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DNR News

May 2, 2006

The DNR News is updated every Tuesday at noon. Click on the current issue link at left to reach the most current issue.
Previous DNR News are also available on-line.

Edited by Paul Holtan
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707
(608) 267-7517
Fax: (608) 264-6293
E-mail address: paul.holtan@dnr.state.wi.us

This Week's Articles

More than 400,000 fishing licenses sold before May 6 opening day

MADISON – Excitement is building for the 2006 regular inland fishing season, with more than 400,000 people already having bought their licenses before the May 6 opening day. As of early afternoon May 1, 418,866 people had purchased fishing licenses or patron licenses that bring fishing privileges.

“Opening day is a great Wisconsin tradition,” says Mike Staggs, Wisconsin’s fisheries director.

“Wisconsin has one of the highest participation rates in fishing, and the first day of the season is something anglers look forward to all winter. Now all we need is some good weather.”

Wisconsin typically sells about 1.4 million fishing licenses during the regular fishing season. That ranks Wisconsin fifth nationally in total number of licenses sold, behind more populous states such as Texas, California, and Florida.

“We always see brisk sales as we approach the fishing opener,” says Diane Brookbank, director of customer service and licensing for the Department of Natural Resources. “We don’t see long lines at the stores or DNR service centers like we do for deer hunting. But if the weather’s good leading up to the opener, we’ll sell a lot of licenses in the days right before the opener because buying a license is just one of those things a lot of people put off until they need to use it.”

Brookbank says that fishing license sales are somewhat dependent on the weather, unlike sales of deer hunting licenses. “You don’t have to go fishing on opening day -- you can wait another day because it’s such a long season,” she says. “On any nice summer day, anglers can quickly organize a fishing outing.”

The regular inland fishing season runs 10 months, closing March 4, 2007, for many game fish; some game fish seasons close earlier.

Fishing licenses can be purchased throughout the season in three quick and convenient ways:

Brookbank notes that purchasing a license on line is particularly convenient for those wanting to fish opening day. “You can print the license at home. Order it online, print it, you’re on the water,” she says.

Wisconsin fishing license sales have been stable over the years, bucking a national trend toward declining sales and participation. Staggs encourages anglers this year to take someone fishing who hasn’t been fishing before, or who hasn’t fished for a while.

“Getting more people involved in fishing is a great way to protect Wisconsin’s fishing culture and to help create the next generations of anglers who will look out for our aquatic resources,” Staggs says.

For anglers who haven’t yet planned where they’ll wet a line, Staggs recommends anglers go online to DNR’s Fishing Wisconsin page, found at <www.fishingwisconsin.org>, for information on good places to go fishing and the 2006 Wisconsin Fishing Report containing information from local fish biologists on fish populations. Anglers can also find a listing of waters where DNR was scheduled to stock catchable size trout (pdf, 21kb) before the May 6 opener; people without access to the Internet can contact their local fish biologist.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Staggs (608) 267-0796; Diane Brookbank (608) 267-7799

Anglers reminded to avoid spreading aquatic invasive species

MADISON – With the regular fishing season set to open Saturday, May 6, anglers are urged to take steps to avoid accidentally spreading aquatic invasive species in lakes and rivers to more waters. Despite boater surveys showing that 80 percent of boaters say they take the necessary steps to prevent their spread, in 2005 zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil were documented in 31 new waters, a typical rate of introduction in recent years.

“The good news is that boaters are changing their behavior – 80 percent are complying based on our 2003 boater survey, up from 39 percent in a similar survey in 1994,” says Ron Martin, who coordinates invasive species management efforts for the Department of Natural Resources.

“The vast majority of Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes and 44,000 miles of streams don’t have the aquatic invasive species,” he says. “But 20 percent of 600,000 boaters not complying is still a problem, and new infestations are a problem. All it takes is a couple of careless boaters and more waterbodies become infested.”

More than 160 invasive aquatic species have entered the Great Lakes over the last 150 years and some are spreading to inland waters where they can affect lake ecosystems and hamper recreation. The major way they spread is aboard boats and boat trailers, and in bait buckets and bilge water.

Numbers of waters with invasives grows,
but may reflect increased monitoring

The most common and problematic invasive species in Wisconsin waters are the Eurasian water milfoil, a plant that grows thick mats just below the water’s surface that can interfere with boating and swimming, and zebra mussels, a small but prolific mussel which can disrupt ecosystems, clog boat engines and utility intakes, and whose sharp shells can cut the feet of beachgoers.

