It’s almost here, that nine-day period starting this Saturday, November 22 when about 650,000 hunters take to Wisconsin’s woods and fields hoping to bag a deer or two for themselves and friends. This is the 157th statewide gun deer season in Wisconsin with the deer herd now estimated to be somewhere between 1.5 and 1.7 million deer.
The discovery of CWD (chronic wasting disease) in 2002 in southwest Wisconsin changed deer hunting for some in this part of the state and some hunters even quit hunting due to the disease even though there has never been any problem with the disease affecting humans if the deer is properly cleaned and processed.
This area of Wisconsin is part of the 11-county South Central Region (SCR) where most of the land is within the chronic wasting disease Management Zone (CWD-MZ). Many rules and regulations have been made simpler unlike past deer hunting seasons where there were many statewide regulations and special seasons for the CWD zones. The special CWD zones have been combined into one large zone (the CWD-MZ) of 8,849 square miles and 18 Deer Management Units in 19 counties. Long gone are the smaller zones like the Disease Eradication Zone which has been included into the larger zone.
The main difference in the CWD-MZ and the rest of the state is that the entire CWD-MZ is unlimited Earn-A-Buck during the nine-day season, the muzzleloader season, the late archery season, and the late hunt. The other differences are; there is an antlerless-only season from December 11 to 14, deer tags are free in the CWD-MZ zone after you purchase a license, and free deer testing.
There is a new program for donating venison called Target Hunger. These days, there are many families looking for alternative ways to feed their families. Initially, the DNR paid for processing deer for donation to food pantries. But, with the hard times that the DNR is facing there no longer is funds available to pay for this program. But, this deer there is a new program in place to help the needy. Don Bates, the CWD operations chief, said that, “Hunters will be able to drop off their deer at participating meat processors as well as at Department of Natural Resources operated stations where Target Hunger volunteers will be present.” Continue Reading »
Living on the Wisconsin River allows me the luxury of being able to fish for my favorite fish species, the walleye and sauger all year long. That’s the great thing about living where I do since the walleye and sauger seasons never close on most rivers in Wisconsin. Locations and techniques change from season to season, but there is always a tactic that let’s you catch fish. A vast majority of the walleyes and saugers that I catch are released, but I love to eat fish and keeping a few legal fish doesn’t hurt the river’s population.
This time of the year, many anglers have put their boats away till next spring. But, the months of November and even December can provide some great river fishing for both walleyes and saugers and the best thing about fishing this time of the year is that you often have the Wisconsin River and most others to yourself. Many other anglers have switched gears and are now hunting deer, pheasants, ducks, and geese so this is why you’ll find so few anglers on the water. Most of my river fishing is done on the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers in Wisconsin and the Missouri River in the Dakotas. But, a vast majority of what I’m going to tell you will apply to rivers throughout the Upper Midwest.
Walleye and sauger fishing can be excellent in the fall and even throughout the winter if you can launch your boat and keep the guides on your rod open. The fish stay active all winter and don’t shut-down like some most other species that rarely feed actively in the cold water months. This also is a great time of the year to catch big trophy fish! Big walleyes and saugers feed actively even in winter.
Some years, I have been able to fish well into December and there also are the sunny days in January and February when you can get out on many rivers in the state. Sometimes, you might need a shovel and some ice melting-salt to clear a boat landing. I always make sure that I have these things with me this time of the year. But, fishing is possible and often very good. The Mississippi and Wisconsin River usually stay open all winter, so the only problem that you’ll find is access to the rivers.
Walleye professional and guide, Tony Puccio, and I have made it our “fall ritual” to fish during the Wisconsin deer gun season which falls on the third week of November. Some years, we may be fishing in cold and snow while other years the weather can be very bearable. The important thing though is that the walleyes and saugers are usually biting and active when you find them. The obvious key is to find the fish! Continue Reading »
This past Saturday, I finally got out fishing for muskies on Madison’s Lake Monona with friend and muskie hunter, Pat Westberg of Cottage Grove. Fellow Four Lakes Guide Association member and friend Wally Banfi was also fishing Monona with clients. Recently, both Pat and Wally had both started fishing for muskies and had had good success with a couple of nice 45 inch fish, some smaller fish, and numerous follow-ups.
I met Pat at Olin Park across from the Alliant Energy Center at 8:00 AM Saturday with my videographer, Daniel Robinson. We hoped to get a muskie or two on film for a future outdoor project. Wally and his group were already on the water. Today, we were fishing in Pat’s Ranger and he had already been fishing for a few minutes when we met him at the landing. Pat had made a few casts while waiting for us and had a nice follow which was a good sign for the day. A couple casts and a follow-up already made the day’s prospects look good.
