Inside this edition
Spring Green Board approves speed signs, annual car show
Only in Wisconsin: Truck hits Cow on Highway 14
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Spring Green, Wisconsin
RV Community Garden Busy Bees gets kids in nature
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Wednesday, May 19, 2021 Vol. 2, No. 20 Free, Single-Copy
Spring Green Farmers Market kicks off another summer season with farm fare, music Photos by Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief
The Spring Green Farmers Market kicked off its summer season on May 15 with fresh produce, plants, local goods and some folk music by Don Greenwood. The farmers market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon in the Spring Green Community Library parking lot thru mid-October Masks and social distancing are required. Participating vendors can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/SGFMarket/
Pictured above: Attendees look through different plant and local offerings at the first Spring Green Farmers Market of the season on Saturday May 15. Pictured at left: A young farmers market attendee leaves a tip in the jar of folksy performer Don Greenwood at the Farmers Market at the Spring Green Community Library on May 15.
Local family physician addresses common vaccine hesitancy, urges vaccines for ages 12-15 Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief On May 13, Wisconsin began offering COVID-19 vaccinations to children ages 12-15. Children can currently only receive the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two different doses. Family Physician Ellen Wermuth
M.D. at Sauk Prairie Healthcare’s River Valley Clinic is encouraging residents of all ages to get COVID-19 vaccinated, but especially children because of the potential long-lasting side effects the demographic can experience. “It’s very exciting that vaccines have been released for 12-15 year olds,
it’s one step closer to defeating the virus,” said Wermuth. “It’s helping families return to normal.” Wermuth said she has encountered vaccine hesitancy for people of all ages, with the main concerns ranging from questions over the amount of time the vaccine has been available and studies to questioning if children
could potentially become infertile from receiving the vaccine. Wermuth stressed that there have been no studies indicating infertility issues in individuals who have been vaccinated and assures patients that studies have returned no safety problems with the Pfizer vaccine.
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Local EMS departments struggle with staffing, Marklein looks to make exam optional Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief The State Senate recently passed a bill that would make a national exam for EMR’s optional, in hopes to ease staffing difficulties for rural EMS departments in the state. Senate Bill 89 was originally proposed by Sen. Howard Marklein, a Republican from Spring Green, with the idea of making the Nation-
al Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam optional for Emergency Medical Responders (EMR) in the state. Marklein says that doing so would eliminate obstacles in recruitment for rural, volunteer departments. It’s now up to the Assembly to consider. The bill requires that EMR’s following and complete state Department of Health Services (DHS) training
courses and test requirements, but that DHS cannot require the national exam to allow individuals to serve as an emergency responder. The bill leaves the requirement of the exam up to individual departments. Tyler Tisdale, the new EMS director in the village of Arena said while the bill would help, it isn’t a perfect fix. “It would help, but it doesn’t solve
the main issue of recruiting volunteers,” said Tisdale. “It’s great to have EMR’s, but we still need at least one EMT with an EMR to minimally staff the ambulance while maintaining a legal crew.” Tisdale said the Arena volunteer department faces a similar issue to many other rural departments across the state face—recruitment and com-
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OPINION
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Page 3
Federal funds turn state, local fiscal crises into potential opportunity Fiscal Facts by Wisconsin Policy Forum
State and local governments in Wisconsin are set to receive nearly $20 billion in federal aid from recent COVID-19 relief measures — a remarkable shift from what appeared, just a year ago, to be a historic fiscal quandary for state and local governments coping with the pandemic. As these governments mull appropriate uses for these one-time dollars, they would be well-served to consider uses that avoid creating future budget challenges. State and local policymakers may wish to focus on needed one-time or emergency spending on items such as public health and economic relief, addressing student learning loss, capital
projects and technology purchases, and debt payments, if allowed. Spending the dollars on new ongoing programs or local tax cuts could create an unsustainable “fiscal cliff” once the federal funds are exhausted, particularly if state and local economies and tax revenues lag. The above estimate for federal aid represents only amounts going to or passing through a state or local government or school district in the state; it excludes many billions more in federal funds distributed directly to Wisconsin individuals, businesses, and organizations. These funds come from three federal COVID-19 relief packages: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed in March 2020;
the Consolidated Appropriations Act approved in December; and, most recently, the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, in March. CARES Act funds largely have been delivered and spent, while funds from the latter two measures are still arriving and, in some cases, will not be paid out for at least a year. While vaccinations and the scale of the federal response this time may spur a more robust recovery than after the last major economic downturn, the Great Recession, Wisconsin may wish to take lessons from that response. From 2009 through 2011, Wisconsin made heavy use of federal stimulus funds, particularly for K-12 schools and Medicaid. But when those funds
ran out, the state faced a difficult 2011-13 budget and ultimately cut state aid to schools and local governments substantially. As state and local policymakers consider how to use this historic influx of federal funding, they would be wise to consider how spending plans may impact future budgets as well as the immediate needs that confront them.
The Wisconsin Policy Forum is a statewide nonpartisan, independent policy research and civic education organization with offices in Milwaukee and Madison. Learn more at wispolicyforum.org.
Guest Column: Driftless Grace—Aftermath, all is (not quite) right Grace Vosen, Contributer
I had a busy April, but most of that was one-on-one activities with friends (or events with a defined endpoint where I couldn’t linger). Recently, though, I had the pleasure of going to a real live Event. It came complete with kids running across the lawn, adults from outside my “bubble”, delightful vintage items for sale, and lunch served by a local business. It was my new community in miniature, and the energy was infectious. Thankfully, my masked and vaccinated fellow-citizens weren’t. It seems the people in my community
Grace Vosen not only care about sustainability and local food, but also the well-
being of others. Whatever the future might hold, I can be thankful for this. As we ate at tables spaced six feet apart, I couldn’t decide if I was looking at a futuristic scene or a blast from the past. Perhaps maskwearing and social distancing have become so commonplace that they will remain a part of daily life. Or perhaps they’re a last vestige of 2020 as we nudge closer to the way things used to be. Both are valid interpretations of our present moment. Even if COVID is here to stay, I hope to stop writing about it at some
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PO Box 144 Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588 USA (608) 588-6694 editor@valleysentinelnews.com valleysentinelnews.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Nicole Aimone Managing Editor Taylor Scott Legal Editor Gary Ernest Grass, esq. Interns Graphic Design/Pagination
point. There’s just so much more to the place where I live, even after two months of exploration. The virus is already playing less of a role in my decisions — even as I wipe down the vintage goods I bought on Saturday, just in case. I’m not prepared to say there’s a “silver lining” to the pandemic, as many journalists have proclaimed. But it did give rise to some good habits that I can continue to practice. (My blog is one of these.) It also gave rise to genuine gratitude for the things I’ve missed. May you share in all of the energy and none of the infection during this time of renewal.
