onto northern lakes, but their success has been generally low, with only a few nice catches of walleye reported.
Cold temps and snow throughout the state have pushed many of the late migrant waterfowl and other birds out of the state. Small numbers of swans, ducks and geese remain along the Mississippi River. Bald eagles are congregating along the Mississippi and are feeding on the ducks and coots that died-off from trematode infections, which have pretty much stopped now that most waterfowl have migrated. Bohemian waxwings and pine grosbeaks are being seed at being seeing near fruiting trees in northern Wisconsin. Good numbers of northern shrikes are being seen in southern Wisconsin. Longspurs, snow buntings and horned larks have been easy to find with the increased snow cover.
And for those looking for stocking stuffers or holiday gifts for the outdoors lover on their list, 2008 Wisconsin State Park and Forest admission stickers are on sale now at all park and forests offices and DNR service centers.
Article Source:
http://justnorth.com/Articles/tabid/105/articleType/AuthorView/authorID/12/justnorth.aspx