🐻 The search for bear dens...

Good morning & welcome to the 79 new Wiscampsin Weekly readers! We keep you in the know on everything WI Outdoors.

Let's get to it so we can get out 'der.

Today's 'bear'-ing

• The search for WI bear dens 🐻 

• Aggressive turkeys in Wauwatosa 🦃 

• PFAS chemicals in Lake Michigan ❌

• Plus, a special giveaway 🙌

DNR asks public to report any bear den sightings in support of new study

Not beers, Richard. Bears.

The folks at the DNR are trying to better gauge reproductive rates of black bears in the state, and are asking all of you's to let them know if you see any bear dens.

The data will aid a larger study on population models in bear management zones, with research teams taking to the woods in late winter to collar a certain number of bears.

Cripes, there are BEARS in Wisconsin?

• An estimated 24,000 black bears live in the state

• Bears hibernate in dens during the winter

• Female bears can birth as many as 5 cubs in a winter den

• Haven't won a Super Bowl in 36 years. Wait, wrong bears...

Wisconsin's beloved black bear

Unlike the Chicago Bears, black bears are the most common and loved bears in North America.

Wisconsin is home to a "thriving" population of 24,000 black bears — up from 9,000 in 1989, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. They're found primarily in the northern third of the state, but as their population grows, they're becoming more common in the southern two-thirds as well.

Subsisting mostly off a diet of nuts, grasses, insects, roots, and berries, bears are opportunistic eaters. But they'll also sink their teeth into the occasional fish or small mammal, as well as your garbage if you aren't careful.

Bears can wander a territory anywhere from 15 to 80-miles, though they don't mind other bears in their area. It's a paw-ty it's a paw-ty it's a paw-ty.

A long winter's nap

Each winter, bears hibernate in dens made out of caves, brush piles, tree holes, or any other secluded shelter they find.

Living off stored fat from summer feasting, bears will go anywhere from 4 to 6 months without food or water. Not even custard.

As such, they won't wake up to use the bathroom either, and will actually recycle all their waste for sustenance. While asleep, their bodies heal any injuries or wounds they've incurred.

If a sow (female) and a boar (male) got erm, acquainted during the mating season, the sow will have a litter of cubs. Litters can be anywhere from 1 to 5 cubs in number.

When mom's milk stores are depleted, she'll emerge from the den in search of food for the kids. They'll stick close to mom for roughly 2 years before taking off on their own.

Conservation

Since black bears are solitary creatures, it's a challenge to accurately gauge what these furry folks are up to, hence why the DNR is recruiting us commoners to help.

The new study is crucial for Wisconsin's black bear conservation, which helps decide how many bear tags will be allotted during hunting season. We can almost taste the bear stew...

If you happen to stumble across any dens, leave its habitants in peace and report it to the DNR. 

Bear-ly containing your excitement over Wisconsin's black bears? Check out these other bear facts, watch this video on black bear dens, and tell your neighbor about this email. "See Frank, I CAN read!"

Psst. Read on for a slick giveaway. 😎

Alright, so let's say you want to rep Wiscampsin, but you spent all your money at Cheese Castle. We've all been there, folks.

Here's your shot to snag the above Wiscampsin sticker on us.

1. Go on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook

2. Post something like “Best way to get my fill of the Wisconsin outdoors in a bite-sized email. Goes great with a bratwurst → Wiscampsin.com“

3. Screenshot your post and email it to us [email protected] —> we'll mail you a sticker for helping spread the good word 😃 

P.s. This sticker is 100% compostable and recycled, which means it isn't made with weather-proofing chemicals, which means don't put it through the dishwasher or pour a beer on it.

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

🦃 Fowl play: With turkeys thriving in urban and suburban settings, the city of Wauwatosa "removed" 6 wild turkeys from their flock due to aggressive behavior, with one Tom even attacking a man. Watch your 'beak' out there, folks.

⛵️ 'Forever chemicals' in our rivers: A UW study found different PFAS chemicals in several Lake Michigan tributaries that ultimately will end up in our drinking water. Guess we'll stick to beer for the time being...?

💨 Snow squalls hit Wisconsin: If you live in eastern Wisconsin, you may have gotten an alert that a snow squall was to hit Wisconsin on Friday for the first time ever. And no Cousin Scott, it's not a bird you can hunt...

🏕 Hipcamp find of the week 🏕

This cozy shack oversees a cattail marsh, pristine river and 90 acres of natural beauty for just $80 bucks a night. Plus, it's only 5 miles from New Glarus... Perfect for you and that special someone's getaway.

Well, how'd we do this week?

• 🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀 Better than a finely-aged cheese

• 🧀🧀🧀 Still better than Illinois, but could be better

• 🧀 Boo. This made me lactose intolerant