 |
| The Parnell Tower at the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest near Dundee, Wisconsin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Much of the state has had more snow and blowing snow this week, along with cold. Snow depths range from a low of 2 to 4 inches in the far south, to more than 30 inches in the far north. This is good for skiers and snowmobilers, but not for outdoor enthusiasts looking to transition from cold, ice and snow to spring activities, including bird watching, turkey hunting and tree tapping.
Snowmobile trails are currently open in about the northern half of the state, with conditions ranging from fair to excellent on the Department of Tourism’s Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR). Skiers will find the same conditions in the north, and even fair to good in some central and southern locations like the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Peninsula, Potawatomi, Wildcat Mountain and Blue Mound state parks.
The game fish season is closed on most inland waters, and the cold weather has slowed panfishing activity, but snowmelt is starting to draw some steelhead up Lake Michigan tributaries, with some decent action on open stretches of the Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Root rivers but many river sections remain unfishable due to ice flows.
Unseasonably cold weather conditions have delayed the start of Wisconsin’s maple syrup season. Large producers and backyard hobbyist are anxiously awaiting a break in the cold weather which may occur next week. Ideal conditions for large sap runs are daytime highs in the 40s and nighttime lows in the 20s.
In addition to the series of public meetings going on now to gather public input on the 2013 deer season structure wildlife officials have launched two new surveys to collect feedback from a diverse set of interests representing hunters and non-hunters. The Deer Management Unit Survey is a way for people to provide input for the 2013 hunting seasons. The second survey, called the Deer Trustee Implementation Survey, focuses on broader long-term deer management in Wisconsin and ways that it can be enhanced. State wildlife officials want to hear from anyone interested in deer, from farmers to landowners to wildlife watchers. Find the surveys by searching the DNR website for Deer Hunter Forum and deer trustee report.
Red fox pups are being born, fox and gray squirrel too. Lots of mink and otter tracks are visible in the fresh snow. Redpolls and goldfinches have been going crazy at Wood County bird feeders. Winter songbirds and woodpeckers are getting their bright breeding plumage. Trumpeter swans, Canada geese, and many diving ducks, including bufflehead, blue bills -- or scaup -- and mergansers can be seen in the open water of the Mississippi River in Grant County, but with the snow and cold weather, there has been some reverse migration of sandhill cranes.
No comments:
Post a Comment