Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Recreation Report

Ice fishing on Diamond Lake – spots still available on Sunday, Feb. 10

For the first time in decades, Diamond Lake is open to year-round fishing. To help you take advantage of this great winter fishing opportunity, ODFW is hosting an ice-fishing workshop at Diamond Lake Resort on Feb. 9 and 10. There are still spots available on Sunday, Feb. 10. (Sorry, but Saturday’s class is full.) Geared toward the whole family, the workshop is $40 for adults and $10 for children, and includes instruction, use of equipment and lunch. For more details and to register go to the ODFW webpage.

Look for winter steelhead fishing to pick up

Low, clear flows have made winter steelhead fishing a challenge in many parts of the state. Look for warmer temperatures and a little rain to put fish on the move and improve the bite. Check the zone reports for some potential hotspots.

Hunters: Report your deer and elk tags by Jan. 31 to avoid $25 penalty fee!

You must complete a hunter harvest survey for each deer, elk, pronghorn, cougar, bear and turkey tag purchased—even if you weren’t successful or didn’t go hunting. Report online at www.reportmyhunt.com (or at ODFW’s website under Hunting) or call 1-866-947-6339. Hunters that fail to report 2012 deer and elk tags by the deadline (Jan. 31, 2013 for most hunts) will be fined $25 when they purchase a 2014 hunting license.

Final week of waterfowl and upland bird hunting

Celebrate the end of the season with one last hunt. What better way of ending the season than by exploring a new area. Check out the www.oregonhuntingmap.com for ideas. For hunters in zone 1, duck hunting ends Jan. 27. Upland game bird hunting ends Jan. 31 statewide.

Read and join the discussion on Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Recreation Report at OutdoorHub.com.

This Week on Outdoors Radio: The Outdoors as a Teaching Tool

This week on Outdoors Radio: Hunting and fishing are great teaching tools for kids.

Special guests:

Exclusive to podcast and FM 100.5 ESPN broadcast: Madison area guide Ron Barefield says the ice fishing season is about to begin on the Madison chain. (www.dsbait.com)

John Annoni, founder of Camp Compass Academy, tells how he uses hunting and fishing to reward high school kids for good work. (www.campcompass.org)

Brandon Newby and Ryan Wilson tell how they won the NAIFC National Ice Fishing Championship at Lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota. (www.naifc.com)

Jiffy pro-staffer Duffy Kopf talks about early-ice safety and shares some tips for taking panfish through the ice. (www.jiffyonice.com)

This week’s giveaway – a Jiffy powerhead cover from Feldmann Engineering, makers of Jiffy Ice Augers (www.jiffyonice.com). It will fit any auger – Jiffy or other brand. Call 414-297-7554 and leave your name, phone number and mention the Jiffy giveaway, or email us at outdoorsradio@gmx.com.

Read and join the discussion on This Week on Outdoors Radio: The Outdoors as a Teaching Tool at OutdoorHub.com.

This Week on Outdoors Radio: The Outdoors as a Teaching Tool

This week on Outdoors Radio: Hunting and fishing are great teaching tools for kids.

Special guests:

Exclusive to podcast and FM 100.5 ESPN broadcast: Madison area guide Ron Barefield says the ice fishing season is about to begin on the Madison chain. (www.dsbait.com)

John Annoni, founder of Camp Compass Academy, tells how he uses hunting and fishing to reward high school kids for good work. (www.campcompass.org)

Brandon Newby and Ryan Wilson tell how they won the NAIFC National Ice Fishing Championship at Lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota. (www.naifc.com)

Jiffy pro-staffer Duffy Kopf talks about early-ice safety and shares some tips for taking panfish through the ice. (www.jiffyonice.com)

This week’s giveaway – a Jiffy powerhead cover from Feldmann Engineering, makers of Jiffy Ice Augers (www.jiffyonice.com). It will fit any auger – Jiffy or other brand. Call 414-297-7554 and leave your name, phone number and mention the Jiffy giveaway, or email us at outdoorsradio@gmx.com.

Read and join the discussion on This Week on Outdoors Radio: The Outdoors as a Teaching Tool at OutdoorHub.com.

Wisconsin Outdoor Report Update for Dec 21

Snow has fallen across most of Wisconsin and temperatures have dropped. The second snow storm of the season has blanketed the half of the state that did not benefit from the snowfall earlier this month.

