Wild Things: Roller-Coaster of Open Water, Ice

There’s more open water than ice in Sturgeon Bay this week, including along the shoreline west of Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. A few fishing boats have already been out, more than a month earlier than normal. Photo by Kevin Naze.

A look at online fishing message forums shows a mixed bag of last-ice catches and early opportunities casting or trolling open water.

Trout – mostly browns but an occasional rainbow or laker – are hunting baitfish in the Lake Michigan shallows, while pre-spawn pike, walleyes and perch are cruising the Green Bay shorelines.

Stickbaits and spoons trolled behind planer boards are favored along the lakeshore, while spawn sacs, spinners and spoons are popular in the tributaries. 

The Ahnapee River is open, and some anglers have already tangled with rainbows, browns and pike, and the Fox River below the dam at DePere has lured dozens of boating anglers daily.

A few walk-on ice fishing outings were still taking place earlier this week, and a three-day cold stretch Friday through Sunday could even firm up the soft shorelines. No one should venture out, though, without the latest intel on spots to avoid. Even then, the use of a spud as you carefully work away from shore is a must.

Unsafe ice conditions forced cancellation of the 40^th annual Algoma Hunting & Fishing Club Fisheree on East and West Alaska Lakes this weekend, but raffles, door prizes, food, music and refreshments will be held at the clubhouse, N7809 Willow Dr., Algoma. Hunter Gatherer is playing music 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18.

The following weekend, Feb. 24, is Muskrat City Sportsmen’s Club’s 25th annual Bunny Hunt. Pre-register at the clubhouse Feb. 23 from 3-9 pm at 4879 First Road, about two miles north of Kewaunee and a mile west of state Highway 42. More info: Scott, 920.255.1309. 

Deer Count by County

Wisconsin’s preliminary 2023-2024 season deer harvest of 294,024 – an almost identical percentage of antlered and antlerless – was the fourth lowest reported in the past 40 years. 

Hunter-reported deer totals from area counties included Door, 3,728 (1,722 bucks); Kewaunee, 2,889 (1,315); Brown, 2,793 (1,399); Manitowoc, 4,089 (1,967); Marinette, 7,870 (4,655 bucks); and Oconto, 7,211 (3,818).

The numbers may change a bit due to minor errors, late-reported harvests and crop damage deer added in.

Helping the Hungry

Recent surveys show that hunters share more than 100 million pounds of harvested wild game with family, friends and others, including about 10 million pounds to programs that supply food pantries and other programs.

The Hunters for the Hungry program encourages hunters to think ahead

during the off-season about how they might contribute. For example, even if you don’t donate a deer to Wisconsin’s venison donation program, you might consider a monetary donation when purchasing your hunting license.

Since 2000, Wisconsin hunters have donated nearly four million pounds of ground venison. Learn more at dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/donation.html.

Submit a Resolution

Citizens have until Feb. 26 to submit proposed natural resources resolutions of a statewide impact to be considered for an advisory-only vote in the online Wisconsin Conservation Congress and Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DNR) spring hearings, April 10-13.

The concern must be practical, achievable and reasonable, and within the mission and vision of the Conservation Congress.

Individuals can submit up to two resolutions per year. To learn how, click the submit citizen resolutions tab at dnr.wisconsin.gov/about/wcc/springhearing.

Volunteer Opportunities

Wisconsin’s efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate people in hunting and trapping include finding more volunteers to become hunter or trapper education instructors, or to lead or assist with a hunting mentor program. 

Learn more about hunting and shooting volunteer opportunities from Emily Lehl at 608.445.8168 and on trapping from Shawn Rossler at 608.225.2663, or check out the DNR’s R3 webpage at dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/R3.

Hunter Ethics

The Boone & Crockett Club has launched an online education platform for teaching the importance of fair-chase ethics when hunters head to the field. 

The curriculum takes a deep dive into the roots of conservation, the value of hunting within the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, and the importance of ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal.

Check out the free online course at boone-crockett.org/online-fair-chase-and-hunter-ethics-course.

Hunter Education

A number of area hunter education courses are taking place in the coming months. You can see a list of opportunities by county at dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/safetyEducation.