Springtime in Wisconsin
This year, spring in most of Wisconsin has been a “roller coast” ride with record warm temperatures in March and then a cooling and more normal month of April. The record weather in March got fish spawning much earlier than normal, birds migrating north weeks a head of schedule, flowers and trees budding and emerging weeks early, and weather records in much of the Upper Midwest have been set and broken. This past weekend, I was outside trying to get some yard work and spring clean-up done at my Wisconsin River home. I planned to mow the lawn, trim some trees, stack firewood, clean bird feeders (since I’ve already seen hummingbirds), repair my front steps, and start working on all those jobs that I always seem to miss and forget. I’d much rather be fishing or taking photos of all the new bird species that seem to be arriving at my feeders daily, but there’s always work to do at home.
The last few weeks, there has been a tremendous growth spurt in most foliage and the emergence of numerous perennials in my yard and on the nearby public lands. Morel mushrooms and wild asparagus are popping out daily and providing me and friends with some tasty meals. The lilacs, honeysuckle, and apple trees are still flowering despite some recent frosty mornings. Leaf lettuce, radishes, and greens are sprouting in my garden and soon I’ll be enjoying fresh salads.
A few of the “summer” birds are arriving with recent sightings of orioles, bluebirds, finches, and cedar wax-wings, to name a few species that shown up in the past week. Nesting time is here with birds constantly bringing food back and forth to their young who are still in the nest. Though birds can easily survive on their own this time of year, I still find joy in feeding them year-round. Now, it seems as if all the mating and nesting birds get along or at least tolerate each other. The squirrel population is thriving as always and eating as much bird food as they possibly can.
The same pair of mallards are back with a brood of six ducklings who follow their waddling parents around the yard looking for sunflower seeds and any other waste grains that they can find. There also is a pair of Canadian geese that visit daily with their five goslings. While raking my shoreline, I saw an osprey and an eagle soaring high above the Wisconsin River. My hope is that the eagle is from the pair that has nested downriver for the last few summers and regularly raises a few eaglets!
My property is bordered by Wisconsin DNR land (Blackhawk and Mazomanie Units) and there are a couple of weeks left in the spring turkey season. These locations are wonderful areas for hiking or walking, viewing the abundant wildlife and fantastic fauna and flora, and outdoor photography. Turkey hunting season continues into May, so if you’re out in the woods be sure to wear blaze orange so that hunters can see you. Most days, one can see sandhill cranes (that have young), turkeys on nests, and soon, deer will be having their fawns. The best thing is that most of this wildlife can be seen on the state’s numerous public lands. There are thousands and thousands of acres of DNR land that is available for everyone to enjoy in so many diverse and interesting ways. Go to the DNR website at dnr.wi.gov for maps and descriptions of the state’s public lands and then find one that suits your tastes and favorite activities.
Wildlife seems to be doing very well in southern Wisconsin. Being only 140 miles or 2 ½ hours from the suburbs of Chicago and 100 miles from Milwaukee, much of the beauty of Wisconsin is at your fingertips and less than a tank-full of gas away. With the price of gasoline rising these days, more and more families and individuals are staying closer to home for their weekend get-a-ways and vacations. One doesn’t have to drive for hours and spend a considerable amount of money traveling for the serenity, natural beauty, and emerging wildlife of spring right here in Wisconsin and close to so many readers’ homes.
I’m seeing more and more people using the Wisconsin River for a variety of activities like; canoeing, kayaking, tube floating, and of course, fishing. The last few springs have not been the best for recreational river use with poor weather and low water levels being the main reasons for the decline. But, there already seems to be an increase in people using the river this year; be it people looking for a vacation spot closer to home, the poor economy, or the discovery of what a gem the Lower Wisconsin Riverway is for all kinds of recreation throughout the year.
This is also a great time for fishing on the Wisconsin River. The nice thing about the Wisconsin River is that it is open year-round for all fish species except; catfish, muskies, and sturgeon. The inland lake fishing season opens this weekend, Saturday, May 5th. Fish, Indian, Devils, Whitemound, Redstone, and the Madison Chain of Lakes are all lakes close by that open this weekend for fishing. We are blessed to have many great fishing lakes within a short drive of most of us.
The fishing has been inconsistent like the weather this spring. But, the smallmouth are getting active and going on their beds, the walleyes are recovering from the rigors of spawning and are hungry, and the white bass are starting to chase river shiners up and down the river. In the Wisconsin River, expect to catch a mixed bag of walleyes, saugers, smallmouth, white bass, catfish, pike, panfish, rough fish, and even the occasional muskie! The current flow is at a navigable level making boating, canoeing, and fishing much easier than when the rock bars are exposed and outboard motors must be trimmed up for travel. The next month or so is one of the best times of the year to actively enjoy many activities on the Wisconsin River. Try to get out and experience the outdoor splendor of this area and take advantage of the large number of public land that is available for you to enjoy. Everything that you could possibly want and need is here for a day’s outing, a couple of day’s stay, or a week’s vacation. If you have questions, feel free to contact me at my website, www.garyengbergoutdoors.com and I’ll steer you in the right direction.
Contact Information for the Area
Canoe Rentals; Black Hawk River Runs, (608)-643-6724.
Campgrounds; Cedar Hills Campground, (608)-795-2606.
Motels
Skyview Motel (608)-643-4344.
Cedarberry Inn, (608)-643-6625.
Equipment, Bait, and Gear
Wilderness Fish and Game, (608)-643-2433.
Restaurants
Leystra’s Venture, (608)-643-2004.
Fishing Guides;
Wally Banfi, (608)-644-9823, Tony Puccio, (608)-212-6464, Gary Engberg, (608)-795-4208.