Mornin' and Happy Birthday to ‘Murica (and anyone wondering what the fireworks laws are in Wisconsin. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly - the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

Hey readers, there’s so much going on in Wisconsin outdoor news lately that frankly, we had a hard time picking for this week’s email. We’ll try out a new format this week, let us know in the poll below if you like it or hate it!

This week’s weekly

🌊 Mississippi River at near-flood levels

🦜 Crested Caracara spotted for the 2nd time in WI history

🐺 Isle Royal Wolf Study

🐟 Billion-dollar carp deal made

🦌 Deer season frameworks set by DNR

_{Mississippi High Water Levels cause flooding in some WI towns and cities - LINK}

After a month of heavy rains that drained into the Mississippi water basin, many towns along our western border are threatened by flooding.

In La Crosse Wisconsin, experts think that the water level will crest at 15 ft - just 6 inches below ‘Major Flood Stage.’

Shop owners in Hudson, WI are dealing with water in their businesses, and Goose Island campground in La Crosse says that 60% of their campsites are unusable.

Officials recommend staying out of the water, especially near bridges, damns, and other potential hazards.

_{Crested Caracara Spotted For The 2nd Time In WI History - LINK} 

Bird watchers squawked with delight last month as a Crested Caracara was seen flying around a farm in Ashland County.

The bird, which looks like it flew straight out of The Lion King, typically sticks to Southern Texas, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Perhaps it had to restock on some cheese curds.

This is only the 2nd time the bird has been seen in Wisconsin ever, the first sighting taking place in 2014 in Door County.

_{Isle Royal Wolf Study - LINK} 

A study from the UW-Madison discovered that reintroducing wolves to Isle Royale National Park had short-lived effects on small carnivores such as red foxes and American martens.

The park, renowned for its wolf-moose predator-prey research, experienced a near extinction of its wolf population a decade ago. In 2018, 19 wolves were reintroduced, prompting research on their effects on small carnivores.

Initially, the wolves caused foxes to change their feeding patterns, benefiting martens. However, these changes reverted within a year.

The research highlights how delicate the interactions among species and the role of human activity in wildlife dynamics.

_{$1.15B Agreement Made To Keep Carp Out Of The Great Lakes - LINK} 

Illinois has signed an agreement with Michigan and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to advance a $1.15 billion project to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes.

Why? ‘Cause they eat all the food and make a mess of breeding grounds, that’s why! The carp, not the folks in Illinois…

Announced on Monday, the agreement allocates $274 million in federal funds and $114 million in state funds for construction at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River in Joliet, Illinois.

Engineers will install technologies such as noisemakers, a bubble curtain, an electric barrier, and a flushing lock to block the carp.

The project aims to protect the $7 billion fishing industry and $15 billion recreational boating industry in the Great Lakes from these invasive species.

_{Deer Season Frameworks and Harvest Goals Set — LINK}

Never too early to start thinking about deer huntin’, eh?

The WDNR presented the 2024 deer hunting season quotas to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board on June 26, 2024.

The statewide antlerless quota is set at 272,837 deer, with 245,245 bonus antlerless harvest authorizations available for purchase. These are in addition to the free authorizations in farmland zones.

The approved quotas match the County Deer Advisory Councils' recommendations, except for three changes: extending Iowa County's January archery and crossbow season and adding 400 antlerless permits each for Bayfield and Oneida counties.

Bonus authorizations can be purchased online or at sales locations starting Aug. 12.

That’s it for this week, folks! Let us know how you liked this format in the poll below!

Other great Wiscampsin reads…

Wisconsin and Daylight Savings

Wisconsin's Lifetime Fishing License

Wisconsin's Forgotten State Park

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