Wisconson Jan 28th Fishing Report

FisherMan

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Despite only minimal snowfall in the last week, cold temperatures have preserved snow and winter recreation conditions remain good to excellent across much of Wisconsin. A handful of counties in southern Wisconsin have closed snowmobile trails because of minimal snow cover and heavy use, but trails remain open across most of the state and are being reported in excellent condition in the north, good condition through the central part of the state and fair in the south on the the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR). Warmer temperatures are in the forecast for the weekend, and with heavy use, some additional southern counties may have to close trails, so snowmobilers should double check to make sure trails remain open.

Cross-country ski conditions remain good to excellent across the state. A fresh inch or two or snow fell across the south Thursday, which should freshen some of the trails. Trails in the southern and Lapham peak units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest had some thin spots.

The cold weather has kept ice conditions good to excellent in most spots, though there was a report of a truck going through the ice on Sauk County lake that had a deep layer of slush on top of only a few inches of solid ice. Ice depths on most lakes range from a foot to nearly 20 inches on some northern lakes. Ice conditions improved on Green Bay and some ice roads have begun to be marked. The ice road to Madeline Island across Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay has still not opened and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore ice caves are still not yet accessible by ice.

The recent cold temperatures have put a little bit of a damper on fishing pressure -- and fish activity does seem to be at its mid-winter low point. Panfish have been providing the best action with a few fair catches of perch and bluegill being reported. Fishing pressure on Green Bay has been heavy at some spots, with decent catches of perch and whitefish reported in some locations. Ice anglers were also out in force along the west shore, with the Oconto breakwater seeing the brunt of the fishing pressure with perch, northern pike, and whitefish all being reported.

Fisheries crews out inspecting conditions for the opening of the 2011 sturgeon spearing seasons on the Lake Winnebago system on Saturday Feb. 12 found a good 16 to 20 inches of ice in most locations, but still some very thin ice due to cracks and currents in other areas. They also found an even 12 feet of visibility across Lake Winnebago.

Wintering bald eagles are at their peak numbers along the Fox River. A winter survey January 8 found 492 bald eagles and two golden eagles from Neenah to Wrightstown. Some local eagles were already showing mating rituals of touching talons and replacing branches in nests. These same areas of open water contained many mallards, common golden eyes, geese, and common mergansers.

Great horned, screech and barred owls are beginning to make their presence known in the evening and through the night as they mate and prepare for the nesting season in February and March. Other raptors being seen include harriers, northern shrikes, American kestrels and some rough-legged hawks, a large hawk that breeds in the Arctic tundra and migrates to winter in the lower 48 states

NORTHERN REGION


Brule River State Forest – The Afterhours Cross Country Ski was groomed Jan. 24 and is in excellent condition for skating and in very good condition for classical skiing with an 8 inch base and 19 inches of snow in the woods.


Hayward DNR Service Center area

Tuscobia State Trail - The trail has very good snowmobile conditions. The trail is open for winter ATV/UTV riding in Sawyer and Washburn counties. There is on going grooming of trail.


Park Falls DNR Service Center area

Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Ice thickness on most lakes across the Northwoods varies from 12 to 17 inches and recent snows have added 1 to 2 inches on top of the 6 inches that was already on the ice. This has made ice travel a bit difficult and 4-wheel drive vehicles are almost a necessity for getting around on the lakes. The recent cold temperatures have put a little bit of a damper on fishing pressure -- and fish activity does seem to be at it's mid-winter low point. Panfish have been providing the best action with a few fair catches of perch and bluegill being reported. Perch continue to be found in relatively shallow water, with most of the action coming on fathead minnows fished over mud/sand flats in 4 to 8 feet of water. A few crappie have been found suspended off the bottom in the deeper water areas, but anglers have had to move around quite a bit just to catch 5 or 6 keeper-size fish in a trip. Walleye fishing in the area continues to be very erratic, with just a few of the lakes reporting any kind of consistent action. The walleye anglers that have been catching fish have been finding them in 5 to 10 feet of water over the mud/sand flats or just off the break lines near gravel and rock bars. Large fathead and smaller-sized suckers have continued to be the best bait, with most action occurring in the hour before dark. Northern pike action has also been slow, with anglers catching just a few small and medium-size fish.


