Green Bay Offers Opportunities

An article from WWA’s Words From The Wardens.

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s March, 2025 eNewsletter. 

By DNR Warden Logan Woods/Green Bay Warden Team

When I was hired as one of the Class of 2021 DNR conservation wardens, I was proud to join the team dedicated to protecting those who use and enjoy the natural resources and those who protect the resources that make Wisconsin what it is.

Wisconsin is a real gem of a state that we all know attracts plenty of outdoor recreationists who want to join our fun. Whomever it is – visitor or state resident – the wardens’ mission is to keep everyone safe so they can go home with a story or two.

Still in my first five years as a warden, I consider my work team dedicated to people and our resources to extend well beyond my Green Bay Warden Team to include this organization, which, as my luck would have it, stands for the waterfowl habitat and safe, ethical waterfowl hunting.  I share this passion and consider myself remarkably lucky to serve the residents and visitors in the greater Green Bay area, which includes huge waterfowl hunting opportunities.

I also can add that I am from West Bend and earned my conservation law enforcement degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.

Plot A Green Bay Hunt

Kona, before the retrieve. CREDIT: Warden Logan Woods

As you prepare and think about where your waterfowl hunting adventures may take you in 2025, I encourage you to consider a trip to my service area. In fact, come on over and check it out during the summer months. Scout a few spots and talk to the area fishing shops.

I know some hunters prefer not to share their hunting spots; however, as a public servant, I’ll share a few things I know about this area.

This last duck season, I enjoyed many duck hunting excursions on the Bay of Green Bay. This is one of the best waterfowl hunting spots in the state. I’m all in – I have my hunting buddy, Kona, a skiff, camo netting and decoys.

As a waterfowl hunter, you would have the opportunity to possibly harvest any duck species that passes through Wisconsin. From blue and green-winged teal in the early season to canvasbacks and gadwall in October, to golden eye, bufflehead and long tail during the open water season in December.

Kona after the retrieve

Open water hunting also is more popular, but don’t let that stop you. There is plenty of bay to go around. If you want a unique duck hunting experience, open water duck hunting is tons of fun. I take my skiff and put a grayish sheet over the top of me. Diver ducks aren’t known for being especially suspicious, so that kind of cover is all you really need.

I’m honored to serve the citizens of Wisconsin and feel very fortunate to be able to hunt as well during my off hours. Consider coming over to the Green Bay area and experience it for yourself.

Stay safe out there!

National Program Tracks All Violations

An article from WWA’s Words From The Wardens.

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s February, 2025 eNewsletter. 

By DNR Conservation Warden Evan Fox

Wisconsin waterfowl hunters have incredible and envious opportunities that attract plenty of non-residents toting their firearms to enjoy adventures.

It’s no wonder why, as our state offers layout boat hunting on the Great Lakes, the pools and sloughs of the Mississippi River, rice lakes and flowages in the north, and field hunting for mallards and Canada geese.

Friendships form in the field. Run into someone enough, and you’re likely to be invited to visit their home state to enjoy their hunting opportunities.

Daisy, the hunting partner of DNR Warden Evan Fox, keeps eye for falling birds on a recent waterfowl hunt. CREDIT: DNR Warden Evan Fox

Before you go, review and abide by that state’s hunting regulations – which may be different from Wisconsin’s. Just as we expect our fellow non-resident hunters to know and abide by all Wisconsin’s rules and regulations, we are expected to know and follow the laws in other states.

If you ever plan a hunting sojourn in another state or country, it is imperative to understand the rules. Why? Running afoul of other state’s laws can directly affect your hunting privileges at home.

Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact

The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact includes 49 member states. Any person whose license privileges are suspended in one member state would also have them suspended in Wisconsin and every other member state.

You need to know what licenses are required in Wisconsin and in the state where your friend or family member lives.

States require an assortment of different licenses to hunt migratory birds, including a basic hunting license, waterfowl license, small game license, state waterfowl stamp and the Harvest Information Program (HIP). Some states require additional licenses for swans or cranes, and you may need to take an identification test to prove your adeptness at identifying the correct birds.

Know Where To Hunt

Some states hold a drawing to hunt state-managed wetlands, and some lands are off-limits to nonresidents during certain dates.

