Fishing & Outdoor Reports
3/16/23 Reported by AAA Sports Shop
Ice Fishing....there are still a few die-hards out there on the lakes. This rain today will turn to snow making for interesting access to the lakes. We have ice cleats if you need a pair. Reminder that next week the bonus turkey tags are on sale starting Monday. YOUR FISHNG LICENSE EXPIRES ON MARCH 31st. There will be a Gun Show at the Barronett Community Center on March 31st and April 1st. More info coming next week.
3/10/23 Reported by AAA Sports Shop
We have bonus turkey tags going on sale this Monday March 13th. For more information on spring turkey tags, check out this website.
2/28/23 Reported by AAA Sports Shop
As we head into the last weekend of Big Game fishing the weather looks pretty good for the weekend. We will have sucker minnows and shiners through the week with our last delivery coming in on Friday. We will continue to have crappie minnows, waxies and spikes. Call and check on our supply as the weekend progresses. Our in-house gun show went well with over 160 people coming in over the 4 days. Winner of the 20 gauge shotgun was Sally Mattie.
The month of March is a big Turnover time for us. Ice fishing items go on sale!! Vexilars, Ions, Eskimo, etc are all marked down, along with aal ice fishing combos.
LOOKING AHEAD. The first week of Turkey season is April 19th-26th. Bonus tags go on sale
- Zone 1 - Monday, March 20
- Zone 2 - Tuesday, March 21
- Zone 3 - Wednesday, March 22
- Zone 4 - Thursday, March 23
- Zone 5 - Friday, March 24
- Zone 6 - no permits
- Zone 7 - no permits
- All remaining bonus authorizations go on sale on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 10 a.m.
2/23/23 Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
The fishing has been really good. Most lakes are producing Crappies with slip bobbers and minnows. The Northern Pike bite is getting better as the season comes to an end March 5th. We've been using big sucker minnows with great results. Using Tip-ups near weeds or even shallow in the weeds. Bluegills are still biting on small jigs and waxworms you can find them near dead or standing weeds as well. Good luck out there and be safe!
2/16/23 Reported by The Pioneer on Long Lake
A large part of the lake has opened up at the very north end of the lake. As always, use caution on the ice, most of the snow is gone on the lake as well
2/20/23 Reported by AAA Sports Shop
The past 2 weekends were good for the fishermen! When the weather's nice people do get out. The cold weather and then the rain made most of the lakes a real skating rink. People are driving on a few of the lakes now. We have 2 more weekends to fish for the GAMEFISH>>> last day is MARCH 5th for Northern, Walleye, Bass....then the season closes until May 6th. As we get into March the panfish bite will improve. So the tip ups can get put away but keep the jig poles out!
Starting March 1st all our ice jigs go on sale.
Fishing licenses expire 3/31
Next up is spring turkey season. We have a good supply of turkey ammo in stock, and we are checking the inventory of turkey choke tubes. Decoys and blinds will be going on sale too. Stop in and say Hello!
2/14/23 Reported by AAA Sports Shop
The warm weather this past week had a LOT of anglers out. Several people were ice fishing for the first time this year! Popular lakes were LIpsett, Benoit, Potato and the Yellow River in town. These smaller lakes were more accessible for walking out. There are snowmobiles and ATV"S on the lakes. We heard the Cumberland contest was well attended and they were driving trucks out. This Saturday the 18th is the Fishing contest on Gull Lake by Lampson 10:00 4:00-This is sponsored by the Washburn county Junior Livestock Sale and show club. Also one on Poskin Lake 11:00-3:00 sponsored by the Sportsman club. If we get the rain, as predicted, the lakes will be ice skating rinks?.... If you need ice cleats...we HAVE THEM! Thursday - Sunday we will have an "in-house" gun show. Lots of specials...some door prizes and a chance to win a new gun! If you're not sure what to fish with, just tell us where you are going and we will suggest what we think is best. Crappie minnows, waxies and spikes for the panfish....walleye suckers, fatheads and small shiners for the walleye and bass Northern suckers, large shiners and frozen bait for the Northern. Get outside while the weather is nice!
