Record-year for bear tags

Plus: Bike trails add to economy, sturgeon spearing, and UP winter olympian

Author

Forrest Koslowski
January 29, 2026

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Mornin’ to everyone looking for a seasonal job with the State Park System. 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.

This week’s weekly:

🚲 Fact: Bike trails boost local economies

🐟 Sturgeon spearing season returns on Valentine’s Day

🏂 44-year-old UP snowboarder returns to Winter Olympics

🐻 STORY OF THE WEEK: Wisconsin to issue record-number Bear tags this fall

🚲 Fact: Bike trails boost local economies LINK

  • It turns out those "No Cars Allowed" paths are doing more than just giving you a workout; new reports show bike trails are massive economic engines for local communities, bringing in big spending on everything from craft brews to spare tubes.

  • The secret sauce is "connectivity"—while a single trail is cool, linking them into a massive network (like the Great American Rail-Trail) turns a quick afternoon ride into a multi-day tourism magnet that keeps cash flowing into small-town pockets.

  • Beyond the Benjamins, these trails are becoming a major "quality of life" flex for rural areas, helping to attract new residents and businesses who want easy access to the great outdoors right in their backyard.

🐟 Sturgeon spearing season returns on Valentine’s Day LINK

  • Dust off the shanty and sharpen your spear, because the 2026 Winnebago System sturgeon season officially kicks off on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14)—the perfect date for anyone who loves prehistoric fish more than chocolate.

  • We’re looking at some healthy harvest caps this year, with 1,226 total fish up for grabs across the system; but don't get too comfortable, because once those limits are hit, the season shuts down faster than a frozen outboard.

  • Whether you’re a veteran spearer or just there for the "Sturgeon Spectacular" festivities in Fond du Lac, remember that this is one of the only places on Earth where you can legally hunt these giants—just make sure you've got your paper license in hand before you hit the ice.

🏂 44-year-old UP snowboarder returns to Winter Olympics LINK

  • Iron River legend Nick Baumgartner just officially punched his ticket to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, marking the 44-year-old’s fifth trip to the Games—proving once again that age is just a number if you’re willing to outwork everyone else.

  • To stay at the top of a sport dominated by kids half his age, the reigning gold medalist skip the fancy training facilities for a homemade snowboard track he carved himself right in his backyard (with a shovel and a chainsaw, because that’s how they do it in the U.P.).

  • Keep an eye out for Nick in the snowboard cross events this February; he’s trading his concrete-pouring boots for his board to show the world that "Midwest grit" is the ultimate performance-enhancing secret.

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🐻 STORY OF THE WEEK: Wisconsin to issue record-number Bear tags this fall LINK

If you’ve been sitting on a mountain of preference points like a dragon guarding gold, your time has finally come.

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board just gave the green light for the 2026 bear season, and the numbers are record-breaking.

We’re talking over 15,000 licenses—the most ever issued in state history.

Why the sudden surge in tags? Well, it turns out our black bear neighbors are getting a little too comfortable, especially in the southern half of the state.

While the north is still the heart of bear country, the population is creeping south and causing a bit of a ruckus with crops and bird feeders.

‘To keep things balanced (and keep the bears out of your corn), the DNR is ramping up the tags by 16% compared to last year.

For those keeping score at home, the harvest quota is set at 4,160 bears. Most of those extra tags are headed to the southern zones where success rates are traditionally lower—basically, the DNR is giving more of us a "shot" at filling the freezer.

It’s a supply-and-demand game, too; a staggering 146,000 of you applied for a license or a point this year. Clearly, the appetite for bear hunting is higher than a cub in a white pine.

Whether you’re heading to the big woods of Zone D or scouting the rolling hills further south, the 2026 season (kicking off Sept. 9) is shaping up to be legendary. Just remember: even with record licenses, these "living shadows" aren't easy to find.

Pack your patience, sharpen your skinning knife, and get ready for a wild ride this September.

Whatever it takes to - you guessed it - get out 'der.

WISCAMPSIN WEEKLY POLL

Last Week's Stumper

We asked for the term describing how wolves step in a single file line to save energy. This was our toughest question yet—only 14% of you got it right!

The Correct Answer: B) Direct Registering.

The Takeaway: Most of you guessed "Shadowing" (which makes sense logically!), but "Direct Registering" is the biological term. By placing their hind paws exactly in the deep holes created by their front paws, wolves save massive amounts of energy in deep snow.

Groundhog Day is based on a German tradition brought to America by immigrants. However, in the "Old Country," they didn't look for a groundhog. Which animal was the original weather predictor in European folklore?

Give it a gut check - click a response below!

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MEME OF THE WEEK 😆

A review from the trail… Thank ya neighbor!

Well, how'd we do this week?

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