Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for November 29, 2012
The nine-day gun deer season and the muzzleloader season have closed for 2012, but opportunities remain to harvest a deer, and fill the freezer for the holidays.
The late archery season is underway and continues until Jan. 6, 2013. There is also a statewide antlerless hunt beginning today, Dec. 6, through Sunday, Dec. 9, and a holiday hunt in the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) zones of south central Wisconsin, which starts Dec. 24 and runs until Jan. 6, 2013.
With weekend snow in the forecast, hunting conditions are expected to improve for the antlerless deer hunt, and hopefully, enough snow for snowmobile trail grooming to also begin. State park and forest properties have also cleared ski trails and are prepared to begin grooming ski trails as soon as adequate snow arrives.
Please note all hunters – with the exception of waterfowl hunters -- are required to wear blaze orange through Dec. 9, and waterfowl hunters are encouraged to wear blaze orange when travelling to and from blinds.
Cold weather sent a large number of diving ducks – scaup, bufflehead, golden eye, red head and canvasback – south, but when warm weather moved in, many slowed their migrations and hunters reported mixed success before hunting in the southern zone ended last weekend.
The first ice has come and gone, frustrating many ice fishermen, but with cooler weather predicted, conditions should be improving, depending on location in a week or two. Be cautious when you head out with your auger, the early ice will be uneven and potentially unsafe.
Perch are still biting on minnows in Oconto County, and also in Brown County both from shore and by boat on the Oconto River at the Oconto Boat Landing.
Crappies and walleyes are still being caught in good numbers on the Wolf River in Waupaca County with live bait being the best bet. Crappie anglers also reported good success in Kenosha and Dodge counties.
Brown trout fishing in Milwaukee remains hot with many browns and a few Lake Trout being caught on the lake and in the inner harbor. Most methods have been producing results with the best being short lead cores in 2-4 colors and stick baits or crankbaits fished off of planer boards, crankbaits fished off of downriggers has been equally productive.
There is exceptional eagle watching along in Grant County at Mississippi River Pool #11. Eagles may be sighted from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service landings at Far Nuff and Lynn Hollow.
Large numbers of migrating Canada geese have been seen resting on the Oconto River between Oconto and Stiles in Oconto County. Most inland bodies of water are still ice free or have very thin ice.
On Lake Superior along Ashland County, swans and other waterfowl remain on the big lake’s open water. And a northern shrike was spotted in Waupaca County this week.