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Community
WednesdaY, May 19, 2021
School board makes changes to school fair, flip flops on high school yearbook Taylor Scott, Managing Editor
The River Valley School Board met May 13, welcoming a new member, took up changes to the school fair, the high school year book and elected officers. The board welcomed Elisabeth Minich, who is representing Area 5, the Town of Bear Creek, Town of Buena Vista and Town of Ithaca. District Administrator Loren Glasbrenner gave an operations update. “We’re nearing the end of a really historic year and it’s been exciting to provide new things to our community that we didn’t expect that we would have to provide,” said Glasbrenner. “That’s the nicest way I can say, chaos ensued on some days but we did our very best.” The board nominated and unanimously approved the follow officers: President - Kathy Jennings, Vice President - John Bettinger, Clerk Deb Nelson, Treasurer - Fred Iausly. Jennings noted that no one had approached her about filling the Area 4 vacancy, Village of Lone Rock. Board policy now allows the president to appoint an eligible candidate to fill the seat until April 25, 2022. At the 2022 Spring election, a candidate will be elected to fill the remaining one year of the term, which expires in 2023. Those interested should reach out to Jennings. The board considered changing the last week of school for the 2020-21 school year. Currently, students are set to attend school Tuesday and Thursday after Memorial Day, with a virtual day Wednesday, and the last day being June 3. Various members and administrators expressed concern about a potential spike of COVID-19 cases following a holiday, affecting the end of the school year or summer school.
Member Kiley Cates motioned to end the school year on May 31, with Jennings seconding. The vote was 4-4 and the motion failed. School will end June 3. District Business Manager Brian Krey provided an update on previously discussed Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) II and III Funds. The district is looking at receiving $1,851,056 total. The district is considering running next year’s budget as is and applying the ESSER funds to the next two years after to reduce referendum. The board took up making the 202122 School Fair a non-school day and moving the parade back an hour to 3pm. Glasbrenner said the impetus for the non-school day recommendation was due to liability issues, based on district attorney recommendation. Not everyone agreed it was the best way to move forward. “I remember the looks on especially elementary students or even some of the older kids that would come through with their teachers and those are the kids that I looked at that wouldn’t come here with their parents that day. Parents maybe have to work or can’t come. I really remember the looks on those kids faces when they got to pet a calf or they got to touch a chicken or hold a rabbit and I feel bad for those kids,” said Nelson. “I’m not in favor of it is because I feel that there are kids that could really benefit from seeing the things and the activities we do and they are the kids who will not be here because their parents either work or don’t care to come that day.” Ultimately the recommendation on turning the School Fair day into a nonschool day passed, with only Nelson in opposition. A consensus of the board
agreed 3 p.m. should be the parade time, asking Glasbrenner to decide. Due to low enrollment in the senior-only high school yearbook class, the board took up a proposal that yearbook become a co-curricular. “I think there’s a lot more involved in the yearbook than just doing it as an after school program and I think there’s a lot learned as part of this and credit for it encourages people to be engaged in it, so I see a problem with this,” shared Iausly. Glasbrenner stated that only one student had expressed interest in being in the class for next year, while High School Principal Darby Blakley shared that due to lack of interest in previous years that the high school didn’t put the class in the scheduler and would have to find a spot for it if the action didn’t go through. Cates motioned to change yearbook over to a co-curricular, with the hope that it would be revisited next year. The motion failed on a tied 4-4 vote. The board then quickly discussed moving on or taking it up next meeting after a committee looked into different options. Glasbrenner stated he’d call the private corporation Jostens to arrange for them to do the yearbook due to lack of enrollment in the class. Glasbrenner’s statement prompted reaction from the board, and Cates, disregarding parliamentary procedure that would preclude such a motion, made the same motion a second time, with the motion this time passing 6-2. Yearbook will not be offered as a class for the next school year and will be offered as a co-curricular. The River Valley School District Endowment Fund completed its annual grant cycle and notified the award winners: a Laser Engraver, $1,720, RVMS, Tim Wunnicke; Development
of Frisbee Golf Course, $1,850, RVHS, Lisa Roelke/Jackson Thier (student); Multicultural/Diversity Materials, $3,768, ELC (4K), Rhonda Licht (writer), Elaine Frank, Lisa Miller, Melinda Mohr. Iausly discussed a future change to the name of the Technology Committee , suggesting “Curriculum and Instruction Committee” would be a more apt name to cover the holistic business the committee takes up. The board also discussed and approved readings on policy regarding service and other animals on school premises, foreign exchange students, and confidentiality and volunteer forms. The board took up other action including: –Unanimously passed 2021-22 preliminary budget. Final budget will be taken up at annual meeting in October. —Unanimously passed 2020-21 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Transcripted Credit Contract. —Unanimously passed 2021-22 SWEEP 1 and SWEEP 2 Cooperative Agreements for Use of Aeration and Top Dresser Equipment. —Unanimously passed 2021-24 Contract With Upland Hills for Physical Therapy Services. The board set the following 2021-22 event dates: —Homecoming/School Fair - Friday, September 24, 2021 —Prom - Saturday, April 23, 2022 —Scholarship Awards Night Wednesday, May 18, 2022 —Baccalaureate - Sunday, May 22, 2022 (tentative-based on request by parents) —Seniors Last Day - Thursday, May 26, 2022 —Graduation - Saturday, May 28, 2022
Spring Green Village Board approves annual car show downtown, speed signs on STH 23 Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The Spring Green Village Board met May 12 to introduce the new village public works director, take up a request for the Chamber car show downtown and to consider placement of solar powered speed signs on STH 23.