Bird Tagging, Transportation Rules

You cannot put or leave waterfowl at any place or in the custody of another person unless you tag the birds with your signature, address, number of birds identified by species and the date you killed them. When transporting migratory birds, you also need to keep the head or a wing attached for identification purposes. Know both the daily bag limit and your total possession limit.

Enjoy your visits out of state. Take the time to learn the local rules and regulations. And make sure you know Wisconsin’s laws – where the hunting is best.

‘Sled Safe’ Weekend is Jan. 31 – Feb 2

An article from WWA’s Words From The Wardens.

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s January, 2025 eNewsletter. 

By Lt. Jacob Holsclaw, DNR Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator

As we head into the winter, my thoughts always go to two topics: early ice safety and snowmobile season. Right up there on my season list is the importance of communicating with others to make every Wisconsin outdoor excursion a fun and safe event.

As the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association members are aware, our state is known for its waters, which are inviting any time of the year to human and winged creature alike. However, it is best to admire the beauty of ice covers on our treasured waters from the shore – especially when the early winter temperatures are bouncing like a ping pong ball.

After we have the first cold nights, we start to see the early ice. It may look solid to the naked eye, but it’s not. There can be, and often are, cracks and changes in the ice thickness that you will not see.

The ice covers hide the currents, debris and underground springs still feeding lakes and rivers. These factors, and more, are why no ice is ever considered safe – no matter the month.

• Please remember the DNR does not monitor ice conditions, but they are monitored locally. Local fishing clubs, outfitters and bait shops remain your best sources for local current ice conditions. However, the best idea for safe winter fun is to enjoy outings without travel over ice.

WINTER’S POPULAR OUTDOOR FUN

Photo credit: iStock/c3nsored

Two of the most popular winter activities including ice fishing and snowmobiling. Wisconsin is a destination state for fishing and for snowmobiling. Wisconsin has one of the most successful snowmobile programs in the country. The numbers don’t lie.

During the past five years, we have averaged 230,000 registered sleds; we host 25,000 miles of trails.  Along with registration, snowmobilers are required to purchase a trail pass for every snowmobile if operated on a trail system. This additional funding assists with maintenance costs. Approximately 600 dedicated snowmobile clubs work hard to promote their sport and coordinate with counties to maintain the trails, ensuring that residents and nonresidents alike enjoy the Wisconsin winter.

A tragic part of snowmobiling are the fatal and serious injury crashes that occur every year. All these crashes are preventable. Speed, alcohol and careless operation are top factors in fatal incidents.

Around 67% of fatal snowmobile crashes involve alcohol or drug use. During the past 10 years, snowmobile fatalities have been slowly decreasing. In 2014, there were 22 fatal incidents, while in 2023 there were 16.

The 2023-2024 season was an anomaly with the mild winter resulting in many trails never opening and three fatalities statewide. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation wardens have risen to the challenge and addressed it with focused enforcement efforts. Patrol, environmental factors, education and media outreach have all contributed to safer trails.

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use in Wisconsin is increasing. The DNR OHV program continues to pivot and adjust to the changes. Often, this involves leaning on the help of others since the workload never decreases.

The department also conducts an all-hands-on-deck safety enhancement campaign each winter called “Sled Safe”. This is a coordinated and publicized effort taking place over one weekend to reduce snowmobile crashes and keep snowmobilers safer on the trails. This year, it will be Jan. 31 – Feb. 2.

Enforcement makes a huge impact but is not the only answer. Ultimately, we can’t choose for people to make good decisions, and I often think about ways we can educate and communicate to recreators before something happens.

TEAMWORK TO SPREAD SAFETY MESSAGES

About two years ago, the OHV and boating programs began to partner with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). They were interested in branching beyond the normal motor vehicle focus and exploring opportunities to promote safe operation in the recreation vehicle world.

Along the same lines, I desire to use as many avenues as I can to make the trails safer. We have been able to coordinate safety messaging with neighboring states. This includes handouts for public events and press releases to media outlets around Wisconsin. MADD also has unique opportunities to work with families impacted by intoxicated drivers and, in some cases, spread a safety message through public service announcements and interviews.

