More than a dozen gathering seasons open to Wisconsin residents and others from near and afar.

Some are consumptive, others quiet, still others mental or artistic.

Migratory bird hunters began pursuing mourning doves, teal and Canada geese Sept. 1. Licensed wild ginseng diggers began trekking to mature deciduous forests, with landowner permission, the same day.

The month-long, lake sturgeon, hook and line fishing season, opened Sept. 5, on selected inland waters.

Some styles of bear hunting begin Sept. 9.

This weekend (Sept. 12) welcomes archers pursuing deer with bows and crossbows. Ruffed grouse, turkey, crow, and gray and fox squirrel seasons, too.

While some seasons began lengthy pursuits, others close within a few days  — teal shuts down on Sept. 9, early Canada goose on Sept. 15, and sturgeon hook and line ends Sept. 30. Ginseng is two months long, but is much shorter in reality.

Several field assists are available to those who gather. Be aware to check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the online fall hunting forecast pamphlet covering all fall seasons.

The recently published Wisconsin 2020 Hunting Regulations pamphlet is available online and as a printed pamphlet at license outlets.

Supplies of many types are hard to come by shop owners say, but don’t blame the messenger. Parts to make some items (arrow and bolt shafts, for example) may not be timely shipped.

Crossbow bolts are now called arrows, too.

“As soon as licenses were available, guys were buying, and the rush is already on for the later seasons, too,” said Don Martin of Monroe.

“Purchasing park stickers the old-fashioned way was frustrating, too, for some because DNR counters were closed.”

“License sales and hunting supplies have been crazy,” Doug Williams, at DW Sports Center in Portage, said.  “Buy soon, if you can.”

Even some food items outdoors people like to carry are short or expensive. Cheese items may be pricier because they were made from more expensive milk produced months earlier,

Some fishing continues to be good, but locally heavy rains shut some down for a while. Perch catching has been steady along the Mississippi River, Martin said.

Hard-antlered bucks have started to show. Squirrels are hoarding and deer are using cornfields, alfalfa, orchards, and wild fruits. Wild grapes are locally abundant.

Jason Cotter, DNR wildlife biologist in Green and Rock counties, has mowed paths and rows in 15 sunflower fields to knock down the seed heads for mourning dove hunters, and for pheasant hunters in mid-October. Other wildlife also uses these seeds throughout the fall.

“We do sharecropping with farmers, who often do the planting and weed control, sometimes leaving standing grain for wildlife and cover for hunters,” Cotter said. “Other seed falls naturally and is available to birds, including turkeys, pheasants and doves.”

Sunflowers are not easy to grow, depending on the soil types.

Ragweed control can be tough because the plants don’t always react to herbicides we use, Cotter said.

FFIGHT (Fields and Forest Lands Interactive Gamebird Hunting Tool) is available (check the DNR web site) to help hunters locate young aspen and alder habitat for grouse and woodcock hunting, pheasant stocked on public grounds and managed dove fields.

Early Canada goose hunters are required, at a minimum, to have a small game license, Canada goose permit, Federal duck stamp, State duck stamp, and be HIP-registered.

Early teal season, Sept. 1-9, with a daily bag of six teal, also requires the license, stamps and HIP registration. This is not the regular duck season.

The timing of these seasons also marks grand viewing and photographing opportunities.

Sturgeon hook and line fishing can be enjoyed by observers, too, for example, along the Wisconsin River near Sauk City-Prairie du Sac.

Summary results from the Madison Audubon Society Eagle Nest Watch covering a wide area in southern Wisconsin reported the following results: 47 nest territories watched, 35 successful nestings, 11 empty or failed nests, 56 fledglings, and 80 volunteers watched.

Goldenrod plants are one of the most noticed and under-utilized wild native plants. More than a half dozen species grace Wisconsin.

This composite family plant has tiny flowers, but in huge inflorescences, many groupings called heads.

Numerous insects gather this heavy, sticky pollen, which does not become air-borne and therefore should not be blamed for allergy problems. That goes to common and giant ragweed, and others.

For those interested, the leaves and stems as well as the inflorescences are helpful in determining the plant species. The genus name, Solidago, was derived from solidare, meaning in Latin, to strengthen or make whole, as in healing wounds.

Goldenrods are easy to transplant and produce an abundance of yellow heads. Interesting combinations arise from purple asters and goldenrod mixes.

Stem “infections” caused by insects occur in many goldenrods and continue to be used by winter ice antlers as bait.

Autumn activities have begun; participate in many popular ways.

— Jerry Davis is an Argyle native and a freelance writer who lives in Barneveld. He can be reached at sivadjam@mhtc.net or at 608-924-1112.