Reproducing adult zebra mussel populations were confirmed in 2005 in 11 new lakes and two river segments, bringing to 92 the number of inland waters with the nonnative mollusk. The waters are: Clark Lake in Door County; Rock Lake in Jefferson County; Oconto Falls Pond and Oconto River (from Oconto Falls Pond to the Machickanee Flowage); Shawano Lake in Shawano County; Pleasant Lake and Tombeau Lake in Walworth County; Beaver Lake, Eagle Spring Lake, Lake Keesus, and Pine Lake in Waukesha County; Partridge Lake and the Wolf River (from Partridge Lake to Lake Poygan) in Waupaca County.

Established Eurasian water milfoil populations were found in 18 new lakes and two river segments in 2005, bringing to 439 the number of waterbodies with established Eurasian water-milfoil populations. The waters are: Crooked Lake and Fenner Lake in Adams County; Eagle Lake (Pike Chain) in Bayfield County; Lake Hallie and Lake Wissota (Yellow River Basin) in Chippewa County; Big Twin Lake in Langlade County; Bullhead Lake in Manitowoc County; Lawrence Lake in Marquette County; and Horn Lake and Reservoir Pond in Oconto County. The Eagle River (1/4 mile upstream from Burnt Rollaways Dam), Sugar Camp Creek, Willow Lake and the Wisconsin River (below Rainbow Dam) in Oneida County; Callahan Lake, Mud Lake, and Osprey Lake in Sawyer County; and Long Lake in Shawano County; Arrowhead Lake and Silver Lake in Vilas County, were also added to the list.

Martin says it’s difficult to determine whether the lakes added to the list represent new introductions, or just the effects of increased monitoring. Just recently, for instance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed the presence in the Duluth/Superior Harbor of an invasive snail species from New Zealand found during a federal study looking for new invasive species in Great Lakes harbors. (see story below)

State and volunteer watercraft inspectors will again be at boat launches on many popular waters statewide for the fishing opener and throughout the boating season, educating boaters about invasive species and how to prevent transporting them. Conservation wardens will be increasing their attention to a 2001 law that prohibits people from launching a boat with an invasive species attached. They’ll be educating boaters about the law when they encounter them while enforcing fishing and boating laws, and issuing citations to boaters who refuse to follow the prevention steps and violate the law, according to Chief Conservation Warden Randy Stark.

To avoid accidentally transporting invasive species to other waters, before launching a boat and after leaving the boat launch at the end of the day, boaters should:

  • Inspect and remove aquatic plants, animals, and mud from boat and equipment before leaving the water access; Drain water from boat and equipment (motor, bilge, live wells, and bait containers) before leaving the water access;
  • Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash;
  • Spray/rinse boats and recreational equipment with high pressure and/or hot tap water;
  • Dry boats and equipment thoroughly for at least five days before launching into a different water body.

More information on invasive species, including maps showing which water bodies have zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil, can be found on the DNR Web site.

People concerned about invasive species are encouraged to participate in Wisconsin’s Invasive Species Awareness Month. For information on planning events or to learn about events already scheduled in Wisconsin, visit <http://invasivespecies.wi.gov> (exit DNR).

Trout fly fishers can help prevent
spread of newly discovered invasive mudsnail

The discovery of New Zealand mudsnails in the Duluth-Superior harbor has officials from state and federal natural resource agencies concerned about potential impacts on trout streams and calling on fly fishers and others to help prevent its spread. This is the first time the invasive species has been found in Minnesota or Wisconsin waters.

Mudsnails cause concern because their sheer numbers can disrupt ecosystems, as they’ve done in some Rocky Mountain trout streams where the invasive species is present, according to Doug Jensen, aquatic invasive species program coordinator for Minnesota Sea Grant. The snails can also spread easily, riding along in the mud on anglers’ boots and waders.

"They have adapted so well in mountain rivers that they have pushed out almost all of the native insects, snails, and other invertebrates that are important food for fish," Jensen says. "More than 700,000 snails per square meter cover some river bottoms. That's like having 585,000 snails in your bathtub!"

EPA confirmed the snail’s identity in April; more than 100 of them had been collected by a federal research team checking Great Lakes harbors for invasive species last fall.

