Price County Trail & Recreation Report 05/18/18
Price County Tourism Department – Reports – Trail & Recreation – http://www.pricecountywi.net/843/Reports---Trail-and-Recreation
Updates are posted to the Reports page on an ongoing basis; check the page periodically for the most up-to-date information.
All Price County trails are now open! The flush toilet/shower buildings at Solberg Lake and Smith Lake are now open and the water has been turned.
Paddling/Flambeau River - 5/16/18
Early-season paddling has begun and the river is at an ideal level for paddling. Cold water gear is recommended at this time. The water level and flow on the North Fork of the Flambeau River below the Turtle Dam is good. The water levels on South Fork of the Flambeau River are good.
Anglers have reported success fishing for smallmouth bass.
The North Fork of the Flambeau River is controlled by dams and it generally remains near the ordinary high water mark throughout the summer. The South Fork of the Flambeau and other rivers in the area can become quite low at times during the summer months without consistent rain. Whenever planning a paddling trip, always check with an area rental/shuttle/guide service for the most current conditions and to select a suitable stretch of river based on your experience.
ATV, UTV & Off-Road Motorcycle Trail Report - 5/18/18
Price County Highway ATV / UTV routes are open May 15 through October 15. Due to the bridge construction taking place on County Highway H, the designated detour route is County Highway F to Flemings Rapids Road to County Highway W. Detour signs will be posted, and the speed limit will be 25 mph on Town of Elk roads. The use of Flemings Rapids Road as a route is on a temporary basis for this detour only. Please do not abuse the privilege of using this road.
Municipalities - open and close dates for road routes vary by city, town and village. Please contact the municipality where you are interested in riding to verify dates.
- · Flambeau Trail System (70 miles) ~ OPEN May 11 through March 15 - The trail is getting a bit dusty as it hasn’t rained much since the snow melted. There is active logging on trail 118A-111 by Hwy 182, so please use caution as logging equipment is crossing the trail. A few culverts have some minor erosion issues, but all in all the trails are in good condition! Trail users are asked to ride with caution, and remember to keep an eye out for water over the trail as the beavers have been really active this spring. Please report any issues, especially water over the trail, to Brady Howe at bjhowe@fs.fed.us or 715-762-5104 and leave a detailed note on where the issue is. Thanks and safe riding! There are still some reserveable campsites available at Sailor Lake Campground for Memorial Day weekend. This campground is located on the Flambeau Trail and provides great access to the trail as well as Sailor Lake.
- · Solberg Trail (9.5 miles) ~ OPEN May 1 through March 14 - Tread lightly.
- · Georgetown Trail (18.8 miles) ~ OPEN May 1 through March 14 - .The Georgetown Trail is in good shape for ATV, UTV and Off-road Motorcycle riding. Trail work is scheduled for May 19, so watch out for workers and equipment on the trail that day. The road route from Phillips to access the east end of the trail is County Highway W which is open to ATV & UTV use May 15 through October 15. There are road routes from the communities of Kennan and Catawba that allow access to the west end of the trail. Routes in the Town of Kennan are open year-round; routes in the Town of Catawba are open May 15 through October 15.
- · Tuscobia State Trail (64 miles) ~ OPEN April 16 through November 15 - There is a small washout about a mile east of Draper by Hathaway Road at the culvert; it is passable and has green markers on it. A trail repair has been scheduled to begin on May 15 east of Winter in Sawyer County and is expected to take one month. The west end of the reroute goes north out of Winter on County Road W, and the east end of the reroute goes north off of Hwy. 70 on Clover Road.
- · Flambeau River State Forest Trail (38 miles) ~ OPEN May 15 through November 15 - Please be aware there is a stretch of trail on Hines Grade Road that is in need of some repair work. Half of the road bed has washed away. It is clearly marked and still passable.
- · Pine Line / Price-Taylor Rail Trail/Prentice Area ~ CLOSED through November 30 - The Price County section of the trail allows ATV and UTV use December through March 31 when snowmobile trails are officially open. Click here to find Taylor County contact information for inquiries regarding their open and close dates or call 715-748-1486.
DNR Fishing Report - 5/16/18
No fishing report. DNR Fish crews are busy on the lakes since ice out. Watch for reports coming soon.
Trout stocking began on some Price County area lakes beginning May 14.
