Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for December 30, 2015
Complete DNR Outdoor Report (Reports from conservation wardens, wildlife and fisheries staff and property managers from around the state)
Timely snow allows winter activities to pick up across Wisconsin; candlelight skis kick off this weekend
Wisconsin received some timely snow for the New Year, with a storm dropping from 2 to up to 10 inches across much of the state, with the heaviest snowfalls in a band from central to northeastern Wisconsin.
Many state park and forest properties have been grooming cross-country ski trails, but as this was the first significant snowfall of the winter, some parks were only able to pack down trails and were not able to set tracks.
The first two of more than 30 candlelight events at state properties will be held this Saturday, Jan. 2, at Blue Mound State Park on the Dane-Iowa county border and Mirror Lake State Park near Lake Delton. In addition, 10 state properties will be holding First Day Hikes on New Years Day.
About a half dozen counties in far northern Wisconsin were able to open or partially open snowmobile trails, according to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR). Most areas were reporting conditions as poor to fair, with Vilas and Iron counties reporting most conditions fair.
Many northern lakes have refrozen, but with the new snowfall ice conditions remain highly variable, but anglers are reporting up to 5 inches of ice in spots and the anglers that are going out are finding some fish. Trout Lake in Vilas County still had open water this week. Most lakes in central and southern Wisconsin remain open.
Anglers are targeting walleye or northern pike on the Bay of Green Bay and some of the tributaries have had some stream fisherman.
Archery and crossbow deer season is open till January 3 and snow levels allow for very good visibility and tracking conditions.
Quite a few bald eagles around the Bay of Green Bay. Bear cubs are born in their dens in the month of January and great horned owls begin hooting and claiming their territories. Most of the elk bulls have separated from the cow/calf groups and have reformed their bachelor groups where they will stay until late August of 2016. There seems to be a very good population of weasels this year, with an abundance of weasel tracks.
Bird feeders are awash with color and song and common birds include a mix of woodpeckers and winter birds. Chickadees, nuthatches, gold finches, cardinals, blue jays and junco's are busy grabbing a seed. Red-headed, pileated, downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers are common visitors.