A tragic ice fishing accident on the Kewaunee River last weekend has put the spotlight on just when ice is considered safe enough to fish.
While we mourn the loss of a sportsman — and pray for his family and friends — we also need to remind all those who enjoy venturing out onto the early-season ice to wait for a long, extended period of very cold air, and even then, to have all the safety tools along to test the ice.
Tyler Yunk of Habitual Guide Service targets trout and other species through the ice of Lake Michigan and Green Bay tributaries.
“After a short and almost non-existent season last year, everyone has the itch to get out,” Yunk said. “It’s been years since we had cold enough temperatures for good ice in early December. It’s an exciting time for ice anglers in Northeast Wisconsin, but also a dangerous one.”
Yunk said early ice is never safe ice, and every precaution should be taken. That means a spud bar, a set of ice picks, a rope and most importantly the buddy system.
“If you’re not sure, don’t chance it,” Yunk said. “Don’t be afraid to reach out to local bait shops and fishing guides for an ice report.”
Yunk said tributaries and Green Bay reefs and inlets/outlets always have current.
That plus underwater obstructions such as rocks or logs can make ice paper-thin in some spots, even when it’s plenty thick in others.
The extended forecast — always a gamble reporting it here — shows another thaw beginning this weekend, with daily highs well above freezing right into the Christmas break.
Preliminary nine-day
Deer hunters across Brown, Door and Kewaunee counties combined to register 5,750 whitetails during the recent nine-day gun deer hunt, an increase of more than 300 over the five-year average.
Door County totals included 1,153 antlered bucks and 1,298 antlerless, for a total of 2,451. Kewaunee County hunters totaled 1,892, including 828 bucks, and Brown County registered 1,407 (650 bucks).
Statewide, the preliminary numbers showed a drop in the buck kill up north and down south, but an overall slight increase thanks to the deer-rich central farmland region.
The nine-day-only numbers were 89,029 bucks and 95,630 antlerless deer, for a total of 184,659.
However, since they need to be accounted for somewhere, the Department of Natural Resources annually adds all the ag damage deer taken the past few months at the end of the regular gun hunt.
Therefore, the “nine-day” numbers being reported — 89,787 antlered bucks and 99,835 antlerless, or 189,622 overall — include the ag damage deer, and possibly disabled hunt kills (will clarify once DNR responds to a request).
Not including ag damage deer, the Central Farmland region saw 108,169 whitetails (48,911 bucks) registered in the 9-day hunt; Southern Farmland 40,837 (18,732 bucks); Northern Forest 28,821 (17,456 bucks); and Central Forest 6,822 (3,930 bucks).
From a hunter safety standpoint, it was the safest season on record, with just one non-fatal shooting incident in Vernon County.
Combining all regular seasons to date, 289,361 whitetails were reported by hunters in Wisconsin through Monday, including 155,272 bucks.
Crossbow users had tallied 59,078 (38,108 bucks) and archers 36,333 (23,460 bucks). Marathon County produced 10,695 whitetails, Clark 9,913, Waupaca 9,290, Marinette 8,632, and Shawano 8,524.
More chances to hunt
The 10-day muzzleloader season ended Wednesday, and the four-day antlerless-only gun deer hunt runs through Sunday, Dec. 15.
After that, it’ll be camo again until a Dec. 24-Jan. 1 holiday antlerless gun deer hunt in some counties (check the regulations for specifics).
The archery and crossbow hunts continue into early January in most counties, and until Jan. 31 in some farmland counties.
Again, check the regulations for all the details.
Weekly water levels
As of Dec. 6, Lake Michigan water levels were down six inches in the past year and were several inches below the 100-year average.
Water levels had fallen three inches in the past month. Lake levels were still 27 inches above the record monthly low, set in 2012, but were 38 inches below the all-time December high, set in 1986.
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