Buying a license is quick, convenient, and discounted options make it easy to invite a friend
Buying a license is easy and convenient. All licenses are available for purchase through Go Wild, DNR Service Centers or at one of our sales locations unless otherwise noted.
Spring walleye fishing tips from a longtime fish manager - Walleye will be high on anglers' target list when the regular fishing season opens May 5. It's a good bet many anglers will be stalking ol' marble eyes whether from a boat, shore, or they may even need tip-ups in the still frozen northern lakes.
Local Guide Reports
5-16-18 - The fishing activity across our area has been good for a variety of fish species. The air temperature has been above normal this past week and is raising water temps quickly. Walleyes are post spawn with most of the activity from the males. Jig and minnow combinations in shallow water has produced some great action. Northern pike are aggressively hitting stick baits. Most of the action is coming from shallow newly emergent weed beds. Many small perch are hanging in this area and are the snack food of choice! The largemouth bass are starting to visit the large shallow back bays. The males are fairly aggressive and with the warming water should only get better. Spinner baits, stick baits and wacky worms should be the go to baits for bass this week. If the warm air temps continue the small mouth bass action will begin to fire up. The river water levels are dropping and the current is slowing. Walleyes are beginning to move away from the dam areas. Tube jigs tipped with minnows along the shallow weeds and along the first break are getting bites. The muskies are in shallow water and beginning to spawn. Please remember that the season does not start until memorial weekend. so all fish must be released immediately. Good Luck Fishing! Joe Brezinski, Northland Guide Service
5/14/18 - Turkey hunting is great! I have taken out two people the last 2 weeks and had 6-8 toms working the calls at one time. The woodcock and grouse have laid their eggs and are setting. I have personally found a nest of each. The woodcock had 4 eggs the grouse had 8 eggs. Rich Kirchmeyer, Black Creature Guides
DNR Outdoor Report - 5/18/18
Application period for Wisconsin elk hunt opened May 1
As anticipation and excitement build around Wisconsin's first managed elk hunt in state history taking place this fall, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced that the elk hunting license application period opened May 1.
The spring wild turkey hunting season continues through May 29. There are still leftover harvest permits available for Price County Zone 4 Period F - May 23-29. Turkey hunters have reported good success. Many birds are responding to strutting Tom decoys rather than calling. Multiple goose broods and ducklings are being seen and a sandhill crane colt was reported last week. Sightings of deer fawns are being reported; remember, if you see a fawn alone, please leave it where it is as the survival strategy for deer is to leave the nearly scent free fawns “hidden” while the doe feeds somewhere nearby but the mother will return to retrieve the fawn after feeding. Boreal chorus frogs, leopard frogs, wood frogs and spring peepers have been deafeningly loud on the warm evenings. Bees, mosquitos, ticks and other insects have awakened with the warming temperatures. Wildflowers are starting to emerge in northern Wisconsin.
Millions of migratory birds have flooded into Wisconsin in the last week and more are on their way, so bird lovers will want to grab their binoculars and get ready for the big show. Read more at https://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/article/?id=4255
Statewide Birding Report - After a great start to the month, birding remained fantastic across most of the state this week. Migration peaks over the coming weeks. Get your binoculars ready!
Flambeau River State Forest Outdoor Report - 5/17/18 - It’s such a joy to have spring here and all the pregnant wildlife and youngsters born daily. Elk cows and deer does are in their third trimester of pregnancy and we’re hoping for some large and feisty youngsters. A few of the does have already had their fawns. Grazing wildlife is prevalent throughout the forest. Bears and cubs are out feeding and filling up after the long winter we had. Tundra swans, geese, cranes and ducks are flying overhead. Each waterhole seems to have some waterfowl in it. Robins, wood peckers, finches, indigo buntings, rose breasted grosbeaks, kingfishers, swallows, blue jays, grouse, woodcock and sandhill cranes are just a few of the birds being viewed by area residents and Forest staff. Spring flowers are blooming. Bloodroot, trilliums, wood violets, marsh marigold, trout lilies, bellwort’s, spring beauties and leaks and fronds are popping. Most of the trees are in the bud or flowering stages and the leaves are just becoming visible. Remember the song: Green, green, it’s green they say, on the far side of the hill. It comes to mind when you view the landscape. So green, so fresh and new and beautiful. The Flambeau River is such a precious resource. It’s banks are thriving with water and animal life. Nesting, playing of furbearers and a haven for ducks and geese.