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This week’s weekly:

• Daylight savings, what gives? ⏰ 

• Women learn-to-hunt 🦆 

• Right of nature 🌲 

  

Wisconsin and Daylight Saving's

Ah. Daylight Savings.

A phenomenon when, twice a year, we either 1) show up an hour late for work or 2) show up an hour early for work (not sure which is worse, to tell the truth).

Garnering support for multiple reasons in the US, Daylight Savings has been a bit of a contentious topic for quite some time. Some people hate it - looking at you, Arizona - while others, typically the outdoorsy among us, love it.

To put it plainly, it was designed to better align the sunrise and sunsets with normal "waking" hours.

Regardless, it's happening on Nov 5th, so here's your unofficial guide (and reminder) to the how and why behind Daylight Savings.

Daylight Savings

• Happens twice a year: The first Sunday in November and second Sunday in March

• Originally developed during WWI to help win the war

• Disliked by dairy farmers due to its affect on dairy cows

Time - who needs it?

Ya see, before we get to the gooey, cheesy center of this curd-of-a-topic, you gotta understand a thing or two about time.

There once was a time when, well, there was no time. You simply woke with the sun and went about your day, fearing predators and rival cavemen at your leisure. When things got dark, you slapped your knee and said “Welp, I s'pose” and meandered back to your dwelling to go to sleep.

But as soon as continental railroads were developed, we needed a standardized time to coordinate schedules and deliveries (Milwaukee had a lot of beer to ship).

Thus, the four standard times were created in the US.

WWI, dairy farmers, and Daylight Savings

During WWI, the US Government made Daylight Savings a national mandate as a way to save fuel for the war effort.

But for Wisconsin's dairy farmers, it was bad news cows. Literally. They argued that changing the clocks all willy-nilly was hard on the cows, as they were used to being milked at the same time each day.

Ultimately, Daylight Savings was put to the people, and in April of 1957, the Wisconsin referendum was voted in favor 578,661 to 480,656.

The argument for Daylight Savings

It's pretty simple. In the winter time, we lose a lot of sunlight compared to the summer (up to about one-third!). Daylight Savings helps us squeeze the most out of our sunless days by aligning the sunrise with normal waking hours.

For the romantics among us, you might even notice that winter sunrises are somewhat prettier than summer sunrises, and Daylight Savings makes it easier to catch 'em.

This is due to the cleaner air we have in the winter. As air circulation is a bit sluggish in the summer, more dust, smog and haze can subdue the sunrise. With crisp, cool air, the twilight hours make for more vibrant colors. If your eyeballs don't freeze shut, that is!

All opposed, say nay

Many think there's no reason for Daylight Savings anymore, as we really don't rely on the sunrise for farming, etc.

There's also another reason to shut it down, and it's as Wisconsin as it gets - collisions with deer.

Deer move about most during sunrise and sunset. When we change our clocks to align our morning commutes with the rising sun, we run the risk of collisions with these active animals.

In fact, more than 3x the average amount of deer collisions happen during November (more in any month by 33%).

Regardless of how you feel about Daylight Savings, you gotta respect the effort to make the most of our dwindling sunlight. For now, it looks like you'll be getting an extra hour of sleep. Use it to get outside for a sunrise hike or rake your neighbor's leaves.

Just as long as you get out 'der!

Other great Wiscampsin reads…

Wisconsin's affinity for lighthouses

Wisconsin Fish Fry's

Wisconsin's Rustic Roads

Shop Wiscampsin

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Wiscampsin Weekly Poll

Well folks, 2/3rd of readers voted they want to read more about Wisconsin outdoor history, stories, and news. We shall deliver!

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

🦆 Women learn to fill the freezer: Five students and seven mentors learned how to duck hunt in the marshes of Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. One of many learn-to-hunt workshops across the state, the program aims to teach more folks how practice conservation and get out ‘der. Way to go ladies!

🐺 Lawmakers wag tail over wolf management: The contingent wolf management plan passed with a unanimous decision among the mostly-new members of the policy board of the Wisconsin DNR. Many conservationists and environmentalists have argued that the previous plan of 350 wolves does not take into account current pack size and science.

🌲 Nature has the right of way: Milwaukee is the first Wisconsin city to pass a ‘rights of nature’ resolution, which essentially grants nature the same rights as humans. What’s it actually do? Nothing in particular, but it is a great reminder to everyone that our land and waterways need protecting just as humans do. It’s a global movement that has ties to the indigenous community.

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*As always, 1% of profits will go to the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks.

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A review from the trail… Don’t say we never gave ya nothin’ 😜