Solar powered speed signs
Taking up an item that was first considered at the last board meeting, the board approved placement of solar powered speed signs on STH 23/Winsted Street.
During the last meeting, members of the board questioned if placing the signs permanently on STH 23 would create negative connotations to visitors and voiced concerns about the brightness of the signs, while generally agreeing that the signs would serve the intended purpose of slowing down speeding traffic on the highway, which is in a residential area. The speed signs will be funded from a donation by Cardinal Glass. At least six residents voiced support for the speed signs ahead of the meeting in
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letters and emails to the board. No residents spoke against the placement. “I have found that there is an increasing number of speeders and an increasing number of semi trucks and motorcycles passing my house and most of these vehicles are speeding,” wrote Mary Friedel-Hunt, a resident on Winsted Street. “Winsted Street is primarily a residential street that happens to be a highway. We have children and families as well as bicycles on this street every day. It is a family area. The speeders make this
street dangerous and noisy.” Friedel-Hunt shared that she has seen speed signs like the ones being considered work in Dodgeville. “People are welcome to our village of course but that also means they have a responsibility to obey our speed limits for the safety of everyone,” said Friedel-Hunt, as she ended by thanking the board for supporting the effort. “Folks fly down the residential stretch of 23,” wrote resident Bryan
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Community
WednesdaY, may 19, 2021
Page 5
COmmunitycalendar Community Calendar
Spring Green Community Center Open House There will be a post-COVID reopening of the Spring Green community center. It will be on Sunday June 13 from 1:00-4:00pm with refreshments and all are welcome. The center is located at 117 South Washington Street in Spring Green.
We care about the community and want to showcase your events, especially in times like these! Our goal is to keep the community in touch with events, people, life and businesses of the River Valley. Email us to submit your local events, editor@valleysentinelnews.com
If you have questions about this event, please contact Karen Halverson at farleyhalverson@gmail.com or 715-340-1288.
Spring Green approves annual car show for 2021 following cancellation last year continued from page 4 Quigley, who noted that he felt safety outweighed any negative perceptions the signs might bring. “I think & feel a sign would help slow the pace of traffic cruising through or entering town. Two thumbs up from me.” The board moved forward with the approval of the signs unanimously.
New public works director
The board was formally introduced to new public works director, Adam Reno, who started on May 3. “He’s been rock solid so far,” shared Village Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer Wendy Crary. “Nothing but good things to say!” Crary shared that former public
works director Greg Wipperfurth’s official retirement date will be August 2. He is assisting with the village treatment plant and has been available to help Reno transition.
2021 Car Show downtown
After being cancelled last year due to COVID-19, the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce annual Car Show was given the go-ahead to move forward this year. The board took up a request from Julie Jensen, executive director of the Chamber to close downtown streets for the 2021 Car Show to be held on Saturday, Aug. 21, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jensen stated that cars showing would be parked in every other stall,
with 8 to 10 feet between cars, to allow for social distancing. Jensen said the event will follow all of the Sauk County Health Department’s guidelines. “We want to make sure that if people are looking at one car they’re not standing directly next to the person looking at the other car,” said Jensen. “So we’re trying to space it out so people can move free and so that basically people are not standing on top of one another.” Jensen said that parking lots downtown will be open to regular customers of downtown businesses as well. There will be no outside food vendors at the car show this year, instead the Chamber will offer spaces in front of member downtown businesses to
those that offer food. The board approved the Chamber’s request unanimously.
In other business
— The board heard from Todd Deibert, of Jewell Associates Engineers, Inc. regarding easements for the Woodbury Sanitary Sewer Project. Deibert is working with Village Attorney Allan Peckham on a deed restriction, at the request of a resident, that would ensure the village will never build a water tower on the property it owns on the cul-de-sac off Woodbury Drive. — The board appointed Aaron Halverson to the Technology and Telecommunications committee.
Area EMS departments differ on whether legislation to ease EMS requirements will help continued from page 1 pensation. “We have the same problem that is rampant across the state of recruiting people to become volunteer EMT’s. We are aware of the time commitment one takes on when volunteering to be an EMT; although, it is a great cause,” said Tisdale. “These individuals give up so much of their time in an instant to respond to an emergency and in many situations, their efforts are not compensated as they should be.” Plain EMS member Tracy Brent said their volunteer department faces
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the same recruiting issues especially during day time hours, but does not support the legislation until an alternative testing procedure can be put in place. Brent suggests providing more incentives for residents of rural communities to volunteer, such as tax credits or signing and retention bonuses. “Helping others in need, especially those in your community, is one of the most fulfilling things you will ever do,” said Brent. “There are no words to describe how you feel after you’ve
rendered aid to a person in need, saved someone’s life, or were simply a positive presence on someone’s worst day. Choosing to join is a decision you will never regret.” Marklein said his meetings with EMS departments across the state, including Plain were the inspiration for the proposed bill. “A couple of years ago, I hosted four EMS Summits, including one in Plain, in response to growing recruitment and retention challenges throughout rural Wisconsin. I learned about several obstacles, including
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the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam that was holding back qualified, talented, dedicated people from serving our communities,” said Marklein. “Right in our own backyard, we have people who have completed all of the coursework, hands-on training and can save your life. But they can’t pass a test that contains questions that do not related to life in Wisconsin. Our bill makes the NREMT exam optional and allows the local EMS department to decide whether to require it based on their own needs.”
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Community
WednesdaY, May 19, 2021
Local cattle, truck involved in accident on Highway 14 In the early morning of May 14, an accident involving a local farm’s cattle and a large work truck took place on Highway 14. The accident, which occurred around 4:30 a.m. Friday, brought a large work truck to a halt when it struck a cow that had wandered onto the road from a farm on Highway K. According to the sheriff’s office call log, the deceased cow belongs to Kendall Wilkinson, who could not be reached for comment. The driver involved was Branden Trager, who is reported to have no injuries following the crash. Trager declined to comment on the incident.
Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor River Valley Players, a non-profit community theater group, held a warehouse sale May 15 and 16 in preparation of their move to consolidate into a smaller space. The building, at 213 N Lexington St in Spring Green, has been sold and will close at the end of the month. According to River Valley Players member Janna Johnson, the building will be renovated by a local construction company and turned into housing units. Johnson confirmed that River Valley Players is hoping to resume and put on a production this year, with initial ideas including bringing back past cast favorite songs.
“This is a type of crash that can happen at times when we are traveling in a rural area,” said Iowa County Sheriff, Steve Michek. “USH 14 over the years has really not had much livestock housed or pastured in the vicinity of the highway. There areas of Iowa County that have more of a livestock ‘population’ and just like you have with a higher population of wild animals the more crashes can be possible, livestock will take advantage of any opportunity to try a different pasture.”
Local doctors urge parents to vaccinate children, citing long-haul COVID symptoms and other effects continued from page 1 Parents have also mentioned to Wermuth they are considering not vaccinating their children because they believe the demographic is the least likely to be sick or affected by the virus. However, Wermuth said while children may not any display COVID-19 symptoms or show minimal symptoms they are very prone to experiencing long-haul symptoms, which include prolonged breathing difficul-
ties and other neurological difficulties. Children who contract COVID-19 are also much more likely to develop Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS), which causes excessive inflammation of multiple essential organs, such as the brain, heart or kidneys. Children as young as 9-15 are more likely to develop this syndrome if they contract the virus, said Wermuth.
“They can get really sick,” said Wermuth. “Over 3.8 million children have had COVID-19, and 3,000 have had MIS.) Wermuth said currently the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are currently exploring vaccine safety for children younger than 12 years old. Also on May 13, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated individuals can return to pre-pandemic activities,
including small or large indoor and outdoor activities. The CDC also advised that fully vaccinated individuals would not need to test following a virus exposure. The CDC also released guidance that says fully vaccinated individuals can go without a face mask indoors and outdoors, with the exception of K-12 schools. To find a vaccine available, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/search/
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Community
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COVID-19 Dashboard
Page 7
Wisconsin Summary
606,755 Positive Cases
Cases as of 5/18/2021
+2,935 from 5/11
2,911,300 Negative Test Results +25,945 from 5/11
6,971 Deaths +54 from 5/11
Vaccine Summary Statistics Updated: 5/18/2021
5,176,035
4,891,853
Administered
Allocated
2,628,138
2,073,149
Pfizer doses administered
Moderna doses administered
190,356
Johnson & Johnson doses administered
Vaccine Data
These two core measures are all measures of herd immunity in Richland, Sauk and Iowa County. We do not yet know what level of vaccination leads to herd immunity for COVID-19, or how current or future variants might affect herd immunity. We know based on other diseases that herd immunity is likely at least 60%, and if more transmissible variants become more common, that threshold may become higher, so our current target range is 60-90%. -Madison Public Health and Dane County
Richland County
1,309 Positive Cases +6 from 5/11 8,344 Negative Tests +28 from 5/11 15 Deaths +0 from 5/11
Richland
Sauk
Target Range
45%
Iowa County
2,036 Positive Cases +8 from 5/11 11,731 Negative Tests +69 from 5/11 10 Deaths +0 from 5/11 Sauk County 5,879 Positive Cases +54 from 5/11 35,961 Negative Tests +215 from 5/11 48 Deaths +0 from 5/11
46.2%
Percent with at least one vaccine dose
Percent with at least one vaccine dose
39.6%
40.7%
Percent fully vaccinated
Target Range
Percent fully vaccinated
Iowa
Target Range
52.7%
Percent with at least one vaccine dose
44.5%
Percent fully vaccinated
Percent of Wisconsin residents ages 12-15 who have received at least one dose by county
Cases per zip code Cases as of 5/18/2021
Updated: 5/18/2021
Lower %
Higher %
Richland County Ages 12-15 1.9%
Iowa County
Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose
Ages 12-15 2.6%
Sauk County
Ages 12-15
Ages 12-15 2.0%
16-17
Dane County Ages 12-15
19.8%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54
Updated: 5/18/2021 5.7% 28.3% 35.2% 41.6% 49.9% 52.1%
55-64 65+
Graphic by Whitney Back
Data From: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm
63.1% 82.9%
“The good stuff.”
Page 8
Community
WednesdaY, May 19, 2021
RV softball sees heavy wins over multiple local teams in shortened season Photo via Janeen Anderson Pictured to the left: Kate Hanson fields a ground ball and takes the force out at third base during the Mineral Point game. Last week we went 4-1 losing a close 0-1 ball game against Prairie du Chien on Tuesday night. We beat Sauk on Thursday 12-1, Lancaster on Friday 18-2; we hit the ball hard and were leading 14-0 after two innings, Mineral Point on Saturday 5-1 and Cuba City on Saturday 10-3. We also beat Dodgeville last night 14-10 to stay on top of the SWC. Tied with Dodgeville at 4-1, Prairie du Chien has one more game to play to complete their first round in the SWC against Platteville tonight. They are currently 3-1. —Softball Head Coach, Jane Briehl
RV golf holds well as a team, individuals shine in matches May 11
Tuesday, May 11th, Platteville Country Club hosted the 4th SWC conference match. The Blackhawks placed 4th again with a team score of 210. Other Team Scores: Dodgeville - 185 Lancaster - 194 Platteville - 194 River Valley - 210 Richland Center - 218 Prairie du Chien - 236 The Blackhawks were led by Eli Johnson 47, followed by Luke Snow - 53, Ashton Price - 56, Connor Fields - 66, and Jackson Thier - 54. Tyler Bradley of Dodgeville and Noah Kirsch of Lancaster tied for Medalist with scores of 39
May 12
River Valley Golf competed in the New Glarus Golf Invitational at Edelweiss Country Club. While playing outside of normal conference play, Blackhawk golfers continued to make individual progress on their personal games. The Blackhawks placed 3rd overall as a team behind winner Mineral Point and runner up Dodgeville
Eli Johnson led the blackhawks with an 87. Ashton Price - 92, Connor Fields - 116 , Luke Snow - 108, and Jackson Thier - 114.
