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Lake trout populations recovering on Lake Superior

BAYFIELD – Wild lake trout populations continue to stage a strong recovery on Lake Superior even as their cousins in the other Great Lakes struggle.

Catch rates for lake trout during the Department of Natural Resources’ spring 2006 surveys were not quite the gangbusters rate recorded during the earliest years of the 21st century, but they are among the highest since the annual surveys began in 1968, and most importantly, continue to show the population is heading in the right direction.

Catch rates for Lake Superior lake trout

“The lake trout population is steadily on the rise,” says Mike Seider, fisheries biologist stationed in Bayfield. “It’s not completely recovered, but we’ve made great strides.”

Predation from sea lamprey—nonnative, eel-like fish that attack trout with their sucking mouths—and over-fishing nearly obliterated Lake Superior’s trout population during the 1950s. Since trout are a native “keystone” species and top-of-the-food-chain predator, their absence can and did knock the whole lake’s ecosystem off-kilter, Seider says.

Since then, DNR’s lake trout rehabilitation strategy has been three-fold, focusing on controlling sea lamprey, creating two trout refuges in the Apostle Islands region where no fishing is allowed, and establishing conservative sport and commercial fishing regulations.

The annual assessments, which date to 1968, help biologists like Seider determine the progress of lake trout rehabilitation by monitoring population dynamics such as abundance, age distribution, diet trends and sea lamprey wounding rates over the long-term.

During the three- to four-week-long annual trout assessment, the crew sets nets in 46 different locations between Saxon Harbor and Superior. Following protocol established by the Lake Superior Technical Committee—an international group of fishery biologists from around Lake Superior—the nets are left at each location for one day.

DNR Fisheries Biologist Mike Seider holds a wild lake trout caught during the spring survey.

DNR biologists use the information collected from the assessments to work with fisheries biologists from the Bad River and Red Cliff Tribes and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission every three years to develop a harvest quota of how many fish the recovering population can sustain. That quota is then split between commercial fishers on Lake Superior, and sport anglers, according to Stephen Schram, DNR fisheries supervisor at Bayfield.

The steadily rising wild trout population indicates that DNR’s rehabilitation efforts are working, Schram says. The combination of sea lamprey control and fishing regulations has allowed lake trout abundance to increase.

That increasing abundance has meant that DNR hasn’t needed to stock trout in the Apostle Islands region since 1995 and will likely lead anglers to enjoy better catch rates, Schram says.

Optimism about the continuing restoration of native lake trout in Lake Superior is reflected in the fact that tribal and DNR biologists recently recommended a quota increase; the Natural Resources Board approved an increased harvest quota from 126,600 fish to 150,000 fish.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Schram (715) 779-4035 ext. 12; Mike Seider (715) 779-4035 ext. 11

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775 sharp-tailed grouse permits available for 2006 hunt

MADISON – A total of 775 permits will be available for the fall 2006 Wisconsin sharp-tailed grouse hunting season, which is set to run Oct. 14 through Nov. 5. Four management units will be open for this fall’s season, up from three units last year.

For management purposes, sharp-tailed grouse management units use the same boundaries and designations as deer management units (DMU). Those units with sharp-tail permits available for this fall are: DMU 2 (540 permits), DMU 8 (50 permits), DMU 9 (160 permits), and DMU 10 (25 permits).

“In addition to opening unit 8, wildlife biologists recommended increasing the number of permits in two units for this fall due to an increase in the number of dancing sharp-tails observed this spring,” said Andrea Mezera, assistant upland game ecologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. However, the number of permits available this year in unit 10 decreased due to a lower number of sharp-tailed grouse observed in that unit this spring.

Hunters interested in sharp-tailed grouse hunting must submit an application. Applications can be purchased over the Internet through the DNR license sales Web site; at any DNR Service Center; at authorized sales locations; or by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4236).

Applications cost $3. Hunters are encouraged to carefully review the zone map and apply for units that are open. Applying for closed units will result in an invalid application.

Last fall, 526 applicants applied for 780 permits. Hunters harvested 31 birds during the 2005 season.

“Because sharp-tailed grouse numbers are low, birds will be more difficult to find,” Mezera says. “Though the opportunity to find sharp-tailed grouse is limited and difficult, hunters can really enjoy this unique experience and opportunity to try their skills on a different bird.”