Woodruff DNR Service Center area

Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest – Cross-country ski trails are in very good condition. Escanaba, Madeline and Raven trails had all loops groomed Jan. 25. McNaughton trail was groomed Jan. 24. A section of the Skaters loop from the parking lot to the first intersection is closed due to logging. An alternate parking area at the McNaughton boat landing will be kept open for this reason

Despite the cold temperatures with wind chills well below zero the ice anglers in some areas were out in force. Ice conditions have steadily improved withy snow cover on the ice being minimal.


Peshtigo DNR Service Center area

Marinette County - Thompson Park, by the mouth of the Peshtigo River, is seeing some northern pike fishing activity in the 4 to 10 foot range of water. The Sixth Street Slip on the Menominee River has been producing some nice perch along with walleye and whitefish. The best bite is coming in about 18 feet of water jigging with spoons or tear drops tipped with minnows.


Oconto County - Oconto Breakwater Park is seeing the brunt of the fishing pressure with perch, northern pike, and whitefish being the dominate species. Pike anglers are keying in the shallower areas north of the breakwater all the way to Oconto Park II. Dead smelt in the round or large shiner minnows are recommended, for perch and whitefish minnows seem to be the bait most often used.


Governor Thompson State Park – Cross-country ski trails were groomed Jan. 25 and were in good condition for classical skiing and very good condition for skate skiing.


Green Bay DNR Service Center area

Brown County - Voyageur Park anglers have been targeting walleye and perch in 6 to 10 feet of water. Jigs tipped with minnows are the bait of choice. Sunset Beach has seen the most fishing pressure, with perch being the most sought after species, although the occasional northern pike and whitefish were also being caught. Jigs tipped with minnows or wax worms have been working well. Duck Creek anglers were reporting a few small perch being caught in the area of the Highway Bridge.


Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area

Door County - Some anglers have been fishing off of Stone Quarry; with most been targeting whitefish. They have had significant success using gold Swedish Pimples tipped with a waxworm. Perch were being caught as well on the same rig. Anglers also have been targeting perch out from the state park. A few anglers have been fishing for northern pike at the Sturgeon Bay yacht club. Little Sturgeon Bay anglers have seen good success on perch and whitefish over the last week. Perch have been biting on small jigging stick baits. Whitefish however have been hitting small to medium sized jigging spoons depending on the current. Anglers have also had good whitefish results in Sand Bay as well. Chaudoir’s Dock is now plowed and marked with Christmas trees. Anglers have been driving out and catching a mixed bag of whitefish and perch. There has been significant fishing pressure at Dykesville over the last few weeks. Most have been fishing in 15-30 feet of water. Anglers targeting perch have had good success finding them. The key to their best success has been staying away from the large crowds of people! Also anglers targeting perch and whitefish are catching some smelt. Fishing has been slow at Volk’s Landing but some perch were being caught. Most have been on the small side. A few smelt were being caught here as well.


Oshkosh DNR Service Center area

The 2011 sturgeon spearing seasons opens Saturday Feb. 12. Fisheries crews went out last week on Lake Winnebago (before the sub-zero temperatures) and found a good 16-20 inches of ice -- of course the ice is never completely safe in any year so be sure to know where the cracks and the areas with thin ice due to currents are. They also found an even 12 feet of visibility across Lake Winnebago. It appears there was an algae bloom probably around Christmas, which is settling out now and, barring another runoff event or bloom, may continue to settle and improve water clarity over the next 16 days. At this point the information on the Upriver Lakes is the same for ice, with only fair, but possibly improving, water clarity. Fisheries crews have also been busy getting gear together, and registration shacks set. The registration process will be the same as it has been for quite a few years -now - just make sure you get into line at the station before 1:30 p.m. the day you spear your fish; better yet - try to get in as soon as you can after you spear your fish to avoid the lines at the end of the spearing day.


