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Hunters generally reported good hunting conditions changing to poor conditions in the north on opening day of the 2011 gun deer season. Hunters reported that the rut was still in progress across much of the state, with many hunters reporting seeing and shooting bucks that were actively pursuing does. Light rain mid day Saturday turned to snow across much of northern Wisconsin, with reports of anywhere from just a dusting to up to 9 inches of snow in the far north central part of the state. Colder temperatures and the new snow cover provided improved conditions on Sunday, but many wardens reported it appeared the hunting ranks thinned about the time the Green Bay Packers took to Lambeau Field.
A preliminary call-in tally showed hunters registered 112,581 deer over the two day opening weekend. The preliminary count was up about 5.8 percent from the opening weekend in 2010, with the preliminary buck harvest statewide up about 7 percent and the preliminary antlerless harvest up about 5 percent.
The traditional season runs through Sunday, with mild conditions in the forecast for much of the remainder of the week. Hunters have until 5 p.m. Monday to register deer, so preliminary season totals will not be available until late Tuesday after they are compiled from the more than 600 deer registration stations scattered across the state. The regular season is followed by a statewide muzzleloader season that runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 7, so all hunters are reminded that the blaze orange clothing requirement remains in place during this season. Hunters are reminded they can post photos from their hunt on the DNR’s Facebook page and visit the page to see many photos already posted.
The cold front that brought the snow also pushed more northern ducks into the state. Divers including red heads and ring-necks. Trumpeter swans and whooping cranes and tundra swans were also on the move this week. More than 70,000 tundra swans were staging in the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge this week. The northern zone duck season closed this week, but the southern duck zone and the exterior goose zone remain open until early December, so waterfowl hunters need to continue to be very sure to identify the species.
For all practical purposes, the open-water fishing season has come to an end in the Northwoods. Musky season will close on Wednesday, Nov. 30 - but very few anglers have been out trying their luck. Many medium-sized lakes saw some skim ice late last week, but that has since gone away with the wind and milder weather. A few of the smaller lakes still have a thin layer of ice -- but thickness is less than an inch and not near thick enough for any kind of ice fishing. There continue to be some reports of a few fly fishers out having success with brown and rainbow trout on Lake Michigan tributaries.
While some areas of northern Wisconsin say their first substantial snowfall and snowmobilers are getting their sleds ready, they are being reminded that trails don’t open until the county snowmobile trail coordinator declares trails open. Using trails before they are open is trespass and can result in the loss of trail easement from landowners.
Immature snowy owls are starting to show up in Wisconsin and across the Upper Midwest. Owls have been seen this week near Ashland, Horicon, Sheboygan, and Door County and other locations.
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