The sharp-tailed grouse is native to Wisconsin's barrens and savannas and is currently only found in that remaining habitat. It closely resembles the greater prairie chicken and female ring-necked pheasant, but has a distinctive pointed tail edged with white, and creates a “chuck, chuck, chuck” call when flushed.

Sharp-tails are most known for their courtship display on clearings called "dancing grounds" in the spring. During this display, the male uses a stiff-bodied stepping motion, followed by a "dance" in small circles. While dancing, the male vibrates his tail feathers, which makes a clicking or rattling noise.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrea Mezera - (608) 261-8458 or Scott Hull - (608) 267-7861

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Two new invasive plants poised to invade Wisconsin forests

People asked to be on watch for Japanese stilt grass and hedge parsley

MADISON – A grass that can spread like wildfire is one of two new invasive plants that state officials are asking the public to keep an eye out for and report if they find.

Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) was accidentally introduced to the eastern United States and has been spreading rapidly in the Midwest in the last few years. There are now several hundred populations in Illinois and Indiana and it is highly likely to spread north to Wisconsin, according to Kelly Kearns, a native plant specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

“As far as we know, Japanese stilt grass isn’t here yet, but if we can get lots of people looking for it and immediately eradicating when it is found, we hope to keep it from taking hold,” Kearns says. “Identifying and removing early occurrences of invasive plants may help prevent this weed from becoming established like the notorious garlic mustard.”

Japanese stilt grass is a weak-stemmed, annual grass that grows in forests. It has a sprawling habit and looks like a miniature bamboo. It grows through the summer months, ultimately reaching heights of 2 to 3.5 feet. Leaves are pale green, 1 to 3 inches long, and have a distinctive silvery stripe down the midrib. When dead and dry the grass is highly flammable and could worsen wildfire danger if it becomes established in the state.

New infestations start becoming apparent in July. Slender stalks of tiny flowers are produced in late summer. The seeds ripen soon after flowering and the plant dies by late fall. Individual plants may produce 100 to 1,000 tiny seeds that fall close to the parent plant. Seeds are easily carried further by water or moved in soil on shoes, camping gear and tires.

Another new invasive plant people are being asked to watch for is Japanese hedge parsley (Torilis japonica).

“This plant has been found in many more sites each year since biologists and land managers have been aware of it,” Kearns says. “It typically starts on a roadside, trail or forest edge, and then spreads into adjacent grasslands and forests.”

Hedge parsley is a tap-rooted biennial in the parsley family. Like parsley it has finely divided fern-like leaves and small white flowers in small umbrella-like clusters. The flower umbels are smaller and more delicate looking than Queen Anne’s lace. The seeds, which ripen quickly, are small and have hooked hairs to latch onto fur and clothing.

Both of these plants can be pulled up. If flowering has already occurred, bag the plants and remove them from the area to prevent the seeds from maturing and spreading. Herbicides may also be used before flowering or to kill germinated seedlings.

Any suspected populations should be photographed and or collected and sent with location information to the Wisconsin DNR Invasive Plant Project at the DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 or by calling (608) 267-5066. Photos can be sent by e-mail to <kearns@dnr.state.wi.us>.

Additional information on these two plants, as well as other invasive plants Wisconsin officials are also on the look out for can be found in the June issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine. More information on invasive plants can be found on the DNR Invasive Species Web pages.

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Vote for your favorite the state park features

MADISON – Wisconsin residents and visitors can vote for their favorite state park features through an on-line a survey being conducted the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks.

A link to the survey is ALSO available on the organization's Web site at <http://www.fwsp.org> (exit DNR). The short survey asks voters to list the name of the park they feel offers the best features in 10 categories including the best ski trails, picnic area, waterfall, scenic bike trail, mountain bike trail, art, sunset view, interpretive display and campsite.

“Voters can go right online and vote – it takes under two minutes,” said Kate Zurlo-Cuva, Executive Director to the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks. “We hope that recognizing state park visitor favorites in this way will showcase the great features available in the parks and the work of staff and Friends groups in our State Parks and Trails.”

Information on the State Parks and Trails can be found at <http://www.wiparks.net>. The survey is being taken as part of the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks 10th anniversary. The Friends group works to maintain the quality and high standard of services within the state parks and will hold a celebratory banquet ceremony on Oct. 20 at Devil’s Lake State Park.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Zurlo-Cuva - (608) 266-7617