New Zealand mudsnails are about the size of a peppercorn with spiral-shaped shells that are usually dark gray or dark brown to light brown and have five or six whorls. Some native snails look similar to the mudsnail, which makes identification difficult.

Martin, the Wisconsin DNR invasive species coordinator, worries that the mudsnails can spread easily on aquatic plants, waders, and other gear used in infested waters. They are able to close their shells, allowing them to survive out of water for days. Also, they can start new infestations because they can reproduce without mating, essentially cloning themselves.

Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources are working to designate the New Zealand mudsnail as a prohibited invasive species, making it illegal to import, transport, possess, and place mudsnails into other waters in those states. An exception is if a person is bringing the mudsnail to the DNR for identification or reporting purposes.

In addition to taking steps to remove invasive species from boats and trailers, Martin urges anglers and others who may use gear in infested waters to inspect and remove visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from waders, hip boots, and field gear before transporting. He also recommends rinsing such gear in hot water or drying it for five days before reusing.

People who think they’ve found a New Zealand mudsnail are asked to preserve the specimen in rubbing alcohol and report the sighting to Wisconsin DNR, (608) 266-9270 or Wisconsin Sea Grant, (920) 683-4697.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Martin (608) 266-9270; Mandy Beall (608) 267-3531

‘Clean Air Month’ marks start of ozone season in Wisconsin

MADISON – The warmer, sunnier weather that ushers in the month of May can also bring the onset of the ground-level ozone season, which typically runs from May through September in Wisconsin. To spotlight the potential adverse health effects associated with increased ground level ozone, the American Lung Association has designated May as Clean Air Month. Also, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has teamed with the National Weather Service in declaring May 15 -19 National Air Quality Awareness Week. More information on Air Quality Awareness Week can be found at <http://www.airnow.gov/airaware.cfm> (exit DNR).

“On hot, summer days, emissions from cars, power plants, large factories and other sources react in the presence of sunlight to form ground-level ozone that is harmful to people’s health,” explains Larry Bruss, Regional Pollutant and Mobile Source Section Chief with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Madison. “These emissions come from car exhaust and smoke stacks, and the evaporation of organic chemicals like gasoline and paint solvents, otherwise known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs. These same emissions also contribute to particle pollution, which often accompanies high ozone levels, although particle pollution can occur at any time of year.”

Ground-level ozone – the main component of smog – is chemically equivalent to the ozone in the upper atmosphere (called the ‘ozone layer’) that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Unlike the “good” atmospheric ozone, ground-level ozone is dangerous because it’s located at the surface where people can breathe it. High concentrations of ozone in the air can trigger health problems such as chest pain and coughing, and can aggravate conditions like asthma, bronchitis, heart disease and emphysema.

Everyone is affected by poor air quality, but those especially at risk are children, people with existing respiratory problems, the elderly, and healthy adults who spend a lot of time outdoors or engage in vigorous physical activity outside. Crops and other vegetation can also be damaged by ground-level ozone.

Air quality changes every day, but staying informed to keep oneself and one’s family healthy is as easy as checking the weather page of the newspaper or calling Wisconsin’s Daily Air Hotline at 1-866-DAILY AIR (1-866-324-5924) to find out the Air Quality Index for the day. The AQI is a color-coded scale that shows the level of ozone and other pollutants, like fine particles, in the air each day.

The Wisconsin DNR uses the AQI to report air quality at monitoring sites around the state. When the AQI goes above 100, or into the orange range, the air quality is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” If the AQI goes above 100 at any monitor in Wisconsin, the DNR issues an air quality advisory for the county where the monitor is located and any nearby counties that are experiencing the same air quality problem.

“Through everyone’s efforts, Wisconsin’s air quality has improved dramatically since the late 1980s, and even though we are on the right track, our air quality still has room for improvement,” Buss says.

Organizations like the Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air have been notifying people in southeastern Wisconsin of potentially high ozone levels for the past several years and, more recently, the Dane County Clean Air Coalition, and Jefferson, Winnebago and Fond du Lac County organizations have created action day programs when weather conditions and monitoring data suggest ozone or particle pollution may reach unhealthy levels in those parts of Wisconsin on the following day. In the event that ozone or particle pollution levels have already reached unhealthy levels for people in sensitive groups, the DNR will issue an Air Quality Advisory.

