Mornin’ to everyone who heard about the controversy in Oconomowoc after the police shot a nusiance Sandhill Crane. 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:

🏃🏻 Runner attempts cross-State run to raise money for sister

🐟 General fishing season opens May 3

🦌 2024 deer hunt highlights booms, busts, and a growing herd

🎣 STORY OF THE WEEK: Walleye Tag = $100? You bet your bass it does

🏃🏻 ‘Scon attempts cross-state run to raise money for sister LINK

• Endurance runner Benjamin Jones is tackling a 384-mile journey across Wisconsin—averaging 50 miles a day for a week—to raise money for his uninsured sister-in-law’s $74,000 in medical bills.

• He’ll start April 28 at the Mississippi River, pass through Leinie Lodge, Lambeau Field, and Door County, running up to 18 hours a day with his support crew (aka: RV, girlfriend, and parents) in tow.

• Fueled by Kwik Trip glazed donuts and Culver’s butter burgers—not fancy gels—Jones is using his ultra-running superpower (aka: "turning off his brain and just running") to support family and honor his Wisconsin roots.

🐟 General fishing season opens May 3 LINK

• Wisconsin’s 2025-2026 general inland fishing season opens statewide on Saturday, May 3, giving anglers access to over 15,000 lakes, 42,000 miles of rivers and streams, 1,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, and 260 miles of the Mississippi River.

• The new Wisconsin Fishing Finder tool helps anglers locate launch sites, access fishing regulations, check stocking info, and plan their next trip with ease.

• All anglers age 16 and up must purchase a fishing license—$20 for residents or $31 for a spousal license—and the DNR reminds everyone to clean gear, drain boats, and follow safety and catch-and-release protocols.

 🦌 2024 deer hunt highlights booms, busts, and a growing herd LINK

• Wisconsin hunters bagged 321,844 deer in 2024—an 8% jump—setting 45-year buck harvest records in 13 farmland counties, all thanks to a mild winter and a booming deer population.

• While crossbows and Culver’s-fueled ambition soared, hunters in CWD hotspots like Iowa and Richland counties hit historic lows, showing disease still takes a serious toll on the herd.

• With 1.825 million deer post-hunt (a record), one non-fatal accident all season, and 40,590 new hunters in the mix, 2024 proved Wisconsin's woods are crowded, but safer and more crossbow-friendly than ever.

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Get Mom something sweet from the Wiscampsin shop.

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MEME OF THE WEEK 😂

A review from the trail… That’s a great point - off the top of my head, I can’t think of many… Thanks for bringing it to the spotlight!