getting out spring 2015

Bagging the Big Gobblers

Wild Turkey

Stalking

Open water river fishing

BOwfishing

geOcaching

+Plus

2 Getting Out Spring 2015 Leader- Telegram

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Getting Out Spring 2015 Leader- Telegram 3

An online tool to help you get healthier YOUR WAY.

Sign up today to participate in the following ways:

Visit GOChippewaValley.com to become a member.

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Wisconsin elk capture effort complete in KentuckyThe 2015 capture phase of Wisconsin’s elk reintroduction effort is now complete, with 28 elk awaiting transport to a new home in Jackson County.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff spent roughly four weeks working cooperatively with Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and other key partners to capture elk in eastern Kentucky.

Captured elk are currently being held in a 4-acre pen in Kentucky, where they will be closely monitored and receive daily care. They will undergo a stringent 120-day quarantine and health testing period, which will include an acclimation period in Wisconsin, before being released in and around the Black River State Forest.

Barring any unforeseen problems or health testing issues, release should occur in early June. This is a multiyear effort, with an overall goal of bringing up to 150 elk from Kentucky. As many as 75 elk will help start a new elk herd in Jackson County, while remaining elk will help bolster the current elk herd near Clam Lake.

Those interested in receiving email updates regarding elk in Wisconsin can sign up to receive brief updates and other information. Visit dnr.wi.gov and click on the email icon near the bottom of the page for “subscribe for updates for DNR topics,” then follow the prompts and select the “Elk in Wisconsin” distribution list.

Northwest Sportshow in MarchMINNEAPOLIS — The Progressive Insurance Northwest Sportshow camps out at the Minneapolis Convention Center March 25-29.

In addition to shopping the latest products and accessories for hunting, fishing and boating, outdoors enthusiasts can plan their next adventure with outfitters and resorts from across Minnesota and North America, enjoy a variety of attractions like the World Champion Lumberjills’ show or sharpen skills at the new Progressive Insurance Boat School and daily outdoors interactive seminars and challenges.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.NorthwestSportshow.com or on site the day of the show. Adults 16 and older are $12; youth 15 and under free with a paid adult; Senior Day is Thursday, 62-and-older $9.

Getting Out [email protected] 715-830-5926 or 800-236-7077

Graphic Artist Angela RediessSales Director [email protected] 715-833-7420

Magazine Advertising & Distribution [email protected]

Next issue: September 5, 2015Published twice a year by the Leader-Telegram Advertising Department. P.O. Box 570. Eau Claire, WI 54702-0570. Copyright 2015 Eau Claire Press Company. All rights reserved.Available online at www.leadertelegram.com

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15Stalking Wild TurkeyCarpe

The Carp

Tracking The Cache

Chasing WalleyeOpen-water river fishing

Geocaching

Bowfishing

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Well, we are finally getting out of the Deep Freeze. I don’t know of a more welcomed sight and sound than weathermen not quoting wind chill factors along with the temperatures. Mother Nature has finally got her calendar lined up with ours, and Cabin Fever has been at an all time high, almost epidemic in proportion. So you ask yourself … how am I going to tackle all of my outdoor projects once the snow melts? The answer is simply work smarter, not harder….and in today’s world of Side by Sides the next question is, should I choose a gas powered or electric powered Side by Side? Let’s take a closer look….

Choose your power source… Electric or Gas! Our world has been ever expanding in the Off-Road Vehicle – Side by Side market. Now we can choose Electric, from EZGO Golf Carts and Bad Boy Buggies. Two new lines that offer alternatives to fossil fuels. Electric power offers a vehicle as quiet as a butterfly. The use of the EZGO Golf Carts is more biased towards Golfers, but now we see a movement towards campground vehicles, maintenance vehicles and even residential land owners. The available features provide roofs, tops, rear flip seat kits, windshields, lights, and even dump boxes. Bad Boy Buggies has brought sneaky quiet to the woods. Bad Boy Buggies are electric powered, muscle machines. The perfect tool for all of our Bow Hunters out there, with the available 2 or 4 wheel drive, yes 4WD in electric power! Able to lug through the mud, and climb to the sky. You can even equip your 38hp Bad Boy Buggie with a winch, snow plow, and never touch a gas can!

If Gas is your class… Selections from Honda and Yamaha are ever expanding. Honda’s new wildly exciting Pioneer 500 4WD Side by Side, with an ATV 50” trail width, has been as much of a home run with trail riders as it has with the land owner looking

to clear out a few trees. Honda continues their line-up with Pioneer 700 2-Seat, and if the kids are coming along, Honda Pioneer 700 4-Seater. Yamaha hasn’t been just idling by either, rolling out a new Side by Side, the Wolverine! Trail ready with an all new look and motor size. The “Real World Tough” Yamaha Viking’s return with 3 and 6 seater versions, popular for our Tough Wisconsin Farmers, large families, trail riders, or commercial companies looking to get a crew out to the site. With Side by Sides’ popularity increasing we see more offerings suited to what jobs need to be done, or projects that need completing, and this does not even encompass the broad line of ATV models that Honda and Yamaha have available too.

So the choices of tools are either electric or gas, the selection vast, come out and tell us what is your task. Trusted products from EZGO Golf Carts, Bad Boy Buggies, Honda, and Yamaha, are some of the best on the planet. We’re confident that we’ll have a great solution, and just the right tool to help you: hunt it, plow it, move it, or plant it!

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Survey: Minnesota moose numbers down MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s annual moose survey finds a continuing decline in the animal so closely identified with the state’s north woods.

The survey counted 3,450 animals, compared to 4,350 last year and 2,760 two years ago.

The Department of Natural Resources said the survey is in line with the downward trend in the moose population. The state has about 60 percent fewer moose than it did in 2006.

Scientists aren’t sure why moose are declining, but say warmer weather, parasites, disease and changing habitat are likely contributing factors.

The DNR also said mortality of collared moose fell slightly from last year, but the number of calves surviving their first year had also been low.

The DNR stopped allowing moose hunting in 2013 pending a recovery in the population.

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Dave’s Outboard LLC is located on Long Lake, Washburn County in NW Wisconsin. Dave’s Outboard has been in business for over 50 years! We have everything you need for your boating pleasure in the local area. We offer a full service repair shop, sales of both new and used boats, as well as docks and boat lifts. We specialize in South Bay pontoons, Evinrude outboards and Shore Station docks and lifts. We also have fuel for sale right on the water and a variety of accessories on hand. Unique to Dave’s Outboard is their large, modern, rental fleet of pontoons all equipped with Evinrude ETEC outboards. If you bring your own boat, there is a concrete, boat ramp available to the public free of charge!

The South Bay pontoons we feature are of the highest quality. They feature models for the beginning boater right up thru 28 foot tritoons with all of the performance you could ever want. Tritoons are getting very popular in the area and for good reason. It is truly a boat that you can do anything in. Their great stability and spacious design makes them a perfect fishing pontoon! They also make great ski boats; the performance is unbelievable! We can equip them with up to 300HP of Evinrude ETEC technology, performance, durability, and quality. When compared to a deck boat the difference is amazing. The tritoon is a much smoother ride and is far easier to get in and out of.

The Evinrude ETEC outboards have been out for over ten years now and their power and reliability is unmatched. They are also the most eco-friendly outboards presently being manufactured! No maintenance on some models for up to 5 years! They even winterize themselves; no need to take into the dealer in the fall! The newest models are the G2s and they are an awesome edition to the Evinrude line. They come with a 5 year warranty and no maintenance for 5 years or 500 hours!

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By Dave Carlson

“Water is clear

enough to see your

hooked fish down

six feet.”— Captain Lee Fluekiger

WalleyeChasing


ALMA — In the secluded back channels and all around on the north country lakes, some

tradition-bound anglers are still catching late-ice panfish, bass and northern pike. But, their

remaining time on ice in the fading days of winter is melting away.

Each sunny day, more and more anglers can’t resist converting to open-water river fishing

for walleyes. Around the Midwest as the flows pick up and days become longer and

warmer, the Upper Mississippi River at towns like Alma, Wisconsin and Red Wing, Minn.,

comes alive with boat rigs.