2/9/23 Reported by Jim Stroede Guide Service
This winter has been a difficult one for ice fishing, so much wet heavy snow in December and January made a mess of the lakes. No ice is ever completely safe and this year it is especially so. Still folks have been getting out on the ice, mostly on foot, to find various amounts of snow and slush on top of the ice. I walked out on an area lake recently with my son, we found about eight inches of ice and proceeded to catch a nice bunch of bluegills in about ten feet of water with patchy weeds nearby. A vexilar type of locator was key to seeing fish near bottom and then be able to tease them up out of the school with our baits to make them eat. Small tungsten jigs and wax worms seemed to be what they liked the best that day.
Be safe on the ice and enjoy the outdoors - Jim Stroede Guide Service
1/19/23 Reported by AAA Sports Shop
There is good ice but it's under a lot of snow. We've had wet, heavy snow, rain and today it's lighter snow. It is a challenge to get out on the lakes. Those anglers that do get out are walking, pulling sleds and working hard...but they are being rewarded with some nice fish.
12/29/22 Reported by AAA Sports Shop
The cold weather has helped to make most lakes more "fishable". Many of the lakes only have a few inches of slush left. and then there is good ice. And there is no slush on a few of the lakes....People in for bait today were fishing on Lipsie, Potato, Trego, Spooner, Deer, Minong flowage, to name a few. OF COURSE ..use caution when going out on any lake!! Yesterday was our 17th annual fishing Funday on the Yellow River, we had well over 100 people and a lot of fish were caught, cleaned and cooked right on the lake. Santa made an appearance and brought presents to pass out to all the good little girls and boys. We've sold more bait in the past 2 days than we've sold most of December! We continue to open at 6 am. Bait available includes northern and walleye suckers, shiners, fatheads and crappies frozen Bait includes smelt, Cisco and herring. This weekend should be really good to get out and enjoy the great outdoors!
12/28/22 Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
The ice fishing has been pretty decent however the ice conditions are an ongoing battle. There is a slush layer on most lakes from the heavy snowfall that hit last week. Proceed with caution on all lakes and have proper safety equipment. 12/20/22 Ice Update video
12/26/2022 Reported by Pioneer on Long Lake
Monday morning ice report! Kind of similar to last week, 7" of good clear ice, with 2" of water on top, 3" of ice on top of that, then 5" of snow. Not ideal. Will keep everyone posted on when we can mark the lake but it is not safe to take machines out at the moment.
12/19/2022 Reported by Pioneer on Long Lake
ICE REPORT! So...heck of a snowstorm last week. Got 16-18" of wet heavy snow last week which is not ideal for ice. Have 11" total, but it is 6" of good ice, 3" of water and a 2" of ice on top of that. Good cold weather this week so hopefully it will lock it up. The lake will be marked as soon as possible but it is not safe at the moment.
12/12/2022 Reported by Pioneer on Long Lake
ICE REPORT! We have 6" of good hard clear ice right now. Quite a ways out as you can see. Weather is less then ideal this week but looks to be getting cold this weekend. We have five cabins open year round! Please contact us for special winter discounts! Have a great day!
12/7/2022 Reported by AAA Sports
Ice conditions vary lake to lake so be cautious. Anglers are fishing on several lakes in the area including Potato, Island, "the Pond" ( in Spooner at Veterans Memorial Park), Dilly, & Bashaw. Fisherman are walking out but should be able to accommodate ATV's soon depending on how much snow we get on top of the ice. We have waxxies, spikes, crappie minnows, fatheads, Northern and walleye suckers and shiners. We also have frozen Cisco and will have frozen Herring in this week. Again, be cautious when going onto lakes to fish and GOOD LUCK
9/2/2022 Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
Fishing in the area has been great and it's only going to get better as the temperatures cool off. We've been finding big bluegills in 10 to 20 feet of water. They are biting on slip bobbers with worms and other plastics. Pike have been hitting many varieties of spinners fish for them on the edge of weeds. Walleyes are still scattered but starting to school up near deep weed edges. We've been seeing water temps around 71 degrees. We have a few spots left to get out in the boat if you'd like to get out fishing! Good luck!
8/24/22 - Reported by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the 2022 combined Wisconsin Hunting Regulations pamphlet is now available online and will soon be available at license agents and open service centers around the state.
