Hundreds of whitetails have already been taken in the area in this year’s bow and crossbow deer hunt, and those numbers will continue to climb this weekend.
The annual youth gun deer season is this Saturday and Sunday, and for the first time, will be combined with a disabled deer hunt on private or public land. All hunters — except those after waterfowl — must comply with blaze orange or fluorescent pink clothing requirements this weekend.
Properly licensed youths age 15 and under are eligible, but must hunt with mentors. One mentor may not accompany more than two youths at the same time. Check out https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/youth for all the details.
Meanwhile, the southern zone duck and Canada goose hunt will take a five-day break Oct. 12-16 before resuming for the rest of the season.
Next Saturday, Oct. 17, is the pheasant season opener, along with the southern zone rabbit, Zone B ruffed grouse and statewide Hungarian partridge seasons.
See all the hunting options available and find a link to rules and regulations at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Hunt.
Birding enthusiasts will flock to their favorite haunts this Saturday to participate in October Big Day and World Migratory Bird Day. The international campaign provides scientists with crucial data while calling for urgent and sustained action to protect migratory birds and the insects and habitat they depend on for survival.
This year’s theme is “Every Bird Counts — Your Observations Matter,” highlighting the role of public participation in collecting data on bird populations and their habitats. Community science, ranging from backyard bird counts to large-scale coordinated surveys, provides information on species distribution, abundance trends, migration timing and breeding success.
Nearly 900,000 people took part worldwide last year, with more than two million individual bird observations recorded on more than 100,000 checklists.
Anyone can participate, even from home. Learn more at https://globalbirding.org/ and https://www.migratorybirdday.org/.
For other ways to help birds, visit https://www.sossaveoursongbirds.org/, https://www.wsobirds.org/ and https://www.fws.gov/story/2026-01/world-migratory-bird-day-2026.
The DNR is selling state nursery seedlings to resident landowners for planting trees and shrubs next spring.
Seedlings are used for reforestation and conservation plantings on private, public and tribal lands, providing future forest products and revenues, wildlife habitat, soil erosion control, living snow fences, carbon storage, aesthetics and shade for landowners and public land managers across the state.
A minimum order consists of a packet of 300 trees or shrubs in increments of 100 of each species, 500 shrubs or 1,000 tree seedlings. Youth groups and educational organizations can also purchase seedlings for their reforestation and conservation planting projects.
Information on ordering and a listing of private nurseries is available at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/treeplanting/order.
We’re inching toward Forest Products Week (Oct. 18-24), recognizing the people who work in and care for forests, the industry workers who make the forest products, and the ways those products contribute to our economy and quality of life.
Wisconsin’s forest products industry contributes $43.5 billion in economic value and ranks second nationally for production value. The industry also ranks high nationally in generating forestry employment, at more than 127,000 jobs in the state.
The week recognizes the industry workers, woodland owners and professional foresters who care for 16.9 million acres of forests to ensure that they provide raw materials while also offering recreational opportunities and ecosystem services, such as clean water and air.
Learn more at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/forestbusinesses/factsheets.
The DNR’s annual Open House at the Kewaunee Anadromous Fisheries Facility will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 10. Visitors can learn about the salmon spawning process and take part in a number of family friendly activities.
Meanwhile, the DNR’s Strawberry Creek salmon egg-taking facility is processing “kings” every Monday and Thursday the next couple weeks. Thousands of chinooks make the journey up that tiny tributary near Sturgeon Bay.
As of Oct. 2, Lake Michigan and Green Bay water levels were seven inches higher than last October despite a three-inch drop in the past month. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated levels were about an inch above the 100-year average and 40 inches below the all-time high, set in 1986. Lake levels were about 31 inches above the all-time low, set in 1964.
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