Volunteer Efforts Lead Waterfowl Hunters Opening Weekend Outreach

Staff and Volunteers Speak with Hunters about Protecting Their Hunting Grounds

During the Southern Zone Migrating Waterfowl Hunting Season Opener on the weekend of October 3rd and 4th, Fox-Wolf staff and volunteers took to local boat launches to speak with waterfowl hunters about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS). Our staff and volunteers were spread throughout the watershed at high traffic lakes and access points. In the Winnebago Waterways Program area, volunteers Thijs and Ted spoke with hunters at Lake Winneconne Park. Hunters at Rush Lake spoke with volunteer Stephen as they returned to the launch. In Brown County, AIS Coordinator Chris spoke with hunters on Duck Creek. Elsewhere, Connecting Our Waters AIS Coordinator Anna worked in Shawano and Menominee Counties over the Opener weekend. While the AIS prevention steps are similar for hunters, anglers, and recreational boaters, staff and volunteers emphasized the extra steps hunters should take whenever they return to their cars.

• Inspect waders, boats, trailers, motors and hunting equipment, including boots, blinds, and dogs
• Remove all plants, animals, and mud to the best of their ability
• Drain all water from decoys, boats, motors, livewells and other hunting equipment
• Never move plants or live fish away from a water body
• A special consideration for waterfowl hunters is to remove all seed heads and roots when using vegetation for duck blinds. If you hunt in Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Menominee, Outagamie, Shawano, or Winnebago Counties, you are allowed to use the stems of Phragmites for your blinds but be sure to remove all seed heads and roots.

One of the special messages that was shared with hunters involved the use of vegetation for duck blinds. AIS Coordinator Chris recorded this short message for all hunters;