Friday, September 11th, 2026

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Friday, September 11th, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Tim Eisele

Wisconsin DNR appears to have cleared detailed budget audit hurdle

The Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) finally released its audit of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) management of its Fish and Wildlife Account to the State Legislature’s Joint Legislative Audit Committee.
The final recommendations by the LAB were largely procedural, and at first glance did not involve significantly large errors. The DNR Fish and Wildlife Account is one of 10 accounts in the DNR Conservation Fund, which is a statutorily established segregated trust fund that finances many of the resource management programs administered by DNR.

Wisconsin DNR appears to have cleared detailed budget audit hurdle Read More »

Wisconsin NRB tracking Minnesota wake boat study

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) again heard from citizens stressing that wake boats are deserving of more attention from the NRB and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) because of the environmental damage these boats can cause.
Just prior to the NRB meeting, additional results of a study of wake boat impact to lake bottom sediment were released by the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory showing that wake boats disturb lake beds in depths down to 20 and 25 feet.

Wisconsin NRB tracking Minnesota wake boat study Read More »

Wisconsin DNR can begin drafting ‘housekeeping’ regulations for wildlife and fish rule changes

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) approved two scope statements involving future wildlife rules and one statement for fisheries rules that now allow the Department of Natural Resources to begin drafting minor “housekeeping” regulations.
The regulations will eventually go out for public hearings and then will have to be approved by the NRB at a future meeting.

Wisconsin DNR can begin drafting ‘housekeeping’ regulations for wildlife and fish rule changes Read More »

Corrections made as Wisconsin’s final 2025-26 deer season map released

The Natural Resources Board (NRB) corrected an error in the 2025 Wisconsin deer season framework map for Green and Pierce counties, which does not change the season as approved by the board in June.
Jeff Pritzl, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) deer program specialist, acknowledged that it was his responsibility to present correct information to the board on the proposed deer season last June, but there was an error in the map that was handed out as supporting information. The error does not make any change in the season as adopted by the board.

Corrections made as Wisconsin’s final 2025-26 deer season map released Read More »

Wisconsin wealthy in county, state, national forests

Trees may be just greenery as part of the scenery to some people, but Ron Weber extols the values of forests for recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection and economic opportunities any chance he gets.
Weber works as a forester for the Wisconsin DNR in Ladysmith. He explained some of the functions of Wisconsin’s public forests to the 49th annual meeting of the Wisconsin Outdoor Communicators Association at Trees For Tomorrow in Eagle River Aug. 2. And, besides the economic and wildlife benefits, Weber said, forests are just a cool place to visit.

Wisconsin wealthy in county, state, national forests Read More »

Thousands of Wisconsin hunters drawn for ’25 turkey tags did not buy them, leaving other hunters hanging

For some hunters, the chance of drawing a Wisconsin turkey harvest authorization for one of the early hunting periods could be as scarce as hen’s teeth.
That’s why recent discussions among Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wild Turkey Advisory Committee members show concern over a surprising number of turkey authorizations that were mailed to hunters who drew a “tag,” but never used it.

Thousands of Wisconsin hunters drawn for ’25 turkey tags did not buy them, leaving other hunters hanging Read More »

Wisconsin’s fall turkey ‘tag’ totals remain same; hen research providing important data

The number of fall turkey harvest authorizations available for 2025 in Wisconsin will not change from last fall, based on the recommendation from the DNR Turkey Advisory Committee.
Meeting at the Sandhill Wildlife Area on July 8, committee members decided to continue issuing one authorization with each fall turkey hunting license (which last year totaled 81,682) and making a total of 14,000 bonus authorizations available for zones 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Wisconsin’s fall turkey ‘tag’ totals remain same; hen research providing important data Read More »

Sawyer County land swap solves trespass issue within Wisconsin state forest

Under the title of “always get a survey before building,” the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) approved the exchange of a small parcel of land within the Flambeau River State Forest in order to resolve a homeowner trespass situation.
Terry Bay, DNR Bureau of Facilities and Lands director, proposed that the DNR exchange one acre of state land for 6.7 acres of land owned by Larry and Debra Lucht, of Loyal.

Sawyer County land swap solves trespass issue within Wisconsin state forest Read More »

Wisconsin’s recent trend in rooster numbers best in years

Spring surveys showed an increasing trend for pheasants, especially in northwest Wisconsin.
Chris Pollentier, DNR research scientist, reported at the July 1 meeting of the DNR Pheasant Advisory Committee, that pheasant observations were above the five-year average for the second consecutive year.
“This last year the pheasant survey results were well above what we’ve seen in recent years,” Pollentier said. “This was the highest we’ve seen since we revamped the survey in 2013.”

Wisconsin’s recent trend in rooster numbers best in years Read More »

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