We slowly motored out on Lake Monona and started fishing just outside the dying weed edge. If you can find green weeds this time of year be sure to fish them. The water temperature was 56 degrees which was still a little warm for turnover to start. For those of you who don’t know what turnover is I’ll give you a little description. ‘Turnover” is one of the most misunderstood concepts in fishing and can definitely affect your fall fishing tactics and techniques. Continue Reading »
I’m writing this month’s column with a heavy heart. I just got word the other day that a great friend and my mentor, Tony Dean, had passed away from complications after an appendectomy operation. The 67-year old Dean was with family members at his home in his Pierre, South Dakota living room overlooking the Missouri River. His wife, Darlene DeChandt, said, “He could see the water, he could see the ducks. He knew he was sick, but he said, you know, I’m not afraid.”
Dean had his appendix removed in late September and was moved to a Sioux Falls hospital a week later to treat complications. He returned home last Thursday (October 16). His death was not a surprise.
Tony Dean was best known for his hunting and fishing television show, Tony Dean Outdoors and his daily radio show, Dakota Backroads. Tony had one of the most distinctive voices among outdoor communicators and his weekend broadcasts were looked forward to by a generation of hunters and anglers who had come to value his conservation philosophy and the outdoors that he brought to them.
Chris Wood, the chief operating officer for Trout Unlimited, said, “He taught so many of us to stand up and speak for fish and wildlife and the habitats that they depend on. He was a giant of conservation and an inspiration to everyone who cares about the outdoors.”
Dean had recently sold his television program to Jason Mitchell of Devils Lake, North Dakota and helped Jason by co-hosting “Jason Mitchell Outdoors”. Mitchell praised Dean for standing up against people and organizations that did not have conservation at heart.
Recently, Dean took on the NRA and just before he died he recorded commercials for Barack Obama. If Obama was to win the November election, Dean was going to be on his transition team. His wife, Darlene, said that Tony was thrilled. He felt that Obama was the one with enough insight and was young enough to appreciate land conservation. Dean also was planning on creating a conservation think tank that would focus on protecting the hunting and fishing values of his beloved prairie.
I was lucky enough to have met Tony over 20 years ago while I was fishing and guiding full-time. He encouraged me to start writing and gave me the “blueprint” for my radio shows, Outdoor Horizons and Gary Engberg Outdoors. Though, I didn’t get to see Tony regularly he was always there for questions and advice to a fledging outdoor communicator. I called and emailed him whenever I needed another opinion and his conservation values were always cherished. The outdoors has lost one of its great voices who will be difficult if not impossible to replace.
I feel lucky to have known Tony Dean and I’m sure that he is watching over us and hoping that the conservation ethic that he loved is being followed and taught to future generations. Tony Dean’s ashes will be spread over the prairies, rivers, and lakes of the Dakotas where he loved to hunt and fish.
Voting
I urge all sportsmen and women to vote this November. Voting is one of the greatest gifts that democracy gives its citizens. I’m not going to tell someone who to vote for in the coming election. But, do research on how both candidates stand on issues that are important to you and your family. My politics are a little right of center, but I always try to vote for who I consider to be the best candidate that supports my views. Important issues to me are; conservation, new and alternative energy sources (solar, wind, bio), the environment, Second Amendment rights, security, and of course the economy. There is no doubt that we have to develop and use new energy sources and get away from fossil fuels. Decide what issues are important to you and see how McCain and Obama stack up on these issues before you vote. If you fail to vote, then you don’t have any right to complain about what an elected official is doing!
We have to maintain the environment and keep working on developing cleaner fuels without any further pollution. I suggest voters also check on where the candidates stand on drilling for oil in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) and off the country’s coasts. Another energy issue is clean coal and ethanol. I like to see farmers getting a good price for corn, but is ethanol the answer? The high price of corn is getting more and more farmers to opt out of the Conservation Reserve Program or CRP which has been a boom to ALL wildlife for over 20 years. CRP also has helped to clean the air, the water, and the soil over the years. This is one of the best government programs in history and was accomplished by a coalition of many diverse groups working together. The key is working together and that is rarely seen in the government these days.
Antlerless Deer Hunt
The state held a four-day antlerless gun deer season from October 16 to October 19. The hunt was for only antlerless deer in the 11 county South Central Region (SCR) of the state. A major change was made this year by combining the Disease Eradication Zone (DEZ) and the much larger Herd Reduction Zone (HRZ) into one CWD-MZ zone.
