2009 Contents

December 2009

The season's tiny tot: Eastern dwarf mistletoe is a tiny plant whose seeds pack a wallop.
Nature's architects and engineers: Builders could learn a lot by watching insects, birds and mammals.
When you can't see missing trees from the forest: Timber theft takes many forms. Cut your chances of being taken.
Following a fox track: Figuring out the tale of the trail.
A cold world with an icy ceiling: How fish adapt to life under the ice.
Road map to the right place at the right time: Plan some trips to see nature and communities at their festive best.
Creature Comforts: Snowtime safety – Keep pets safe, healthy and warm in winter.
Wisconsin Traveler: Winter wanders – Traveler heads out for tubing, skating and sledding.
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Wisconsin, naturally: Patterson Hemlocks State Natural Area

Keeping salmon on the run: How hatchery work keeps spawning salmon populations in the pink.
Sizing up the herd: Tracking the deer herd takes a mix of surveys, statistics and reports from more than 600,000 hunters.
Take a stand for safety: Treestands can give you a leg up when hunting, but play it safe.
Workhorse wetlands: This program shines a light on the values of protecting our Wetland Gems.
Who were they and why did they leave?: Explore the prehistoric culture that left an ancient society a mystery at Aztalan.
Creature Comforts: Seasonal Changes – Shape up your pets and your yard for the fall weather to come.
Wisconsin Traveler: Of Fall Flights, Sights and Frights – Traveler catches fall colors on the wing, rolling the rails and crawling around.
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Wisconsin, naturally: Yellow River Ice-walled Lake Plain State Natural Area

Bright, sporty and gone in a flash: Summer tanagers are colorful vagrants that occasionally drift in for a warm weather visit.
No fair!: A tale of straight shooting, lost love and lessons learned at the county fair.
A little night music: Coonhounds herald the night with a moonlight bay.
Containing the threat: It takes a different mindset and a mix of approaches to ground invasive species like flying fish.
Romp on the river: Summer on the Mississippi is all about floating, exploring and wading in to a good time.
Meat eaters with roots and leaves: These plants put the bite on bugs to thrive in a bog.
Creature Comforts: A Blue-Green Warning – Creature Comforts keeps an eye out for dangerous algae.
Wisconsin Traveler: Educate yourself! Traveler finds a lot to see and do at outdoor centers.
Wisconsin, naturally: Huiras Lake State Natural Area
Special Inserts:: See Wisconsin through the Eyes of 19th Century Surveyors [PDF 1.9MB]; Wisconsin's Land Cover in the 1800s [PDF 731KB]; A narrative and poster combine the views and tools of satellites and 19th centry surveyors to map a picture of the changing landscape.

Hunting a woodland curative: Whether wild or grown, ginseng is a valued commodity in Wisconsin.
What's the buzz about bees?: Encouraging a mix of native bees will help cut the sting of honey bee declines.
One hundred years of memories: Peninsula State Park turns 100. Share some good times at the park and party on!
Bear in mind: As bears extend their range, learn what to do if you see them on the trail or near your home.
It works for me!: Your tips for homemade gear that make outdoor trips more enjoyable.
Peaceful passage: For 20 years, the Lower Wisconsin Riverway has safeguarded 92 miles of waterway, shorelands and quiet exploration.
Creature Comforts: Where Fliers Tune in for a Landing –Creature Comforts gives tips on flowers that will draw butterflies to your garden.
Wisconsin Traveler: On Track and On a Roll – Tag along with Wisconsin Traveler on these hikes, floats and rides.
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Wisconsin, naturally: Cathedral Pines State Natural Area
Special Insert:: Safe Boating Depends on YOU!; Join Wisconsin DNR Conservation Warden Tyler Strelow and test your on-water skills and judgement.

Construction season: Meet the eastern phoebe that builds a life on the ledge.
When conflagration sparks innovation: At DNR's LeMay Center, engineers, mechanics and foresters build hot ideas to douse wildfires better and safer.
Explore close to home: Weekend day trips offer hikes, paddles and tours to see nature at its finest from spring through fall.
Seventy-five years of conservation through democracy: For 75 years, Conservation Congress has set its sights and cast its lot toward better days outdoors.
A warble from the barrens: Kirtland's warblers are slowly gaining a toehold in scrubby jack pine country.
Creature Comforts: Plant a Pet Friendly Garden – You and your pet can both enjoy digging in the soil as Creature Comforts suggests plants that are pet-healthy treats and plants to avoid along the paths your pets travel in your yard.
Wisconsin Traveler: Name that Tree – Traveler heads to where the woods have labels. Visit these arboretums as the branches bud up, leaf out and start the race to green up.
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Wisconsin, naturally: Chiwaukee Prairie State Natural Area
Special Insert:: 2009 Wisconsin Fishing Report [PDF 3.1MB]; An annual update of fishing improvements and the season forecast.

A canary of Northwoods change: We're studying if spruce grouse may show subtle changes in woodland wildlife.
Raising ringnecks and outdoor opportunities: Take a look at pheasant rearing, stocking and habitat improvements
Burned while getting dinner: Raptors hunting down a meal at landfills risk a hot, painful surprise.
The great de-bait: Deer feeding and baiting complicate herd management and drive wedges between hunters, state agriculture and the nonhunting public.
A strong base for broad recovery: Check out progress in restoring sturgeon to their original waters.
Thumbs up to ten good reads: Good books for those times when reading about the outdoors is a better bet than being there.
Creature Comforts: Give Me Shelter – Creature Comforts takes out the hammers and saws to pound out some backyard protection for wildlife.
Wisconsin Traveler: Indoors and Outdoors – Traveler gets the point at an indoor archery meet, an outdoor porcupine workshop, a dog show, sheep fleecing and a massive weenie roast on ice!
Readers Write: Your letters to the editor.
Wisconsin, naturally: Brady's Bluff Prairie State Natural Area
Special Inserts:: For Our Patrons [PDF 1.5MB]; News for Conservation Patron license holders and potential patrons.; Thanks for Your Continued Support! [PDF 418KB]; Your investment in Wisconsin's Fish and Wildlife 2007-2008.