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Fishing Reports - Baldwin-La Crosse-Crawford County-Eau Claire-Wisconsin Rapids
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WI DNR
November 5, 2008
Baldwin
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - Ice was on Little Falls Lake Tuesday morning. Visitors are reminded of the upcoming gun hunting season for deer. The season opens Saturday, Nov. 22 and ends Sunday, Nov. 30. Areas open to hunting are north of the Willow River and some undeveloped land to the east of the main use area. Some trails border or come close to open hunting areas. All trail heads that access or are near open hunting areas will be posted. Places that do not engage nearby open hunting areas are: the park road, the Hidden Ponds Nature Trail, the White-Tail, Oak Ridge, Knapweed and Pioneer trails. To see Willow Falls, go in from the parking lot at the top of the hill on County Road A. Visitors may encounter hunters entering open hunting areas from the closed area. Many visitors go about their activities as normal during hunting season making certain to wear brightly colored clothing. They visit mid day when hunting activity is at its lowest. (Hunting activity typically peaks during low light hours.) The dogs still come along. To those visitors, the hunting issue is a minor inconvenience for ten days. If you are uncomfortable with gun hunting available close to your favorite place to visit, and the options listed above will not work, plan something else for that nine day gun hunting season. Deer hunters are reminded that a daily or annual park sticker is required on your vehicle to hunt in the park, in addition to a deer hunting license. If you are a Conservation Patron there is no valid park sticker on the vehicle (it does not need to be your vehicle) leave your CP license on the dashboard as a valid admission. No other permits are needed. Office hours vary but we try to staff it most business hours. You may self- register for the daily or annual pass at the park office (when closed) or at drop boxes located in outlying parking areas. There is a new office under construction. The office you want is farther in to the park. Rifles may not be used in Zone 60M which includes the park. Hunters may park their vehicles off the roads where it is safe to do so. Hunters may park in closed areas and walk to the open hunting areas with the gun unloaded and inside a case. Once inside the open area, the gun may be uncased and loaded for use. If you have already met your Earn A Buck requirement in another such zone, you may fill the buck stickered tag part of your license. Expect to share the open hunting area with other hunters on the opening weekend. The hunting activity slows during the week; then it picks up again on Thanksgiving morning. The closing weekend does not see as much activity as the opener. Pick up a map at the park office. Cross country skiing training continues Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30 pm at the Purple trail head. Bring a headlamp, good trail shoes, ski poles, and your own drink. Its 100 percent headlamp training now so make sure lamps have fresh batteries. Trainers heard a barred owl last Thursday night and trained in the fog. It was a bit slippery on some down hills so any time its wet, (and now its dark,) consider the training as a “maybe” or plan on some road work. There are some good hills on the road between the Purple trail head and the group camp lot. There’s enough shoulder to use poles off the asphalt. Snow is being made at area ski hills. Some of the trainers may move there when the cross country trails are ready. Man-made snow is fast to ski on. This trainer suggests it for anyone that knows how to ski, especially if the regular ski season is slow to start. The Willow River area is experiencing “normal” November weather so far, so hope is high that we will be skiing here in a few weeks. Trail brushing crews may be found on trails most any day until there is substantial snowfall that will stick. These crews may be volunteers, park staff, or both. Volunteers (skiers) worked on the low hanging pine branches area of the Burkhardt Trail, a winter multiple use trail. Please report down trees so the work crews can get the mess cleaned up. Construction work continues at the new office, campground, and at the beach area. A new retaining wall is going in at the beach.
Kinnickinnic State Park - All of Kinnickinnic State Park will be open for the gun hunting season for deer. The park is in Zone 60 M which does not allow rifle hunting. Open dates are Saturday, November 22 through Sunday, November 30. Neither Kinnickinnic or Willow River State Park participate in the extended antlerless hunting seasons, although Zone 60 M has the extended gun seasons.
La Crosse
Waterfowl hunting action on the Mississippi River in the La Crosse Area has been sporadic lately even with the recent stretch of ideal waterfowl hunting conditions. Walleye fishing action has also been sporadic with fishers having good action on small saugers and only limited success on walleyes below area dams. Whitetail bucks have been active in the rut with bow hunters who have already qualified with Earn-A-Buck having good success harvesting nice bucks.
