Latest On Wisconsin Outdoors Columns
3-28-2012
Each week, this Blog acts as your guide to lead and link you to the columns, photos, fishing reports, stories and other outdoor “stuff” that we’ve posted over the previous days. Many of them come to us from the outdoorsman…and the occasional chick… in the fields of Wisconsin. Actually, we have four women writing for On Wisconsin Outdoors. At least we did until I wrote that last sentence.
First up today is the “once in lifetime experience” that Waushara County deer hunter Tom Switalski sent us in the form of seven photos and the story that tells us what happened last November in his own Brookfield backyard. If you want to see an absolutely tremendous buck demonstrating some really rut-like behavior, link to “Deer Hunting” And remember, no treestands in Tom’s backyard next fall gang.
Speaking of deer hunting, the last blog we posted offered in part some advice for finding shed antlers from Wisconsin and Iowa hunters who use the spring searches in part to prepare for the fall hunt. If you didn’t see in particular one shed photo, it’s worth a look and the story is still posted. I successfully used the advice myself a year later when I was mentoring a new hunter in Wisconsin’s southwest on a first turkey hunt. We’re posting that story under “Smallgame and Upland Game”. During a scouting trip prior to the hunt, I stole a line from the shed experts who related where they find 90 percent of their dropped antlers…”Myles my boy,” I said, “if I were you I’d look closely in these tall grasses on the south facing slopes above this food source…”. Five minutes later Myles was holding the half-rack of a beautiful “eight” and despite my shocked look, I was the new expert in town. The point is, try these tips on the shed hunts including carrying binoculars. It’s not rocket science but they work.
Speaking of kids in the field, they are the future of hunting and the shooting sports. That’s why OWO will post your stories, like the youth trapshooting results for numerous Wisconsin high schools beginning their third season of competition this week. With the expansion of Muskego, Jefferson, Oconomowoc and Cudahy, the SE WI SCTP league stands at 12 schools. To see what schools participate, photos and the trap results of head-to-head competition. While you’re checking out the trapshooting, note under “Firearms”the details of an April 6 fundraising banquet for the Burlington High School Team featuring four USA Trapshooting Olympic Team members.
Dave’s Turf & Marine one mile east of Watertown on Highway 16 will offer their annual Free Fishing Expo on Sunday, April 22 from 11:00 to 4:00. Owners Dave & Leni are great people and they bring in great fishing experts offering great seminars to help you on the water. Dan Bush on “Pewaukee Muskies”, Lynn Nicklash on “Big Walleyes”, Dennis Radloff on “GPS, Sonar & Boat Control” and Tom Newbauer on “Panfish & Bass” headline the 2012 Expo. Exhibitors include Mercury, Princecraft, Evinrude, Rock River Rescue Foundation, Cutting Edge Outdoors, Sterling Guide Service, Smokeys Muskie Shop, Muskies Inc. White Jaw Guide Service, Your Fishing Pal Guide Service and On Wisconsin Outdoors. Not only is the Expo free, the great food is free too. For details see “Inland Fishing”.
Look for a regular column, “Conservation Corner” brought to you by Wisconsin Conservation Congress member Lee Fahrney. In his first column found here on “Outdoor News”, Fahrney reminds us of the upcoming Spring Hearings in every county in the state and some of the most important issues on the docket. Usually, there are a few thousand people collectively who show up to represent 1.4 million license holders. That’s not good.
Guide Dave Duwe brings us his first fishing reports of the season spotlighting Lake Geneva and Delavan in Walworth County. He’s got his finger on the pulse of those two southern gems, so you might want to keep tabs on Dave if you’re a southern angler. Like every week you’ll find all kinds of great information from the Hayward Lakes Area and DNR News under “Outdoor News” and also on "Outdoor News" DNR Fisheries Biologist Ron Bruch as always gives us an entertaining update with photos on the progress of the sturgeon spawning run.
Tis the season for spring travel. Last year, Scott Heitman and I traveled to St. George Island on the Florida’s panhandle to take on Gulf of Mexico Sheep head and other ocean sportfish where my father-in-law, Dick Henske of Manitowish Waters, spends each winter. Whoa Nellie, this isn’t your Wisconsin sheep head. “Trips Elsewhere”
This just in: Walleye anglers, if Great Guide Phil Schweik is already on post-spawn walleyes 3-29-2012 in Wausau and catching smallmouth on the Wisconsin River, you know things are early all over in Wisconsin. See great photos of both species and crappies and read up-to-date advice on targeting fish and turkeys in the north country by linking here to “Inland Fish”
Shoot straight.
Dick