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Outdoors: Crossbow users on target in Brown County deer hunt/fishing report

By KEVIN NAZE
Correspondent

Brown County deer hunters have registered nearly 300 whitetails through the first three weekends of the 2022 harvest season.

The numbers, from hunter-reported harvests via phone, tablet or computer, included 116 antlered bucks and 179 antlerless deer.

Crossbow users have filled the most tags so far – 143 through Oct. 9.

Sixty-one of those were bucks and 82 were antlerless.

Archers were next with 81 deer registered, including 20 bucks and 61 antlerless.

Both of those hunts opened Sept. 17.

Meanwhile, the two-day youth gun deer hunt in Brown County Oct. 8-9 produced 71 whitetails, a near-equal mix of bucks (35) and antlerless (36).

Statewide, the combined bow, crossbow and youth gun deer harvest is closing in on 30,000 whitetails so far, with nearly 18,000 of them from the Central Farmland Region.

Trout, salmon meeting
The second public meeting to gather feedback on the DNR’s 2023-2025 trout and salmon stocking plan for Lake Michigan and Green Bay will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at Lakeshore Technical College’s Centennial Hall West in Cleveland.

There’s also a Zoom option.

Fisheries staff will share management options, and stakeholders will be able to present ideas and input.
Get more information on the meeting, including handouts and presentations from the August meeting at dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/lakemichigan/LakeMichiganSalmonandTroutMeetings.

Pheasant season opens, inland trout closes

Oct. 15 brings another round of hunting season openers, most notably for stocked and wild ring-necked pheasants.

Others that day are the Open Water Duck Zone, Southern Zone duck (reopens after a five-day break), Zone B ruffed grouse, Southern Zone cottontail rabbit, Hungarian partridge, fox, raccoon (residents), and bobcat (with permit).

This Saturday is also the last day to fish for inland trout on streams, springs and spring ponds.
Many inland lakes and ponds will remain open.

Check the Guide to Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations booklet for exceptions by county.

DNR on YouTube
The fourth in a series of DNR educational hunting webinars will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 19 at youtu.be/Rj6bQjcJWUs.
If you miss it, all four will be archived on the agency’s YouTube page.

Each episode features guests sharing their experiences getting started with hunting and includes discussions addressing common challenges faced by those new to hunting, fishing or trapping.

Water Levels Drop
Water levels on Green Bay and Lake Michigan have dropped four inches in the past month, 10 inches in the past year and more than two feet since 2020.

As of Oct. 7, the lake was 34 inches below the monthly high, set in 1986, but still seven inches above the 100-year average and 37 inches higher than the 1964 record low.

Good training aid
The National Bowhunter Education Foundation has learning tools to increase success and safety for hunters.

One of my favorites are the anatomy and shot placement aids with transparent overlays for deer, turkey, bear and elk.

Check them out at shop.nbef.org.

Order trees, shrubs

Phone orders for the DNR’s annual tree and shrub sale from state nurseries will be accepted beginning Oct. 17.

You can order online immediately.

See what’s left at dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/treeplanting/order.

Walleye bite going strong
Walleye fishing in Green Bay remains excellent, with a good bite going in many places.

The Chinook salmon run is past its peak, and coho salmon are moving in now. The Kewaunee River has been one of the best bets on the lakeshore, though low water has kept wardens busy chasing down complaints of illegal activity. Kevin Naze Photos

The Fox River, University Bay, Geanos Reef, Vincent Point, Vokes Reef and reefs in the Oconto area are all putting out fish.

In the Fox River, hair jigs, blade baits, Rippin’ Raps and Ripper Minnows are all taking fish.
The trolling bite below the Hwy. 172 bridge has been good, with a mixture of walleyes and muskies being taken.

In the evening, there’s a good bite going up by the Fox River Dam at De Pere and Metro Launch at the mouth of the river casting crank baits in shallow water.

Perch fishing has been, with decent catches being taken at Dead Horse Bay, Suamico, Bayshore Park, Macos reef and the Oconto area.

Fathead minnows and crawler pieces have been the best baits.

Muskie fishing also has been excellent, with four to five or more strikes per trip being the norm rather than the exception.

Tyrant Raz Shads, Super Shad Raps, Granny’s, Tyrant Czars and Jake’s are taking these big fish.
If you go, please be safe and take a kid fishing.

For more information on what to use and where to fish, call Smokeys at 920-593-1749.

Yah, only at Smokeys!

– Capt. Jerry Ruffolo

Anglers Plus Guide Service

920-973-2868

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