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Mornin’ to everyone interested in trying out some of the sports you see on the Winter Olympics locally 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.

This week’s weekly:

🐦 Loon project at risk

🧊 Rhinelander curling club growing

🐟 Rejoice: PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish dropping

🦢 STORY OF THE WEEK: Sturgeon Spearing returns

🐦 Loon project at risk LINK

• For over 30 years, researchers have been tracking our favorite lake icons in Northern Wisconsin, but a major funding dip is putting the whole project on thin ice just as they were getting to the "juicy" data bits.

• It turns out the loon population is actually holding steady for now, but there’s a catch: adult loons are getting skinnier and fewer chicks are surviving, which is basically the bird version of a "check engine" light flashing on the dashboard.

• The team needs to raise about $70,000 to keep the study afloat this year; otherwise, we might lose decades of progress right when we need to figure out how to keep these beautiful (and very loud) neighbors around for good.

🧊 Rhinelander curling club growing LINK

• After a 30-year dry spell for new clubs in the state, the Rhinelander Curling Club has officially taken the ice to prove that sliding heavy stones and aggressive sweeping is exactly what our Northwoods winters were missing.

• Don't be fooled by the pros on TV—it’s a lot harder than it looks—but the club is welcoming everyone from Olympic hopefuls to total "transplants" who just want a reason to get out of the house and hang out with some cool new neighbors.

• If you’ve ever wanted to yell at some ice without getting weird looks, they’re hosting "Learn to Curl" sessions on Sundays and Olympic watch parties at Rocky Reef Brewing (because let’s be honest, curling and Wisconsin beer go together like curds and Friday nights).

🐟 Rejoice: PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish dropping LINK

• After years of worrying about "forever chemicals" (PFAS), a massive new study of archived lake trout and walleye shows that levels have actually dropped to their lowest point since the 1980s.

• It turns out that when industry actually stops using the bad stuff—like the phase-outs that started in the early 2000s—the lakes can bounce back surprisingly fast, proving that our ecosystem is more resilient than we give it credit for.

• Don't go planning a 24/7 fish fry just yet, though; while the trend is moving in the right direction, health officials say "forever" is still a long time, so you should definitely still check the local consumption advisories before you heat up the oil.

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WISCAMPSIN WEEKLY POLL

Last Week's Trivia Check

We asked how old a female Sturgeon must be before she spawns for the very first time. This was a tough biological fact—only 40% of you guessed the correct range!

The Correct Answer: C) 20 to 25 years old.

The Takeaway: Think about that patience! A sturgeon hatched today won't contribute to the population until roughly 2050. This incredibly slow reproductive cycle is why the DNR sets such strict harvest caps on the Winnebago system.

This Week’s Trivia

With Valentine's Day this Saturday, love is in the air. While humans often romanticize nature, true "till death do us part" fidelity is actually extremely rare in the animal kingdom. Most species seek multiple partners to ensure genetic diversity.

MEME OF THE WEEK 😆

A review from the trail… Well neighbor we hope you find someone to take you hunting. Try Facebook groups or maybe call up the DNR, they might know some programs to get you back out ‘der!