Wisconsin Mixed Bag: Deadline for Wisconsin residents to apply for a 2026 elk license is May 31

Madison — The Wisconsin DNR reminds Wisconsin residents that they have until May 31, 2026 to apply for a chance at a 2026 elk hunting license. Wisconsin’s elk hunting season is open only to state citizens. Apply online via gowild.wi.gov or at state license agents.

There are some changes to the elk application process for the 2026 season. Applicants will now have the choice to apply for a bull and/or an antlerless license for units with a huntable quota. Hunters will also need to select the hunting unit grouping when applying.

Additionally, selected elk hunters will have one continuous season, opening Saturday, Oct. 17, and running through Sunday, Dec. 13, eliminating the split-season structure in effect from 2018-25.

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Natural Resources Board Members to Meet in Madison Wednesday, May 27

Madison — The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) will meet in-person at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, in public meeting room G09, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster Street, Madison to consider proposed rule-making documents and other matters. The board will act on items 1-4 and 7 as listed on the agenda.

The public may watch the May 27 meeting on the DNR’s YouTube channel. The NRB always allows for public comments on any topic, either in-person, in writing, or via Zoom, but the deadline to register for public testimony or comment is a week before the meeting. Citizens interested in addressing NRB members should keep that in mind for future meetings.

During the May 27 meeting, the board will be considering:

• A request that the board adopt Emergency Board Order FH-21-25 (E) to changes to the bag and possession limit for round gobies on Lake Winnebago system area waters;

• A request to approve the statement of scope for Board Order FH-20-25 and conditionally approve a public hearing and submittal of the proposed rules to the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse that affects s. NR 20.35 to allow for alternate size and bag limits for walleyes under specific conditions for the rehabilitation of walleye fisheries;

• A request to approve the statement of scope for Board Order WY-18-25 and conditionally approve a public hearing and submittal of proposed rules to the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse that affects chs. NR 102 and 104 to establish designated use classifications for subsistence fishing and wild rice waters and to revise outdated information in ch. NR 104;

• A request that the board initiate a master plan process for the Wolf River State Trail in Langlade County;

• A land donation (3.76 acres, of which .8 acres is an easement) for a horse trail in the Governor Knowles State Forest in Polk County;

• The board will also present the 2025 Shakir Safari Club International Wildlife Officer of the Year Award, receive an update on Wisconsin’s elk herds and the 2026 elk season quotas, and accept four donations valued at about $170,000.

Wisconsin Potato Board Mailed-In Election Ballots Due by June 15

Madison — The Wisconsin Dep​artment of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has certified three nominees eligible to be elected to the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board. Candidates were nominated March 27. Potato growers have until June 15, 2026, to vote on the following candidates: District 1 nominee, Charlie Mattek, Deerbrook; District 2 nominee, Nicola Carey, Bancroft; and District 3 nominee, Heidi Randall, Cambria.

Elected producers will serve three-year terms beginning July 1.

DATCP mailed ballots to eligible potato growers the week of May 11. Growers who have not received a ballot by May 21 may request a ballot by contacting DATCP Market Orders staff at DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov. Eligible growers may vote for the candidate in their district or write in the name of another eligible producer.

Ballots must be emailed to DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov or postmarked to DATCP Market Orders Program, PO Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708 by June 15.

DU Appoints New COO In Dr. Karen Waldrop

Memphis, Tenn. — Ducks Unlimited (DU) recently announced that Dr. Karen Waldrop has been elevated to chief operating officer. Waldrop joined DU in 2019 as chief conservation officer and has overseen an expansion of DU’s conservation delivery footprint across the United States.

Under Waldrop’s leadership, DU Conservation has expanded its reach, diversified partnerships, and established new benchmarks, often under challenging environmental circumstances. For the first time ever, DU surpassed one million acres of conservation in FY24 – and again in FY25. Prior to joining Ducks Unlimited, Waldrop spent 20 years at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, starting as a graduate student and lead researcher for the state’s elk restoration program. She progressed to leadership roles, including wildlife division director and then deputy commissioner.

DNR Reopens Newville Boat Landing After Flood Waters Recede

Madison — The DNR has reopened the Newville boat launch on the Rock River in Rock County after the agency closed the landing on April 20 due to dangerously high water levels.

Water levels on the Rock River have since receded and the launch may now be safely accessed by the public