Trespasser gets $313 ticket - on purpose

Plus: Eagle microplastics, warmer weather, and colder weather

Author

Forrest Koslowski
January 15, 2026

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Mornin’ to everyone in Madison who helped care for that very sassy goose that got injured. 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:

🌡️ Is Wisconsin's "Outdoorsy" lifestyle getting a makeover?

🦅 Eagle-eyed scientists find "forever chemicals" in WI eaglets

❄️ Winter is finally wintering again in the Northwoods

🏖️ STORY OF THE WEEK: The $313 hike that could change everything for Lake Michigan beach access

🌡️ Is Wisconsin's "Outdoorsy" lifestyle getting a makeover? LINK

  • Wisconsin’s weather is officially becoming "warmer, wetter, and more extreme," which is a bit of a buzzkill for our traditional seasons. Experts say we’re seeing a shift toward "doughnut-shaped" summers—where it’s actually too hot to have fun in July, pushing our prime hiking and biking into the "shoulder seasons" of spring and fall.

  • Winter is taking the biggest hit, with a "dramatic" lack of predictability that has ski hills leaning hard on snowmaking machines just to stay open. It’s not just the snow, though; warmer water means more blue-green algae blooms and a "bumper crop" of ticks, making that summer dip in the lake a little more complicated.

  • Despite the curveballs, the industry is proving to be pretty scrappy. Businesses are diversifying their "playbooks" to stay resilient, because whether it’s shifting event dates or finding new ways to enjoy the woods, Wisconsinites aren't giving up on their $11.2 billion outdoor habit anytime soon.

🦅 Eagle-eyed scientists find "forever chemicals" in WI eaglets  LINK

  • Researchers from the Great Lakes Bald Eagle Health Project have been checking in on our national bird's local nurseries, and the news isn't great. Blood samples from eaglets along the Wisconsin River and Lake Superior show PFAS levels that are "out of whack," with some areas clocking in at 10 times the limit recommended for human fish consumption.

  • Since these fluffballs haven't even left the nest yet, they're basically tiny mirrors of their immediate environment (since they only eat what Mom and Dad bring home). Scientists found that those with high PFAS levels have weaker immune systems, making it way harder for them to fight off things like the bird flu.

  • Where’s it coming from? Theories range from firefighting foam used after a 2018 refinery explosion near Superior to industrial sludge from paper mills upstream. While the birds aren't "dropping dead," they’re acting as the ultimate "canary in the coal mine" for the health of our waterways and the fish we’re also putting on our dinner plates.

❄️ Winter is finally wintering again in the Northwoods LINK

  • After two years of "where's the snow?" Northwoods business owners are breathing a massive sigh of relief. With trails open and the lakes frozen, local staples like Bent’s Camp are seeing the kind of holiday crowds that make the winter season worth it, especially compared to the record-breaking "no-snow" disaster of 2023/24.

  • It’s not just the snowmobilers having all the fun; "silent sports" fans are out in full force too. Shops like Mel’s Trading Post in Rhinelander are seeing snowshoes and cross-country skis fly off the shelves again, though owners are still playing it a bit cautious with inventory after getting burned by the last couple of brown winters.

  • Even though we had a brief warm spell, the forecast is looking frosty, which is great news for the local economy. From ice fishing on the Cisco Chain to booking last-minute cabin rentals, the Northwoods is officially back to its classic, chilly "Gateway to the UP" glory.

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🏖️ STORY OF THE WEEK: The $313 hike that could change everything for Lake Michigan beach access

If you’ve ever walked along Lake Michigan and wondered if you were allowed to be there, you aren’t alone. Right now, Wisconsin has a bit of a "wet feet" rule: legally, you can walk the shoreline, but only if you stay in the water. Step onto the dry sand, and you’re technically trespassing on someone’s private property. But one Shorewood man, Paul Florsheim, is trying to flip the script—all thanks to a $313 ticket.

The drama centers on a stretch of beach just north of Atwater Park, where a homeowner has built what locals call a "tiki compound," complete with thatched-roof huts and a private cable car. The owner is protective, allegedly chasing off swimmers in a black zodiac raft and calling the cops on anyone crossing into his "backyard." Florsheim, a 66-year-old professor who grew up walking these shores like a public sidewalk, decided he’d had enough. He intentionally walked the dry sand, ignored police warnings, and practically begged for a citation just so he could take the fight to court.

Florsheim’s goal isn't just to get out of a fine; he wants to lose his local case so he can appeal it all the way to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. If he wins there, it could open up thousands of acres of Great Lakes shoreline to the public. Neighboring states like Michigan and Indiana already allow people to walk the beach up to the "high water mark" (where the trees start), but Wisconsin remains a weird outlier.

The irony? While the homeowner is calling the police on hikers, records show his own "Margaritaville" has faced its own drama, from unpermitted toilets to boat ramps built too far into the public lakebed. Whether you’re a beachfront homeowner or just someone who wants to walk their dog without getting a ticket, all eyes are on this Shorewood showdown to see if Wisconsin’s beaches are about to become a lot more public.

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

WISCAMPSIN WEEKLY POLL

Last Week's Stumper

We asked where the first practical snowmobile was officially patented. It was a bit of a history trick—only 36% of you picked the right town!

The Correct Answer: B) Sayner, WI.

The Takeaway: While Eagle River is famous as the "Snowmobile Capital" because of the Derby, the machine was actually born in a Sayner garage in 1924. Carl Eliason invented the "motor toboggan" so he could check his trap lines despite a foot injury.

In the 1800s, how did Wisconsin lumberjacks identify which logs belonged to their camp during the chaotic spring "River Drives"?

Every spring, millions of logs from dozens of competing logging camps were floated down rivers like the Wisconsin and Chippewa at the same time. To ensure they got paid for their timber at the mill, camps had to "brand" their wood.

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MEME OF THE WEEK 😆

A review from the trail… Stay warm out ‘der this week folks!

Well, how'd we do this week?

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