Launching can require breaking up or sawing through ice shelves or coping with icy ramps

and long waits to unload or load trailers. No matter how warm the air is on land, the

routine out on the river requires bundling with layers of clothing, maybe equipping the

boat with small LP gas heaters and having plenty of liquids along. And of course always

wearing a life vest or float-coat are all part of the routine.

What are these folks after?That tangy, sweet slime covering the green-and-gold-flanked firmness and a special winter “warmth” one experiences holding a wet, chilly, walleye in numb hands, while deciding whether to put it back in the river or into the boat’s livewell.

“Ahh … nice,” or something like it, is their toast to that first walleye of the season, and those that do follow.

It’s a scene repeated countless times when the weather gods deliver the right conditions anytime between January and late-March.

“It’s all about the wind,” said Capt. Lee Fluekiger, a native of Alma, and part-time fishing guide for 30 years. “You’ve got to dress for it. You’ve got to figure out how it affects the fish.”

Wind and current flow affect fishing line presentation and jig lift off the river bottom and, along with air temperature, how line passes through rod guides for casting and retrieving. Wind chill, of course, also can affect skin and fingers needed to tie baits and unhook fish.

Most early-season anglers avoid the river unless the air temperature is at least 25 degrees, with little wind or calm. At Alma the February water temperature normally can be 32 to 33 degrees. A power plant above the navigational dam at Red Wing keeps the channel below pretty much open at 36 to 37 degrees.

Operators of Evert’s Bait Shop on the Wisconsin side of the channel at Red Wing keep a fee boat ramp free of ice, as well as dispensing fishing supplies and information on recent activity.

“On a nice day in February you can see 30 boats out there, but in March it can be 300,” said Capt. Jeremy Schreiner, a fishing and waterfowl hunting guide on the river. “It’s a great opportunity to get out in the boat. Sometimes people don’t even know this resource is in our backyard.”

Typically at this time of year walleyes bite light in shallow water, often around sunrise or sunset. Not this year.

“Best action has been in the middle of the day, on a sunny day,” Fluekiger said. “Water is clear enough to see your hooked fish down six feet. There’s hardly any current.”

Jordan Fluekiger finds success fishing Mississippi’s open water on a cold but sunny day. Contributed photo.


And checking stomachs of some fish he’s caught, Fluekiger learned the walleyes are eating small perch, but not many shad.

Fluekiger drags slowly trolled 4-inch plastic ringworms upstream and downstream, around flats and wing dams.

“Ringworms don’t look anything like a perch, but they work,” he said. “Some times I bite them off a half-inch shorter.”

Fluekiger buys ringworms in bulk. They come in many colors. In the light-bite, no-current period, Fluekiger uses a homemade bright red 3/32nd-ounce oblong-shaped jig with a plastic worm collar keeper, tied to 6-pound test fluorocarbon line, fishing in 5-to 6-feet-deep water. As currents speed up and muddy with runoff, he sticks with the 6-pound line but increases the

“Ringworms don’t look anything like a perch,

but they work.”— Captain Fluekiger

Jay Motzsko of Arcadia lands a fine walleye while fishing open water on the Mississippi with Capt. Lee Fleukiger. Bait-of-choice is often 4-inch plastic ringworms slowly trolled around flats and wing dams. Contributed photo.

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Cont. on page 12


Dave Carlson, former TV outdoors broadcaster, is a freelance writer out of Eau Claire.

weight of his jig and trolls upstream into the flow, probing deeper water during daytime and shallower toward darkness. He experiments with worm colors based on light and water clarity.

Capt. Schreiner uses the same technique, except he relies on slightly heavier jigs and 6- to 8-pound test FireLine.

“I usually start out with 1/8th ounce (jigs) and use FireLine because there’s no stretch in it and its 1-pound test diameter helps determine light bites,” Schreiner said. “People make the mistake of using too big of jigs.”

Both guides stress maintaining equipment, from tackle to motors and boats, and bring along all the safety gear — throwable flotation, fire extinguishers, life vest and boating lights — required by law.

“Biggest precaution out there is (avoiding) gin-clear ice forming on the surface with no snow on it. It’s hard to see,” Schreiner warned. “When the spring run starts there’s likely to be logs and other debris along with the floating ice. Wing dams and (navigation) cans can be hazards, too.”

From their many years of experience, both guides believe the river’s water quality is better then ever, and the walleye fishing is very good, despite increased fishing pressure and harvest.

“The fish are cleaner, the fishery overall is in pretty good shape,” Fluekiger said. “When access is difficult at Alma, there might only be two or three boats getting out. I say we’re fishing virgin fish … not a lot of boats on top of them now like at Red Wing. I guess some folks don’t think we have the fish they remember here.”

The daily walleye bag limit is six walleyes 15 inches and over. There is no size limit on sauger, a species sometimes targeted by anglers. Anglers can only keep a combination of six walleyes and sauger.

Schreiner and other local anglers are concerned about their observations of fewer sauger. The theory is that anglers catching sauger in 30- to 40-foot holes will release under-size fish whose air bladders are protruding from their mouths, and those fish wind up dead in the river. They urge anglers to stay away from deepwater sauger fishing as much as possible.

“It’s a touchy subject,” Schreiner said. “We wish they had a size limit or slot-size limit on saugers.”

In the harsh winter of 2014, Fluekiger said he didn’t get his boat in the water until March 28. This winter he got in weeks earlier in January, but only after chainsawing his way through shore ice.

Schreiner said his early season guiding business is picking up.

“People don’t have to drag out their boats or gear or spend the time finding the right set-up,” Shreiner said. “I call it step-in, step-off fishing.”

The open water daily bag limit is six walleyes 15 inches and over, with no size limit on sauger. But anglers can only keep a combination of six walleyes and sauger.

Cont. from page 11

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Somewhere around 1949 or 1950 the story begins:It was time for the Memorial Day weekend and we had been preparing for our annual Canadian trip to Lake Cecebe in Burk Falls for nearly a month. School was out, summer was beginning, and it was always cold when we went north.

A week or so before our trip we would gather our bait. We went night crawler hunting in the rich black Ohio soil of our backyard. One year dad tried something new. He separated the two ends of an extension cord and attached steel rods to them. We waited for a good soaking rain, he drove the rods into the ground a couple feet deep and six feet apart then plugged in the extension cord to the house current. After a few minutes, the night crawlers headed for the surface. Dad unplugged the cord while we picked up the worms. Obviously, there were no ground fault receptacles at that time. Our home was wired with knob and tube wiring (that’s a whole other story).

Once the truck was packed to overflowing with two spare tires, a tire pump, an extra tube for the tire, and our gear, we headed for our two week Canadian adventure. This time the trip was reasonably uneventful, but with three kids in the back of the truck from 5 – 11 years old, there was always chaos, but we survived.

We arrived. The lake was great, and the water was still ice cold. Then, Dad announced he would be back in 3 days, took my older brother and my older cousins (who had been in the service and traveled with us in another truck) and a couple local guys to go to Algonquin National Park for some Lake Trout fishing. Well, things in Algonquin did not go so well. I don’t remember all of the details, but as I recall it went something like this.

They entered the park, unloaded the wooden boats with their small motors, and headed across the lake to their intended destination, shearing a pin on the propeller. As they replaced the pin, they drifted somewhat off course and became disoriented. Dad, being a scout leader, was “always prepared,” so he pulled out his compass to find his bearings. Things went fairly well until the winds picked up, the skies darkened and rain started pouring. The little motors barely moved the boats against the wind! The waves got higher, the boats were overloaded, and the Mae West, WWI inflatable life jackets were where all life jackets are in boats… packed away and not accessible. About 100 feet from shore the boats capsized. The gear fell in the water and everyone was soaked. Dad managed to push an empty gas

can to one of the guys to hang on to and a seat cushion to my cousin who could not swim at all. The water was Ice

cold, so everyone was freezing. Fortunately, there was a shelf where the water was only 6 or so feet deep.

