The first of ten Wisconsin deer seasons began mid-September. The last season closes Jan. 31, 2021.

Deer seasons generally provide the most sustenance for those who gather from outdoors by hunting, fishing, picking, digging, admiring and viewing.

Together, the archery and crossbow hunting opened Sept. 12 and is continuous through Jan. 3, 2021, when it then continues in select units from Jan. 4-31, 2021. This extension is called the extended archery and crossbow season.

Mosquitoes are not in short supply and  spotty frost was not enough to diminish the swarms, said Doug Williams, in Portage.

Wisconsin’s youth deer hunt (Oct. 10-11) and the gun deer hunt for hunters with disabilities (Oct. 3-11) follow.

The state’s traditional, nine-day gun deer season is still on the late side this year, Nov. 21-29, with the metro sub-unit gun deer season running Nov. 21 to Dec. 9. Muzzleloaders hunt Nov. 30 to Dec. 9.

Williams, at DW Sports Center in Portage, continues to remind hunters that rifle ammunition is in short supply this year, so purchase early, sight in the rifle, but don’t waste the ammunition at the range.

A four-day antlerless hunt, Dec. 10-13, precedes the Holiday Hunt, Dec. 24 to Jan. 1, 2021.

Some of these seasons are statewide, others are restricted to select deer management units.

Please note that other hunters, with the exception of waterfowlers, must follow the blaze orange clothing law in those units where gun deer hunting of any kind is occurring.

Blaze pink is also an acceptable safety color. Non-hunting recreationalists need not wear safety colors, but often times they willingly do, making themselves more noticeable.

Those who wear caps be donned by one with 50 percent blaze orange or blaze pink. Not doing so is a common, albeit, illegal display.

Baiting and feeding is not permitted in some units, and there are restrictions on the ways scents can be used, too.

Ginseng digging and selling to licensed buyers have been comfortably busy, according to Mike Theiss, of Hsu Ginseng, out of Wausau, who is buying in Readstown. “It’s the same story with the economy and being out-of-work; there are more diggers; the ground is now moist and plants are going into the winter mode.

Theiss started buying at $150 per pound and made one purchase at $170 for exceptionally large root. Diggers are bringing in 2-3 pounds and some have up to 5-8 pounds of root.

The DNR believes a new method of counting wolves, an occupancy-based model, may be better than the older long-standing territory mapping method. The results are being compared.

Bear hunting dates and methods of hunting continue to progress through the seasons in Zones A, B and D. All seasons close Oct. 13.

Williams scored some bucks in the 125 to 140 range and said large bluegills are really biting along shores with anglers using ice jigs with worms, setting the bobber at about a foot. Teal and early goose seasons were good for many who were out.

Don Martin, at Martin’s in Monroe, said catfishing and squirrel hunting are the most discussed outdoors topics these days. Some hunters have seen more turkeys than squirrels, but had the wrong implement to take a shot. Archers are out but not overly rushed to take a shot, rather enjoying the time in the woods. Ammunition shortages are a hot topic in Green County, too.

American goldfinches have found automatic feeders in the form of drying coneflowers in prairies. How they are able to take a tiny seed from a very small, dry fruit makes an observer hungry just watching.

Color is beginning to paint hillsides and small tracts. Watch for overcast days for excellent viewing of small fall.

— 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.