I registered deer during the four-day season at the Wilderness Fish and Game store in Sauk City, Wisconsin. There were many hunters out in the area with many hunters shooting a doe to get their buck tag and many out trying to harvest a deer for the venison to feed their families. The down economy has many people looking for ways to save some money and adding venison to the family foods can help. Venison has become a much wanted commodity at local food pantries as more and more people find that venison is low in fat and great for burgers, tacos, and much more.
I haven’t seen the DNR numbers for the hunt, but I’m sure that it was a success with helping to cull some deer out of the state’s massive deer herd while providing food for the needy. Continue Reading »
Rarely do I try to talk or write about politics. But, with the country’s presidential election coming soon, the last thing that I want to do is to tell someone who to vote for this November. Voting is the great thing about this country which allows all citizens the right to pick the candidate of their choice. Personally, my politics are a little right of center, but that it not the important issue. The issue is to do some research on how both McCain and Obama stand on issues that are important to you and then make sure that you vote. If you fail to vote, you’re giving up one of great rights America gives its citizens. If you don’t vote, then you have no right to complain about what an elected official is doing.
Issues that concern me are the environment, alternative energy sources (solar, wind, bio), Second Amendment rights, and of course the economy. There is no doubt that we have to become less dependent on fossil fuels and keep developing new energy sources. While developing new energy sources, we have to be sure to maintain the environment and keep working on cleaner fuels without any further pollution. I suggest that voters check on where the candidates stand on drilling for oil in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) and off the country’s coasts. Another energy issue of importance is clean coal and ethanol. The point is to make up your OWN mind based upon your views and where your candidate of choice stands on issues that are important to you. Don’t let slick advertisements and television commercials divert you from picking a president based upon how they represent what is important to you. If you are a conservationist and outdoors-person as I am, see how the two candidates stack up on these issues
I registered deer Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the four-day Wisconsin Antlerless Deer Hunt. There were many hunters out during this “special season” and many were hunting to get their buck tag. But, many of the hunters were out hunting deer for food for their families. The sagging economy has hit people and individuals that never thought about going to a food pantry or second-hand shop are now being forced to seek help and change their spending habits. Venison has become a much wanted food commodity at local food pantries as the economy and job situation worsens in much of the country.
Why not let the surplus deer help those who have fallen upon tough times during this downturn in the economy? People are finding that venison is a great meat and low in fat. There has yet to be anyone get sick from a properly cleaned and dressed deer that they have eaten. We have an abundance of deer in Wisconsin, so why not lower herd numbers and help the needy at the same time? Continue Reading »
Last week, I again had the chance to participate and help out with the Sauk Prairie School District’s successful program, “Hooked on Fishing Not Drugs.” This program is an outdoor learning experience which helps children make healthy choices in the community and at home. The program has been a part of the school curriculum for over 15 years. First, let me tell you a little about the program for those who aren’t familiar with it.
It was almost 15 years ago that Alcohol and Drug counselor, Susan Baumann-Duren and a group of core individuals (Wayne Whitemarsh, Father Larry Heitke, Sauk County Warden John Buss, Jack Frehill, Wayne Bruno, Dan Fuller, Jean Unmuth-Wipperfurth and others) got together and decided to try and incorporate a new program called “Hooked on Fishing Not Drugs” into the Sauk-Prairie School District curriculum. Many of these individuals have helped in the program from the beginning and have played an important and integral role in keeping it going. Fifteen years and thousands of children later, the program is still going strong and hopefully still making a difference in our ever-growing community.
Sauk-Prairie second-graders from Spruce Street, Grand Avenue, Merrimac, Black Hawk, and St.Aloysius schools get to participate in the program for one day in the fall. I’ve had the chance to participate, helping out in the fishing class, and observe the program’s growth and success over the years. The all-day event has been held at the farm and campground of the Ty Sandmire family. The farm is nestled in the beautiful and colorful Baraboo Hills across from the defunct Badger Army Ammunition Plant. The farm is in a beautiful setting with its own spring fed lake and even a natural cave. The Sandmire’s should be thanked for donating the use of their farm and its facilities for the program all of these years. Continue Reading »
Last week, the temperature soared to over 80 degrees in southern Wisconsin. Since the official beginning of fall over a week ago, our temperatures have been anywhere from 10 to 15 degrees above normal. We experienced a little “Indian Summer” weather which had many people out on the area lakes and rivers enjoying one of the last “warm” weekends of the year. Lake Wisconsin and the Lower Wisconsin River were both busy with anglers out looking for anything that bites and others out enjoying one of the years last weekends in their pleasure boats. The boat landings were crowded on Saturday with fishermen and boaters out for a last fling on the water before putting their boats away for the season. The Lower Wisconsin River also had a good number of people out canoeing, kayaking, and fishing despite the low water level.
