Family-Outdoors

Storms move across the central part of the state midweek dropping up to 2 inches of rain in some locations, with strong winds knocking down trees and power lines. Fortunately only minor damage was reported at state parks in Door County and other areas that were in the path of the storm. The weather is looking great this weekend to enjoy DNR Park at the Wisconsin State Fair. Kids can go on a scavenger hunt and stop and create a wearable souvenir of at the t-shirt printing tent. A new outdoor pier gives everyone a better look at big rainbow trout in the stream. And be sure to check out live native animals at the Natural Heritage Conservation display. Except for the storm, most of the state remained dry much of the last week and water levels on river systems continue to drop. This was the first time this summer that conservation wardens had to caution boaters on the Mississippi River to watch out for wing dams, with several interactions between propellers and the rock dams report...

Michigan Outdoor News Michigan will allow harvest of wolves starting this year.  According to Russ http://goo.gl/KlbbP Mason, DNW Wildlife Division Chief, "We anticipate that this limited public harvest could both change wolf behavior over time - making them more wary of people, residential areas and farms - and reduce the abundance of wolves in these management areas that have experienced chronic problems."  The number of permits will total 1200 and will allow traditional take methods but will not include trapping.  To learn more about this harvest, visit On July 27th, paddlers can navigate the Muskeon River with a DNR biologist.  It will be a 3 hour trip through Muskegon State Game Area, and will include some basic paddling instruction.  To get the details, visit http://goo.gl/1p60X Wisconsin Outdoor Report While much of the state has received additional rain in the last week – with areas of the north receiving several inches – water levels througho...

English: North Country Trail - Wisconsin, Brule Bog, Douglas Co. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Wisconsin looks and feels very more like November than April this week as rain, snow and unseasonable cold moved in across the state. Needless to say, the weather has dampened the spirits of anglers, bird watchers and other outdoor enthusiasts, and created additional challenges to hunters looking for turkeys. Many rivers in the south are running very high with some approaching flood stage. Slow-no-wake rules are in place on the Rock River in Rock County. All trails are open to hiking but they are wet and soft. Most mountain bike trails are closed. Mountain bike trails typically remain closed each spring for several weeks until adequate drying of the trail base. Trails managers are asking people to please stay off the soft limestone screened trails until the tread hardens to minimize damage to the trail surface. Deep ruts or footprints are difficult to fix and the trail is easier to grade with...

More snow – and rain -- has fallen in the last week, and, overall state temperatures are below seasonal averages. Winter is lingering a bit longer and so are many birds, who are biding their time waiting for warmed, sunnier days before heading here. Conditions are mixed for skiing and snowmobile enthusiasts, but the rain that fell recently closed many snowmobile trails and left ski trails in poor condition in the south. Snowmobile and ski trails in the Northwoods remain fair to good in many areas in the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Snow Conditions Report. The pheasant and turkey population seems to have made it through the winter in good condition. The birds have been very visible in picked cornfields and along the road sides. Turkeys have been displaying and have been seen in good numbers in Kewaunee, Oconto, Sauk, Shawano and Vernon counties. Leftover spring turkey permits go on sale next Monday, March 18, with each zone having a designated sale date. Angling success from As...

Image via Wikipedia Eagle watching kicks off Jan. 13-14 in Prairie du Sac MADISON – Sauk City and Prairie du Sac on the Wisconsin River will hold the 25th annual Bald Eagle Watching Days on Jan. 13-14 in partnership with event sponsor, the Alliant Energy Foundation. Cassville will hold its 18th annual Bald Eagle Days on Jan. 28-29 and Prairie du Chien will hold Bald Eagle Appreciation Day on Feb. 25. Each winter, hundreds of bald eagles congregate along areas of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers where they feed on fish in the open water below dams. Wildlife officials say this is the largest concentration of wintering bald eagles in the lower 48 states, offering some of the best eagle viewing in the nation. Volunteer spotters from the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council  www.ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org   [exit DNR]  counted 176 eagles on Dec. 18, 2011. In 2010, DNR biologists documented 1,247 known eagle nest territories. Data from the 2011 breeding season are still...