The DNR is also now sending out e-mail notices of Air Quality Watches and Advisories. Air Quality Watches are sent out when unhealthy pollution levels are forecast for the next day in one or more regions of Wisconsin. Air Quality Advisories are sent out when monitors show existing unhealthy pollution levels in one or more regions of Wisconsin. To sign up for the e-mail notification system. The current air quality conditions as reported by DNR monitors can be found on the DNR Web site.

When air pollution levels are forecast to reach the AQI orange level the next day, everyone is encouraged to take steps to help reduce the production of ground-level ozone and particle pollution. Such steps include:

  • filling vehicle gas tanks later in the day, when ozone is less likely to form;
  • making sure the gas cap is on tightly; turning it until it clicks three to five times insures a good seal;
  • car pooling instead of driving alone;
  • combining errands to reduce driving time;
  • riding the bus or a bike instead of driving;
  • postponing lawn mowing and other activities that use small gasoline or diesel engines until evening;
  • keeping gasoline engines well tuned; and
  • conserving electricity as much as possible around the house and at work.
Partners for Clean Air to award those who voluntarily improve air quality

The Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air – a consortium of Wisconsin businesses, community organizations, schools, government agencies and citizens committed to improving air quality through voluntary actions – will be presenting their awards at a “Clean Air Extravaganza” on Thursday, May 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the WE Energies auditorium, 231 W. Michigan St. in Milwaukee. There will also be presentations regarding the commuter rail project in southeastern Wisconsin and EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership.

The annual Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air Recognition Award honors outstanding voluntary efforts to improve air quality in the following ways:

  • Reducing emissions from businesses to improve air quality and minimize the imposition of stricter regulations;
  • Improving energy efficiency and economic competitiveness; and
  • Educating employees, students, and the public on individual ways to make an impact.
Program brings clean air curriculum to schools

Each spring, students in southeastern Wisconsin schools have another way to promote ozone-reducing actions by participating in the “School + Business = Clean Air” program, and poster and poetry contest. The program, originated by the Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air, area teachers and the DNR, offers curriculum materials designed to teach children the value of clean air and how to preserve it. This year’s student contest winners will also be announced at the Clean Air Extravaganza. For more information about the 2006 Clean Air Extravaganza, contact Jessica Lawent at (414) 263-8653.

For more information on air quality and action days programs nationwide, visit the Federal interagency air quality web site: <http://airnow.gov> (exit DNR).

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Bruss - (608) 267-7543 or Jerry Medinger - (414) 263-8659.

Wisconsin Outdoor Education Expo May 19-20

MADISON -- Children and families from throughout Wisconsin can strengthen their relationships with wildlife and habitat by participating in a wide variety of outdoors activities at the 2006 Wisconsin Outdoor Education Expo.

This inaugural event will be held May 19 and 20 at the Dodge County Fair Grounds in Beaver Dam. The event is free and open to the public. The general public does not need to register, but school groups are asked to complete a registration form to assist event planners. Friday, May 19, has been set aside for school groups and students and Saturday, May 20, has been designated for families, particularly those with children in fourth through sixth grades.

The Expo 2006 will focus on “hands-on” activities and participation intended to introduce school children to wildlife-related outdoor skills, natural resources, conservation and management concepts. The Expo will have seven separate “camps,” where kids and families will be able to learn about and participate in outdoor activities. These include archery, sporting dogs, camping and trail experiences, fishing, firearm safety, heritage and wildlife trail. In addition to the camps, there will be an exhibition space for sponsors to provide education and hands-on opportunities.

A primary goal of the Wisconsin Outdoor Expo is to offer people of all ages an opportunity to learn about and participate in a wide variety of outdoors activities as a way to introduce them to wildlife, encourage ethical behavior and perpetuate Wisconsin’s hunting, fishing and conservation heritage, according to Jeff Pritzl, a wildlife biologist who has represented the Department of Natural Resources on the Wisconsin Outdoor Alliance steering committee that is coordinating the event.

Pritzl says research indicates that family mentoring; hands-on education and participatory opportunities are critical in the development of lifelong outdoor enthusiasts.

“Building the appreciation at a young age and training youth in outdoor skills will foster a new generation of travelers who have an appreciation and a desire to protect Wisconsin’s natural resources,” he says.

The event begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m. each day. Food will be sold on the grounds; however, schools are welcome to provide sack lunches for students. The Dodge County Fair Grounds is located off of Highway 33 at Fabisch Road. More information and a registration form are available on the Expo Web site <http://www.wisexpo.com/> (exit DNR).