As in previous years, the combined regulations pamphlet brings season dates, shooting hours and regulations together in one convenient document. The 2022 Wisconsin Trapping Regulations are also available online and will also soon be available in print across the state.
This year, there are some changes to the regulations for open-water waterfowl hunting. Hunters may now hunt in the open waters of the Great Lakes, Green Bay and Big Green Lake as long as they are a minimum distance of 500 feet from shore.
In addition, the 2022-23 squirrel season will now close on Feb. 28, 2023, instead of the last day of January.
Deer hunters throughout the state will have their first opportunity to enjoy the woods with the opening of the 2022 archery and crossbow deer seasons, which run concurrently statewide from Sept. 17 to Jan. 8, 2023. The archery and crossbow seasons are extended to Jan. 31, 2023, in metro sub-units. Many counties will offer the antlerless-only holiday hunt between the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations are still available for purchase in some counties. Check the DNR website for availability.
The 2022 deer season schedule is as follows:
- Gun Hunt For Hunters With Disabilities: Oct. 1-9
- Youth Deer Hunt: Oct. 8-9
- Gun Deer Hunt: Nov. 19-27
- Muzzleloader: Nov. 28-Dec. 7
- Statewide Antlerless Hunt: Dec. 8-11
- Farmland Zone Holiday Hunt: Dec. 24-Jan. 1, 2023
The hunting regulations pamphlet summarizes Wisconsin’s hunting laws most relevant to hunters. For additional hunting and trapping laws, consult Wisconsin State Statutes chapter 29 or consult chapter 10 of the Administrative Code of the DNR.
For more information on hunting in Wisconsin, visit the DNR website.
8/18/22 - Reported by Jim Stroede Guide Service
We have been doing some bass fishing in my boat as of late, and with very good results! Lots of largemouth bass have been caught using a variety of baits. Wacky worms, Ned rigs and jig and soft plastic combos are all doing very well right now. Fish of all sizes including some big ones have been common. Water temperatures are in the low 70’s and have been dropping slowly, providing some nice conditions.
Good luck and good fishing!
7/25/2022 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
The Fishing lately has been pretty good. Water temps are heating up and some of the bigger fish are going deeper.
Bluegill fishing has been great on structure like fish cribs and around shore structure. Pike are still in the weedy areas focusing more on the deeper end of weeds.
Walleye are starting to hover over deeper water feeding on schools of minnows. Trolling has been a good tactic to target them. Smallmouth bass have been biting on leeches and plastic crawfish. Look for rocks and they should be nearby! Good luck out fishing! I have dates available if you're looking to get out on the water!
Kyle Tyree, Wisconsin Fisherman
6/27/2022 - Reported by AAA Sports
It's been a super busy month so far in June. We've had 3 groups in to fish for 2-3 days each. and the fishing has not disappointed any of them. Almost everyday they caught the limits on sunfish, and occasionally caught a game fish or 2. The fish were on the beds on most lakes but now have headed into deep water with the warm weather. Next week looks like the highs will be in the 70's and 80's and less humidity. This past Monday(in the HIGH heat,) Rick entertained a "homemakers" group on the Gill- Getter. They had a blast and caught fish to take home for group fish fry. The weekend is shaping up with pontoon rentals going out and Gill-Getter outings on Saturday and Sunday. Our bait is holding up nicely but leeches are going into short supply. We are searching out suppliers to see where they are at with getting more leeches. Give us a call and we'll do our best to have the fishing bait and other supplies you need.
6/10/22 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
The fishing has been really good lately! The big bluegills are starting to come up to the shoreline on beds. Smallmouth bass are also on beds you can find them shallow in lots of rock. The bigger lakes are still at about 60°F and the walleyes are starting to move onto the weed lines. Crappies have been moving back to deeper weeds you can target them with a slip bobber in a minnow.
6/10/22 - Reported by Jim Stroede Guide Service
The wind that had been blowing us all over the lake ever day has finally subsided. Now we are experiencing some beautiful early June weather and the fish seem to be much happier too. Walleye action is picking up on Washburn County lakes this week. Fish have moved off the banks and now are setting up on weed edges in classic early summer fashion. We’ve been catching walleyes in 8 to 12 on jigs and soft plastics and/or leeches. The crappie spawn seems to be about over now, bluegills will be moving in shallow next.
