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Fall colors are coming on fast in northern Wisconsin, with several areas reporting colors are approaching peak. The Department of Tourism Fall Color Report (exit DNR). has most of central and even much of southern Wisconsin at near 50 percent color, with peak still two to four weeks off.
The entire state received rain in the last week, with some areas reporting 2 to 3 inches. Strong winds are in the forecast this week, with wind advisories for possible gusts up to 40 miles per hour. The rain and winds could bring down a lot of leaves.
The waterfowl season opened last weekend in the northern and new Mississippi River zones and the duck season will open at 9 a.m. this Saturday in the southern zone. Hunters are reminded that shooting hours do not begin until 9 a.m. in all zones this Saturday. Hunters are reporting conditions were good for the northern opener and they were seeing good wood duck and mallard numbers. Waterfowl are scattered due to good water levels, so ducks aren't nearly as concentrated as they have been in past years. Migrant Canada goose numbers are slowly building up, with some geese concentrated around Theresa Marsh, Horicon Marsh and other large wetland complexes, but most geese are spread out and hunters will need to do some scouting to figure out where the birds are feeding. Mississippi River water levels are below 8 feet in many areas resulting in large shoreline areas and mud flats. Waterfowl hunters in the new Mississippi zone commented on the large areas of "unforgiving mud" opening weekend. Wood ducks were prevalent with occasional flocks of blue winged teal and a few mallards.
Although the white-tailed deer rut, or mating season, is still about a month off, archery hunters are reporting they are already finding some scrapes made by bucks as they stake out territory. One registration station in central Wisconsin reported most bucks registered the first week were still in velvet, but that this week most bucks have polished antlers.
Cooler and windy weather along with hunting activity continued to suppress fishing activity, though some anglers continue to venture out. Bluegill action slowed some on the Mississippi River, but largemouth and small mouth bass fishing has been good to excellent in along with an occasional walleye being caught. Water temperatures are dropping and this transition is helping anglers catch walleyes and sturgeon on the Wisconsin River. Inland trout fishing has been good the last week of the season in both Coulee region streams and in central Wisconsin, where brown trout action has been strong. The inland season closes this Friday, Sept. 30.
Recent rains giving the trout and salmon some much needed help making their way up Lake Michigan tributaries. Chinook and brown trout were being reported up the Manitowoc, East and West Twin, Kewaunee and Sheboygan rivers, and fish were just beginning to move up the southeastern tributaries, with a few reported up Sauk Creek, and the Milwaukee and Root rivers. Strong winds have kept many trollers off the lake, but pier and shore anglers reported some good chinook and brown trout action at many harbors.
Now is the time to start looking for gypsy moth egg masses, which can help predict the pest’s population size and potential damage to trees next year. The yellowish egg masses can be found on tree trunks and the undersides of branches, but they can also be found on buildings, picnic tables, and other outdoor objects. People who find egg masses on their property can spray them with horticultural oil labeled for gypsy moth to help prevent them from hatching next spring.
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