So after you are done digging out, put the shovel down and wax the skis, gas up the snowmobile and inspect snowshoe varnish and webbing before heading out to celebrate winter.

Some 16-18 inches of snow has piled up from Madison to Milwaukee and Green Bay, whipped into 3-4 foot drifts by high winds, and there maybe more. A couple inches of snow fell in the western and northwestern parts of the state, including Hudson and Ashland with more falling to the east and, including about six inches parts of Eau Claire County and LaCrosse.

Snowmobilers are reminded by state recreational safety specialists not to trespass on snowmobile trails before they are open. Opening of trails is done by county snowmobile trail coordinators based on recommendations from local snowmobile clubs that maintain the trails. Using the trails before they are open can make conditions more difficult for the volunteers, and can also jeopardize the easements that allow trails to cross private lands.

The return of colder weather during the past week began to form some good northern ice, but extreme caution is advised on all state waters. And beware of snow covering dangerous, thin ice.

Where ice has formed, or is starting to form, DNR officials encourages anglers to check in with local bait shops on conditions before going onto the early ice. And when you go out make sure you have a PFD, ice creepers on your boots, extra gloves, and a spud bar to check the ice while walking.

It is best not to go alone, but if you do, tell someone where you are going, when you will be back and carry a cell phone.

While many wait for the ice, there are still open water anglers having spotty success.

Browns and perch have been hitting in Lake Michigan at Lakeshore State Park on spawn sacks and minnows with some success with spoons and plastic. Sauger and walleyes were being caught on the Mississippi River in Pierce County and fishing was steady in Racine County this week with some browns and pike being caught in the marina area.

Gun deer hunters have one final opportunity this year to harvest a deer in the chronic wasting disease management zone of south central Wisconsin. The season, called the Holiday Hunt, runs Dec. 24 through the end of the ongoing late archery hunt, Jan. 6, 2013.

Hunters can fill unused antlerless tags, unused Gun or Archery Buck Carcass Tags or CWD Deer Carcass Tags. Bonus buck rules apply. Deer can be harvested with the use of any legal firearm, bow or crossbow. Archery hunters must meet legal blaze orange requirements during this open firearm season. This includes the wearing of at least 50 percent blaze orange outer clothing above the waste. The goal of the holiday hunt is to provide additional hunting opportunity as well as herd control.

Read and join the discussion on Wisconsin Outdoor Report Update for Dec 21 at OutdoorHub.com.

Maine DIFW Schedules Public Hearings on Fishing Regulations and Supplemental Deer Feeding

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will hold public hearings over the next two weeks on fishing regulations and supplemental deer feeding.

There will be four public hearings next week on the Department’s annual packet of proposed rule changes for open water and ice fishing including but not limited to changes to fishing derbies, bass fishing regulations and landlocked salmon regulations, in addition to a proposal to prohibit the use of live fish as bait on 16 waters that hold native and wild brook trout.

The packet of proposed changes can be obtained by visiting the Department’s website or by contacting the Department for a copy.

The hearings will be held:

• Monday, Oct. 22 – Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center, 116 Main Street, Presque Isle
• Tuesday, Oct. 23 – Northern Timber Cruisers Snowmobile Club, Millinocket Lake Road, Millinocket
• Wednesday, Oct. 24 – Ellsworth City Council Chambers, 1 City Hall Plaza, Ellsworth
• Thursday, Oct. 25 – Brunswick High School, Multi Purpose Room, 116 Maquoit Road, Brunswick

The Department will also hold two public hearings the following week on supplemental deer feeding.

In accordance with new legislation, the Commissioner is proposing to adopt rules to regulate the feeding of deer in certain instances to minimize potential public safety hazards or detrimental effects on deer.

The hearings will be held:

• Tuesday, Oct. 30 – Northeastland Hotel, Red Room, 436 Main Street, Presque Isle
• Thursday, Nov. 1 – Lincoln Plantation Town Hall, Route 16, Lincoln Plantation

All hearings start at 6:30 p.m.

The public is encouraged to attend these public hearings and present testimony on the proposed changes.

For those who cannot attend the hearings, written comment can be submitted to the Department until 5 pm November 15^th, 2012, at the above address.

For more information, go to www.mefishwildlife.com.

Read and join the discussion on Maine DIFW Schedules Public Hearings on Fishing Regulations and Supplemental Deer Feeding at OutdoorHub.com.