Important Timely News
Retired Rick
Oct 23, 2025
SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN CWD, DEER AND PREDATOR STUDY
Investigating the relationships between deer, predators and disease
Fall 2016 marked the beginning of the largest and most comprehensive deer research project ever undertaken in Wisconsin: The Southwest Wisconsin Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), Deer and Predator Study.
The goal of this project is to comprehensively examine factors that could impact deer survival and deer population growth in southern Wisconsin. Those include CWD, predation, habitat suitability and hunter harvest. Simultaneous studies will take place in areas with differing rates of CWD infection, which will help the agency better understand how CWD may or may not be interacting with other factors that ultimately impact the deer herd. Uniquely, this study will directly estimate the abundance and distribution of deer predators (bobcats and coyotes) within the study areas and will examine their impact on deer survival and behavior.
Read More Here
Retired Rick
Oct 22, 2025
DNR Highlights Importance Of State Revolving Fund Programs For Clean, Safe Water In Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) highlighted the importance of the State Revolving Fund programs at the Natural Resources Board meeting today. Financial assistance is available to municipalities throughout Wisconsin for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects that protect and improve public health and water quality.
The State Revolving Fund includes the Clean Water Fund and Safe Drinking Water Loan programs. Since 1991, those programs have provided over $7.3 billion in financial assistance to municipalities across Wisconsin for over 2,000 projects. There continues to be a high demand for financial assistance from communities across the state.
Read More Here
Retired Rick
Oct 17, 2025
Partnerships Allow Release Of First Hatchery-Reared Endangered Spectaclecase Mussels
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today that 177 endangered native spectaclecase mussels were released into the Chippewa River as part of an effort to reestablish a reproducing population.
The spectaclecase mussel (Cumberlandia monodonta) was once considered extirpated from the Chippewa River due to habitat degradation and decades without confirmed records. This native mussel is on both the federal and state endangered species list in Wisconsin. Staff from the Wisconsin DNR, Minnesota DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service worked together as part of a broader, federal strategy focused on recovery, research and habitat restoration, aiming to restore self-sustaining spectaclecase populations throughout their historical range.
Read More Here
Retired Rick
Oct 16, 2025
Purchase Your Sturgeon Spearing License By Oct. 31
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds all spearers interested in harvesting a lake sturgeon from Lake Winnebago during the 2026 sturgeon spearing season to purchase their license before Oct. 31, 2025.
There are an unlimited number of licenses available for Lake Winnebago, and both residents and nonresidents can purchase a license through the Go Wild system or at any license sales location.
All license holders must be a minimum of 12 years old. However, military personnel home on leave during the spearing season and youth who will turn 12 between Nov. 1, 2025, and the last day of the 2026 spearing season do not need to purchase their license by the Oct. 31 deadline.
Retired Rick
Oct 16, 2025
Wisconsin's 2025 Pheasant Season Opens Oct. 18
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters and the general public that the 2025 pheasant season opens at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.
The opening weekend, Oct. 18-19, has a daily bag limit of one rooster per day. Starting Monday, Oct. 20, the daily bag limit increases to two roosters per day. This limit remains in place for the remainder of the season. Hunters may harvest a rooster or hen when hunting in designated rooster and hen hunting areas (see page 18 of the hunting regulations for a list of these areas).
Read More Here
Chuck Pils
Sep 20, 2025
There will be a very interesting presentation given by Larry Nielsen regarding 'The Great Conservationists of Our Era', on October 7, 10:00am, at Vista West. The talk is free.
Read More Here
Retire Rick
Sep 20, 2025
How To Test Your Deer For CWD This Hunting Season
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters that they play an important role in the continued efforts for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance and management in Wisconsin. One of the most effective tools for monitoring CWD is testing your harvested deer, and testing is available statewide.
The DNR is especially interested in receiving more samples from the 2025 Fall Priority Areas near recent CWD detection locations. Additional samples in these areas will help the DNR better understand disease levels and distribution.
CWD is a contagious, fatal neurological disease that affects the nervous system of deer, elk, moose and caribou. It belongs to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies or prion diseases. Prions are misshaped proteins that can spread the disease through direct animal-to-animal contact or in the environment through bodily substances or the carcass of infected deer.
Prions are extremely resilient and capable of remaining in the soil for years, potentially infecting several deer from a single source. Common signs of infected deer in the later stages of the disease are drastic weight loss, drooped head and ears, loss of coordination, excessive salivation and reduced fear of humans.
Read More Here
Retired Rick
Sep 16, 2025
Get Ready For The Upcoming Waterfowl Hunting Seasons
EDITOR'S NOTE: The previous version of this release incorrectly stated the DNR processing fee for federal duck stamp purchases. That error has been corrected below.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters to prepare for the opening of the regular goose and duck hunting seasons in September.
Regular Goose Season
The regular goose season opens on Sept. 16 statewide, and the daily bag limit is three Canada geese for the first portion of the season. During the holiday hunt, the daily bag limit increases to five birds in the Southern and Mississippi zones. Wisconsin's regular goose season dates vary by zone,so hunters should know which zone they plan to hunt.
If hunting Canada geese during the regular Canada goose season, a Regular Canada goose permit is required.
Read More Here
Retired Rick
Sep 10, 2025
Wisconsin NRB Meeting Sept. 24
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) will meet in-person for the September meeting to consider proposed rulemaking documents and other matters.
The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in public meeting room G09, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster Street, Madison, Wisconsin. The Board will act on items 1-4 and 7 as listed on the agenda.
The public is encouraged to watch the September meeting on the DNRs YouTube channel.
Read More Here
Retired Rick
Sep 10, 2025
DNR Launches Updated Air Quality Data Map
A blue sky with fluffy white clouds.
T
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has improved its air quality data map to help the public stay "air aware."
The map displays real-time data from the states air quality monitoring network and provides a color-coded guide to pollution levels based on the Air Quality Index (AQI).
The latest updates offer a more intuitive and user-friendly experience, making it easier to stay informed about air quality.
Read More Here
Page - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