Most of the equipment washed to shore and some was retrieved by landing nets or oars. Everyone survived. As luck would have it, they landed very near an old trapper’s cabin that had not been inhabited for several years. There was no stove, so they built a fire to get warm. Dad being the “boy scout” had waterproofed a bunch of matches by dipping them in paraffin before the trip. Such luck!

They cut saplings and put their boots upside down to dry. Ropes were used to string between the trees to hang the wet gear and clothing on. Some of the food had been saved, but the coffee was gone. In the cabin, they found tins of old coffee but nothing to make it in. As they looked around the “salvage yard beach,” they spotted one of the minnow buckets. They created a makeshift spit to hold the bucket over the fire, filled the bucket with lake water, and set it down on the beach to get the coffee. One of the guys had a relatively clean handkerchief, so they put the coffee grounds in that, dropped it in the minnow bucket, and placed it on the “spit” over the fire. Everyone gathered around the fire to warm up as their birthday suits did not insulate well and seemed to attract insects. They put on their damp clothes and boots, only to realize the gnats and black flies had congregated in the boots and in their warm clothing. Back to nature in a hurry! They all began shaking out the clothing and boots, as well as brushing off the insects from their legs, arms, and everywhere else. After the flurry of activity, the clothes were put back on, and it was time for the coffee.

The hot coffee smelled great and tasted even better. One of the guys suggested it tasted a little fishy but was still happy to be getting warm and getting something in his stomach. Finally, everyone headed for bed on the cabin floor and slept well. In the morning, it was time for coffee again. As the guys started to change the coffee water, they discovered a frog had jumped into the bucket while it was on the beach just before the water was to be boiled, adding just a bit of flavor to the coffee as it was brewing. Everyone had a good laugh over the coffee.

The rest of the trip went well, and they actually caught some fish. For some reason Mom did not see the humor in this trip at all, and did not let Dad near her coffee pot for the rest of the vacation.

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By Okie Allen, owner of Beltone Hearing Aids on 2621 E. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701Website: www.beltone.com

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We like fishing on the deeper drop offs, sand bars, deep rock piles and deep flats. Fishing with a jig works well and the plastic or bait we put onto this jig is very important. There are countless numbers of combinations but as you will read, I focus on only a few and only a select color combination related to the water clarity and forage.

When my clients ask me to take them for a big Smallmouth, I focus only on the Cisco based or Trout based lakes, yes, that’s right, lakes that contain Trout. This has been a well kept secret for many, many years for producing a truly jumbo sized Smallmouth Bass. Just like out in the western states, people have been fishing lakes that contain Trout that produce “super sized” Largemouth Bass for years.

Super Sized Smallmouth Bass of the north (not just the great lakes) and certain southern states are being caught on Trout based lakes. These lakes that contain Trout may have Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout and even Lake Trout or any combination of these.

Some stream trout fisherman will tell you that throughout their Trout fishing experiences on their favorite Trout stream that they have landed a giant Smallmouth Bass, and the same is true on lakes that contain Trout, as mentioned above the same is true for the western Bass fisherman that have been seeing this for over 2 decades.

A jig and tube with metal flake has been good for years but, matching the color to the Trout that are in a lake is a critical concept to your success, this is also true for plastic lizards and or worms.

Swimming the bait seems to also be the technique that works the best for us, yes, I know, everyone thinks jigging off the bottom is how you are suppose to use a jig well, we produce more and bigger Smallmouth Bass by drifting the boat over productive deep water Trout areas and swimming the jig.Remember, this is a summer pattern, not spring or fall. The Giant Bass are suspended above the Trout, not down with them.

Keep in mind that the great lakes Smallmouth Bass do not just eat Smelt, Alewives, Gobies or Crawfish. Do some research and discover which lakes do have Smallmouth Bass and Trout in them, find out what kind of Trout and match your bait color to the Trout color and you will catch some huge Bass. Lake Castaic in California has been producing giant Largemouth Bass for over 20 years (as well as other western lakes) and there is an entire line of Castaic plastic Trout colored lures that have been for sale for years and years. We use smaller baits for the Smallmouth Bass and mostly plastics and/or other versions of them.

Spoons work like the Swedish Pimple and other spoons that produce a lot of flash with a slow descent. We do not use heavy spoons that drop straight to the bottom. The color of these spoons does make a difference on the numbers of fish you catch, yes, almost and fluttering spoon will catch a Bass but, matching the color to the Trout color in the lake will produce the most and biggest Bass.

This article will open your horizons on the future of giant Smallmouth Bass and yes, we can catch big Bass on lakes that do not have Trout or Cisco based water. Do some homework and see where these lakes are and go trophy hunting. Please remember, these Giant Bass are as rare as a mother having triplets, we must practice C.P.R. catch, photo and release. All Bass pictured in this article were released.

Now let’s go get ‘em!

Super Smallmouth, Today:

The author, John Andrew, owner / operator of The Anglers Choice Guide Service.com [email protected] is a “2 Time World Record Holder”, a “2 Time Outstanding Angler Achievement Award Winner”, a full time year round tour guide for fishing and hunting in the state of Wisconsin which John is a full time resi-dent of and specializing in Vilas, Oneida and Iron counties. He can be reached at 715- 892-3020 or 1-715-686-2012.

God BlessJohn Andrew

468090 3-15-15


Sailing, canoeing, and paddle-boarding obviously have their place as water sports.

But if you want some real fun, cool, fast-paced time on the water, you need a bow, a fishing arrow and a boat-load of carp flopping at your feet. If you don’t believe it, you haven’t been bowfishing. Bowfishing is especially fun when carp are spawning. Geysers erupt all around like small depth charges as you wade or slowly navigate your boat through shallow-water reeds, weeds and cane beds across west-central Wisconsin. Most rivers and larger lakes in the Eau Claire area hold carp, which allows bowfishermen to hop continually to different waters to find overlooked hotspots.

Peak times for bowfishing are usually late May through mid-June as spawning carp wallow near shore. When the action is good, die-hards also pull all-nighters while perched atop boats rigged with floodlights. Ca

rpe

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ar

pBy Patrick Durkin


When carp are especially active, it’s not unusual for a pod to rise and swarm around you, their tails whacking your boat as they explode across the surface. In low-draft boats, the small geysers can splash onto boat seats, dousing valuables like iPhones and cameras.

The fury of slapping tails and watery explosions helps explain why some folks find it more fun to bowhunt carp than deer or bears. After all, when pursuing game animals, bowhunters might get one shot all season. When carp are active, bowfishermen draw, hold and shoot so often their arms and shoulders ache. And if they miss, no big deal. They just reel in their arrow and get ready to shoot again.

IncreasIng InterestThat might explain why interest in bowfishing is apparently increasing, not just in Wisconsin but nationwide. At least biologists and conservation wardens with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources believe it’s growing. All that’s required to bowfish is a general fishing license, so they can’t document it through license sales. However, one possible indication is that most Wisconsin rough fish records have fallen since 2006, which suggests a surge.

What’s more important to the DNR is that bowfishermen have every opportunity to shoot rough fish

such as carp, buffalo, sheepshead, gar and bowfin (dogfish). There’s no limit, and about the only requirement is that you keep what you shoot. It’s illegal to leave fish — dead or alive — near or on banks and shorelines.

Also, if you want to bowfish within a city, town or village, check local ordinances to make sure it’s allowed. Some locales prohibit archery shooting, while others allow it by permit or for bowfishing only.

DNR fisheries biologists generally encourage archers to shoot all the carp their boat can safely carry ashore. Just don’t think you’re providing a lasting environmental

Bowfishers who time it right find the carp spawning, surrounded by a fury of slapping tails and watery explosions. Contributed photo.


service. Realistically, when considering how many carp are in Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers, it’s almost like scooping thimbles of sand off a beach.

Even so, bowfishing does remove some destructive fish, and it provides people endless recreation. In some situations it might even remove enough to briefly improve water clarity. DNR biologists report seeing four or five bowfishing boats move into a small bay during weekends, and pretty much clean it out before the carp root everything up.

