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Deer hunt going as expected at Pike's Peak

As of Tuesday morning, 17 doe whitetail deer have been killed in the first ever deer hunt at Pike's Peak State Park. Twenty-five hunters have participated in the archery season that began Oct. 1.

The archery season will run through Jan. 22, except for a three-day period on Nov. 18, 19 and 20 during which there will be a shotgun and muzzleloader season. Twenty-two hunters have registered for the shotgun-muzzleloader season in Pike's Peak so far.

The Pike's Peak deer hunt has gone as expected so far said Park Ranger Ryan Retallick, who is the main person overseeing the hunt. The hunt is for Iowa residents only and is being conducted in order to thin out the deer population in the park.

Park Manager Matt Tschirgi and Retallick said that an aerial survey by helicopter was conducted in the winter of 2004 and it was discovered that there were approximately three times as many deer in the park as there should be.

The high number of deer have been a nuisance to residents and a hazard to motorists in the McGregor area for the past several years.

"This hunt is solely an effort to try to get the deer population under control," said Tschirgi, who noted that the hunt is for does only.

Retallick said that the aerial survey revealed that there are an estimated 76 deer per square mile in Pike's Peak State Park. There are two square miles in the Main Unit of Pike's Peak. Biologists have recommended that there should be 20-25 deer per square mile.

Ten does have been shot in the South Zone of the park and seven have been shot in the North Zone. Retallick said that does are the obvious target in order to trim the herd.

"Most does are having triplets. I have seen many does with triplets or with two," said Retallick, who noted that the best way to keep the deer population in check is to have a hunt every year.

In order to attract more hunters, the Pike's Peak hunt has an added an incentive. Tschirgi said that hunters who bag at least three does in either the North Zone or the South Zone will be eligible "to have their name in a hat" to receive a buck tag for next year. Three "earn-a-buck" permits will be issued in the North Zone and three more in the South Zone for next year, said Retallick, who explained that those hunters will have to shoot a doe before they can shoot a buck next year.

"It's the only way we can pull more hunters in," said Retallick of the earn-a-buck incentive. In addition to Pike's Peak property, the North Zone also includes timbered and undeveloped land owned by the city of McGregor.

Tschirgi said that the center portion of the park will be closed to the public during the deer hunt. He said that the overlook will remain open.

The same hours and rules apply to the Pike's Peak deer hunt as are in effect during the regular archery season and the regular shotgun and muzzleloader season. The Pike's Peak deer hunt also has the extra rules that hunters must be 30 feet from any trails and they must be in an elevated stand so that their shots go downward.

All hunters involved in the Pike's Peak hunt had to attend a safety and orientation meeting so that they are familiar with the park's boundaries and its hunting zones, said Tschirgi. In addition, archers had to pass a proficiency test.

Veterans honored November 11

Friday, November 11 is celebrated as Veterans Day. An Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday ‹ a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of WWI, but in 1954, after WWII had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the nation's history and after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the Veterans Service Organizations, amended the Act of 1938. The Act was amended by striking out the "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans."

With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Programs for honoring veterans will be at 10 a.m. at the Prairie du Chien High School with Mr. Tom Farrell being the guest speaker. At 11 a.m. the Prairie du Chien Honor Guard will pay tribute at the Prairie du Chien Post Office and at 2:30 p.m. a program will be held at Bluffview Middle School.

No cause for alarm: A few cases of whooping cough still likely to crop up

Although one case of whooping cough was diagnosed in a high school student at MFL Mar-Mac School recently, school nurse Anne Keehner does not think people should be alarmed. "We're not having an outbreak like we did before," Keehner said.

At the end of September, the school was forced to close briefly after 10 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, were diagnosed in one week.

Like the most recent case, a few students will likely come down with the illness from time to time. "It wouldn't be unusual for us to see whooping cough all winter," Keehner added. Elementary and middle school students are much less likely to come down with whooping cough because they are still protected by vaccinations commonly received as part of early childhood immunizations. By high school, immunity can wear off, leaving students exposed to whooping cough, which is much less dangerous for young adults.

Keehner says that she will continue to keep a close eye on students to catch any potential cases.

Experts offer tips during Wisconsin Winter Weather Awareness Week

Although it may not feel quite like it yet, winter is practically upon us. While the first day of the winter season is not officially until December 21, midwesterners know that the date is no indication as to when falling mercury, blustery winds and snowfall may begin.

Governor Doyle has declared November 7 - 11 as Wisconsin's Winter Awareness Week for 2005. This annual campaign is sponsored by Wisconsin Emergency Management and the National Weather Service to remind people to be prepared for winter conditions that could threaten their safety. Together, they remind citizens that it is important to start taking preventative measures now for winter weather.