There is certainly more to come as we work towards reducing fatal incidents. Teamwork truly makes a difference.  And this takes me back to communication, which has a vital role in snowmobiling and ice fishing. Here are some safety tips I share for early winter ice:

• Carry a cell phone, and let people know where you are going and when you’ll return home.
• Wear proper clothing and equipment, including a personal flotation device or a float coat to help you stay afloat and to help slow body heat loss.
• Take an extra pair of mittens or gloves so your hands can remain dry and warm.
• Wear creepers attached to boots to prevent slipping on clear ice.
• Carry a spud bar to check the ice while walking to new areas.
• Carry a couple of spikes and a length of light rope in an easily accessible pocket to help pull yourself – or others – out of the ice.
• Do not travel in unfamiliar areas – or at night.
• Have a plan in place noting where you will be and when you plan to return. Along with leaving a written note of your plans, it is also recommended to keep a charged cell phone.

Stay safe and let’s enjoy a fun-filled winter in the new year!

Rural Marathon County Call Puts AED Into Action

An article from WWA’s Words From The Wardens.

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s December, 2024 eNewsletter. 

By DNR Conservation Warden Kyle Ziembo

When I received an automated external defibrillator (AED) for my Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation warden truck, I did not expect to use it, as my service territory in Marathon County is fortunate to have full-time emergency medical response teams.

My warden teammates and the other DNR wardens statewide completed the training to use these life-saving devices when a person’s heart stops. As we all know, a fast response is critical for the person suffering cardiac arrest.

When I found a place to store it in my truck in mid-April, I assumed it would likely become a fixture that might turn into a shelf.

Lt. Lockman

I was wrong. Two weeks later, in early May, I was on patrol at a Marathon County boat landing with my supervisor, Lt. Bryan Lockman. That’s when we heard the radio transmission of a man experiencing suspected cardiac arrest.

We knew we were about 10 minutes from the emergency call location and likely the closest law enforcement unit. We pointed our truck south and immediately headed for the address.

When we arrived, the man’s wife, a trained nurse, was performing CPR to revive him. We got our AED and raced to the man’s side as he was down in the yard. He had no pulse and was not breathing. We attached the AED and followed the instructions on when to apply a shock to the heart and when to continue the CPR.

It was about 20 minutes since the man’s collapse when the emergency medical service team arrived and took over the treatment. A pulse was felt as he drifted into consciousness and was placed in the ambulance.

The story’s purpose is not to cast us as heroes but to detail how all the wardens have AEDs in their trucks, another public service we can perform if an emergency arrives.

Marathon County is a gorgeous county with vibrant urban areas. However, it also has some remote, rural areas where your conservation wardens may be able to help if a person’s life is on the line.

The Wisconsin conservation wardens are all about public service and helping where we can and in the best way possible.

Deputy Chief O’Brien

I’d like to finish my column with a quote from my Deputy Chief Matt O’Brien.

“This statewide AED deployment is about extending the public safety umbrella into some of Wisconsin’s most remote areas, including our forests, lakes, marshes, wilderness areas and recreation trails. By having adequately equipped and trained responders across Wisconsin’s landscape, the warden service is helping to supplement local resources by delivering time-sensitive defibrillation throughout the state’s landscape.

“Wisconsin’s conservation wardens are dedicated to providing safety and emergency assistance to citizens and visitors as they recreate; this AED deployment improves the likelihood of positive outcomes, regardless of where a dangerous cardiac event strikes.”

An article from WWA’s Words From The Wardens.

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s November, 2024 eNewsletter. 

By DNR Warden Nicholas Hefter

A traditional agricultural practice of prepping fields for the next growing season may look like a buffet for hundreds of hungry migratory birds traveling overhead and potential violations for waterfowl hunters taking aim from below.

Why the potential violations? Because such plowed or tilled fields may be legally viewed as baited and, therefore, off-limits for legal hunting.

However, not all fields of meals are off-limits to waterfowl hunters. For example, fields with standing dry corn stalks or other brittle-looking crops left untouched from their growing seasons are legal to hunt. Also, normal post-harvest manipulation is also legal to hunt. It’s all about manipulation of the fields before versus after the harvest.

If you are scratching your head about now, I understand.

The federal and state regulations address post-harvest manipulation. The regulations are connected to what farmers refer to as ‘bypassing’ or ‘a pass-over’ and is seen regularly in central Wisconsin counties where I serve on the Wisconsin River Team.

Travel through the central Wisconsin area and you’ll see canning companies. These companies pay area farmers to grow certain crops for canning products. Once companies get enough of the crop from farmers, the remaining crops are left on the fields. Farmers call it bypass because it means the company is bypassing taking the crop from the fields.

