Study suggests substantial barrier to transmission of chronic wasting disease to humans
Much has been written and suspected about chronic wasting disease (CWD) and its ability to become zoonotic, or “jump” from animals to humans.
Wisconsin Bass Team Trail anglers take on Lake Mohawksin
Early season tournaments can be tricky as fish have a tendency to be anywhere from pre spawn to post spawn come tournament day.
Musky opener setting up to be good for anglers
This weekend marks the opening of musky season in the Northwoods. The Northern Zone opens on Saturday. For some anglers, this weekend is even bigger than the opening of game fish season.
Studies delve into how fish growth rates are changing as water warms
Several presenters got together for a recent webinar hosted by the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership. The webinar was a presentation of recent research into how climate change affects the growth of different fish species across the Upper Midwest.
When is the best time to fish a power shot?
The short answer is any time. But it is not necessarily that simplistic. First, the question to be answered is what, exactly, a power shot is. The power shot can be thought of as a “beefed up” version of the drop shot. It can be a great way to cover water and will help to keep the bait in the strike zone longer.
Fish Like a GIRL
Prepping to run the first tournament of the year
At the time of this writing, we are about to kick off our true tournament season in a few days. Chet and I are running our first tournament of the 2024 season on Lake Mohawksin. It is always fun, exciting and stressful getting the season underway again.
DNR deer advisory committee votes to change Oneida CDAC recommendation
Recommends 250 antlerless tags on public land
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) deer advisory committee met last week to review deer season recommendations that came from the County Deer Advisory Councils (CDACs), all of whom met over the last few weeks.
There are many lead free tackle alternatives
It is no secret that lead is not the best option for wildlife, for the environment, or for humans. Humans stopped using lead paint in their homes years ago.
Max Wolter spoke about walleye management in Wisconsin at this year’s Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention
Walleye, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries biologist Max Wolter said, are by far the most popular fish in the state.
Fish Like a GIRL
Fishing season finally kicks off
My favorite time of year is finally here — open water fishing season! It does bring with it the stress of running tournaments and making sure everything goes off without a hitch, that guys get along and everyone treats everyone with respect and all of those other things.
Chew on This!
Ingredients: • Fish - 1.5 lb cut into chunks • Salt brine (see below)
Vilas County forestry, recreation and land committee talks trails, campgrounds
Among other things, the Vilas County forestry, recreation and land committee talked about trails and campgrounds at their regularly scheduled May meeting.
2024 spring hearings results are in
Each year, on the second Monday in April the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) hold their annual spring hearings in each county in the state.
Smart anglers fish a stupid rig
A tube can be a fish’s favorite food. Tubes fall through the water column in a spiral, giving a different presentation from most other baits.
Choosing a turkey call can be a matter of personal preference
Spring turkey hunting is in full swing across the state. Turkey hunters increase their odds of bagging a bird with calls. There are three main types of turkey calls.
Fish Like a GIRL
Time to organize my jigs
The thing that is really funny about jigs is that I struggle when it comes to knowing how to organize them. It is easy to group jigs into three types: swim jigs, flipping jigs and finesse jigs. That is fairly simplistic.
Natural Resources Board approves emergency rule for Minocqua Chain
Governor to sign this week
Last Thursday the Natural Resources Board (NRB) approved the emergency rule for the Minocqua Chain that would open the chain up to state licensed hook and line fishing for walleye, which should be in place by later this week.
Oneida County Deer Advisory Council recommends fewer antlerless tags
Still looks to split county
The Oneida County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) met at the Woodruff Town Hall last week for the purpose of making recommendations about the number of antlerless tags that would be made available for the 2024 deer season.
Trust the Science Act passes House
Bill calls for delisting of wolves with no judicial review
The Trust the Science Act (H.R. 764), introduced by U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert passed the House of Representatives last week. The bill would see the gray wolf removed from the Endangered Species List and would also ensure the species would not be relisted through a lawsuit.
It's Opening Weekend! Anglers poised for good opening season conditions
Many fish post spawn and feeding
This weekend marks the opening of fishing season across the state of Wisconsin. It is a weekend to which anglers look forward all year. For many it marks the first trip out on the water since boats were winterized and put away last fall.
LdF Tribe spears 992 walleyes from Minocqua chain of lakes
Breaks 10 year no-harvest rehabilitation plan
For nine years a partnership has been formed looking at the health of walleye populations in the Minocqua Chain. What was once a thriving walleye fishery has had zero recruitment success, a cause of concern for many anglers.
Why are there so many types of fishing rods?
How power and action can help with catching more fish
Fishing rods come in different actions and different powers. But what do those terms mean and how should an angler know which to choose for which technique?
Proper launch ramp etiquette makes for a smoother opening weekend
Many an angler has tales to tell of something crazy that happened at a launch ramp. Many an angler also has tales of wasting time at a launch ramp when someone in front of them does not follow proper launch ramp etiquette.
‘Zombie’ deer disease causes sensationalized headlines
National Deer Association urges hunters to consider study cautiously
Many out-of-state media sources have taken to calling Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) the “Zombie Deer Disease,” but that is not as far as the sensationalized headlines go. Recently a headline appeared in Field & Stream and elsewhere touting a tale of two hunters who “died after eating CWD-positive deer meat.”
Hodag Sports Club receives Club of the Year award from Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
The Hodag Sports Club was founded in 1946 by a group of diehard fishermen. The original purpose of the club was to secure easements for boat landings around the Rhinelander area, thereby creating more access for anglers.
Fish Like a GIRL
How I organize my soft plastics
As promised, this week I am going to dive into how I organize my soft plastics. As a tournament angler, I must use all artificial baits and lures. The reason for that rule is two-fold.
