Annual Membership Meeting - Saturday, June 20, 2015

posted Jun 6, 2015, 9:59 AM by FNBWA Board [ updated Jun 6, 2015, 10:31 AM ]

11:00 - Noon: Arrive and visit informally.

Noon: Soft drinks, beer, brats, and burgers (donation appreciated).

Meeting agenda:

Friends Annual Report - Mark Nupen.
DNR management activities at NBWA - Nancy Christel.
Wildlife observations - Nancy Christel.
Connecting the barrens of Northwest Wisconsin - Bob Hanson.

Raffle for a framed print by Twin Cities artist, Louis Raymer, titled "Spring Dance at Crex", an out-of-print piece of dancing sharp-tailed grouse highly prized by collectors. Must be present to purchase a raffle ticket.

Map/Directions

New Web Site for Burnett County Tourism

posted Mar 29, 2015, 5:09 AM by Bruce Pankratz [ updated Apr 3, 2015, 11:29 AM ]

There is a new web site for Burnett County mentioning the 'barrens'. See: Burnett County Tourism Site

http://burnettcountyfun.com/?page_id=300

Can you help?

posted Mar 24, 2015, 7:25 AM by Bruce Pankratz [ updated Mar 24, 2015, 7:27 AM ]

Are you interested in running the Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey? Here are the local route maps (linked below). Contact either Andrew Badje at (608) 266-3336 or email WFTS@wisconsin.gov if interested.

Barron County

http://wiatri.net/inventory/frogtoadsurvey/Volunteer/googlemaps/DrawMap.cfm?RouteID=31

Polk County

http://wiatri.net/inventory/frogtoadsurvey/Volunteer/googlemaps/DrawMap.cfm?RouteID=491

Washburn County (Tentative availability – awaiting response from potential volunteer)

http://wiatri.net/inventory/frogtoadsurvey/Volunteer/googlemaps/DrawMap.cfm?RouteID=662

Bluebird Report from 2014

posted Mar 24, 2015, 4:31 AM by Bruce Pankratz

Bluebirds on the Barrens

2014 was a good year for our Bluebirds nesting on the Namekagon Barrens. It was a cold, snowy late spring last year and, as a result, the Bluebirds got a late start nesting The birds had time to attempt only two broods. In 2013 Spring came soon enough to give a number of birds a chance at hatching three broods.

The exciting news to report is that the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin, to whom the data collected from our trail of 24 boxes is submitted, has designated our Bluebird trail as a “trail of excellence”. To achieve this rating, a trail has to reach 2.6 + fledglings per box which would put the trail above the state average. Our trail produced 3.42 fledglings per nesting box.

The Barons provide critical habitat for a number of small passerines which include the Bluebirds. With climate change and loss of habitat in other areas, the Barons will continue to be a great place for them. The Barons provide the habitat for the Bluebirds and our boxes provide these cavity nesters a great place to raise their young. Thanks to member Charlie Schlatter for the great replacement boxes he builds for us. The bears are sometimes a little rough on the boxes when they check them out so we do need to replace a few boxes each year.

The next time you are on the Barons, check out the Bluebird boxes. Hopefully you will find a colorful male sitting on top of the box, guarding his young.

Bruce DeLong

The 8th Annual Crex Harvest Feed

posted Feb 18, 2015, 7:18 AM by Bruce Pankratz

From: Wheeler, Kimberly J - DNR
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2015 3:25 PM
To: (removed by webmaster)
Subject: 8th Annual Crex Harvest Feed

It's time for the Crex Harvest Feed! Spread the word to anyone you think might like to participate! Attached is a printable flyer.

The 8^th Annual Crex Harvest Feed
Friday, February 27, 2015

5:00 pm at the Crex Meadows Wildlife Education and Visitor Center
All who help with wildlife and education are invited!

Bring a wild dish to pass (game, harvested plant matter from your garden or from the wild, a dessert, etc.)

A grill and an oven will be available for last minute prep if needed.

Get creative! Your dish could win the next Best Tasting Wild Dish award with your name written down in history on the Wild Game Feed plaque.

Bring your drink of choice.

It is time to have some fun and meet some more folks doing what we do!

Kim Wheeler
Natural Resource Educator

Friends of Crex Coordinator
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Crex Meadows Wildlife Area
102 East Crex Avenue
Grantsburg, WI 54840
715-463-2739
www.crexmeadows.org
kimberly.wheeler@wisconsin.gov

| Attachments: The 8th Annual Crex Harvest Feed (1).pdf

New for 2015

posted Feb 9, 2015, 4:41 AM by Bruce Pankratz [ updated Feb 9, 2015, 4:43 AM ]

This year you can share your experiences in the STG blinds with people who may want to use the blinds in the future on the www.fnbwa.org web page. Other people may use your comments to decide to join the fun in the future. If your cellphone works on the barrens you may even be able to do so when in the blinds. See: http://www.fnbwa.org/viewcomment for details. You can also find this page in the sidebar on all web pages in the upper left-hand corner of your screen.

If you would like to share any photos you can put them on the FNBWA Facebook page or use Flickr (See Barrens Art in the sidebar to your left)

Thanks for sharing :)

1952 article on Sharptail from Milwaukee Journal

posted Jan 25, 2015, 5:36 PM by Bruce Pankratz

see this link: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VwIkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Yn4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2183%2C793440

Blind Scheduling site now available

posted Jan 17, 2015, 4:17 AM by Bruce Pankratz

It may cold and snowy now, but it is time to sign up for sharp-tailed grouse viewing! Spring will be here before we know it. If you've never watched the sharp-tailed grouse dance on the Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area, you are missing out! :)

Free online course

posted Dec 4, 2014, 4:28 AM by Bruce Pankratz

see: https://www.coursera.org/course/perceptivehunting

The Land Ethic Reclaimed: Perceptive Hunting, Aldo Leopold, and Conservation

The rich history of wildlife management and recreational hunting plays an important role in the evolving face of conservation. This course will explore the ethics, science, and democracy of conservation, hunting, and The Land Ethic in North America.