The Expo is being organized and supported by numerous agencies and organizations, including the Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Wisconsin Sporting Dogs Association, Trout Unlimited, Musky Clubs Alliance of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Wisconsin Bow Hunters Association, The Nature Conservancy and numerous other organizations and corporations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Pritzl - (920) 755-4983

Web site allows people to report waterbird observations

MADISON -- In an effort to help protect colonial waterbirds nesting in Wisconsin, a new Web site -- Wisconsin Colonial Waterbird Survey -- is available for people to submit data on waterbird observations.

The goal of the Web-based survey is to document the distribution, abundance, and changes over time of Wisconsin’s colonial waterbird breeding populations. Colonial waterbirds include such birds as egrets, grebes, gulls, herons, terns and cormorants.

The origins of the Wisconsin Colonial Waterbird Survey date back to the early to mid-1980s when the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources participated in Cornell University’s Colonial Waterbird Register, according to Sumner Matteson, an avian ecologist with the DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources.

“At that time, the Bureau of Endangered Resources submitted records of breeding gulls, terns, herons, and cormorants. We have considerable data for our endangered terns but we lack a comprehensive data bank for all of the 22 colonial waterbird species found in the state,” Matteson said. “Keeping track of the state’s colonial waterbirds will allow us to identify where our colonial waterbird breeding sites occur, monitor individual sites over time, and to provide these data to planners, managers, researchers, and concerned citizens.”

Observations of the following species can be reported through the Web site: red-necked grebe, eared grebe, western grebe, American white pelican, double-crested cormorant, least bittern, great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, cattle egret, green heron, black-crowned night-heron, yellow-crowned night-heron, little gull, Bonaparte’s gull, ring-billed gull, herring gull, great black-backed gull, Caspian tern, common tern, Forster's tern, black tern, and little gull.

The site is set up to streamline the data submission process for professional wildlife biologists and experienced volunteers who have conducted or are conducting colonial waterbird surveys during the course of spring and summer outdoor activities. However, anyone can access the Web site to submit data as long as they provide information in all of the required fields. People who would additional information or assistance in submitting data may contact Sumner Matteson at (608) 266-1571.

Web page a gateway to wetlands

Events, tours, advice on locating a wetland available

MADISON – Dozens of upcoming wetland tours and events, advice on how people can locate wetlands on their property, and downloadable resources to help get people started on restoring wetlands can now be found on a special Web page celebrating May as wetlands month.

“Wetlands are some of the most valuable natural resources in Wisconsin but they’re also some of the least understood. They’re much more than the cattail marshes that people typically think of,” says Cherie Wieloch, wetland team leader for the Department of Natural Resources. “Wetlands month is the perfect time to get people out to see and enjoy Wisconsin’s diverse wetlands and to learn why it pays to save wetlands.”

There are more than a dozen different types of wetlands found in Wisconsin, many of them not obvious as wetlands. The state has an estimated 5.3 million acres of wetlands, about half the original total before statehood. State, federal and local regulations now aim to save remaining wetlands by requiring projects to avoid damaging wetlands and the valuable benefits they provide: fish and wildlife habitat and recreation, flood control, and clean water.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Cherie Wieloch - (608) 266-7360

Water Conservation Symposium set for May 23 in Sheboygan

MADISON – Concerned citizens, elected officials, water utility managers, water customers and others can hear national experts describe what U.S. water utilities are doing to reduce water usage and share their own stories and ideas during Gov. Jim Doyle’s 2006 Water Conservation Symposium on May 23 in Sheboygan.

Input from the symposium, which is sponsored by state Department of Natural Resources and the Public Service Commission, will form the basis for a report to the governor on how water utilities, key suppliers of water in Wisconsin, can help reduce demand, according to Todd Ambs, who leads DNR’s water-related programs.

“Recent groundwater legislation and regional Great Lakes agreements re-emphasize the need for all of us in Wisconsin to reduce the impact of our water use on our rivers, lakes and wetlands,” Ambs says. “Water utilities are a key supplier of water, so as a first step in his Conserve Wisconsin water conservation initiative, Gov. Doyle has called for ideas for how water utilities can reduce water use.”

Reducing utilities’ water use will require a broadening of their mission from providing safe drinking water at a low price to continuing to meet that responsibility but doing so in a way that also protects the environment, Ambs says.