RVHS Athletics Scores
May 13
May 11 RV vs. Dodgeville Score: RV: 0, Dodgeville: 4
Lancaster hosted the 5th conference golf match Thursday at Lancaster Country Club. The Blackhawks were looking to gain some momentum from some improved personal play. Eli Johnson led with a tied personal best score of 37, just one shot off the medalist lead. Luke Snow also turned in a personal best of 49. Ashton Price - 51, Jackson Thier 62, and Connor Fields with a 56. River Valley took third place at the match and maintained their place in 3rd overall in the conference. James Reilly and Noah Kirsch tied as medalists with a 36. Kirsch had a hole in one on the first hole. The final conference match is Thursday, May 20th at Quail Run Golf Course in Richland Center. The conference tournament will be held Monday, May 24th at Viroqua Hill Country Club.
Girls Soccer
May 13 RV vs. Platteville Score: RV: 0, Platteville: 4 May 14 RV vs. Cambridge Score: RV: 0, Cambridge: 9 May 15 Score: RV: 0, Aquinas: 11 Goal: RV Kylie Morrey Assist: Leah
We had a tough go this week against some quality teams. We will look to turn things around this week. — Todd Deibert, River Valley Girls Soccer Head Coach
Dodgeville - 182 Lancaster - 183 River Valley - 193 Platteville - 197 Richland Center - 198 Prairie du Chien - 214
Weekly School Activities Varsity Golf Quail Run, Richland Center 4p.m. May 20
Middle School Track Darlington High School 4 p.m. May 20
Varsity Golf Viroqua Hills Golf Course 9 a.m. May 24
Varsity Girls Soccer Richland Center High School 5 p.m. May 25
Varsity Baseball River Valley High School 5 p.m. May 20
Varsity Girls Soccer Galena High School 5 p.m. May 21
Middle School Track Cuba City High School/Middle School 4 p.m. May 24
Varsity Softball River Valley High School 5 p.m. May 25
JV Baseball South Park, Spring Green 5 p.m. May 20
Varsity Baseball Centennial Park, Dodgeville 5 p.m. May 21
Varsity Baseball River Valley High School 5 p.m. May 24
JV Baseball River Valley High School 6:30 p.m. May 25
Varsity Softball River Valley High School 5 p.m. May 20
JV Baseball Dodgeville Middle School 5 p.m. May 21
Varsity Girls Soccer River Valley Elementary School 5 p.m. May 24
JV Softball River Valley High School 6:30 p.m. May 25
JV Softball River Valley High School 6:30 p.m. May 20
Varsity Softball Double-Header River Valley High School 4:30 p.m. May 21
JV Girls Soccer River Valley Elementary School 7 p.m. May 24
JV Girls Soccer Richland Center High School 7 p.m. May 25
Varsity Girls Soccer Mueller Pitch, River Valley 5 p.m. May 20
JV Softball North Park, Spring Green 4:30 p.m. May 21
Varsity Baseball River Valley High School 5 p.m. May 25
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Community/Sports
WednesdaY, May 19 2021
Page 9
RVACG uses grant funds to help pollinators, get kids out in the garden Sauk County Land Resources & Environment (LRE) and the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County are currently working to provide education programs and resources to help protect pollinators in the area. One goal of the group is to increase pollinator habitat. As part of the efforts, the county worked together to provide pollinator garden kits to local organizations and groups throughout Sauk County. The free kits were made available to qualifying organizations thanks to funding provided by the Ho-Chunk Nation and Sauk County. The River Valley Area Community Garden’s (RVACG) in Spring Green received a kit. The plants came from Prairie Nursery out of Westfield, WI, an excellent native plant nursery, said Rose Ellen Schneider, an organizer for RVACG. Each kit includes 32 native plants loved by pollinators. Plants are for well-drained soil in full sun. The garden will be located on the northern end of section 2 of RVACG’s perennial garden. Included in the kit are 32 plants which are early summer bloomers of Smooth Penstemon and Ohio Spiderwort; mid-summer bloomers of Butterflyweed, Wild Senna, Stiff Coreopsis, and Purple Prairie Clover; late summer bloomers of Purple Coneflower, Sweet Joe Pye Weed, Prairie Blazing Star, Bergamot, and Ironweed; Fall
bloomers of New England Aster and Ohio Goldenrod, and the native grass is Prairie Dropseed.. The plan is to expand that whole section 2 to native pollinator friendly plants over the next couple of years. Pollinators like birds, bats, and butterflies don’t have an easy job. They are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. According to the University of Wisconsin Madison, approximately three-quarters of the world’s major food crops require or benefit from animal pollination. Pollinators sustain our natural resources and ecosystems as they travel from plant to plant to help them reproduce. However, many pollinator populations are in decline. There are a variety of reasons like pollution, misuse of chemicals, diseases and changes in climate patterns. Another large reason for the decline is the loss of habitat. The Sauk County pollinator protection collaboration between Sauk County LRE and Extension Sauk County hopes to increase pollinator habitat throughout the County but also hopes members of the public are able to learn more about pollinators and take steps to help on their own. For a list of steps you can take, visit https://sauk. extension.wisc.edu/ and click on the Sauk County Pollinator Protection Resources page Schnieder said the RVACG plans to hold
Photo via Spring Green Area Arts Coalition A few of the Busy Bees at their inaugural meeting at the River Valley Area Community Garden. an open house for the community to learn more about the pollinator garden and see the plants progress.
Busy Bees
The RVACG also received Eureka Grant funds from the Spring Green A.R.T.S, formally the Spring Green Area Arts Coalition to curate the Busy Bee Garden Club, a gardening and arts and crafts club for area kids.
The program will use the grant funds for arts and crafts supplies. The RVACG held a meet and greet for families in the club on May 16, and the program will officially begin with planting and arts in June. “The Busy Bees Meet and Greet went great. Kids, parents and gardeners are really excited to start in June. Looking forward to it,” said Schnieder.