InvasIve specIesIn case you don’t know the carp’s history, they aren’t native fish. They were transplanted into U.S. lakes and rivers about 150 years ago after being brought here from Germany. Though revered in Europe, carp are considered destructive pests in North America

because they root up aquatic plants while feeding. This activity releases nutrients from bottom sediments, making life difficult for sight-feeding native fish like bass, bluegills and crappies.

Some biologists encourage bowfishermen to target only destructive rough fish, such as carp. On the Winnebago System near Oshkosh, for example, area fish managers ask archers to leave gar and bowfins (dogfish) alone.

“We want to reduce carp numbers as much as possible, and dogfish and gar prey on small carp,” said Kendall Kamke, the DNR’s area fisheries biologist. “Why shoot something that’s eating baby carp?”

Speaking of eating, although most carp shot by bowfishermen end up as farm or garden fertilizer, some people enjoy eating them. In his classic DNR cookbook, “A Fine Kettle of Fish,” the late Vern Hacker printed at least a dozen recipes for carp chowder, baked carp, pickled carp, canned carp and smoked carp. Although Hacker wrote the book in 1982, his advice on turning rough fish into fine meals never spoils with age.

gearIng UpAlthough many casual bowfishermen use any ol’ used compound bow for a fishing rig, more manufacturers are building bows and accessories specifically for this market. One leader in the field is Cajun Bowfishing, a Bear Archery brand.

Cajun builds a bow called the Sucker Punch that’s rugged, lightweight (3.2 pounds), and fully adjustable (0 to 50 pounds, 17- to 31-inch draw) so it can be held for hours and shot rapidly when the action’s hot. In fact, its bowstring comes with “no-gloves” finger savers because bowfishing is too fast-paced for release-aids and heavy draw weights.

The Sucker Punch also features deeply machined channels in its cams so the bowstring won’t jump the track if the bow is dry-fired accidentally during those chaotic moments when fish, arrows and line

The only bag limit on carp is how many your boat can safely handle. While most end up as garden fertilizer, recipes for “carp chowder” or “pickled carp” are available. Contributed photo.

Cont. on page 18


are streaking everywhere, and someone releases a shot before fully seating the nock.

A year ago, Cajun also released the Hybrid reel, which combines a hand-cranked fishing reel that feeds braided fishing line into a plastic bottle designed to keep the line tangle-free for safe, consistent, low-friction shots.

respectfUl BowfIshIngIf you’re new to bowfishing, be respectful of shoreline property owners, especially when hunting at night. The Wisconsin Bowfishing Association suggests archers contact local conservation wardens when they know they’ll be bowfishing at night with generator-powered lights atop their boats.

One of the few complaints the DNR gets on bowfishermen is when they go into a bay ringed with shoreline homes, and fire up their klieg lights. The lights reflect off the water and shine through people’s windows. That kind of carelessness hurts the sport’s image.

Speaking of the Wisconsin Bowfishing Association, it sponsors several tournaments each year around Wisconsin. The first is April 25 near Watertown in southeastern Wisconsin, and then there’s the state championships May 15 on the Petenwell Flowage, the Carpzilla/Rough Fish Assassins tourney May 23 on the Winnebago Chain near Oshkosh, the Green Bay tourney May 30 and the Mississippi Border Battle on June 27.

In addition the Bowfishing Association of America will hold its World Championship the weekend of July 24-26 on the Mississippi near Prairie du Chien. The tournament boundaries include all waters with public access in La Crosse, Vernon, Crawford and Grant counties.

As bowfishing grows in popularity, expect to see more and larger tournaments throughout summer. Indeed, some diehards stalk carp in open rivers during winter.

This should surprise no one. True believers don’t abandon their recreation to a little cold discomfort.

To learn all rules governing bowfishing, check out the DNR’s “Guide to Wisconsin Spearing, Netting, and Bait harvesting regulations” http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/regulations/SpearNet1415Press.pdf

DNR cookbook, “a Fine Kettle of Fish,” dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/anglereducation/finekettlefish.pdf

Wisconsin Bowfishing association www.wibfa.com

Bowfishing association of america World Championship www.bowfishingassociation.com

patrick Durkin is a freelance writer who covers outdoors recreation around Wisconsin. Write him at 721 Wesley St., Waupaca, WI 54981 or by email at [email protected].

CLoser Look

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Cont. from page 17

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Imagine this, 80 degrees with a mild breeze over your shoulder and a buddy spotting for you. You are out west having the time of your life shooting prairie dogs!Contrary to popular belief, the sport of prairie dogging avails itself to all with just a modest investment of a small caliber centerfire rifle and a reasonably good scope.

For the non-reloading shooter, a good beginning cartridge is the Remington .223. The .223 is a high velocity shell that has great availability and is reasonably priced. Other favorite rounds are the .17 Rem, .204 Ruger, and the Rem 22-250.

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Hey Fishing Fans! Join us for Wisconsin Indian Head Country’s (WIHC) Governors Fishing Opener 50th anniversary celebration! Governor Scott Walker has been invited to fish Wisconsin’s largest wilderness lake, the Chippewa Flowage on Saturday, May 2nd. The Governor and other state dignitaries, regional media and business representatives will come together to recognize the start of the angling season.

The Governors fishing opener was started in 1965 by Gov. Warren Knowles and the regional tourism organization, WIHC. The event moves around the 22 Northwestern counties called the Indian Head region and Hayward has once again been chosen as the host community. This event was last held in the Hayward Lakes Area in 2009 and it is only fitting to hold the 50th anniversary celebration in the City “Home to Five World Record Muskies”.

Lake Chippewa Flowage, in Sawyer County east of Hayward, was created in 1923 when Northern States Power Company, now Xcel Energy, constructed the Winter Dam on the Chippewa River just below the confluence of the East and West forks. The flowage was built to control flooding and provide a water source for six hydroelectric power plants

downstream. Many sections of the shoreline and islands have been preserved in a wilderness state. Most of the shoreline is owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe Indians and the United States Forest Service.

The Chippewa Flowage is noted for its many floating bogs. These bogs range in size from a few acres to over 40 acres. Since these bogs are not attached to bottom, wind and moving ice often change their exact location. On October 20, 1949, Louis Spray landed the world record muskie from the Chippewa Flowage. The fish weighed 69 pounds, 11 ounces and was 63 ½ inches long with a girth of 34 ½ inches. Some believe the next world record muskie will again come out of the Chippewa Flowage. Musky season opens May 23rd.

Ready, Set,

FiSh!


Wild Turkey

Wild TurkeyStalking

Whether you’ve hunted other game

animals before or not, a first timer in

the turkey woods finds him or herself

up against the most challenging of

quarry.

Sure, they may not look like much while

staring down the barrel of a 12 gauge

– after all, atop that 20 pound ball

of feathers plopped in that homely little

dome of theirs is a literal birdbrain.

But when it comes to pure,

instinctual survival mechanisms, few

critters have an eye as sharp or an ear

as keen as the wild turkey.

By Rob Hanson


The good news is with more birds in Wisconsin now than ever and plenty of public land to hunt them, the odds are in your favor. And with a little advice from a self-proclaimed “old guy who has made the mistakes,” you, too, may be on your way to becoming a gobbler guru.

Mike Ripp of Wauwatosa is a retired truck driver and turkey hunting enthusiast. Over decades in the field Ripp has hunted a variety of big game including elk and caribou, but nothing makes his heart race like an approaching gobbler.

“Nothing gets me more excited than a gobbler spitting and drumming,” he said. “It will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, and it will send a chill through your body. The response of the bird and having them come into your calling and your decoy, there’s nothing like it.”

Providing others with that experience also gets Ripp excited. In addition to hunting, he has spent the majority of his free time in the past 20 years teaching hunter safety courses, volunteering with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Learn to Hunt program and leading turkey hunting seminars. Two such seminars remain this spring, and will be held on March 7 at the Public Agency Center in West Bend and March 21 at the South Kettle Moraine State Forest Headquarters in Eagle.

At those seminars students will have the opportunity to learn about turkey behavior and biology, calls and decoys, camouflage clothing and more. In the Learn to Hunt program, novice hunters get all the same instruction found at the seminars with the added bonus of a shooting session and weekend hunt with a certified instructor.