Brown, Calumet and Outagamie counties - Weather over the past several weeks has been in the deep freeze with many light snowfalls throughout the time period. With moderating temperatures throughout the week, opportunities for viewing wildlife will increase. Wintering bald eagles are at their peek of numbers along the Fox River during the most recent surveys. Almost 900 observations of eagles were made during the January 8, 2011 survey date yielding 492 bald eagles and two golden eagles. At the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay more than 40 eagles were seen near Bay Beach. Impressive numbers of eagles were seen from Neenah to Wrightstown, with more than 400 eagles counted, with major concentrations at Thousand Islands Nature Center area in Kaukauna, Sunset Park in Kimberly, Doyle & Heesakker’s Park in Little Chute, along Prospect Road in Combined Locks, Telulah Park/College Avenue along with Vulcan/Lutz Parks in Appleton, Fritse Park/Trestle Trail in Menasha and Riverside/Kimberly Point Parks in Neenah. Some local eagles are showing mating rituals of touching talons and replacement of branches in their nests. These same areas of open water contain many mallards, common golden eyes, geese, common mergansers and once in a while an otter may show up taking advantage of the food resource. Resident owls (great horned, screech & barred) are beginning to make their presence known in the evening as well throughout the night as they mate and prepare for the nesting season in February and March. In the past, a few calls have come in about barn owls in January and February from Kaukauna to the Freedom area. A few short-eared owls have been seen on the Killsnake Wildlife Area in the Stecker Road vicinity as well as on the Brillion Wildlife Area near Conservation Road. Lots of juncos have been hovering around bird feeders as well as in the rural areas. Tree sparrows are also being sighted on the grasslands of Killsnake and Brillion Wildlife Areas. Raptors present on Killsnake Wildlife Area include a harrier, northern shrike, rough-legged hawks and American kestrels. Cottontail rabbit hunting opportunities this winter have been great with numbers of rabbits up. Best places to either hunt are on Brillion Wildlife Area on the north end near Bastian Road in Calumet County, Killsnake Wildlife Area on the east end in Manitowoc County off of Marsh Road going south and on Holland Wildlife Area. The accumulation of soft snows over the past couple of weeks has assisted in seeing where activity is greatest.

SOUTHEAST REGION


Havenwoods State Forest - There are 5 to 6 inches of snow on the ground. Deer, squirrels, raccoon, turkeys, red-tailed hawks, cooper's hawk, owls, mourning doves, nuthatch, juncos, chickadees, and downy and hairy woodpecker are being seen.


Harrington Beach State Park - Trails are in good to excellent cross-country skiing condition. The park is a wonderful place to come to snowshoe. The nice thing about snowshoes is that you can practically go where you want. For the walkers out there, you are not forgotten. The Shuttle Trail is plowed for your walking enjoyment. People have been ice fishing on Quarry Lake. For those who do not know, ice fishing is allowed, but please remember, that it is a quarry. It is usually the last lake to freeze in the county and ice conditions are uncertain. No reports of anyone catching anything. The campground is closed for the season.


Kettle Moraine State Forest – Lapham Peak Unit - The cross-country ski trails were groomed on Saturday, Jan. 22. The snow is firm but loose enough on top to provide good control. Skate skiers will find excellent conditions with a couple of thin spots off of the man made loop. Classical skiers will find a firm track in good to very good condition throughout and excellent condition on the manmade loop. There are a few thin spots in the track that are avoidable.


Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit - With about 8 inches of snow on the ground, normal grooming operations have resumed on cross-country ski trails. All trails are in the best condition of the season -- very good to excellent. There will be a candlelight ski event Saturday, Feb 5, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Zillmer Trails. The brown trail will be lit by hundreds of luminaries, and is suitable for all skill levels. For this event only, hikers, snowshoers, and four-legged friends on leashes are welcome. Afterwards, join us at the bonfire for warm cider and other refreshments. Sponsored by Friends of the Kettle Moraine (http://www.fwsp.org/fotkm/).


Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit - All three cross-country trail systems were groomed Jan. 22. Scuppernong trail was groomed with a double classical track that is in very good to excellent condition. McMiller and Nordic have similar conditions - skating lane is in very good to excellent condition and the classical tracks were reset and in generally good to very good condition with an occasional thin spot in the pines.


Kohler-Andrae State Park - The cross-country ski trail was groomed Thursday, Jan. 20. The area has about 5 to 7 inches of snow on the ground. The trail is in good condition. The hiking and nature trails are snow covered. Hikers, snowshoe users, and dog walkers are reminded to not walk on the groomed ski trail. An immature bald eagle has been frequenting the area. Visitors are enjoying watching turkeys and deer. The northern loop of the campground is open for winter camping, with water available from a hand pump and from the well house located near the trailer dump station.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION


Dodgeville DNR Service Center area

Grant County - Snowmobile trails are open and in fair condition, many local clubs have groomed the trails. Ice fishing has been slow throughout the county. Over the weekend anglers were catching a few keeper size yellow perch at Sunfish, a backwater of the Mississippi River located north of Lock and Dam 11. Individuals are driving vehicles accessing the ice at the county boat landing, and reported 18 inches of ice. A few "hand sized" bluegills were also caught. No action reported on northern pike using minnows on tip ups. A few early season sauger anglers were accessing the open water below lock and Dam 11, off the northwest parking lot and fishing the waters adjacent to the lock chamber on the Iowa size. A few 12- to 16-inch sauger were caught and kept with many smaller sauger caught and released.