Winter driving

One of the biggest concerns with winter weather are the hazards that drivers face. According to the Wisconsin DOT, there are typically around 17,000 vehicle accidents in Wisconsin during winter months when the roads are covered with ice, snow or slush. They report that on average, 78 people in the state are killed and over 7,000 are injured each winter season because of these roadway accidents. Many of these crashes can be prevented simply by slowing down when conditions are bad.

Wisconsin DOT reminds people that it is important to check and winterize vehicles before the winter season begins. Keeping your gas tank near full and carrying a winter storm survival kit in your vehicle that includes the following is very important:

* Blankets or sleeping bags

* Flashlight with extra batteries

* First-aid kit

* Shovel, tools, booster cables and windshield scraper

* High-calorie non-perishable food

* Sand or cat litter to use for traction

The latest road conditions can always be found on the DOT's website at www.dot.wisconsin.gov or by calling 1-800-ROADWIS (762-3947).

Keep safe by staying informed

The National Weather Service (NWS) issues storm warning and watches. Here's what they mean and what you should do.

* Winter Storm Watch ‹ Winter storm conditions (heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain) are possible within the next 36-48 hours. Continue monitoring the weather forecast.

* Winter Storm, Ice Storm, Heavy Snow or Heavy Sleet Warning ‹ A significant winter event is occurring or will begin in the next 24 hours. Take necessary precautions‹consider canceling travel plans.

* Blizzard Warning ‹ Winds that are 35 mph or greater, blowing snow with reduced visibility to one fourth mile or less for a duration of at least three hours and dangerous wind chills are expected.

* What is possible ‹ residents can expect almost anything - ranging from killer dense fog and flooding rains to widespread heavy snows and blizzards that can isolate a village/city for days. The only month without a tornado in Wisconsin is February. Be ready!

Wisconsin winter weather facts

­ Provided by the National Weather Service

* The coldest temperature in the 2004-05 winter was -35 at Solon Springs (Douglas Co.) on January 17, 2005. Hurley (Iron Co.) had the most snow with 153.1 inches, while Mazomanie (Dane Co.) had the least with 23.0 inches.

* Wisconsin's all-time lowest temperature is -55 F on Feb. 2 and 4, 1996 near Couderay (Sawyer Co.). Readings of -30 F or colder have been recorded in every month from November through April. Of course, readings in the 60's and 70's are possible.

* Average annual snowfall ranges from 35 to 40 inches near the Illinois border to 150 to 165 inches in the Iron County snow belt from Gurney to Hurley.

Official snowfall records:

* Greatest daily total - Neillsville, 26.0 inches of snow on Dec 27, 1904.

* Greatest single storm total - Superior, 31.0 inches Oct 31-Nov. 2, 1991.

* Greatest monthly total - Hurley, 103.5 inches Jan. 1997.

* Greatest seasonal total - Hurley, 301.8 inches in 1996-97 winter season.

* Deepest snow on ground (excluding drifts) - you guessed it, Hurley, 60.0 inches on Jan. 30, 1996.

The Hunt of a lifetime

Greg Fisher's hunt last October was not a spur-of-the-moment weekend getaway. Fisher, a resident of Eastman, began the process as early as 1998 to get permission to hunt on the private ranch on Colorado's Eastern Plains.

He finally got the chance in 2004 and what resulted was a front page spot on two national magazines for him and his buck.

The Mule Deer, shot with a .257 Weatherby, turned out to be an 8x7 with 27-inch main beams and had a 32-inch non-typical spread. "I was hoping for about a 26-inch spread when I went out there," Fisher said. Turns out he got a lot more than he bargained for. The buck also scored an impressive 204 7/8.

Just hearing Greg talk about the hunt is enough to get your adrenaline pumping. "It's one of those things you dream about doing since you've been a little kid," he said. The current issue of "Eastmans Hunting Journal" features Gary and his buck on the cover. On the inside is a story he wrote detailing his hunt. Part of it reads:

"As I scoped the buck at about 500 yards, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. 'Oh my God, he's huge!' I murmured...As I snuck away, I was scared to death we would never see them again. Realizing I was hunting a buck of this caliber was overwhelming. I was talking to myself saying, 'Okay, calm down.'...As I crept up for the shot I said, 'Make sure I'm shooting the right one.'...When I peeked over the hill there was no question. This monster looked like he had two feet of antler hanging in front of his forehead as he was feeding with his head down.

