DNR Outdoor Report update, October 16, 2014 -- Fall color now at or approaching peak in southern Wisconsin; more hunting season open Saturday, October 18
Complete DNR Outdoor Report (Reports from conservation wardens, wildlife and fisheries staff and property managers from around the state)
Fall color now at or approaching peak in southern Wisconsin; more hunting season open Saturday, October 18
Fall colors are now at or near peak through much of southern and central Wisconsin, though some areas are still reporting colors at only 50 percent, so good color may last through another week or more in some spots. In the north colors are past peak and strong winds and rain brought down a lot of leaves this week, but tamaracks are showing their golden glow and the oaks are in many shades of red, rust and brown.
The nice weather over the past weekend provided many youth deer hunters with successful hunts, with many nice photos of young hunters with their deer posted to the DNR Facebook page. Archers are reporting good deer movement lately with the damp weather, and deer scrapes and rubs are on the rise, indicating pre-rutting activity is stepping up and peak rutting activity could begin in about two weeks.
Woodcock seemed to be migrating last weekend with a northwestern wind, high pressure and a near full moon, but mostly still farther north. With leaves dropping lots more grouse were being seen. Bear hunting is now closed and some really nice bears were harvested, but this year's bountiful acorn crop made hunting more of a challenge.
The wolf hunting and trapping season opened this week and additional hunting opportunities open this Saturday, Oct. 18 including pheasant, cottontail rabbit, raccoon, fox and the late southern duck and goose seasons. As in the past, pre-season pheasant stocking is done on designated properties. A listing of stocked properties is on the pheasant hunting section of the DNR website.
Musky continue to be the main highlight for anglers in the Wisconsin Northwoods. Fishing has been generally good to excellent, with suckers providing most of the action. Fall walleye fishing on river systems has been picking up with some action on the Wisconsin, Chippewa, Menominee an Fox rivers as well as Lake Wisconsin.
Along Lake Michigan, anglers along northern tributaries, including the Ahnapee, Kewaunee, East and West Twin, Manitowoc and Sheboygan, continue to have high success as the chinook salmon are at the peak of their spawning run. Farther south, anglers were having success on the Milwaukee but many other tributaries were running low with fewer numbers of fish reported.
A lot more migratory Canada geese arrived this week on southern Wisconsin marshes and a large number of diving ducks such as scaup and redhead, canvasback, ring neck and ruddy ducks are also showing up. Dark-eyed juncos arrived in the area this week. Blackbirds and robins have been flocking up in preparation for travels south and turkey vultures are also gathering with as many as 200 to 400 vultures soaring over the Devil's Lake bluffs at times.
Asters, sunflowers and fall grasses such as big bluestem are still showing some color.
This weekend there are more than half a dozen Halloween events being held at state park and forest properties, including candlelight hikes, jack-o"-lanterns, bonfires and costume contests. Search the DNR website for "Get Outdoors" for a complete list of activities.
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Outdoor Report editor:
Paul Holtan, DNR Office of Communications, Madison
608-267-7517 or paul.holtan@wisconsin.gov