Good luck and good fishing,
Jim Stroede
6/2/22 - Reported by Jim Stroede Guide Service
This week has been very windy in Washburn County, making fishing on area lakes quite challenging. The best bite we’ve found has been for crappies. The strange thing about it is how on different lakes we are seeing fish that have already spawned, where on other lakes they are still in the process of spawning, and on a few lakes they apparently have yet to move shallow to spawn. Weird spring for sure. The good news is that nearly every time out we are catching fish. We’ve tried some for bass and walleyes a bit and found the bass to be in a better mood than the walleye most mornings.
Good luck and good fishing,
Jim Stroede
6/3/2022- Reported by AAA Sports
Summer is here! After a winter and spring that seem to last forever, we are getting some summer weather, just in time for the FREE FISHING WEEKEND!! Yes!! Every state resident can fish Saturday and Sunday without having a license. You can also visit any of the state parks at no charge. Hunting--the final TURKEY season for the Spring is over. Lots of pictures of successful hunters. BEAR HUNTING. the Bear hunters are able to bait at this time. We have Northwoods, Gone Wild and Bear Scents attractants FISHING- the "gills and crappies are on the beds on several lakes. Rick is out today with a group from Hayward. This morning I had a group of guys from Northern Illinois in for bait. They have been coming up here every year for over 20 years. Yesterday they got a few nice bass and 1 big ol' catfish. BAIT. We have leeches, minnows, crawlers, and Rick's FAVORITE--WAXIES! STILL open from 6:00 am to 7:00pm - Coffee's on!
5/26/22 - Reported by Jim Stroede Guide Service
Fish have been biting real good on lakes around Washburn County this week. Crappie action has been strong the past few days as has the bass and pike bite. Walleye fishing has been ok but not great as the post spawn period is happening now, look for that action to get better with a little warmer weather.
Good luck and good fishing,
Jim Stroede
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites the public to join us for the 10th annual Free Fun Weekend, June 4-5, 2022. State park admission fees, fishing licenses and trail passes are waived for all visitors.
Grab your family and friends and head outdoors for Free Fun Weekend and find your adventure. Wisconsin is home to 49 state parks, 15 state forests, 44 state trails, 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, roughly 15,000 lakes and more.
Saturday, June 4, is also National Trails Day. Whether by foot, bike, ATV, horse or watercraft, Wisconsin has thousands of miles of trails for you to enjoy. Celebrate hometown trails and show your support for trail networks.
During Free Fun Weekend, there will be free fishing clinics at state properties for beginners. Find fishing clinics and more Free Fun events by visiting the DNR’s events and programs calendar.
Before heading to a state park, trail or waterbody near you, here are some helpful things to know:
STATE PARKS
- Vehicle admission stickers will not be required.
- All state parks and trails will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Drive-up windows, playgrounds, bathrooms and observation towers are open.
- Office buildings, concession facilities, visitor centers and nature centers are open.
- Programs and events are posted on the DNR’s website.
TRAILS
- Trail passes will not be required for both residents and non-residents.
- All linear/rail trails will be open to the public, including ATV trails and horseback riding trails.
- ATV, UTVs and OHMs are exempt from registration requirements. Resident and non-resident all-terrain vehicle operators do not need a trail pass to ride state ATV trails.
FISHING
- Residents and non-residents will not be required to have a fishing license or trout/salmon stamps.
- All 2022-2023 fishing regulations apply, including bag and length limits.
- This is the perfect time of year for small and largemouth bass, panfish, and northern pike to be active.
- New to fishing? Check out free clinics hosted at state properties.
- Due to COVID-19 precautions, loaner equipment may not be available. Anglers should bring their own equipment and bait.
- Locate launches and shorefishing access points near you.
5/21/22 - Reported by AAA Sports
This is Barb at AAA Sport shop. It's been awhile since I've added anything to this page, but I'll put a reminder on my phone to submit more often.
Opener was a windy day and Sunday was Mother's Day. Lots of anglers held off until the next weekend which was the best spring weather we've had!
Crappies are coming in on the beds, I've seen pictures of 12" plus crappies this week. A variety of bait being used, waxies, crappie minnows, Gulp Minnows, and leaf worms. Jeff M caught a really nice brown trout this past week and Lucas caught some nice brook trout.
