OUtdoor report

November 23, 2009
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman

The opening of gun deer season remains the main topic of interest in the north woods this week. No surprise there! Hunters who prefer snow cover for visibility and easier tracking were disappointed with weekend temperatures near and in the 50s. Other hunters, those who are “less than keen” on cold weather, enjoyed better stand-sitting conditions than they should reasonably expect this time of year.
With nearly a week of regular gun deer season remaining, a reminder to hunters: All deer management units (DMUs) in the immediate Hayward area are regular units. The free antlerless tag you receive with your gun deer license is valid ONLY in Herd Control units – NOT in these Regular units. To shoot an antlerless deer you must buy a unit-specific antlerless tag ($12 resident, $20 non-resident.)
As of Monday Nov. 23 (the most recent information available as this report is written), antlerless tag availability for DMUs in the general Hayward area are as follows: Unit 9 - 1558; Unit 12 - 2175; Unit 13 - 0; Unit 14 - 4399; Unit 17 - 2312; Unit 18 - 498; Unit 19 - 3146. You can check the current availability of antlerless tags for any unit on the DNR website or by calling a DNR service center.
Although the regular gun deer season ends Nov. 29, that is by no means the end of deer hunting season for this year. A muzzleloader hunt runs Nov. 30 through Dec. 9, and late archery season is open from Nov. 30 through Jan. 3, 2010. In addition, an antlerless-only hunt will take place in specific DMUs Dec. 10-13.
If you would like to read about the history of Wisconsin’s deer hunting seasons, from 1834-2009, visit the Chronology of Wisconsin Gun Deer Hunting on the DNR website. It is an interesting read, with relatively brief listings of highlights (or “lowlights”) for each year.
In the past week, registrations at the Hayward area stations (Shooting Star, Hillman’s Store, Hayward Bait) include two turkeys, 16 antlerless deer, and 24 bucks, with a number of eight- and ten-pointers. These registrations are for the week prior to Saturday’s gun deer season opener, and bring to a close the fall turkey and early archery deer seasons. Totals for regular gun deer will run next week.
The Dec. 10 deadline to apply for 2010 spring turkey permits and bear kill permits is rapidly approaching, and if you miss it, there are no “do-overs.” You have less than three weeks to “get ‘er done.”

Muskies:
Musky action is somewhat inconsistent, but anglers are finding some decent fish now and then. According to Pat Jones at Happy Hooker, the sporadic activity, alternating between good and bad, is related to the weather fronts – action gets better with cold fronts and slows with the warm fronts. Look for fish at various depths, but concentrate on deeper water, particularly breaklines during late afternoon. As expected, a large sucker is the most productive bait at this time, with plastic/rubber, jerk, twitch, and swim baits also attracting attention. A number of anglers are trolling, too. This is the time to use big baits, and Pat recommends a very slow retrieve.

Walleye:
Walleye anglers are still on the water, though they are few in number. Continuing mild weather keeps the option open, but most are having difficulty locating fish. “Find the baitfish and you will find the walleyes,” advises Nelson at Hayward Bait. Most fish are being found in deep water – in holes, on structure, and near weed edges – with hard bottom areas particularly attractive at this time. Big walleye suckers and fatheads are the baits of choice. The forecasts indicate daily temperatures will be lower than in past weeks, so dress warmly and exercise caution when launching and loading.

Crappies:
A few panfish anglers are chasing crappies, but most are waiting for first ice, which could now occur at any time. The always anticipated late fall concentrations never seemed to develop, or if it did, it was one of the world’s best-kept secrets. Fall crappie fishing was not poor, but it never did meet normal expectations. If you would like to try for late-season, pre-ice crappies, look for fish suspending over deeper water and/or near cribs and other structure. Crappie minnow and plastics are your best bet.

Upcoming Events
Nov. 21-29: Regular gun deer season.
Nov. 24: Northern Zone duck season closes.
Nov. 30: Seasons Close: Musky; Turtle.
Nov. 30 - Dec. 9: Muzzleloader deer season.
Nov. 30 - Jan. 3: Late archery deer season.
Dec. 1: Lake trout season on Lake Superior opens.
Dec. 10: Application Deadline: Spring turkey; Bear kill permit.
Dec. 10-13: Antlerless-only firearm hunt in specific units. (See regs.)
Dec. 12: Canada goose season closes in the north exterior zones.
Dec. 31: Seasons Close: Pheasant; Hungarian partridge Bobcat hunting and trapping; Fisher trapping; Frog.
Through Dec. 31: Illegal to shine for wild animals between 10 p.m.-7 a.m.

For more information on area events and activities, see the Calendar of Events, visit Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, or call 1-800-724-2992.