Whitetails, salmon in the spotlight

It hasn’t been a whole lot more than a trickle so far, but the late summer salmon run is underway at Algoma and Kewaunee.

Mixed in with the death-run “kings” is an occasional brown trout, or an even rarer pink (humpback) salmon. A few cohos are around, too, but mainly offshore yet as they run the rivers weeks later than the chinooks.

Pier casters are throwing spoons, spawn, stickbaits and marshmallows, and more than one spoon-chucker has been surprised by a northern pike.

Meanwhile, Saturday is opening day for bow and crossbow deer hunters, as well as those seeking wild turkeys, gray and fox squirrels and Zone A ruffed grouse.

If you forgot to apply for a fall turkey tag — or want an extra one, or more — there were still about 1,800 available for Zone 2 as of midweek. Check http://dnr.wi.gov/permits/fallturkey.html for a statewide update, zone by zone.

Last call

If you’re reading this a day earlier than the paper is dated — it’s printed Thursday and most readers get it Friday — today’s your last chance to comment on salmon and trout stocking in Lake Michigan.

If you’re not familiar with what’s being proposed, you can view a recent public meeting presentation at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Fishing/lakemichigan/LakeMichiganFisheriesForum.html.

Send comments to DNRLakeMichiganPlan@wisconsin.gov.

Moonlight shoot

The Black Ash Gun Club’s annual Moonlight Shoot, a 100-bird Lewis event, will be held Sept. 24. Doors open at 4 p.m.

Public lands

More than 40 sportsmen’s and outdoor organizations from across the country have released a letter asking all presidential candidates to publicly state their support for our national public lands — places that millions of Americans hunt, fish and recreate and that sustain our fish and wildlife populations.

While the majority of Americans cherish public lands, the organizations note that a small but strident group of state and federal lawmakers and their allies is trying to dismantle the network of public lands that is a cornerstone of our economy and national identity.

“The federal public lands in the West and in our state of Wisconsin are immensely important to the sportsmen and women and other recreational users that we represent,” said George Meyer, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation executive director. “Without these, many of us would not be able to enjoy the outdoors with our friends and family and our great natural outdoor heritage will be lost.”

Fair Chase

Fair chase in hunting, as defined by the Boone and Crockett Club, is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild, native North American big game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper advantage over such animals.

As a means of separating the actions of commercial market hunters from those of sportsmen, an ethical code of hunter conduct was discussed at the first meeting of the Boone and Crockett Club in 1887.

The group believes that hunting is a privilege that must be earned repeatedly.

A comprehensive essay on fair chase is available at https://www.boone-crockett.org/pdf/On_Fair_Chase.pdf.

2017 Duck Stamp

James Hautman from Chaska, Minn., is the winner of the 2016 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest. Hautman’s painting of Canada geese will be made into the 2017-2018 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, which will go on sale next summer.

This is Hautman’s fifth Federal Duck Stamp Contest win, tying him with his brother Joseph, whose art appears on this season’s stamp.

James Hautman’s art previously appeared on the 1991-1992, 1995-1996, 1999-2000 and 2011-2012 federal stamps.

Another brother, Robert Hautman of Delano, Minn., placed third. He previously won the contest in 1997-1998 and 2001-2002.

Through the years the sale of duck stamps have helped protect more than 6.5 million acres of waterfowl habitat in our National Wildlife Refuge System.

Waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry the current $25 Duck Stamp when they hunt. Conservationists, stamp collectors and others may purchase the stamp in support of wildlife conservation.

A gallery of all 2016 Federal Duck Stamp Contest entries is at https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/albums/72157673275636455.

Kevin Naze is a freelance outdoors writer. Email him at wildtimes@wizunwired.net.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press Gazette: Whitetails, salmon in the spotlight