Growing demand for water has contributed, over the last century, to long-term drops in groundwater levels that affect the quantity and quality of water available to communities, private well users, industry, agriculture, and in some cases, to the lakes, rivers, wetlands and springs that depend on groundwater for year-round flow. The April 2006 Natural Resources Magazine has a Groundwater Wisconsin's Buried Treasure suplement with more information.

Wisconsin has more than 600 municipally owned water utilities that draw their water either from groundwater aquifers or from Lake Michigan, Lake Superior or Lake Winnebago. Another 10,800 smaller water suppliers serve water to the public – whether as at a school, restaurant, mobile home park or campground.

The rest of Wisconsin’s citizens rely on the estimated 800,000 to 1 million privately owned wells that tap into the state’s groundwater aquifers, and thousands of high capacity wells supply water for irrigation, livestock, commercial and industrial uses.

Dave Sheard, assistant administrator of PSC’s Water, Compliance and Consumer Affairs Division, says he looks forward to the symposium and working with DNR and stakeholders in developing a menu of demand side water conservation tools. “This effort to develop demand-side options for utilities to choose from represents an important step in how we steward one of Wisconsin’s greatest natural resources,” Sheard says.

People interested in attending the day-long symposium May 23 at the Blue Harbor Conference Center can find more information and register online at: <http://psc.wi.gov/conservationWater/index-waterConservation.htm> (exit DNR) or by contacting Chela O’Connor at (608) 266-1125.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Ambs (608) 264-6278; Dan Sheard, PSC, (608) 266-9640

Field trips on purple loosestrife control scheduled

MADISON – People interested in seeing up close the damage purple loosestrife can do to wetlands – and the progress being made in controlling the invasive species by using a special beetle that targets only the purple loosestrife – can attend one of a series of free field trips that will be held during May.

The field trips, sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and University of Wisconsin-Extension, enable participants to learn about the invasive plant and how to distinguish it from a variety of native plants.

Participants will also be able to see biocontrol beetles at work and ask questions about the biocontrol program. They may also be able to personally help collect beetles for local purple loosestrife biocontrol work, according to Brock Woods, who leads Wisconsin’s purple loosestrife control efforts.

Volunteers have been propagating and releasing tested, safe and effective purple loosestrife biocontrol insects in Wisconsin since 1997, with great results.

Participants should register by e-mailing <brock.woods@dnr.state.wi.us> or by calling (608) 221-6349 and leaving their name, trip date/place and e-mail address or phone number. Any trip may be canceled or postponed due to severe weather, so participants should call ahead if in doubt. Bring clothing and boots suitable for spring weather in wet habitats.

Weekday trips are from 3 to 6 p.m.; Saturday trips are as noted.

  • May 11, Oconomowoc - 1 mile north of State Highway 16 on Waukesha County Highway P at Lisbon Road; park on gravel along Lisbon Road.
  • May 17, Waupaca - South Park, 2nd parking lot north of U.S. Highway 10 on State Highway 22.
  • May 18, La Crosse - Veterans Park on State Highway 16, 3 miles west of I-90/16 exit.
  • May 20, Manitowoc - 9 a.m. to noon. Viking Bow and Gun Club: from go south on I-43, west on Manitowoc County Highway C, north on Nagel Road, west 1-1/4 miles on Rusch Road to the club.
  • May 20, Eagle - 1 to 4 p.m. Scuppernong Prairie parking lot in South Kettle Moraine State. Forest; 1 mile west of and 1 mile north of State Highway 59 on Waukesha County Highway Z.
  • May 23, Minocqua - in town at “Save More Grocery” parking lot on U.S. Highway 51.
  • May 24, Green Bay - UW Extension office north off State Highwy 172 on Webster Avenue, east on Allouez Avenue, north to 1150 Bellevue St. (meeting place).
  • May 27, Manitowoc - 9 a.m. to noon. Viking Bow and Gun Club; from go south on I-43, west on Manitowoc County Highway C, north on Nagel Road, west 1-1/4 miles on Rusch Road to the club.
  • May 31, Spooner - DNR Service Center, 810 W. Maple St. (meeting place).
  • June 1, Minocqua - in town at “Save More Grocery” parking lot on U.S. Highway 51.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Brock Woods - (608) 221-6349
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Last Revised: Wednesday May 03 2006