“I think the most exciting thing for me is not killing the gobbler myself, but taking a 12-year-old or someone who has never hunted before and calling in a gobbler for them and having them shoot a gobbler on their first day in the field,” Ripp said. “Most of these Learn

to Hunt students have never hunted anything at all. It’s exciting for them, but it’s way more exciting for me.”

The results don’t lie, and Ripp’s protégé have bagged seven turkeys in roughly a dozen years with the program.

Lucky for those who can’t attend a seminar, Ripp is happy to pass along some guidelines for putting a beginner on a bird. the hairS On their Beard

First things first. Hunter safety courses haven’t changed much over the years, and instructors like Ripp are still hammering on the “TAB-K” system -- treat every firearm as if it were loaded; always have control of your muzzle; be sure of your target and what is beyond; and finally, keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you’re ready to shoot. In his experience, Ripp said 99 percent of hunting accidents are caused when a hunter breaks the “B” rule. Knowing what is in front of and beyond your target becomes even more important when hunting turkeys because no high-visibility clothing is required.

“Especially in spring you’ve got people out there dressed in camo from head to toe,” Ripp said. “You sound like a turkey, your decoy looks like a turkey ... someone might think you’re a turkey.”

“Never assume you’re the only hunter the woods. Always assume any noise you hear or movement you see is another hunter until you prove otherwise … until you see the beard, don’t shoot.”

Given the nature of your weapon, not knowing what is beyond your target can also get you in trouble with a conservation warden. Ripp said all too often multiple toms will respond to a call. If they’re close together in the field, the wide pattern of a shotgun can easily kill more than the one bird you’re licensed for.

“According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, it takes 6 pellets


Cont. on page 24

to kill a gobbler at 30 yards,” Ripp said. “So if you hit the bird with 6, over two hundred go flying past his head and can go up to 500 yards if conditions are right.”

In addition, Ripp recommends hunters never wear the colors red, white, black or blue in the woods, as they resemble the markings on a turkey’s head, neck and body. He also recommends hunters stick to hen calls and avoid gobble calls. Though a gobble call might draw a territorial male bird, it might also call in the hunter over the ridge who is tired of waiting for the mystery tom to come to him. deadly detailS

Ripp’s friends used to make fun of him because he would go through the tedious process of camouflaging himself 100 percent -- right down to putting tape over his metallic-rimmed glasses.

“My buddies used to laugh me,” he said. “They said I looked like Elton john with my goofy looking camouflage glasses, but I think paying attention to those details is what helped me be successful over the years. Sitting in the shadows and letting your camouflage work for

you … things like that. Those are the smallest details that make all the difference.”

Along those lines, novice hunters may also not notice just how much they move while waiting for a bird to come in. It’s hard for energetic young people and tightly-wound older people alike to muster the patience to sit perfectly still for hours on end. For that reason Ripp is a firm believer in the ground blind, whether it is a store-bought camouflage cloth or semi-circle created from down trees and brush. Either version covers the hunter from the neck down,

providing some forgiveness for the fidgety. A blind also provides a stable shooting rest and provides some protection should another hunter mistake your decoys for live turkeys and fire in your direction.

And finally, pay close attention to turkey behavior in the area you hunt. Note tracks, feathers or droppings that might indicate roosting areas or travel corridors. And whether you’re studying turkey calls on YouTube or observing wild birds, try to recognize the patterns, frequency and nuances of their communication.

Mike Ripp poses with a 21-pound gobbler taken during the 2014 spring hunt in Sauk County.

Contributed photo.

Cont. from page 25


dOn’t Beat yOurSelf upIn the era of ever expanding ballistic capabilities, it seems two distinct camps have emerged. There are those who will not be caught in the woods with anything less than fire breathing 3.5-inch magnum shotshells, and those who know a 20 gauge will do the job, albeit with extra patience required to bring the birds in just a little closer. Ripp is in the latter category having killed his last 8 gobblers with a semi-automatic 20 gauge.

“My friends and I used to say anything a 20 gauge can do, a 12 gauge can do better,” Ripp said with a laugh. “Now that I’m a little older I don’t like lugging an 8-pound shotgun around and dealing with huge recoil.”

If you’ve ever spent time in a hunting camp you’ve probably heard many robust rounds jokingly referred to as “elephant guns.” Well, recent research shows the recoil of a 12 gauge shotgun with a 3.5-inch magnum shotshell produces more

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Ben Franklin surely would have shaken his head at the Wisconsinite of a few decades back.

The eastern wild turkey was historically an important bird for native peoples of the Midwest, settlers and Mr. Franklin himself, who had lobbied for its status as the national symbol. Yet it had been eradicated in the state by the late 1800’s because of unregulated market hunting, decimation of forest habitat and diseases introduced by domestic poultry. The impact of such a loss across the landscape and the region’s dinner tables was quickly felt, and restoration efforts were underway as early as 1887. A few flocks were re-established, but all died shortly after - in many cases because the birds were raised in captivity and simply did not have the instinct or resilience of its wild brethren.

According to the Wisconsin Turkey Hunter’s Guide, published by the Wisconsin DNR, the agency entered a trade agreement in 1974 with the Missouri Department of Conservation in which 135 ruffed grouse from the Coulee Region were exchanged for 334 wild-trapped turkeys after many unsuccessful attempts to establish more domesticated birds. Those birds were translocated to Buffalo, Iowa, Sauk, Trempealeau, Jackson, La Crosse, Vernon, Dane and Lafayette Counties.

Over the next few decades, trap and transplant programs funded by hunting license fees and carried out by the DNR, National Wild Turkey Federation and dedicated land owners distributed the original stock around the state to create what is now a healthy statewide population. In fact, turkeys are now found in nearly every county in the state. They are most abundant in the southern two-thirds where forest and agriculture land provide ideal habitat. Each year, the sale of turkey stamps bring in more than $750,000 to continue developing, managing, conserving, restoring and maintaining the wild turkey population within the state.

Back Into the Wild


For more information on

Mike Ripp’s Turkey Hunter Education seminars, as well as

the Learn to Hunt Program, visit

dnr.wi.gov/education/outdoorskills/lth.html.

Rob Hanson,Hanson is a freelance writer who covers outdoor news in the Upper Midwest. He can be reached at [email protected]”

recoil than an elephant gun, quite literally. A 510-grain bullet out of .458 Winchester Magnum - a go-to rifle for the largest creatures on the Dark Continent - produces 53 foot-pounds of recoil in 10-pound double rifle. The 3.5 inch magnum out of 8-pound shotgun? Figure 66 foot-pounds of recoil.

With all that added shot and velocity out of the magnum shotshells, there are certainly benefits. Hunters can count on having more pellets in the vital head and neck region of a turkey out to 60 yards. Overall though it’s not worth sacrificing the spinal alignment of a novice hunter, who will undoubtedly shoot straighter anyway if they are using a firearm that suits them. So if all you can handle is a 20 gauge, practice often and wield it proudly.

ClOSer lOOk

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A Welcome Respite


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Geocaching involves finding your way to a specific set of GPS coordinates, then trying to find a container there. The container will hold a logbook where you can sign in, and often inexpensive toys or trinkets. Geocaching etiquette requires that you if you take a trinket, you leave one of your own.The only requirement for the sport is a GPS or a smartphone with a geocaching app, which can be downloaded for free.“Geocaching is the real-world treasure hunt that’s happening right now, all around you. There are 2.56 million active geocaches and over 6 million geocachers worldwide,” according to one of the sport’s leading websites, Geocaching.com.Edwards said he likes being outdoors, and the challenge of finding a geocache is an added bonus.“It’s just fun to go up along the Ice Age Trail. Even if you didn’t have a geocache to hunt, it would still be fun, but this just adds to it,” he said.One geocache web site records over 300 geocaches in the Eau Claire area.That’s conservative, Edwards said. There are probably 300 geocaches within the city limits alone, he said, and there are plenty of nearby parks and public areas where there are abundant caches.These include Eau Claire County’s Tower Ridge Ski Area, Big Falls County Park, Beaver Creek Reserve, Irvine Park in Chippewa Falls, the Chippewa Moraine Area and the Ice Age Trail.“Really any place that would be nice for people to hike is where you’re going to find geocaches,” he said.Ruth Forsgren, a naturalist at Beaver Creek Reserve north of Fall Creek, leads introductory geocaching classes at the reserve a couple times per year, and also teaches geocaching to some of her youth groups. She started seven years ago with a group of girls and found they enjoyed it. It was a problem-solving activity that got them out in nature.

