Outdoor Report for April 5, 2018
Published April 5, 2018 by the Central Office
View current conditions for Wisconsin State Parks, Trails and Forests
Check out the Wisconsin Department of Tourism (exit DNR).
Winter is not letting up on Wisconsin, with Mother Nature playing an April Fool's joke on the state bringing just a couple inches of snow in the south to 10 or more inches in the north. The Brule River State Forest, Pattison State Park and the Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters area groomed ski trails and report good conditions. All other properties have discontinued grooming and trails are open to multi-use including skiing, snowshoeing and on some properties fat biking. All snowmobile trails are closed for the season.
Lakes Mendota and Monona opened last weekend. Some central Wisconsin lakes are completely open and others still have a good amount of ice, but the quality is poor and the shorelines are bad making access difficult.
This was a snowy Fish Lake in Waushara County on March 31.Photo credit: Ben Mott, DNR
This was the same view of the lake April 3. Lakes are opening up through central Wisconsin.Photo credit: Ben Mott, DNR
The snow, cold temperatures and ice didn't deter opening day anglers for the spring steelhead fishing opener last Saturday on the Brule River. Angler numbers were good and there were reports of success. It also didn't stop Fox River anglers out to catch a trophy walleye as hundreds were fishing from boats and shore. Fishermen were also out after walleye on the lower Wisconsin River with some on and off action.
The ice is mostly gone in the Manitowoc harbor but the landing is still closed. The Manitowoc River has been producing some steelhead. Upstream in both the East and West Twin Rivers, anglers have been doing well catching steelhead. The Sheboygan River has been producing decent numbers of steelhead and the occasional brown trout. Good numbers of steelhead are being spotted throughout Sauk Creek but fishing has been reported as slow. With more cold weather in the forecast we may be in for a slow drawn-out steelhead run.
Snowshoe hare and weasel coats are beginning to turn brown. The snow and cold temperatures have temporarily slowed or suspended a lot of wild animal activities. Skunks, raccoons, and opossums that previously emerged have reduced their nocturnal forays. They adjust rapidly, however, to weather changes, as the urge to eat and procreate is difficult to suppress for any length of time.
Robins, black birds, geese and trumpeter swans may be regretting their decisions to make their appearances "early" this year in Iron County, where there is still 16-22 inches of snow and 1-2 feet of ice on most lakes. A newly arrived saw whet owl looking for an unsuspecting mouse didn't know what to do from its perch in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. The 20 inches of snow on the ground in Washburn County has postponed sharp-tailed grouse viewing at the Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area. Normally viewing blinds to watch sharp-tailed grouse dance are available starting April 1. This year it won't be until the snow has melted.
Turkeys are still starting to get fired up in spite of the snow. Gobbles can be heard and birds have been strutting and displaying too.
Maples trees trying to break bud, but the weather will put them in a holding pattern. The cold nights and slow warming days put a damper on tapping operations last week. Most sugar bushes will likely not be operating this week as the temperatures will stay at or below freezing most of the week.
The annual Spring Fish and Wildlife Hearings and county Conservation Congress meetings will be held across the state on Monday evening in every county of the state beginning at 7 p.m. Check the DNR website for a list of questions to be voted on.
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Statewide Birding Report
Another week of cold, snow, ice, and northerly winds hindered bird migration, leaving most areas of the state with fewer birds of fewer species than would be expected this time of year. Of note, however, were the first ospreys, yellow-rumped warblers, and blue-winged teal, all about as far north as Green Bay. Horned grebes and the first Bonaparte's gulls appeared across the south, where golden-crowned kinglets, fox sparrows, and eastern phoebes were noted in decent numbers. Geese numbers also remain high there with Canadas numbering in the thousands, greater white-fronted by the hundreds, and just a few snow, Ross's, and cackling.
Horned grebePhoto credit: Ryan Brady
The week's snow brought many blackbirds, redpolls, and juncos to feeders across much of central Wisconsin. Unfortunately, most impacted by the weather may have been early-arriving American woodcock, which were noted in some unusual habitats and all-too-well represented at wildlife rehab facilities from central Wisconsin southward. Farther north, American robins and common grackles made a small push into the region but otherwise the landbird migration has been very slow. Some of the wintering birds holding on statewide include snowy owls, short-eared owls, snow buntings, northern shrikes, rough-legged hawks, and pine siskins. On the up side, American goldfinches are getting brighter yellow by the day.
Some of this week's rarities included Franklin's gull in Sheboygan, western grebe and early black-necked stilt in Manitowoc, continuing varied thrush in Door, and hoary redpolls at multiple locations among the many commons. What lies in the week ahead? More of the same for the next few days but then winds finally turn south mid-late next week, which should usher in a nice wave of new migrants. As always, track migration progress by species at http://bit.ly/2oznJKK and put your sightings on the map by submitting them to www.ebird.org/wi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, conservation biologist, Ashland