The Sauk County Gardener — Invasives to watch for Jeanie Manis
“A weed is a plant that is not only in the wrong place but intends to stay.” — Sara Stein I recently had the pleasure of taking a guided tour of the Riverland Conversancy Merrimac Preserve on Hwy 113 located between Devil’s Lake State Park (near Roznos Meadow Trailhead) and the town of Merrimac. This is a very nice conservation area with tons of trails that is close to our home. Within the more than 1,600 acres, you can explore wetlands, prairies, oak savannas, woodlands, and various streams and lakes. It’s pretty spectacular. During our guided tour, we were able to enjoy some of the wildflowers that were just starting to bloom such as the lupine and marsh marigold. I really loved seeing the marsh marigold as it was a reminder of the ones that my grandmother had transplanted to her wet area of the yard. It made me consider my own yard to see if I had a place to plant some marsh marigold. Unfortunately, the beautiful marsh marigold native has a look-alike invasive that you now need to keep an eye out for. As you garden, hike, or paddle down our area rivers, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking folks to watch for and report if they find lesser celandine (Ranunculus Ficaria). It’s an aggressive invasive plant that has bright yellow flowers that look similar to the marsh marigold. Lesser celandine is poisonous to both humans and livestock and unfortunately, will spread and eventually kill spring wildflowers. The lesser celandine has eight petals whereas the marsh marigold has five to nine larger petals. Check out this site for picture of the lesser celandine - https://dnr. wi.gov/topic/Invasives/photos/index. asp?mode=detail&spec=174. As I am currently trying to figure out how to best turn a section of my lawn back to primarily native plants, I’m always on the lookout for pretty wildflowers. Unfortunately, some of the pretty ones that I find turn out to be invasive plant species. Some examples include burning bush, creeping bellflower, purple loosestrife, yellow iris, multiflora rose, and Dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis) which resembles garden phlox. We tend to associate invasives as noxious plants such as garlic mustard,
Photo via Mid-West Farm Report Celandine poppy showing flower details. buckthorn, and wild parsnip. So what is the problem of having a pretty invasive plant species in your garden? We’d all like to think we can “control” the plants in our yards and on our property but unfortunately, people and animals can unknowingly move them around. Then the invasives spread
out of control to other areas where they don’t have their natural plant competitors and insect predators to keep them in check. Although some of these invasives are pretty, they should be removed as much as possible to prevent them from spreading further. The key is to know what plants are native and which are invasive species. Plus, some invasive plants are prohibited, and others are restricted. Prohibited invasive plants are ones that are not currently found in Wisconsin except in a few small areas but will survive and spread if they are allowed to and cause environmental damage. Restricted species are ones that are already here in Wisconsin and have been found to cause environmental damage and harm. Here’s current list of regulated invasive plants https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Invasives/speciesNR40list.asp?filterBy=Category&filterVal=Plants&addFilter=Classification. The lesser celandine is considered prohibited so there is a chance to still
control this invasive plant species. If you find some of these invasive plants, (1) don’t knowingly transplant them into your garden, (2) try to eradicate them from your property as they will eventually push out our Wisconsin natives and (3) report the suspected invasive species to the Wisconsin DNR. You can find instructions here for reporting them: - https://dnr.wisconsin. gov/topic/Invasives/report.html. We have some amazing native plants – let’s do what we can to help them survive and flourish in our gardens, woodlands and prairies. This week’s article is written by Jeannie Manis, a Wisconsin Certified Sauk County Master Gardener Volunteer. If you have any gardening questions, please contact the Extension Sauk County by emailing tripp@wisc.edu or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.
The River Valley Music Boosters would like to congratulate the 2021 seniors in music Ella Barnett Starr Camacho Devon Caputo Aaron Christensen Declan Daniel Anna Deibert Natalie Fortney Matthew Gostomski Alex Harrah Paula Hollenberger Emily Kane
Josh Kerr Kennedy Kropp Gavin Lawinger Ava Liegel Emmeline Lilla Dylan Luther Spencer Mack Kim Newton Kelsey Olson Jordan Perkins Paige Prem Melissa Ranum
Sophie Rohe Alizae Rossing Cole Schaffer Becca Schulz Nathan Schweitzer Kalen Scott Samuel Seguin Bobby Simpson Luke Snow Aydenn Wahljohnson Allison Williams
Ms. Rebecca Schinker, Choir Director Mr. Matthew Snow, Band Director
Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virture. ~Plato
Sports
Page 10 WednesdaY, May 19, 2021
Mid-May birding report: backyard favorites return…warblers too! Ryan Brady, DNR Natural Heritage Conservation Program Biologist The most anticipated time of year for birdwatchers has arrived! Right on schedule, May ushered in a wealth of neotropical migrants this past weekend, including Baltimore and orchard orioles, ruby-throated hummingbirds, rose-breasted grosbeaks, indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers and more. Not seeing any yet? Don’t despair as this is just the beginning of their return and has been limited mostly to the southern half of the state so far. Now is the time, though, even up north, to fill the seed feeders, prep the sugar water and offer orange halves and jelly. Also returning to center stage are the warblers, as dozens of species fill Wisconsin’s woodlands with their colorful plumages, boundless energy and melodious songs. Yellow-rumped, palm, black-and-white, black-throated green, chestnut-sided, northern waterthrush, common yellowthroat and many others are back in force across southern Wisconsin, although peak numbers are yet to come. Joining them are other long-distance migrants like veery, Swainson’s thrush, blue-headed and warbling vireo, least flycatcher, gray catbird and house wrens. In more open habitats, look for bobolinks, upland sandpipers, Henslow’s and grasshopper sparrows and eastern kingbirds. Whippoor-wills are once again calling under the veil of darkness, while by day broadwinged hawks migrate overhead, sometimes in large swirling groups known as
kettles. Feeder watchers are also happy to welcome the return of redheaded woodpeckers in many areas. Shorebirds put on a show this past week along Lake Michigan, especially including some large groups of willets and American avocets, which were joined by a few marbled godwits. Also found around the state were spotted, solitary, and least sandpipers, greater and lesser yellowlegs, long-billed dowitchers, sanderlings, and semipalmated plovers, though mostly in small numbers. Large flocks of double-crested cormorants and Bonaparte’s gulls were noted on the Great Lakes. Waterfowl migration has slowed significantly but Wisconsin’s lakes and wetlands host a good assortment of species well into June. Of note last week were thousands of horned grebes and scaup on western Lake Superior. Some winter and early season migrants are lingering later than usual, including dark-eyed juncos, American tree sparrows, evening grosbeaks, and up north, both Bohemian waxwings and common redpolls. Pine siskins are widespread, purple finches have finally returned to the north woods in numbers, and ruby-crowned kinglets remain common in many areas. White-throated sparrows are showing well statewide, with some white-crowned and even a few Harris’s among them. Unfortunately, eastern bluebirds are particularly scarce this spring. Unusually harsh weather in the southern U.S., where many spend the
Photo via Wisconsin DNR Baltimore orioles and other backyard favorites like hummingbirds and rose-breasted grosbeaks have begun their return to Wisconsin. Attract orioles with a dish of jelly, halved oranges or sugar water. non-breeding season, may have led to significant mortality this winter. Rare birds were plentiful this week, including Wisconsin’s first burrowing owl since 2005 in Brown, ruffs in Walworth and Dodge, great gray owl and blue grosbeak in Bayfield, golden-crowned sparrow in Chippewa, barn owl in Price, black-bellied whistling duck in Milwaukee, Swainson’s hawk in Grant, western tanager in Dane, northern mockingbirds in Racine and Door, Eurasian tree
sparrow in Ashland, harlequin duck in Sheboygan and summer tanagers in a handful of southeastern Wisconsin counties. Over the week ahead expect a slow but steady pace of migration as north and east winds are forecast to dominate. No days look predictably great but this time of year every day is a great one for birding. Help us track the migration by reporting your sightings to www.ebird.org/wi. Enjoy the birds!