Meanwhile on the hunting side of the coin, we are winding down on the Spring turkey seasons. Next week starts the last week for turkey hunting.
Moving into the spring (summer is coming!) . We are well supplied with bait, including LEECHES!!
Customers often ask why we open at 6:00 AM everyday. Well, right now it takes 2-3 hours to get through the waxies, crawlers, minnow tanks and leeches.
So, that's all for now, coffee's on at 6:00AM, Barb
5/19/22 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
Crappies and bluegills have been on fire lately. With them getting ready to spawn look for 1’-4’ of water. The warmer the water the better.
We have been using small plastics and crappie minnows below bobbers for the best result. Also look for over hanging trees and stumps in the water. We still have availability for fishing trips if your looking for a nice meal of fish or want to learn where to fish. Good luck out there!
5/13/22 - Reported by Jim Stroede Guide Service
The first week of the season was productive on the Washburn County lake that we fished. We found walleyes willing to bite a jig and minnow along shorelines. Jigs and soft plastics didn’t seem to be what they were looking for in my boat, but we did try some unsuccessfully. Crappies have been staging in a little deeper water near spawning areas. Another week should see them move in better. Water temperatures are in the upper 50’s to around the low 60’s depending on the lake.
Good luck and good fishing, Jim Stroede Guide Service (715)520-7043
5/12/22 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
Fishing has been great with water temperatures climbing every day! Most lakes are around 50°F or warmer! Walleyes are heading back to the points and drops offs after their spawn and crappies are coming up shallow to spawn. For crappies look for over hanging trees in shallow water use a bobber with a minnow about one foot deep. Walleyes are still biting but jar in the 10’-18’ depth range using jigs and plastics or minnows we’ve had great success. Call Kyle to book your fishing trip today!
2/1/22 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman
Ice fishing has been going well. Most lakes have great ice but always be cautious. The Bluegills have been biting on a small gold jig tipped with a wax worm. You can find them starting to go deeper basins off points and deep weed edges. Pike fishing has been great close to shore in about 10' of water even better if you can find some weeds nearby. The Crappie bite has been consistent with most fish coming right at dawn or dusk from 12' to 25' deep biting on the same small jigs you'd use for bluegill. I have a few weekdays left open for Guided trips. Good luck and Check out the latest video on Wisconsin Fisherman YouTube channel.
1/3/22 - Reported by Pioneer on Long Lake
Ice Report - Just over 10" of good hard clear ice with about 1.5" of white ice on top. Was reports of Blackhawk landing being open last week where the trail goes up so we are waiting for that to get set and we will mark the trail!! As always be safe out there. See you soon!
10/13/21 - Reported by Jim Stroede Guide Service
We’ve been doing good on the smallmouth bass here as of late. Catching nice numbers and nice size on a couple lakes in the Spooner area. Most of the time the fish are fairly shallow in 5 to 12 feet of water, and quite willing to snap up a jig and soft plastic combo. Keep changing colors and sizes of plastics until you find out what they like best, and keep moving looking for active bitters. As waters continue to cool we will begin dragging large suckers for Muskies. Stay tuned.
Good Luck and Good Fishing!
9/13/2021 - Reported by AAA Sports
Fall... fishing has been really quite good, Rick had customers out last Wednesday and Sunday and they got their limit on the 'gills both days. One of the woman snagged a nice walleye on her panfish rod! More serious Musky fishing going on too. Bear hunting with dogs started the 8th and I've seen a few of the successful pictures on Facebook. Early goose season is on until the 15th. Duck season is the 18th and 19th for the YOUTH HUNT. And then duck season opens for everyone on the 25th. September 18th is also the opening of archery season and small game. We continue to open at 6:00 Am everyday...the coffee's on!!
8/24/2021 - Reported by AAA Sports
Hello from AAA Sportshop!
Summer fishing has been a challenge with the high temperatures. Early morning fishing and early evening fishing has been more successful. There are still a lot of visitors in our area. Everyday we have customers who are exploring our beautiful Wisconsin outdoors. Our bait is currently: crappie minnows, fatheads, walleye minnows, night crawlers, leaf worms and waxies. In another week or so we should have northern suckers and then muskie suckers. Please call ahead to order muskie suckers.