Wyalusing State Park - A light snow was falling Jan. 27 with an expected accumulation of an inch or less. Whitetail Meadows and Turkey Hollow Ski Trails were groomed for cross-country skiing late Wednesday afternoon. All trails should be in good to excellent condition by the weekend. Volunteer groomer reports that the ski trails are about the best that they have been in years. This winter the park has received ample snowfall and cold weather to keep the trails snow-covered. The purchase of a like-new snowmobile and trail groomer certainly has a positive affect on the condition of the ski trails. Sentinel Ridge affords a beautiful view of the Mississippi River 500 feet below. There have been a few people braving the cold and snow to winter camp in the Wisconsin Ridge Campground. People have been fishing off the backwaters of the Mississippi River at the park boat landing. Birds taking advantage of the bird feeders include: cardinals, blue jays, juncos, chickadees, nuthatches, red-bellied woodpeckers, purple finches, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers and gold finches. A sharp-shinned has been frequenting the park office feeders on a regular basis. There are a number of places in the area that bald eagles can be found. A popular place for eagle watching is just north of Prairie du Chien at the intersection of Hwy. 27 and County Hwy. N. At times, as many as 50 or more eagles can be sighted along the highway. Cassville, just south of Wyalusing State Park is another popular eagle watching spot. Because of the open water near the power plant, it is a favorite wintering spot of the bald eagles. Eagles are also spotted regularly near any open water in the Prairie du Chien area as well as Hwy. 35 north of Prairie du Chien.


Iowa County - County snowmobile trails reopened last week after several inches of snow fell in the area. Although trail conditions are not yet ideal, many riders took the opportunity to brave the extreme cold to get in some trail riding. With weekday temperatures rising this week, snowmobilers are reminded to check if local trails are open before they hit the trails. Fishing around the area remained slow, however several anglers reported the crappie bite picking up after dark on minnows.


Blue Mound State Park – The park received about an inch or two of snow Thursday, Jan. 27. Cross-country ski trails will be groomed Thursday afternoon and new track set Thursday night, so please no skiing at after sunset on Thursday to allow the track time to set up.


Fitchburg DNR Service Center area

Lake Kegonsa State Park - All cross country ski trails are in good condition and were last groomed and tracked on Monday, Jan. 24.


Columbia County - The snowmobile trails in are open and in good shape and had moderate use over the weekend.


Sauk County - Fishing activity on Lake Redstone had been spotty. Some nice size fish have been caught, but angles had to keep on the move to stay on the crappies. No action on tip-ups for walleyes. People visiting the lake need to use extreme caution of the southern end of the lake near the spillway since a full size pickup truck went through the ice in 36 feet of water. Inspections of the ice revealed large amounts of slush with only several inches of good ice below. The rest of the lake appears to still be in good shape with good ice conditions but anglers are reminded that Lake Redstone is a flowage and ice conditions are subject to change. The 400 State Trail and other snowmobile trails are in good shape and are providing some nice riding opportunities. Some hunters have had great success this past full moon hunting coyotes at night. Mouth calls were reported to be working very well.


Mirror Lake State Park - Cross-country ski trails are in very good to excellent condition with a 7 to 11 inch base. Trails are groomed and tracked for skate and classical skiing. Trails open for snowshoeing and hiking include Echo Rock, Lake View, Sandstone and Wild Rice. The next candle light ski/hike/snowshoe event will be held on Feb. 5. A number of campsites in Sandstone Campground remain open for winter camping, with pit toilets open and water available from a faucet located outside the park entrance station.