Blue river sand barrens expansion to involve pine removal Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board
MUSCODA—The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board met virtually on May 13th to conduct a regular monthly business meeting. The board heard a presentation from Eddie Shea, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Biologist, based in Boscobel. Shea described various habitat projects ongoing in the west half of the Riverway. Major prairie and grassland plantings will occur in the Town of Millville, Grant County, at Russell Hill and Swanson’s Ridge. Work continues to restore an oak woodland/savanna site in the Town of Wauzeka, Crawford County, at the former Seeley property. Remnant prairie restoration work continues at two other sites in Crawford County, both in the Town of Marietta, at the former Curtis property and former Merwin property, and in the Town of Orion, Richland County, at the former Burns tract. Shea said there were successful prescribed burns at several sites and the battle against invasive species continues throughout the Riverway. The board approved a permit request submitted by Trevor Hamdorf, DNR Forester, for a pine removal and pine thinning adjacent to the Blue River Sand Barrens. The project entails 35 acres of total tree removal to expand the barrens habitat and thinning of a white pine plantation on 66 acres. The site is located near the Fish Trap Flowage east of Jones Lake in the Town of Muscoda, Grant County. The Blue River Sand Barrens is a designated State Natural Area that provides critical habitat for a number of rare plant and animal species. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Mark Cupp, Executive Director,
reported the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance approved the Riverway Board budget for the 20212023 biennium. If approved by the full Senate and Assembly, the annual allotment will be approximately $250,000.
Riverway board holds meeting/add one
Cupp said efforts to find new board representatives for Dane and Crawford counties continue. The requirement is that the individual be a local resident or local elected official. A vacancy also exists for an “at-large” position. The at-large position must be filled by someone outside the six county Riverway area. The DNR report was presented by Jesse Kellogg who said Hay Lane, the road at the Avoca Prairie in Iowa County, will be extended to the river to provide enhanced recreational use at the site, particularly by shore anglers. He said new steps have been installed to provide river access at Ferry Bluff in Sauk County and he noted erosion control work continues at the Dingman mound group in Richland County. During the public comment period, the board heard from Forest Jahnke of the Crawford Stewardship Project and Timm Zumm of the Friends of the Lower Wisconsin River (FLOW). Jahnke said his group is sponsoring a Farm Forum. He also noted public hearings on a proposed CAFO in Crawford County will be held in the coming weeks. Zumm said Adult XL life jackets are needed for the Kids Don’t Float loaner life vest program. Kiosks have been established at most Riverway boat landings to assure river users have access to life jackets. Visit the FLOW website or Facebook page for information on how to donate. Zumm noted FLOW’s
starhead topminnow project has been very successful and highlighted the dedication and hard work of FLOW Science Team member Dave Marshall. The next Riverway Board meeting
is slated for June 10th with the hope that the board will be able to convene in-person for the first time since March of 2020. Details on the June 10th meeting will be forthcoming.
Outdoors/recreation
WednesdaY, May 19, 2021 Page 11
Running low on fishing bait? Look to your backyard Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Need Fishing Bait?
Find some right in your backyard! Worms and nightcrawlers are great for catching fish, especially bluegills, pumpkinseed and other panfish.
Where Can I Find Them?
Worms like moist soil. Check under rocks, logs and in shaded areas, or grab a shovel and dig some up. Got a compost pile? Check there. Worms are great for decomposing organic material. Another fun and exciting way to find worms is to search for and catch them at night with flashlights. Worms and larger nightcrawlers will come out of the soil after dark, especially after a warm rain. Walk slowly and scan the lawn for them. Once you spot one with your light, be ready to act. Worms will retreat quickly down the holes they came from if it senses the light for too long. It takes practice to catch them this way, but it can be a lot of fun trying to find those big ones! Once you’ve found them, place the worms in a storage container with some soil. Make sure to poke air holes in the lid of the container.
Photo via Wisconsin DNR
How Do I Use Worms As Bait?
Try putting a worm under a bobber the next time you go fishing. Attach them to the hook, making sure to leave enough of the worm dangling off the hook for fish to bite onto. Worms tend to go bad quickly in warm weather. Keep them chilled in a cooler
with an ice pack while fishing.
I Caught A Fish! What Should I Do With The Worms Now?
Save worms for your next fishing trip. They can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. Place the worms in a container with a few holes poked in
the lid. If you don’t want to save them, throw them in the trash. Worms are an invasive species and should never be dumped into the water, grass or woods. Properly dispose of them in the garbage. Find more fishing information on the DNR’s fisheries webpage.