The farmers then perform a common ag practice which is to plow or till or disc the field, returning the crop into the soil. The federal and state laws define this practice of returning the crop into the soil as manipulation.

These manipulated fields will attract thousands of migratory birds, including ducks and geese, that will eat the crop after it’s been returned to the soil. By definition, that field is now a baited area when it comes to hunting waterfowl – and doing so is illegal in all Wisconsin counties.

Conversely, a post-harvest manipulation is when the crop was fully harvested before the field is worked. A field like that is legal to hunt.

What about flooding a field? You can waterfowl hunt a flooded field, but hunters should ensure they know how it’s been managed. The minute the crop is plowed into the ground, that field transforms into a baited field and is subsequently illegal to hunt waterfowl over.

One final note: The law only deals with migratory waterfowl. The federal law is Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.21(i). The state version is under NR10.12(1)(h). It applies to ducks, geese, swans, coots and cranes.

As you prep for your waterfowl hunting, take the time to review the federal and state regulations. Another best practice is to ensure the status of the property you’d like to do your waterfowl hunting on and the federal and state regulations that would apply.

Know before you go and have fun in our great Wisconsin outdoors.

An article from WWA’s Words From The Wardens.

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s October, 2024 eNewsletter. 

By DNR Conservation Warden Thomas Heisler

One of the priorities shared by DNR conservation wardens and the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association is to maintain healthy aquatic habitats for waterfowl and all species.

A genuinely effective way to support thriving waters is to ask everyone to do their part in stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species. A few simple steps go a long way in this worthwhile battle against these aggressive and dangerous invaders. The damage they inflict on our environment is serious.

The sad fact is we must acknowledge that there are invasives in some of our waters. The more popular the waterbody – the greater chance for a visitor to spread the species. But this is not a lost cause.

How do they spread? Accidental and Intentional

Decoys with lake weeds

Invasive species often outcompete native fish and plants, which provide habitat and food for native aquatic species.  They also can carry parasites, disease and bacteria, impacting water quality. And if that’s not enough, some of these pests also can clog water system infrastructure and can even make a beach impossible to walk on.

The main way aquatic invasive species, such as zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil, spread to new waters is often by hitching a ride on the boats, fishing equipment, hunting equipment and trailers of the same people who enjoy the water the most.

Some of the aquatic invasive plants and animals are introduced into lakes and streams accidentally and, sadly, sometimes intentionally.

But the good news is we can all work together to keep their spread to a minimum.

Stop Them in Their Watery Tracks

Warden Heisler checks weeds on trailer

The good news is it doesn’t have to be hard or burdensome. Here are some ideas:

• Recreational boaters, waterfowl hunters and people who fish are encouraged to inspect their boats and equipment,  removing all weeds and draining all water sources.
• All users should check their waders, skies, ski ropes, tubes, boat anchors, mechanical anchors, fish baskets, gas and electric motor propellers, boat trailer (bunks, wheel wells, leaf springs, trailer lights etc.), inside the bottom of kayaks/canoes, paddles, push poles, decoys and decoy ropes.
• Let your imagination go. Think outside of the box and check anywhere and everywhere even the tiniest piece of aquatic vegetation or animal could hide to hitch a ride to another water body.
• Drain water from live-wells and empty water from bait buckets if the water came from the lake you were on.
• Never move live species away from a launch.
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.

Easy To Miss Places Where Invaders Hide

Some of the most common places wardens have found aquatic weeds are the places many of us overlook. These are the props of the electric and gas motors, decoy anchor lines, leaf springs on trailers and inside the bottom of canoes and kayaks.

Fish and waterfowl associate with aquatic plants for food and cover, which draws waterfowl hunters and fishers to the weeds with boats, kayaks and canoes.

Here’s how to handle these areas where significant amounts of weeds and weed particles:

Check in the bottom of the boats/canoes/kayaks while paddling, lifting decoys, anchors and pulling weeds off fishing lines.

• Water inside those vessels can move the weeds further to the back and under seats and other nooks and crannies.
• When at the landing, before loading canoes/kayaks, flip them over and drain all the water out  and search all areas for aquatic weeds and animals.

To learn more about the invasive species, go to dnr.wi.gov and search: aquatic invasive species. Reach me at or  (715) 492-4240