Wild Prairie Chicken In Trouble

PLUS Tick uptick, tourism (again), and snowmobile trail

Author

Forrest Koslowski
June 19, 2025

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Mornin’ to everyone interested in the infamous boat stranded on the Milwaukee lakefront—it’s possibly going up for auction. 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:

🕷️ Tick uptick in Wisconsin

💰 $25.8 billion made from tourism last year

⛑️ Crucial improvements made to Eagle River snowmobile trail

🐓 STORY OF THE WEEK: Boom or Bust: The Battle to Save Wisconsin’s Wild Prairie Chicken

🕷️ Tick uptick in Wisconsin LINK

  • Tick season is off to a strong (and itchy) start in Wisconsin, with health officials reporting slightly higher tick activity and bite-related ER visits than in recent springs.

  • Deer ticks—known carriers of Lyme disease—are thriving statewide, especially up north, thanks to mild winters and more people venturing into tick-friendly territory.

  • Hikers are urged to gear up with long sleeves, bug spray, and post-trail tick checks (no better family bonding activity in our opinion).

💰 $25.8 billion made from tourism last year LINK

  • Wisconsin's tourism industry smashed records again in 2024, raking in a whopping $25.8 billion—$70 million per day—from 114.4 million visitors exploring everything from trout streams to taverns.

  • Lodging and food led the charge in direct visitor spending, but it was recreation and entertainment that saw the biggest year-over-year growth, proving folks aren’t just passing through—they’re gettin’ out ‘der.

  • With 182,000 tourism-supported jobs and millions flocking to Travel Wisconsin online, the state's investment in wanderlust is paying off big for local economies and outdoor adventures alike.

⛑️ Crucial improvements made to Eagle River snowmobile trail LINK

  • A long-overdue facelift is coming to the worn-out snowmobile crossing on Highway 45 in Eagle River, with plans for flashing beacons, signage, pavement markings, and safer pedestrian access to downtown.

  • The upgrade will double as a welcoming gateway, with a kiosk showcasing trail, boating, and downtown info, plus a donated bike repair station, benches, and even a potential mural to boost curb appeal.

  • Funded by a $50K Vibrant Communities Grant and a $25K contribution from the Great Headwaters Trail Foundation, the project is set to bid this fall and aims to better connect trail users, snowmobilers, and visitors by spring.

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🐓 STORY OF THE WEEK: Boom or Bust: The Battle to Save Wisconsin’s Wild Prairie Chicken

They boom, they strut, they puff up like orange-necked balloons—and they’re disappearing fast.

Meet Wisconsin’s greater prairie chicken, a rare and charismatic grassland grouse that’s been stomping its way through courtship displays since before statehood. To read the rest of the story, sign up for the Wiscampsin Membership.

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WISCAMPSIN WEEKLY POLL

Only 22% of weekly poll voters last week got it right! In the winter of 1880-81 Lake Mendota had ice cover for 161 days! That’s more than 5 months folks!

But let’s remember how the 19th century rule is defined - ice cover on Lake Mendota is defined as whether one can row a boat between Picnic Point and Maple Bluff.

Okay, now we know the longest duration of recorded ice cover on Lake Mendota was 161 days in 1880-1881. What is the shortest duration of recorded ice cover on Lake Mendota?

Give it a gut check. Click an answer below to see if you're right.

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MEME OF THE WEEK

A review from the trail… Someone either knows their stuff or did their research…

Well, how'd we do this week?

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