Manitowoc County Conservationists Hall of Fame is planning for its 2025 banquet, which will be June 18, 2025, at Maribel Sportsman’s Club.

Clubs and individuals should start thinking now about who to nominate for the Hall of Fame, Special Achievement and corporate/business awards.

Every club has people who step up when needed and businesses that support them during their fundraising events. Nominating them for an award is a perfect way to show appreciation for their support.

Descriptions of the awards and nomination papers can be downloaded from the Manitowoc County Fish and Game website at mantyfg.org. Deadline for returning nomination papers is Dec. 31, 2024.

Read last week’s column:Big weekend of trap shooting set in Maribel, and more in the latest Manitowoc outdoors report

Preliminary turkey totals mark fourth-highest spring harvest

Wisconsin turkey hunters registered 50,435 birds in the 2024 spring turkey season, making it the fourth-highest spring harvest on record and a 22% increase from the five-year average, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said.

The 2024 spring season started April 13 with the two-day youth hunt for hunters younger than 16 years old. A total of 3,967 birds were registered, a 37% increase from the five-year average.

A total of 246,068 authorizations were available this spring, and hunters applied for or purchased 224,630 of them.

The regular season is divided into six separate one-week periods, from April 17 to May 28. These separate periods help maximize hunter opportunities while minimizing interference for a more sustainable harvest.

The robust participation and harvest numbers show ample opportunities across the state, the DNR said.

Deadline to apply for next spring’s (2025) turkey season is Dec. 10. Hunters can apply for harvest authorizations online through the Go Wild license portal. Learn more about turkey hunting in Wisconsin on the DNR’s Turkey Hunting webpage.

Despite rain, good panfish catches reported at local lakes

May and June have been quite rainy. Despite those conditions, good catches of panfish have been reported from Manitowoc County lakes.

Most of the information I am receiving comes from fishermen who frequent Long Lake and Harpt Lake. Fishermen have been using crappie jigs for the crappies and then switching over to worms to catch their bluegills.

Even though these are the lakes I am hearing about, I am thinking most of the inland waters have been somewhat the same for panfish.

I have not had any reports of people catching any gamefish like northern pike, walleye or bass.

Before you go out fishing, be sure to check DNR regulations for the lake you intend to fish because bag limits differ throughout Wisconsin.

DNR Learn to Hunt Deer program accepting applicants

Wisconsin DNR is accepting applications for the 2024 Learn to Hunt Deer program at Sandhill Wildlife Area. Applications will be accepted through July 1.

Sandhill’s Learn to Hunt workshops combine classroom instruction and hands-on field experience with a mentored hunt on thousands of acres of intensively managed wildlife habitat.

This unique opportunity will provide participants with an exciting educational experience while helping the DNR reach deer management objectives associated with an ongoing study within the 9,150-acre property.

The program is open to young hunters ages 12-15. Adults (age 16 and older) without previous experience hunting deer with a firearm may also apply. A chaperone must accompany all hunters.

Registration for the program is $40. In-person workshop dates for this year are Aug. 21, 23 and 24. Each of the three workshops will cover the same material, including: deer biology and management; hunting rules and regulations; ethical hunter behavior; basic firearm safety; and practice sighting and firing a hunting rifle.

“Generations of hunters have come through this long-standing program, and we are excited to offer this opportunity again in 2024,” said Darren Ladwig, DNR wildlife biologist at Sandhill Wildlife Area. “This hunt will aid in reaching our deer harvest quota, which for this year has been set to maintain the population at its current level.”

All participants (and accompanying mentors) must attend one of the workshops. The program will culminate with a two-day hunt Nov. 2 and 3 at Sandhill Wildlife Area in Wood County. All participants must complete a hunter education course before the hunt.

Sandhill Wildlife Area lies within the bed of ancient Glacial Lake Wisconsin — an expansive region of flat, marshy land interspersed with forests covering parts of seven counties in central Wisconsin. The property features low, sandy uplands of oak, aspen and jack pine forests, large marshes and many flowages. A small herd of American bison, white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, Canada geese, ducks, loons, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, shorebirds, songbirds, hawks, owls and furbearers call Sandhill home.

Apply for the 2024 Sandhill Learn to Hunt on the DNR application webpage by July 1.

More Bob Schuh:Click here for more Scoping the Great Outdoors columns

Larrabee club donates to Denmark Archery

That’s it for this week, so have fun in the great outdoors.