Outdoors men, women and still younger are unlikely to be able to enjoy it all this month; and some are making choices trying to squeeze in as much nature as possible.
The third turkey hunting period closed May 7 and competed with the general fishing opener last Saturday. In some cases, turkey hunting took priority because of a seven-day season compared to months of open fishing.
Tom turkeys are seen, and heard, in smaller rafts, which is good news for hunters. Some fine weather days saw trout, walleye, and panfish angling pulling rank on turkey pursuits, however.
Morel gathering is becoming dominant with warmer locations stealing attention, because morels are here now and often gone the next day.
There is little else that makes a man faint of heart than walking into a perfect patch only to find hollow morel stumps, meaning another was there first and left only a few stragglers.
Don’t give up. It’s one tree in a hundred and one that has a hundred fruiting bodies, which makes a season worthwhile.
Unless these mushrooms are to be eaten momentarily, don’t wash them. Split them lengthwise, brush out the hitchhikers and then prepare to dehydrate and/or freeze those for later use.
Even the cleanings are worth considering. Brush all the bits and pieces together and “plant” them in a flower bed or some undisturbed location and see what appears next spring and beyond. It may be a fragile morel garden and meager to what sometimes grows under dead elm trees.
Animal and plant life viewing are prime now. On warm, sunny days, snakes of most makes are out sunning. Anglers reported seeing an unusual number of northern water snakes – a common, harmless (but sometimes aggressive), heavy-bodied snake with a gray, brown or tan background marked with brown, red-brown, or black transverse blotches (bands). This snake is either in or close to water.
No, these are not water moccasins. Wisconsin is not home to those venomous reptiles.
Buttery yellow marsh marigolds are blooming profusely, as are many woodland, prairie and wasteland flowers.
Fawns are starting to be reported. Orioles are returning for oranges and grape jelly. Bluebirds have begun to hatch. Eaglets continue to take food offered by both parents.
Tree and shrub leaves are unfolding and expanding, sort of. Garden plants are emerging and onions, lettuce, and asparagus are being eaten.
Many evergreens are beginning to form pollen and seed cones. Yes, the pollen cones do just that, releasing loads of wind-borne pollen.
Candle stem-growths are elongating, too.
Among deer damage, an extreme winter and a recent snowstorm, many plants are likely to take years to recover, if at all.
Crop planting, albeit way behind, continues day and night.
Assess winter damage to trees with caution. Pruning can wait until June unless the plant is clearly dead (then prune at ground level).
The smorgasbord of activities offers choices. Some will consume lots, others only one, and still others sample nearly everything and then find a prize or continue trying them all for years to come.
— 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.
