Wisconsin turkey hunters, through Period D, have registered 34,985 birds during the spring season, which opened April 19. Last year, hunters registered about 39,009 birds during the entire season, periods A through F. That total (39,009) was a five percent increase over the 2021 spring registration.
Weather, so far, has been favorable and fewer complaints have been voiced by hunters regarding general populations in areas hunted.
Travis Anderson, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist in Iowa and Lafayette counties, reported more hunters’ vehicles, including nonresidents, in public hunting ground parking lots as the periods rolled by. Some were from as far away as Arkansas.
The usual mishaps, misses, and difficulties were reported by hunters. Wayne Smith, in Lafayette County, was able to kill his second gobbler by calling to a pair of birds on the opposite side of a knoll while sitting crouched in a hay field and then called a bird over the knoll, waited for a safe shot and killed one of two gobblers that came in.
Wally Banfi, a fishing guide also working at Wilderness Fish and Game in Sauk City, said hunters using jake and hen decoys were happy with the results. Also, he said fishing has been good for crappies, bluegills, bass and even a few muskies now that water temperatures are near 60 degrees.
It’s difficult to assess the 2023 morel season. One example being a picker who said her season was good, much better than the last two.
Encouraging, but then she said none were found in 2021 and zero in 2022 and three in 2023!
A dedicated picker and market seller, who has picked an average of 75 pounds per season found 10, 11, and 14 pounds the last three years including 2023. He sold a few pounds this year at a market at $90 a pound, and sold out in 15 minutes. He did offer smaller amounts at $25 a quarter pound.
What’s up that morels are down? Most pickers have no idea, and it’s likely several factors, so we’re not alone. There are fewer large white elms to die. The morel fungus grows lots the previous autumn, so weather the previous year may be as much of a factor then spring weather. A few reports of odd locations have been voiced, such as ash trees, apple orchards and oak trees, but nothing what used to be found under slider elms just beginning to lose bark. Even so, the “perfect” tree was no sure thing many are saying. The season is basically over.
Looking ahead, some of the earliest chicken of the woods appeared by June 1 in 2022.
Fawns are being reported, including one by a turkey hunter who stepped out of his blind to do a “walk around” and stepped on a newborn. It was still there when he quit hunting, said Doug Williams at D W Sports Center in Portage. May 25 is usually the peak fawning period in Wisconsin.
Hummingbirds are back building new nests and incubating two eggs.
Almost all that work in done by the female.
Orioles are still building their hanging nests and coming for grape jelly, orange tissue and 1:5 sweet water.
Several orchids, yellow lady’s-slipper and showy orchis, are blooming, as are shooting stars and wild geranium. Wild garlic mustard is, too. Cutting the biennial plant down before the seeds mature is about the same as pulling the plant, if done early enough.
Corn and soybeans are coming up but geese, turkeys, and cranes are still feeding in corn stubble.
Trees of all sizes are susceptible to bark slipping if bumped by an implement. This can be a quick and easy way to kill an unwanted tree, too. Maybe an elm tree?
— 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.