Jefferson County - Ice conditions on the lakes has improved for recreation. However, the fishing remains slow. Anglers fishing Lake Koshkonong report very slow fish activity if any. Red Cedar Lake has been producing panfish of varying size and small northern pike. This makes for a great experience for first time ice anglers or those taking children out. The action will keep the kids busy and interested and smaller fish mean opportunities to teach catch and release and less fish cleaning for the adults afterwards. Snowmobile trails in Jefferson County are open. Trail conditions are good at this time, but additional snow would be a welcome sight. The Jefferson County Snowmobile Alliance would like to remind snowmobilers to remain on the trails and follow the trail signs. Maintaining good landowner relationships and a positive public image will ensure trials for the future.

WEST CENTRAL REGION


Baldwin DNR Service Center area

Willow River State Park - Cross-country ski trails were groomed Jan. 25. All the skate decks except the Red and Brown were done and track was re-set as needed. Weekday skiing traffic is generally lightest in the morning with more as the afternoon gets later. The oak leaves are still on the trees but that will not last much longer. A leaf that has been groomed into the trail is still a leaf in the trail. Freshly groomed trails this year have usually been followed by at least an inch of snow. The multiple use trails are being groomed as needed. Expect to see hikers, runners, snowshoers or skiers on these trails.


La Crosse DNR Service Center area

Tree sparrows, juncos, cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers, horned larks, nuthatches, blue jays, and tufted titmice are the majority of songbirds currently active in the area. Rough-legged hawks are being observed repeatedly throughout the area. These large buteos breed in the Arctic tundra and migrate to and winter primarily in the lower 48 states. They feed mainly on small rodents and often hunt for them by hovering above a grassy field before diving down on the unsuspecting prey. Deep snowcover tends to push the birds farther south. Rough-legged hawks get their name from their furry-looking legs, which are feathered to the toes with soft feathers. For a raptor, they have relatively small feet and bill. In flight, rough-legged hawks display long, rounded wings, smooth, shallow wingbeats, primary feathers with very pale undersides, and square, dark wrists or carpal patches.


Crawford County - After last week’s snowfall all the snowmobile trails in Crawford County have re-opened. Snowmobilers are reminded to stay on marked trails and continue to check the status of the trails before heading out. For current snowmobile trail conditions please check TravelWisconsin.com or call the Land Conservation Department at 608-326-0270. The Mississippi River has been slowly falling during the past week. After holding at or just above the 10 foot mark the current river stage is at 9.4 feet. The Wisconsin River is falling and creating dangerous conditions in some areas. In many areas on the Wisconsin there is an “air gap” between the ice and the water below. This phenomenon exists mainly in the timbered lowlands. Ice conditions remain pretty good even though caution must be used when traveling on the ice. The Mississippi River continues to be unusually high for this time of year. Many back water sloughs have moderate to strong current flowing under the ice. Flowing water under the ice can rapidly deteriorate ice conditions. However, ice conditions are in pretty good shape in the most popular fishing areas. Ice thickness averages around 14 to 20 inches in the backwaters of the Mississippi River and Wisconsin River. Access to most ice fishing locations is much better now that cold weather froze the “sloppy” spots and thin ice locations. A slowly receding river also helps making access safer. Ice fishing this week has been spotty to good. In the Prairie du Chien area nice sized bluegills were still being caught on Gremore Lake along with a few really nice perch. Anglers will have to move around to find them, however. Action seems to be better near the end of the day. Ice conditions on Gremore Lake are very good with more than 16 inches of ice. Crappie action in Gremore has been slow. Anglers have been venturing across the Ambro and Black Sloughs to Tilmont Lake. Tilmont Lake is still receiving a small amount of flow on the west side. As the Mississippi River continues to fall action should improve. Action on Tilmont has been very spotty but at times very good. Some nice bluegill and perch have been taken there. Mud Slough still has current flowing through it so very few anglers have been fishing there. Some anglers have been heading up to Fish Lake and Little Missouri. There was some decent bluegill action in Fish Lake at times last week. Little Missouri has been hit or miss recently. A few nice perch and bluegills have been caught there. Farther up in the Upper Doubles and Big Missouri action has been good at times. Bluegill, perch and a few crappie have been caught. Some anglers are using the Fish and Wildlife Service boat landing to access the upper Ambro Slough Complex. Extreme caution is advised due to open water and unsafe ice conditions created by Mill Coulee Creek entering there. Spring Lake has produced some action, but anglers will need to fish along the edges of Spring Lake away from the current. The Fennimore Cut have been very slow because current is flowing through there also. Sturgeon Slough has been very slow primarily due to the high water. Current is flowing through that area which causes bluegills and crappie to avoid that area. Action on McGregor Lake has been pretty good at times. Reports of bluegill and a few perch and crappie have been reported. Cold Spring has been slow this week. The boat landing access is a bit tricky as open water still exists there. Open water shore fishing at the boat landing has been very slow. Most successful anglers fishing for bluegill, crappie or perch are finding live bait has worked better than plain artificial baits. Largemouth bass action slowed some this week. Northern pike action has been spotty. Bald eagles have really dispersed from the Mississippi River in search of food. Even so, some eagles can be seen hanging around the remaining open water on the Mississippi, Wisconsin and Kickapoo rivers. Song birds are actively coming to bird feeders and bird baths. Please clean and sanitize bird baths and feeders. Additionally keep bird feeders full of food. Rabbit, squirrel and coyote hunters are finding hunting conditions pretty good. Coyote hunters are looking for some clear skies at night for better hunting conditions.