The first GPS units they used weren’t good at finding satellites through leaves, but the units they use now are better at that. Forsgren said she now frequently uses her iPhone when she is geocaching on her own. She cautions, however, that if you are traveling and plan to do some geocaching, it’s ideal to also bring a GPS unit and download some coordinate for caches in advance.“A GPS will always work as long as your batteries work. There’s always a satellite zipping around that will find you,” she said. “With a phone, if you’re in an area that has no service, you’re dead in the water.” If you are traveling, a lot of waysides have caches, and searching for them is a way to stretch your legs during a long drive.GettinG startedTo get started, go to the website Geocaching.com. You’ll need to choose a user name, which is free. Forsgren and her spouse, Ray Forsgren, have a joint user name: 2byfors.With a user name and password, you can log onto the website, then you can enter the zip code for an area you want to look for caches. Sometimes a name will work. Putting in “Eau Claire” will turn up quite a few.On a smartphone you can ask it to find nearby caches. The website will give you the coordinates for the geocache, plus describe “attributes,” including whether it is winter friendly — that is above ground where it won’t be buried with snow. A “park and grab” means it is close to a parking spot — less than a football field away.The information may include cautions, like “beware of poison ivy” or to be aware of Muggles. Muggles is a term borrowed from Harry Potter novels that is sometimes used to describe anyone who is not a geochacher. Some caches are concealed at busy places, including near campgrounds at Lake Wissota, and at Wilson and Phoenix parks in Eau Claire. Geocachers need to be sneaky about finding and signing the logs at these sites.

In May of 2004 Ralph Edwards of Eau Claire

found his first geocache at Braun’s Bay in

Carson Park.

Since then he has found about 27,000. He has put out over

700 geocaches.

“I’m now third in the state and 110th in the

world,” Edwards said.

He spoke via cell phone from Disney

World, where he was on a family vacation;

although, he still had a little time for

geocaching. He found two caches at Epcot

Center.

Cont. on page 30


Register for a free basic membership at geocaching.com.

Visit the “Hide & Seek a Cache” page.

Enter your postal code and click “search.”

Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.

Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS device.

Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.

Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location.

Share your geocaching stories and photos online.

Basics of GeocachinG


The concern is that if someone sees a geocacher find or sign a cache they may take it or move it or throw it away or remove any trinkets, Forsgren said. “They won’t know what it is,” she said. If they move it even a short distance, it will be lost to future geocachers.The website will have a hint or clue for each geocache, which is coded. Some people don’t want to see the clue at first, but with a click of a key, you can read it.In addition to signing the log at the cache, most people sign in on the website whether they found it or didn’t find it and leave a comment. If you found the cache, don’t be so specific in your comments that you give away the location of the cache and spoil the challenge for the next person, Forsgren said. The website will keep track of how many caches you have found, which is another advantage of reporting your finds online. The person who hides the cache will also rate how difficult it is to find, but that’s subjective, she said. What one person believes is easy may not be so easy for someone else.Forsgren said she usually just signs the logbooks if she finds a cache and rarely takes a toy. “You don’t have to take a trinket. It’s more for kids,” she said.

But she still brings along her own trinkets to trade just in case she finds something she feels she needs. “I ran across a Snoopy with binoculars ... I thought a bird watching Snoopy was something I needed to have on my desk,” she said.Geocaching can be done on your own, but its also a fun group or family activity, Forsgren said. The coordinates will get you close to the cache, but the more people you have looking, the better your chances of finding it will be, she said.“Sometimes it takes someone who is taller or smaller,” she said. “Sometime the last person didn’t put it back where it was supposed to be … When I’m doing it by myself, I get more frustrated,” she said.cachinG by kayakEC Adventures, which rents kayaks and canoes for use on the Eau Claire River and Lake Eau Claire, started catering to paddling geocachers last year.“We do have a specific trip where we put them in an area where there are a lot of them,” said Justin Bechtel, co-owner of the business.Some of the caches along the river and Lake Eau Claire were put out by others and some were put out by EC Adventures, he said. They plan to put out more this spring to raise the number that are

Cont. from page 25


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accessible by paddling along the river and Lake Eau Claire to about 30, he said.About 10 to 20 percent of the groups last year were planning to do some geocaching on their trips and interest in geocaching seems to be increasing, he said.“When we first put them (caches) out, they weren’t getting found as often as they are now,” he said. “Even during the winter, people are finding them.” EC Adventures got the idea of geocaching by paddle from its customers. Two years ago they noticed that some people renting kayaks were geocaching, Bechtel said.There is a lot to recommend about the sport, he said. “It’s free to do. It’s easy to do, and it gets people out in nature.”Bechtel cautions that if you are planning to geocache by kayak you should have a dry bag for your smartphone in the sealed bag when you are not using it. They don’t work if you get them wet, he said.They rent dry bags for those who forget them.cache locationsA glance at the Geocache website for Eau Claire County shows quite a few caches in county parks and the county forest. The state has a specific application form to use to legally place a cache on state land, and none are allowed in designated state natural areas, but Eau Claire County has no specific policy, said Josh Pedersen, director of the county’s Parks and Forest Department. As far as he knows, the county has never gotten any complaints about geocaching.

The state application has some common-sense restrictions for what can be in a cache, including no food, no drugs, no tobacco or alcohol, which would not appropriate for young geocachers, no knives or other weapons.Pedersen said if he gets inquiries about putting out caches he asks people to follow those restrictions. “They’re small. I don’t see any problem with them,” he said.Make sure you check with the right property owner if you are planning to put out a cache, he said. I’ve got one (application) sitting in front of me right now that is not on county property,” he said.Pedersen, who has done some geocaching himself, said it’s a good activity for getting people outside.“It’s a good activity to get out and get active. It’s something young kids can do as well. It’s a good activity to expose them to the outdoors,” he said.


Hunting/trappingDeer

Archery and Crossbow: Sept. 12-Jan. 3, 2016

Youth deer hunt: Oct. 10-11

Gun: Nov. 21-29

Muzzleloader: Nov. 30-Dec. 9

Central Forest and Central Farmland Zone antlerless hunt: Dec. 10-13

Southern Farmland Zone antlerless holiday hunt: Dec. 24-Jan. 1, 2016

Gun hunt for hunters with disabilities:Oct. 3-11

Small gameCottontail rabbit: Northern zone: Sept. 12, Feb. 29, 2016Southern zone: Oct. 17 (noon)-Feb. 29, 2016

Squirrels (gray and fox): Statewide Sept. 12-Jan. 31, 2016

Wild turkey Youth turkey hunt: April 11-12

Spring: Period A, April 15-21; Period B, April 22-28; Period C, April 29-May 5; Period D, May 6-12; Period E, May 13-19; Period F, May 20-26.Fall: Statewide, Sept. 12-Nov. 19; Zones 1-5, Nov. 30-Dec. 31.

Other game birdsPheasant: Statewide, Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 31.

Bobwhite quail: Statewide, Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 9.

Ruffed grouse: Zone A, Sept. 12 - Jan. 31, 2016; Zone B, Oct. 17 - Dec. 8.

Sharp-tailed grouse: Season is under review.

Hungarian partridge: Statewide (closed in Clark, Marathon and Taylor counties), Oct. 17 (noon) - Dec. 31.

Crow: Statewide, Jan. 24 - Mar. 20; Sept. 12 - Nov. 19.

Woodcock: Statewide, Sept. 19 - Nov. 2.

Mourning dove: Statewide, Sept. 1 - Nov. 29.

Note: Some information my be subject to change. Always check with the Department of Natural Resources for updates before taking the field.


WaterfowlEarly goose season: Statewide, Sept. 1 – 15.

Early teal season: Statewide, Sept. 1 – 7.