Buffalo River State Trail - ATVs are allowed year round on the Buffalo River Trail. The trail has been graded and is in good condition. All hunting seasons apply along this trail. Adjoining county trail systems may be closed to ATV's for the year. Check with local counties for specific information. The trail will be open for snowmobiles beginning December 1 when snow conditions allow.
Great River State Trail - The trail is open and in good conditions. The remnant prairie character of the old railway beds is dominant on the landscape right now with the prairie grasses stunning to behold. Tundra swans, migrating waterfowl and eagles have been seen in the area and can often be viewed on Lake Onalaska. The toilet buildings at Trempealeau and Lytle's Landing are still open. The water fountain at Trempealeau has been closed for the season. Hunting is allowed along the Great River Trail and occasional gunshots may be heard.
Merrick State Park - All trails are in good condition. Fishing has been slow this past week. Water level is very low. A few swans have been sited in the backwaters. The north and south campgrounds will remain open until December 1. The Island Campground is closed. Water is available at the Main Office. The dump station is open for dumping but no water is available for rinsing.
Perrot State Park - All trails are in fairly good condition. Fishing is fast or slow, depending on the day and your perspective. The water level is low. The Tundra Swans are in the area. They have been settling in at the adjacent Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge and in backwaters along the Mississippi. Larger concentrations have been reported at the Brownsville Marsh observation area south of La Crescent, MN. Eagles are still in the area. Duck season remains open and occasional gunshots may be heard near areas of open water. Sections of the park are open for deer hunting by permit only from November 22 through Nov 30. Hunters will be using muzzleloaders. Campsites 1-50 remain open for camping as walk-in only. The water is turned off in the campground. Shower and flush toilet buildings are closed for the season. Vault toilets are available in the campground and drinking water is available at the Park maintenance shop. The dump station will remain open for dumping through Nov. 30, but there is no water at that location. The Campground and the Riverview Trail are closed to hunting. Blaze orange vests are available in limited quantity at the park headquarters. The north road is being resurfaced. It is recommended to take the south road into and out of the park.
Eau Claire
Brunet Island State Park - Species of birds seen or heard include: ravens, phoebes, northern juncos, nuthatches, piliated woodpeckers, great horned and barred owls, Canada geese, and blue jays. Whitetail deer are in full rut and are very active during daylight hours. An area to the north and east of the main office, including part of the Nordic Trail system, will be open for a limited, shotgun only, special access permit required antlerless deer hunt beginning Saturday, November 22 to 30. Park trails are in good condition. Hikers are strongly cautioned to wear blaze orange if they will be using the areas open to hunting. The main island is not open to hunting and we would encourage hikers to use the trails and roadways available there. Please contact the office at 715-239-6888 if you have questions regarding the hunt. Brunet Island State Park north campground is open with pit toilets and hand water pump. The south campground is open with electric sites, pit toilet, and hand water pump. The park dump station is now closed.
Wisconsin Rapids
Buckhorn State Park - Ice has started forming in bays and north of the bridge. Remember, park staff does not monitor ice conditions. The gun deer season and muzzleloader season are allowed in Yellow River Wildlife Area only. The park is open for early and late season for bow hunting (no special hunting permit is required). New hunting maps are available for the park and wildlife areas. Small game, waterfowl and trapping are allowed in the Yellow River Wildlife Area and in Buckhorn Wildlife Area only, not in the park. Deer can be registered at the park office when it is staffed. All other hunting is allowed in Yellow River Wildlife Area. Visitors have been enjoying the fall weather hiking, fishing, camping and checking out sites for future visits. Remember, park stickers are required for Launch C and D and there are no additional launch fees.
Roche-A-Cri State Park - Visitors have been hiking and enjoying the fall weather. Camping is now closed for the season. Hunting is not allowed in the park. There is a hunter parking lot on Cypress Ave for the Roche-A-Cri natural area east of Highway 13. The main gate is now closed. Parking is allowed in the Czech Ave/Prairie lot and vehicle stickers are required there. The parking lot will not be plowed this winter and trails will not be groomed. People will still be able to cross country ski and snow shoe in the park.
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