Fishing has been inconsistent the last few weeks with the warm temperatures and summer-like conditions. But, fishing will change for the better as the water and weather cools as we get into fall. All fish species now know that winter is coming by the shorter days and diminishing amount of daylight that we are experiencing as we get into the months of October and November. Fish realize that they must go on a feeding binge to bulk up their bodies for the cold of winter when their metabolism and feeding activity drastically slows down. This is why October and November are such good months to fish because all fish are following their instincts and feeding heavily. The fall is also a great time to fish for trophy fish because they are active, aggressive, and often in predictable locations.
The largest muskies, bass, and walleyes of the year are usually caught in the fall before the ice-up on our lakes. If you are a serious fisherman or women, then this is your time of the year. Don’t put your boat away yet because there are many weeks of good fishing left before freeze-up. The one important thing to remember once temperatures cool below freezing at night is to make sure that you drain your boats lower unit every time you pull your boat out of the water. I also suggest that you add an additive, like Stabil Marine, to your boat’s gasoline tank. This prevents your fuel from breaking down and causing problems now or in the spring after a winter of storage. Continue Reading »
This past weekend was a typical fall weekend with many things to do and not enough time to do them all. I had three separate events that I wanted to cover and do some filming for the up and coming outdoor show that I’ve been working on for a couple of years. I have a graduate student, Daniel Robinson, from the UW who is doing my videography and editing. Daniel met me at my rural home early Saturday morning and we proceeded to Bill Medding’s property between Black Earth and Cross Plains. Bill has been generous in offering his property for the third annual “Women in the Outdoors” program which was why Daniel and I were at his property.
Nationally, the National Wild Turkey Federation is the sponsor for the Women in the Outdoors events starting the introductory program for women some years ago. The Black Earth Creek Longbeards is the local NWTF chapter that sponsored and provided volunteers for this event. This was the third year that the local chapter has had a women’s event. This year, there were 43 women who registered with some women coming from as far away as Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire, Wisconsin to participate.
The local event started at 8:00 AM and lasted to 4:00 PM. The $40.00 registration fee covered the lunch (a turkey cooked in a garbage can by Terry Welsh of the Glacier Valley Chapter), use of all equipment, ammunition, program materials, a gift bag, access to a silent auction and raffle, and a 1-year subscription to the Women in the Outdoors Magazine. The women were asked to rank the activities offered from 1 through 9 with one being the first choice. The class preference was based on a first come basis by the date of registration receipt. Continue Reading »
Last week, I wrote about the many different hunting and fishing seasons that are opening in September. The Early September Canada Goose season and the dove season both open with promising outlooks on September 1st. The hook and line lake sturgeon season opens on September 6th on the Wisconsin River from below the dam at Wisconsin Dells to and below the dam at Prairie du Sac. This includes all of Lake Wisconsin and all of the river’s waters downstream from the Dells Dam This year, due to over-harvesting below both dams, has resulted in a shorter season that closes September 30thwith a minimum size of 60 inches for these prehistoric fish. The limit is 1 lake sturgeon per season. Check last week’s column for more sturgeon fishing suggestions, dove tactics, and tips for the Early Canada Goose season. Continue Reading »
September 1st is the opening of the dove and Early September CanadaGoose hunting seasons in the Badger state. September 6th is the opener in Wisconsin for lake sturgeon.We are lucky to be in an area of Wisconsin where hunters and anglers can participate in all of these early seasons and have a chance of very good success.The first dove hunting season in the state was in 2000 after much debate and discussion. The number of dove hunters statewide is between 20,000 and 30,000 hunters who harvest between 100,000 and 150,000 birds. The number of dove hunters is slowly increasing as more hunters find that hunting doves is fun, improves your wing-shooting, gets you out in the fields and woods in September and October when the weather is nice, and provides excellent table-fare. This fall, there has been an increase in the length of the season with 10 more days being added. This fall, the season runs from September 1st to November 9th with a daily bag limit of 15 birds. Another change is that if you’re hunting on state managed lands, you must use non-toxic shot like bismuth.
The DNR guesses that the average hunter shoots 5 doves during the season which is a low figure considering that between 4 and 5 million doves migrate through Wisconsin on their way to their wintering grounds in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, and Mexico. Many doves also winter in Wisconsin and the Midwest despite the record winter of 2007-2008. Before last winter, the last decade of winters had warmer than normal temperatures. People should know that only 10-15% of the dove’s mortality comes from hunting while most of the mortality comes from predators, disease, accidents, and weather extremes. The DNR firmly believes that hunting doves does not affect the number of dove in the state. Continue Reading »