Fall hunting items are coming in. Bear season opens 9/8. Antlerless Bonus tags went on sale last week. Washburn county is sold out of public land but there are over 4000 left for private land. It seems there are a lot of gophers, chipmunks, moles etc. as we have been selling a lot of BB and.177 air rifles and ammo. We are still the place to come and get your Indianhead Rifle and pistol club membership. $45.00 for the year and if you've ever been to the range, you know what a great deal this is. We still open everyday at 6:00 am.
8/16/21 - Reported by Minong Flowage Association
Minong Flowage Winter Drawdown Notice
Start Date: September 20, 2021
Drawdown rate not to exceed 2 inches a day
In accordance with the existing Minong Flowage Lake Management Plan, results from the 2020 late summer plant survey and the 2021 spring Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) survey, and discussion with the Wisconsin DNR and Washburn County Highway Department, plans are proceeding to drawdown the Flowage the winter to control the spread of EWM. The Washburn County Highway Department Committee has approved the drawdown beginning on September 20 at a rate not to exceed 2 inches a day. The drawdown will be a maximum 60 inches and is to be reached no later than November 1 per request from the DNR. The water level will start to be returned to normal levels once ice melt has started and ice has receded from shorelines and exposed stumps and logs. It is anticipated to be at normal levels by the 2022 fishing season opener.
8/9/21 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman (715-416-2145)
We chased crappies this weekend and found some nice eaters. We were using crappie minnows under slip bobbers set to 6 feet deep fishing 14' of water with weeds. The crappies were coming up for the minnows and even caught a few largemouth bass.
There were also some nice bluegills mixed in the weeds with the crappies. The water temps have dropped a little this past week with the cold weather and rain bringing the surface temperature to around 73 degrees.
Check out the YouTube: Wisconsin Fisherman for local videos or contact Kyle for a guided day of fishing!
7/28/21 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman (715-416-2145)
The fishing bite had been steady with Smallmouth Bass and Walleyes coming from leeches and nightcrawlers.
Use a plain hook with a 1/4oz sinker attached about two feet above the hook and start catching fish. This is a very simple rig to set up and catch many fish. The fish are near the deep parts of most lakes by weed lines 18’-25’ deep or near rock. Surface temperature has been hovering around 78F Spinner baits have still been producing Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike reguallary. Check out the YouTube: Wisconsin Fisherman for local videos or contact Kyle for a guided day of fishing!
7/13/21 - Reported by Wisconsin Fisherman (715-416-2145)
The fishing around the Spooner area has been great with all types of fish biting! The Northern Pike are liking crankbaits being pulled in along the weed edges as well as bass.
The bass seem to like the Jerk baits, big spinners and have been really aggressive.
Walleye fishing has been slowing down but steady. Pulling spinner rigs over deep water tipped with a nightcrawler has been the ticket to catch some of them. The water temperature has been hovering around the 75 Degree mark as it gets higher look to deep water for more fish.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 30, 2021
Contact: Lt. Martin R. Stone, DNR Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator Martin.Stone@wisconsin.gov or 608-778-2035
Ride Responsibly This Holiday Weekend
17 Fatal ATV/UTV Crashes So Far In 2021
It is the responsibility of all ATV and UTV operators to make the sport a safe one. Brush up on safety tips before heading out for the holiday weekend. / Photo Credit: iStock/wundervisuals
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking ATV and UTV operators to ride safely this Fourth of July weekend.
When out with family and friends for off-road rides and adventures, wearing a helmet and seat belt, monitoring speed and brushing up on safety best practices could save your life.
So far this year, 17 people have died in ATV/UTV crashes. Of the 5 fatal UTV crash victims, none were wearing helmets and 4 of 5 did not wear seat belts. Of the 12 fatal ATV crash victims, 10 were not wearing helmets.
"The Fourth of July holiday weekend is often a busy time on our trails and road routes," said Lt. Martin R. Stone, DNR Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator. "This year, 12 of the 17 fatal crashes so far occurred on public roads or routes. We want everyone to stay safe out there; familiarizing yourself with ATV-UTV laws and safe operation practices is a must before you head out."