(Duck and regular season goose regulations will not be available until August.)

Other furbearersCoyote: Hunting, continuous open season; trapping, oct. 17-Feb. 15, 2016.

Fox, red and gray: Hunting and trapping, Oct. 17-Feb. 15, 2016.

Beaver: Trapping only, Zone A, Nov. 7-April 30, 2016; Zone B, Nov. 7-April 30, 2016; Zone C, Nov. 7-March 31, 2016; Zone D, Day after duck season closes to March 15, 2016.

Mink and muskrat: Trapping only, Statewide, Oct. 24-March 6, 2016 Mississippi River zone, opens day after duck season closes or Nov. 9, whichever comes first-March 6, 2016.

Bobcat: Hunting and trapping, Peirod 1, Oct. 17-Dec. 25; Period 2, Dec. 26-Jan. 31, 2016.

Fisher: Trapping only, various zones, Oct. 17-Dec. 31.

Otter: Trapping only, North zone, Nov. 7-April 30, 2016; Central zone, Nov. 7-Narch 31, 2016; Southern zone, Nov. 7-March 31, 2016.

Raccoon, hunting and trapping, resident, Oct. 17-Feb. 15, 2016; Non-resident, Oct.

Opossum, skunk, weasel and snowshoe hare: No season limits, bag limits, size limits or possession limits, but a license is required.

FisHing(Dates inclusive)

Early inland trout: March 7 (5 a.m.)-April 26

General inland trout: May 2 (5 a.m.)-Sept. 30

General inland fishing: May 2-March 6, 2016

Largemouth bass northern zone: May 2-March 6, 2016

Smallmouth bass northern zone catch and release: May 2-June 19

Smallmouth bass northern zone harvest: June 20-March 6, 2016

Large and smallmouth bass southern zone: May 2-March 6, 2016

Musky-northern zone: May 23-Nov. 30

Musky-southern zone: May 2-Dec. 31

Northern pike: May 2-March 6, 2016

Walleye: May 2-March 6, 2016

Lake sturgeon: Sept. 5-Sept. 30 (hook-and-line)

Free fishing weekend: June 6-7.

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Since its founding in 1907, the Eau Claire Rod & Gun Club has been committed to community service and conservation of our natural resources. The club is proud

to have continued that commitment for the last 107 years.Community service plays a major role in activities at the club. In 1929 the club completed its first project for the community, raising funds and purchasing 40 acres on the west bank of Half Moon Lake. After improvements were made to the property, it was gifted to the city. Rod and Gun Park today is still a favorite gathering spot for families. Every year events are held to benefit local charities and organizations raising tens of thousands of dollars through the shooting sports. Whether it is for the Boy Scouts, the Rich Seubert Celebrity Trap Shoot to benefit cardiac research, a high-school booster club or some other cause our members and guests break targets to raise money. The spirit of giving continues.Conservation of our natural resources is extremely important to the club. The club is affiliated with over 10 local and national organizations that work to protect and improve all types of habitat and wildlife. Recognizing and supporting the important work these organizations do, the club has applied similar practices to its own property. Some of the wooded acres of the property are in Managed Forest programs. An 80-acre Prairie Restoration project is a benchmark for the commitment to conservation. In conjunction with the WI DNR, over 3,000 pheasants are reared for release each year by the club. The shooting sports play an important role at the club. Whether it is trap, skeet, 5-stand, archery, handgun or rifle, we have a range to shoot on. A variety of dog training areas including open grass, 4 pond areas and woods. Over 300 acres make a great setting for all types of outdoor activities. All of our members are proud to be part of the community and “Wisconsin’s Oldest & Finest Gun Club.”

769741 3-15-15Article provided by Eau Claire Rod & Gun Club.

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Real PeopleReal Stories


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I purchased a blind for this past season and it paid off bagging a great 10 point buck. The blind was quiet, warm, convenient with the high quality windows, and roomy enough to share the hunt with my 3 small boys. More importantly was Brian and General Gun and Coins customer service. He delivered and offered to help assemble the blind free of charge. 100% satisfied and I will be buying another one in the near future!

Nathan

We love our Redneck Blind we purchased from Brian at General Coin in Eau Claire! Everything from determining which blind would suit us best to the final professional installation was flawless! We hosted 5 girls and Dads for the 2014 Youth Deer hunt and went 5 for 5 (with 3 being taken from our new Redneck Blind)! I own other brands of blinds but I won’t buy anything other than a Redneck blind! The quality, size, comfort and ease of use make it the best blind on the market! Brian was excellent to work with and I plan to purchase more blinds as our needs grow! Thanks Brian!

Kirk DuLac, Eden Praire, MN, Neillsville, WI

I’m really enjoying my redneck blind! I got the buck palace and it has plenty of room for me and my grandkids. My grandson isn’t old enough to hunt yet but enjoys going with me. I don’t have to worry about him falling out of stand. I have a 12 year old granddaughter that went gun hunting with me this year and got her first buck.It’s a 10 pointer, with a 17 inch spread. She was excited and so was grandma! I didn’t get a buck but I got a nice doe. So as you can see I love my stand and so do my grandkids! The weather is never really a factor, I can go when I want! Thanks again for selling me a great blind!

Tammy Frye

It was my first deer hunting season using a Redneck Hunting Blind. From the very beginning, with Brian helping me to set the blind up, I knew my experience was going to be awesome. The hunting knowledge he shared with me and the location selected for setup were great! I eagerly cleared out some brush, thus opening shooting lanes to get better shots. The true test came when it was time to bow hunt. The result was successfully shooting my first deer with a bow, an eight-point buck, from my new blind! It was the second weekend of bow season, and the deer never knew I was there! But, the best experience of all was when I took my 13-year-old grandson to the Redneck Hunting Blind for the gun deer season. We were comfortably sitting and talking in the blind. It was a cold, opening day, about 2:00 pm, when my grandson turned to me and said, “Grandpa, I sure wish we would see some deer.” We had all the windows closed except for the smallest window. I looked over at him and smiled. I said, “Brayden, I wish we would see a buck right there,” as I pointed in the direction of the open window. No more than 30 seconds later, I blinked several times, as I could not believe my sighting. There stood a buck in the area where I directed my wish. With overwhelming excitement, I pointed and said to my grandson, “A buck is right there!” He swiveled in his Redneck hunting chair toward the buck, took the shot, and the buck was down! The smile and excitement on his face were totally awesome to see! This was my grandson’s first buck, a nine-pointer! We experienced two firsts with our first Redneck Blind…my first deer bow hunting and his first buck. I will be buying another Redneck Blind for another spot on my property. They are the best hunting blind out there, and the support is superior!Th

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Growing up in the Midwest my parents would often take my siblings and I on many outdoor adventures during our childhood. Whether it was snowmobiling in the winter months, or hiking, biking, fishing and boating during the early spring and summer, they always taught us the appreciation and beauty of nature and all that it had to offer. Looking back on those memories I can still remember my parents’ occasional comments and body language when we would do any type of prolonged physical activity. Often times they rarely complained but I would always catch them rubbing their back or neck and on occasion my father would make a joking comment about “how it was hell getting older.” Now that I have approached my early forties I am finding myself able to relate to how my parents felt at the time.

Are you finding it difficult to finish that round of golf, the casual family bike ride, or your favorite outdoor activity without feeling stiff and sore? Have you noticed that it is becoming harder to get in and out of your fishing boat or up in your tree stand without feeling some type of discomfort? Instead of reaching for that bottle of pain reliever, next time try a more natural and effective form of medicine. Although massage therapy has been around for thousands of years, it has only recently started to get the recognition it deserves in the last decade. Many individuals, whether athletes, weekend warriors, or the stressed out professionals, are adding massage therapy to their regular healthcare regimen. Just a few of the many benefits that massage therapy can offer other than relaxation are:

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everyone has seen that guy wandering the park with his headphones looking for treasure, but metal detecting is so much more than that. Metal

detecting changes fortunes. Whether hunting for lost jewelry in Wisconsin, gold nuggets in the Rockies or land mines in war torn countries, metal detecting changes lives for the better. You might be surprised to know that even in your own backyard there could be relics or treasures of any kind. Some of the best finds come from people searching their own backyards. During the Great Depression, people didn’t trust banks. They buried their caches under fence posts or next to trees. Many times these items would be forgotten and left behind by their owners. Gold or silver bars and coins are buried throughout the country just waiting to change the fortune of some lucky individual. If that pirate in you enjoys companionship, detecting clubs are always looking for new members. Metal detecting is fun for any age and athletic ability. How will you change your fortune?