Greg, 55, emphasized that one of the biggest things with this hunt, and every hunt, is that "half if it is usually luck." For him, the reward for hunting is not always shooting the biggest buck out there, but just the fact that he gets to be out, doing what he has loved to do since he was a kid. "Just being out there is the reward," he said. "Plus, I get to keep all the memories."

When he returned back to Wisconsin with his prize buck, Greg sent his pictures in to a small-sized monthly magazine that he subscribes to called "The Huntin' Fool." He got a call two days later telling him that they wanted to run his picture on the front cover. He figured that since he got on the cover of "Huntin' Fool," he would give a larger magazine a shot, also. "I just always thought it would be neat to get my story on the inside of one of those magazines," Fisher said. "I never even dreamed of being on the cover of any!"

He sent his story and pictures on to "Eastman's Hunting Journal," a bi-monthly magazine with over 100,000 subscribers nationwide and about 40,000 members. When their editor called and told him they wanted to use his story, he was thrilled. "I just couldn't believe it," said Greg. His story and photos were held for several months, until the October-November '05 issue. Gary and his deer can now be seen on news stands all across the country until December when it will be replaced by a new issue.

As for Greg, he can relive the memories any time he wants from his recliner. The deer is mounted in his and his wife, Mary's, living room, where it is "surrounded by friends."

As for being on the cover of a national magazine, Greg says, "I'm just glad that now others can enjoy the deer, too." Greg also reminded that "the trophy is always in the eye of the beholder." And to his, and many others' eyes, this deer is definitely something worth looking at.

Building on Villa Louis property undergoing renovation

A brick building on the west side of the Villa Louis property is currently undergoing renovation.

Villa Louis maintenance supervisor Ken White said that a sidewalk near the building has been removed and that the building will be renovated so that one half of the building will be for storage and the other half will be the new maintenance shop.

In addition, the half of the building that is to be the new maintenance shop will have its floor raised one foot and water-resistant materials will be installed. The maintenance shop will also include an office and a bathroom.

White said that the renovation on the approximately 30-foot by 90-foot building is scheduled to be completed by mid-February of 2006. MZ Construction of Linden, Wis. is the general contractor for the project.

"We're so excited to finally be started on the construction," said Villa Louis Site Director Michael Douglass. "This project is a long time in coming. We've been planning this since before the flood of 2001."

The project will cost $240,000, which will come from the Wisconsin State Building Program, said Douglass.

Douglass said that the floor in the building is already a foot higher than the ground around it, thus, the raising of the floor will make it two feet higher than the current maintenance shop.

The building was built in the late 1930s as a Works Progress Administration project. Douglass said that the city of Prairie du Chien transferred the Villa Louis site to the State Historical Society in 1952. A provision in the transfer stated that the Villa Louis site would aquire the building should the city's swimming pool ever be abandoned. The Villa Louis site received the property from the city in 1992.

The Wisconsin Conservation Corps installed a 3-foot-high elevated platform in the storage part of the building following the flood of 1993. Large artifacts such as carriages and cabinets are stored in the building.

"This is going to be a much improved facility," said Douglass of the current renovation to the building. "This is the next step in the long term evolution of the Villa Louis site."

"This new maintenance shop will enable us to do our job better," said Douglass about the overall running of the Villa Louis site.

Douglass noted that the long range plan for the Villa Louis site includes renovation of the Old Museum building and moving the Villa Louis site entrance to the north end. He said that the Old Museum building will be reconstructed so that it will be two stories high and will have a late 1800s appearance.

Mild weather, good color make for great fall tourism

October is always a big month for tourism in the Prairie du Chien-Marquette McGregor area. This year was no different despite high gas prices. "Motels were very, very busy, even during midweek," said Sharon Cuchna, director of the Prairie du Chien area Chamber of Commerce. Statistics from the Travel Information Center at Prairie du Chien even indicated a slight rise in visitor numbers. In 2004, 4,975 people visited the center requesting information, this year it was 5,134.

October is typically the busiest month of the year for tourism in the area. Visitors love to see the spectacular color displays on the bluffs along the river. This year, many people observed that the colors seemed to come a little later and stay a little longer. Fine fall weather with mild temperatures in the 60's and 70's also helped enhance the season. Bob Moses, director for the Chamber of Commerce for Marquette McGregor agrees that the season was successful. "We had a very nice end of the tourist season," he said. Moses did feel however, that summer tourism numbers were down slightly.

The overlook at Pike's Peak State Park is another popular stop for visitors to the area. The park does not count the number of visitors who come to the overlook, since admission to the park is free. The campground was full for most October weekends, "Mild weather helped a lot," noted park ranger Rylan Retallick, who said that there are still campers in the park, which is unusual.