SAFETY TIPS & SAFETY COURSE
When used safely, ATVs and UTVs provide fun, family recreation and are a valuable tool for working or exploring the outdoors. However, these vehicles are powerful and can be dangerous and even fatal. It is the responsibility of all ATV and UTV operators to make the sport a safe one.
Follow these tips for a safe ride:
- Never consume alcohol or drugs before or during your ride.
- Wear a seat belt and a Department of Transportation (DOT)-approved helmet.
- In addition to a seat belt and helmet, wear protective clothing such as eye protection, gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
- Keep your speed in check for the terrain, visibility conditions and your experience.
- Remember that some terrain in Wisconsin is too steep for ATV/UTVs. Please be careful while traversing hills or uneven terrain.
- Know before you go. Review all ATV/UTV laws here.
One of the best things ATV and UTV operators can do to operate safely is to take an online safety course. A list of approved safety education classes is available on the DNR Safety Education webpage.
ATV and UTV operators born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, who are at least 12 years old for an ATV (and at least 16 years old for UTV) must complete an ATV safety certification course to operate in Wisconsin (exception: on private property owned by operator's immediate family).
Wisconsin law requires every operator involved in a crash incident to report the incident without delay to law enforcement officials. In addition, within 10 days of the incident, the operator must submit a written report to the DNR.
For more information on ATV and UTV recreation in Wisconsin, visit the DNR's website.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 16, 2021
Contact: Tara Bergeson, DNR Invasive Species Team Coordinator Tara.Bergeson@wisconsin.gov or 608-516-0487
DNR Seeking Public’s Help
To Prevent Spreading Invasive Species
June is Invasive Species Action Month in Wisconsin, and easy steps like brushing mud and dirt from boots before hiking in a new area can help prevent accidentally spreading the seeds of invasive plants. / Photo Credit: North American Invasive Species Management Association
MADISON, Wis. – June is Invasive Species Action Month, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking Wisconsinites and visitors to take simple precautions to avoid spreading invasive, nonnative plants and animals in our woods, waters and land year-round.
Invasive species are nonnative plants, animals and diseases that cause great ecological, environmental or economic harm. Some have already been found in Wisconsin, while others pose a large risk of surviving and causing problems if they are introduced and become established here.
The state’s invasive species rule (ch. NR 40, Wis. Adm. Code) makes it illegal to possess, transport, transfer or introduce certain invasive species in Wisconsin without a permit. The regulations designate which species are Restricted or Prohibited based on factors including the degree of harm they may cause to people, the native ecology or the economy.
How You Can Help
To prevent the establishment and spread of invasives, the DNR offers the following tips:
- Hikers and campers should clean mud and dirt off their shoes and remove seeds and burs from their clothing before visiting other places. Taking these simple steps can prevent inadvertently moving invasive plants to new areas via seeds that may be on clothing or in the mud or dirt.
- Firewood is a significant pathway for the movement of many invasive insects and pathogens such as emerald ash borer, gypsy moth and oak wilt disease. To help protect the state’s trees where you live, play or camp, use local firewood to avoid moving pests to new places.
- Anglers and boaters can help protect vulnerable areas from aquatic invasives such as quagga and zebra mussels, Eurasian water-milfoil, New Zealand mudsnails and Asian clams by cleaning recreational equipment and gear after every use. Inspect gear for dirt, mud, seeds and other debris and remove as much as possible.
- Drain all water from gear before leaving a site and wash it with 140-degree water or steam to remove invasives too small to see. Drying gear for five or more days between use also helps destroy invasive organisms. For more information, check the DNR’s aquatic invasive species webpages.
- Gardeners are encouraged to plant and promote beautiful native plants that can benefit pollinators, birds and other wildlife or traditional gardening plants that are noninvasive. The DNR’s Plant Native Plants webpage has many great informational resources to get started.
- Gardeners can also look for and remove potential problem plants, including purple loosestrife, hairy willow herb, butterfly dock, yellow iris, nonnative phragmites (common reed), lesser celandine, water hyacinth, water lettuce and frogbit.
Invasive Species Action Month is promoted by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council, which the Wisconsin Legislature created to assist the DNR in establishing a statewide program to control invasive species. The Council is now assessing species currently regulated and additional species that might be considered for future regulation.