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Article provided by Chippewa Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation.

The Chippewa Valley’s great outdoors is enjoyed all year long. The vast opportunities for outdoor activities enable individuals to appreciate wildlife and enjoy our natural environment. Wild animals can bring a sense of wonder and thrill to our lives and are valued by many, and we tend to forget that they are wild and should remain in their natural habitat. Wild animals have complex physical, nutritional, social and mental needs. These needs are not easily met in captivity.

Here are five reasons why wild ones should be kept wild:They have specialized dietary needs. The young especially require a specific, complete diet. Otherwise, they are at a high risk of suffering serious nutritional deficiencies that may leave them deformed for life. Human food items should not be fed because it will not provide nutritional benefits and is not a natural food found in the wild. They do not exhibit stress the same way that humans do. Wild animals view people and domestic animals as predators. They may become highly stressed when confronted with human sounds, sights and smells. This stress can cause serious health problems and potential death. They carry many different parasites and diseases, some of which are transmissible to humans and domestic animals. A wild animal kept in captivity increases the chance in contracting or spreading a disease or parasite, which can cause serious health issues.

They need to learn normal social behaviors from their own species. Young animals that learn abnormal behaviors from humans or domestic animals likely will not survive when released back into the wild because behaviors needed to live have not been learned. They have lost their natural fear of humans and predators. When young animals reach maturity, their demeanor can change toward a more aggressive behavior which can be dangerous for humans. They should not be viewed as pets and raising a wild animal is not in the best interest for the animal. State and federal law have in place regulations which do not allow unlicensed individuals to possess wildlife in captivity or remove them from the wild. In Wisconsin, an individual is allowed to possess a wild animal for up to 24 hours for the purpose of transferring that animal to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, such as Chippewa Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Wild animals are meant to stay in the wild. Every species has their own adaptations which allow them to survive and thrive in the wild. It’s important to observe them at a respectful distance to keep them wild and allow their life in the wild to continue.

If you find a wild one and are unsure if it’s in need of help, the best thing to do is leave it alone and contact Chippewa Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation. Together we can assess the situation to decide if intervening is in the best interest of the animal.

Chippewa Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation may be reached at 715-838-0326. All donations received go directly to the wild ones- Thank you for your support. Mailing address is 8135 Burnell Drive, Eau Claire, WI 54703.

The Wild Ones


Recipes courtesy of Taste of Home.

photo by Taste of Home photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients 1 egg 2 tsp. honey 2 cups crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 45 to 50) ½ tsp salt 4 to 6 walleye fillets (1½ to 2 lbs) 1/3 to ½ cup canola oil Lemon wedges, optional

Directions 1. In a shallow bowl, beat egg; add honey. In a plastic bag, combine crackers and salt. Dip fish in egg mixture, then shake in bag until coated. 2. In a skillet, cook fillets in oil for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until golden and fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Originally published as Honey Walleye in Country April/May 1994, p49

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.MAKES: 6 servings

Ingredients 6 catfish fillets (8 oz. each) Greek seasoning to taste 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 1 T. dried mint 2 T. olive oil

Directions 1. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with Greek seasoning. Sprinkle each fillet with 1 rounded tablespoon feta cheese and ½ teaspoon mint. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil over each. Roll up fillets and secure with toothpicks. 2. Grill over medium heat 20 to 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Or, place fillets in a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Greek Grilled Catfish

Honey WalleyeTOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 20 min. MAKES: 4-6 servings


Ingredients 2 to 3 tsp. rubbed sage 1 tsp. brown sugar ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg ¼ tsp. pepper Pinch allspice 1 lb lean ground turkey

Directions 1. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Add turkey; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into six patties. 2. Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray. Cook patties over medium heat until browned on both sides and the meat is no longer pink, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Originally published as Turkey Sausage Patties in Taste of Home June/July 1998, p17

Ingredients 2 lbs ground turkey or turkey sausage 1 large onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 cans (16 oz. each) chili beans, undrained 2 cans (15 oz. each) tomato sauce

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes 1½ cups beef broth or beer 2 to 3 T. chili powder 2 tsp. Italian seasoning ¼ to ½ tsp. ground cinnamon 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped Dash cayenne pepper

Directions 1. In a Dutch oven or large soup kettle, cook the turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add remaining ingredients. 2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Originally published as Spicy Turkey Chili in Quick Cooking November/December 1998, p42

photo by Taste of Home photo by Taste of Home

Turkey Sausage Patties

Spicy Turkey Chili

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min. MAKES: 6 servings

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 5 min. Cook: 1 hour MAKES: 12-14 servings

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Have you ever been to the Wurst Haus in Whitehall? If you haven’t you are missing something special. It all started in 1964 when Pat Nelson opened Pat’s Country Market in Arcadia. In 2003 Tony and Marie Johnson purchased the Meat Market from Pat. Tony had worked for Pat for 22 years making sausage, bacon, bologna and brats.In 2010 Tony and Marie sold the store location in Arcadia and moved it 15 miles up the road to Whitehall where they live. Since 2010, Tony and Marie continue to process

the same quality recipes of their sausage, bacon, bologna, brats and ham at the Wurst Haus, a half block off Main Street in Whitehall.Pat’s Country Market has over 45 awarding-winning plaques on their walls for the various recipes they have produced since 2003. Pat’s will ship to just about anywhere in the USA using their Freezer boxes to assure the freshness of their meats upon delivery. One specialty they provide year round is Venison Sausage processing.Pat’s Country Market is a short 40-mile drive down Highway 53 from Eau Claire. If you’re looking for quality smoked meats and a great selection of sausages, snack sticks, summer sausage, brats, beef and pork meats or deer processing, then take the drive. Check out Pat’s at patscountrymarketwi.com.

Article provided by Pat’s Country Market, LLC


MADISON — Gypsy Rose Lee holding a musky. General Dwight D. Eisenhower fishing. Aldo Leopold addressing the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. Gov. Warren Knowles coyote hunting. Boston Red Sox baseball star Ted Williams handling a tame deer.

These are among the photos included in “Wisconsin’s Historic Natural Resources Photos,” a subset of the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections that went live on the Internet this month.

The collection is the first 500 of what will eventually be 2,200 black and white photos from the 1930s to the 1970s, showing Wisconsinites enjoying and working to protect the state’s natural resources. They show state parks, forests and wildlife areas; anglers, campers, canoeists, hunters and picnickers; black bears, pheasants, jacksnipe, smelt and white-tailed deer; the wardens, biologists and foresters who helped conserve them, and much more.

“These photos are treasures that should be shared with the public,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. “Just like old family photos, for years they’ve been stashed in the basement of the State Natural Resources Building waiting for somebody to put them in an album. This project makes them a click away to anybody who wants to see them.”

The project is a partnership between the UW Digital Collections Center and the Department of Natural Resources. DNR staff selects photos from the more than 10,000 historical photos housed in the central office headquarters, and prepare the metadata associated with each photo. UW staff and student workers then digitize, format and index the photos before posting them to the website.

“I especially like the one of Mrs. Taylor showing off her musky,” laughed Stepp. “She’s all decked out in her hat and high heels holding a 50-inch musky she caught. I guess things were a bit more formal in 1934 than they are now.”

Aside from their historical value, they show how life and places in Wisconsin have changed, and in some cases, how they have stayed the same.

Above (top to bottom):Ted Williams in a boat with two

Native American fishing guides on Lake Pokegama in Vilas County.

Three hunters with their deer, Vilas County, 1950.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Digital History

The images area available on the UW Digital Collections Center website at uwdc.library.wisc.edu/collections/WI/DNRPhotos.

Closer Look

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