Groskopf racks up awards for tireless work on wolves
Receives awards from Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
Many hunters and other outdoorsmen and women have heard the name Laurie Groskopf. She has been a member of the Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association, The Farm Bureau, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and has been involved in many conservation efforts over the years.
County Deer Advisory Councils to meet next week
Will make antlerless recommendations
Each county in the state has a County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) that is charged with making some decisions regarding the county’s fall deer hunt.
Prep now to ensure a good start to the fishing season
Life is busy and it can be easy to put off things such as basic boat maintenance. However, taking some time this weekend to check through the boat and go over all equipment can make for a much better start to the fishing season next weekend.
Hunter Nation wolf session brings varying opinions on wolf populations in the North
Last week, Hunter Nation held a listening session in Park Falls regarding issues rural people have been having with wolves.
Fish Like a GIRL
Time to get that tackle bag ready!
With only one week left to the opening of fishing season, I realized the other day that I need to get to work on my tackle bag, reels and everything else I need to kick off the season.
LdF tribe likely to harvest Minocqua Chain one year early of 10-year no harvest plan
Emergency rule would allow for state angler harvest
For the second year in a row the Lac du Flambeau Tribe has declared it will allow tribal spearing on the Minocqua Chain.
Zach Feiner talks about phenological whiplash and what it means to fisheries
Phenology refers to the timing of biological events such as ice-off for lakes, migration of birds, budding of trees, breeding of fish and other events that are cyclical in nature depending on the seasons.
April is citizen science month
Citizen science, as the name implies, are science programs that use citizen volunteers to gather data that is ultimately put into a large database. That database then can be used by researchers and wildlife managers to make management decisions.
Understanding the emerald ash borer
PJ Liesch from the University of Wisconsin Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab recently gave a talk regarding the emerald ash borer (EAB). Liesch said he has been working with this invasive pest for 18 years or more in one way or another.
Fish Like a GIRL
Gardening for birds
I spent some time this last weekend cleaning up my bird feeders, refilling my suet feeder and, in general, taking stock of the birds I am seeing.
Reduce spring run off by keeping water where it falls
Keeping rain water from turning into ecologically damaging runoff can be tricky for home owners and even business owners. But there are several strategies that can be used to keep rain water where it falls on the landscape. Melinda Meyers held a talk last week regarding run off and how to keep rain water where it falls rather than having it run off into streams, lakes or even municipal storm water systems. She posed several options for home owners looking to reduce run off, even in heavy rain events.
Chew on This!
Dandelion wine
Longtime readers know I am a big fan of dandelions. Dandelion greens can be used in salads and for many other recipes. The flowers can be used for dandelion honey.
Governor Evers vetoes bucks-only bill for Northern hunters
Other vetoes include wolf population goal
With last fall’s deer harvest down almost 30 percent in the Northern Forest from 2022 and over down over 19 percent from the five year average, many hunters in the Northwoods showed grave concern for the deer herd. The Winter Severity Index (WSI) was severe for many areas of the north last year, but that, coupled with an increase in uncontrolled predator numbers, hunter said, were causing a great downturn in deer numbers seen in the woods.
Wolf conflicts not reported properly
Recently there have been a number of people on social media talking about wolf conflicts they have experienced around the Northwoods. However, without proper reporting, these conflicts cannot be confirmed and issues with wolves cannot be properly addressed.
Cool- and cold-water fish likely affected most by climate patterns
Bright Spots Program shows the picture to not be all ‘doom and gloom’
Dr. Holly Embke was this month’s Science on Tap presenter and spoke about Midwest fisheries and how changes in climate might affect our fisheries.
Presentation takes ‘A new look at an old way to fix broken lakes’
The Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership hosts lake conservation webinars to share science, management and outreach efforts with stakeholders and partners.
Fish Like a GIRL
It’s big out there
It may come as surprise to some (but certainly not to others) that I sometimes have a hard time quieting my mind enough to boil down what I truly want to talk about in my column each week.
Another reason to ‘Clean, Drain, Dry’
Wild trout found with previously undetected parasite
Many anglers and boaters have heard of the Clean, Drain, Dry Program. The program looks to spread the word about not spreading aquatic invasive species.
Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey kicks off
Volunteers still needed
Citizen science volunteers will soon be headed out into the field to complete road surveys for the Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey.
Clean Boats Clean Waters training set for the Northwoods
In person and virtual options available
Clean Boats Clean Waters watercraft inspectors are the front line defense when it comes to education surrounding keeping aquatic invasive species out of the lakes of the Northwoods and beyond.
Hydrologic general permit to focus on net hydrologic improvements
Tom Nedland, a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) section manager in the waterways program, spoke at the Wetland Science Conference about the new general permit that has been developed by the department to promote the hydrologic restoration of streams, wetlands and floodplains. The permit is called the hydrologic general permit.
Seed saving vegetable gardens keep pantries full for years
Tips for getting started
Horticulture educator Lisa Johnson gave a presentation through the University of Wisconsin Extension teaching about how to plan for a seed saving garden.
Fish Like a GIRL
About the insurmountable task of classifying lakes county-wide
Last week I met with the advisory committee looking to assist in creating a classification system for all of Oneida County’s lakes. I am truly enjoying working on this committee and being a part of a project that seems daunting to say the least. The more we talked in the meeting, the more sides of the conversation came out, and the bigger the project seemed, in many ways.
Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership looks at lake ice and long-term temperature shifts
UW-Madison study shows effects on walleye reproduction
Long-term shifts in overall temperatures and variability of ice on and off can have dramatic consequences for lake ecosystems. Over half of the world’s lakes have seasonal ice.