Black River Falls DNR Service Center area

Black River State Forest - Snowmobile and All-terrain Vehicle trails were last groomed on Jan. 18 and 19 and are in fair to good condition. Grooming equipment is in for repairs and we expect to have it back in operation soon and groom the trails again before the weekend. When trails are open we ask ATVs to stay off the trail whenever the temperatures are 32 degrees or above. This protects the base for future use. Cross-country ski trails were groomed Monday Jan. 24 and are in the best shape of the year - get out and use them while you can! Skiers will notice that there has been a fair amount of timber sale activity along the trails this year. The annual candlelight ski will be held Saturday, Feb. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. The event is held at the Smrekar Warming shelter and includes a luminary-lit 1.5-mile trail. Refreshments and hot dogs will be available, along with a raffle and bonfire. This event is sponsored by the Black River Forest Trail Foundation, a nonprofit group that raises funds for the betterment of the hike, bike, and ski trail system. The Trail Foundation will also be offering an instructional day before the candlelight ski on Feb. 5 from noon to 3 p.m. that day. On Sunday, Feb. 13 the Friends of the Black River will hold their third annual snowshoe hike on the Black River East Bank Trail. Meet at the Ho-Chunk Waste Water Treatment Plant (same place as last year). For more information please call (714) 284-4117. The hike will be along the Black River, the Friends recommend hikers bring water and snacks. Snowshoers are welcome to enjoy their sport on any ungroomed trail in the state forest. We recommend the nature trail at Castle Mound Campground, a two mile circular loop, or the five mile trail from Pigeon Creek to Smrekar road.


Eau Claire DNR Service Center area

Brunet Island State Park – The cross country ski trail system has a very nice base on the trails. The track is in great shape. Species of birds seen or hearing include: ravens, black capped chickadees, northern juncos, piliated and red headed woodpeckers, great horned owls, barred owls, and bald eagles. Anglers are reporting generally good ice conditions in the backwater areas. The park does not monitor ice conditions. The Cornell flowage water levels fluctuate throughout the year and we urge caution when venturing onto the ice. Vehicle passes are required year round. There area a few campsites open with electricity, hand water pump, and a pit toilet.


Wausau DNR Service Center area

Rib Mountain State Park - Trails are in excellent condition for snowshoeing or hiking; crews are working on developing new trails in the quarry area. This campground will not open in 2011 as crews work to convert this area to a premier day use facility. Lots of deer, woodchucks and even an occasional turkey have been seen. The road leading into the main portion of the park is now open. Please make note that construction activities are still taking place at the top of the mountain as we begin work on the new Public Entrance and Visitor Station. Please park in parking lots that are plowed for winter use. Candlelight Snow Shoe will be Feb. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. We will not be accepting amphitheater rental applications for 2011, we look forward to a full season of amphitheater rentals in 2012.


Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area

Buckhorn State Park - Ski trails are packed, tracked and are in excellent condition. Skiers were out this past cold weekend. Walking on trails when groomed is not allowed. Snowshoers must stay off to the side of trails and not on the groomed trails. Two bald eagles flew over the nature trail by the lake while out grooming the ski trails last week! Some campsites are open for winter camping. Drinking water is available at the park office.


Roche-A-Cri State Park - The campground and main gate are now closed for the season. Parking is available at the winter lot on Czech Ave and that pit toilet is still open
 
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