Wisconsin Mixed Bag: Oct. 31 the Deadline to Buy Sturgeon Spearing License for Lake Winnebago

Oshkosh, Wis. — Anyone interested in harvesting a lake sturgeon from Lake Winnebago during the 2027 sturgeon spearing season must buy their license by Oct. 31.

All license holders must be at least 12 years old. There are an unlimited number of licenses available for Lake Winnebago. Residents and nonresidents may buy a license through the Go Wild system or at any license sales location.

There are a few exceptions to who may buy their license after the Oct. 31 deadline: military personnel home on leave; and kids who will turn 12 between Nov. 1 and the last day of the spearing season.

The upriver lakes fishery of lakes Poygan, Butte des Morts and Winneconne is managed by a preference point system and drawing that is limited to 500 spearers. Successful upriver lakes tag applicants have already been notified for the 2027 season and have until the start of the spearing season to buy a license. Spearing license sales help fund sturgeon work on the Winnebago system.

The 2026 spearing and spawning reports are available and outline the management and results from the 2026 spearing season as well as how the population handled the extreme floods during the spring spawning season. The 2027 season will open on Feb. 13, 2027, and will run 16 days or until any harvest caps are met.

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Conservation Congress Accepting Spring Hearing Resolutions Through Feb. 8, 2027

Madison — Wisconsin residents may submit ideas as proposed resolutions for spring hearing consideration through Monday, Feb. 8, 2027, to the Conservation Congress, which is statutorily recognized as an advisor to the Natural Resources Board and the DNR.

Citizens may submit two resolutions a year, and resolutions must be of statewide impact; be practical, achievable and reasonable; and be within the congress mission. To submit a resolution, visit the DNR website and the congress spring hearing web page. Resolutions that meet the criteria will be prepared for the 2027 spring hearings. Online and in-person input begin at 6 p.m. Monday, April 12, 2027.

For information or questions, contact Paul Reith, chair of the Conservation Congress, at prodnet@gmail.com or (608) 616-0808.

Manitowoc Rifle and Pistol Club Hosting Annual Rifle Sight-In Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 14-15

Manitowoc, Wis. — The Manitowoc Rifle and Pistol Club will host its annual deer hunters sight-in fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 14-15.

The club is at 7227 Sandy Hill Lane, north of Two Rivers between Hwy. 42 and Hwy. O on Viceroy Road. The range is open to the public those days. Register at the clubhouse. Admission is $5 per firearm. Shooters will have access to 25-, 50- and 100-yard ranges. Indoor shooting stations provide protection from the weather. Spotters/coaches will be available at each station.

A unique feature of the event is the club’s “running deer” target, a mechanical moving deer that gives hunters an opportunity to practice on a moving target before the season opens.

Lunch will be available inside the clubhouse. For information, go to the club’s Facebook page or manitowocrifleandpistol.com.

Voluntary Waterfowl Avoidance Area in Effect on Upper Mississippi Refuge

Onalaska, Wis. — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking boaters in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge to avoid designated areas within the La Crosse District through mid-November. Allowing birds to rest and feed gives them a better chance of reaching winter habitat with enough body fat to survive.

In the La Crosse District, voluntary avoidance areas are on parts of Navigation Pools 7 and 8 of the Mississippi River and are in effect through mid-November. The avoidance area on Lake Onalaska is marked with orange-and-white buoys, covering 3,356 acres.

Avoidance areas in Pool 8: All boaters are also asked to avoid entering the 984-acre Goose Island no-hunting zone and the 6,538-acre Wisconsin Islands closed area. To further reduce disturbance to waterfowl concentrated in the Goose Island no-hunting zone, the use of motors is prohibited. Orange-and-white buoys will also be placed in Pool 8 to alert boaters of these areas.

Fall Trapping Seasons Open Up

Madison — The first trapping seasons of the fall opened on Saturday, Oct. 17, with bobcat (first period, both zones), fisher (both zones), coyote, fox and resident raccoon seasons. More seasons for other species and zones will continue to open throughout the fall.

The otter trapping season will open in both zones on Nov. 7. The beaver seasons will open Nov. 7 in zones A and C, with Zone D opening Dec. 7. Mink and muskrat trapping opened Oct. 24 in the North Zone and will open Oct. 31 in the Central Zone. The Southern Zone will open Nov. 7, and the Mississippi River zone Nov. 9. The nonresident raccoon season opens Oct. 31.

There are no season dates or bag limits for trapping skunks, weasels, porcupines, snowshoe hares, woodchucks and opossums,  but a trapping license is required.

The DNR encourages trappers to check season dates, online trapping regulations, and ensure that they have all licenses before heading out. Other outdoor enthusiasts should be aware that traps may be present on public lands. Check with the state properties for any special trapping requirements that may be in place. State parks, for example, have limits on which trap types are allowed and where they may be placed.

Outdoor enthusiasts can decrease their chance of encountering a trap on any property by staying on designated trails and keeping pets leashed.