No park stickers, fishing licenses or trail passes required June 5-6 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is hosting the 9th annual Free Fun Weekend June 5-6. Park admission fees, fishing licenses and trail passes will be waived for Wisconsinites to find their adventure outdoors. “We truly have something special here in Wisconsin, especially when it comes to outdoor recreation opportunities,” said DNR Secretary Preston Cole. “Explore a state park, hit the trails or try your hand at fishing. There’s no better time to get out and explore what Wisconsin’s outdoors has to offer.” Wisconsin is home to 49 state parks, 15 state forests, 44 state trails, 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, roughly 15,000 lakes and so much more. Before heading to a state park, trail or waterbody near you, here are some helpful things to know:
STATE PARKS
• Admission stickers will not be
YO
required. • All state parks will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. • Drive-up windows, playgrounds, bathrooms and observation towers are open. • Stand-alone concession facilities are open to the public at 50% capacity. • Office buildings, visitor centers, enclosed shelters and nature centers remain closed until further notice. • Adaptive rental equipment at state park properties is unavailable until further notice. •Due to high demand during peak seasons, some properties may reach their pre-determined capacity limits. When this happens, properties will close until existing visitors leave, and capacity is reduced.
TRAILS
• Trail passes will not be required for both residents and non-residents. • All linear/rail trails will be open to the
I S P WAN L E H TE UR
D!
EMTs and EMS Drivers
needed for the Plain District Contact Tracey for more info:
608-574-9700
Photo via Wisconsin DNR Park admission fees, fishing licenses and trail passes will be waived for Wisconsinites to find their adventure outdoors on June 5 and 6. public, including ATV trails and horseback riding trails.
FISHING
• Residents and non-residents will not be required to have a fishing license or trout/salmon stamps. • All 2021-2022 fishing regulations apply, including bag and length limits. Due to COVID-19 precautions, loaner equipment will not be available. •Anglers should bring their own equipment and bait. • Events such as fishing clinics have been canceled. • Locate launches and shorefishing access points near you.
BOAT LAUNCHES
• All DNR boat launches are open. • Boats must be registered, which can be done either online or via mail. • Minimize the spread of aquatic invasive species by removing plants and animals from boats before and after launching, draining all water from compartments, and never move live fish from any waterbody.
SAFETY
• Wear a life jacket at all times when fishing from a boat, kayak, canoe or paddleboard. • Use boat lights after sunset. • Never consume alcohol or drugs before or during an ATV ride or while operating a boat. • Wear a helmet and protective clothing such as eye protection, gloves, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt while riding an ATV. • All children under the age of 18 must have a minimum Department of Transportation standard motorcycle or ATV helmet - bicycle helmets are not legal. • Keep your speed in mind as weather and terrain conditions vary or change. Free Fun Weekend is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors. Participants are encouraged to join the Wisconsin State Parks’ OutWiGo initiative. Make sure to tag your Free Fun Weekend photos with #OutWiGo. Planning on heading out? Visit the CDC’s website for a helpful guide on choosing safer activities.
Outdoors/recreation
Page 12 WednesdaY, May 19, 2021
An Outdoorsman’s Journal
Mark Walters, Contributor
First Turkey
Hello friends, This past week I spent a lot of time in the turkey blind with Michelle Chiaro who was hoping to harvest her first turkey and with my 20-yearold daughter Selina who has was hoping to harvest her ninth.
Wednesday, May 5th High 53, Low 28
Ruby’s water bowl was froze over when I put her on the chain at 4:30 this morning and fifteen minutes later Michelle Chiaro who is an ICU nurse and a mother with a very limited time frame to hunt and myself were in our blind in northern Juneau County. I have written this many times but when Selina was ten we carved out a food plot in a neighbors forest and had incredible turkey hunting. That land was sold and our ability to hunt it is not as easy as the new owners are starting to get into turkey hunting The food plot that I created directly behind my house last year is going to be a dandy but it has a ways to go which I found out while hunting it last week. I filled my tag on the last day but that was my only experience. So long story short I was able to get permission for Michelle and Selina to hunt the old plot and Selina very graciously said Michelle should have it to herself for the first two days. So now it is 5:00 a.m. Michelle and I are in the blind and there is some gobbling from what appears to be about five birds but they are all at least a half a mile away. I have an ace in the hole and it is a small pond that every turkey, deer and bobcat in the area likes to drink out of. I put trail cameras up on it two week’s ago
and got some very cool photos. It’s 7:30 there is not as much gobbling but some of it seems closer. I have a jake decoy with the tail from the bird I shot the day before fanned out behind it and the jake is next to a hen. Just like that we hear a tom gobble maybe 80-yards away in the oak forest and just like that we have four jakes and five toms coming into our setup in a single file row and already two jakes are attacking the decoy and what I call a “Super Tom” is two seconds from being in range and then it is. Michelle fired my 12-gauge and then shot again and both shots appeared to hit the gobbler but just like that all nine of them are gone. I told her we had to be patient, you do not want to push a wounded bird. While we were waiting a beautiful bearded hen came in with a tom but the shooting was over. After 15 minutes we began a quiet sneak and soon saw many of the gobblers in the area where Michelle’s bird had gone. We went back and waited another 15-minutes and then Michelle did a sneak and by God if she didn’t have her a Super Tom and it was a very happy moment. She decided to do a full flying mount on her weighed 25-pound gobbler with1.5 inch spurs and a beard just under 11-inches. Selina and I hunted hard after that and twice she passed on a jake that was with a small tom, there was almost zero gobbling and it was time well spent with a girl who I seldom see as she is majoring in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at UWSP has a job and a social life. A fine reminder that some of her love for turkey hunting is by helping others is that she took her boyfriend hunting who had never shot a turkey, called
Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor Michelle Chiaro’s first turkey was a dandy!
Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor This small pond is a popular spot for the local turkey flock.
Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor This jake might be one that Selina Walters let live another day.
one in for him and he got it. The new neighbors daughter will be hunting out of my blind this weekend on the plot and it will be her first turkey hunt and I am confident that she will have action. You look back at this story and it’s all about going for it and having a good time. That my friends is what life is all about!
Want to read more?
Check out previous weeks’ columns at www.outdoorsmansjournal.com
—Sunset
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