Scoping The Great Outdoors By Bob Schuh

By Bob Schuh

The Herald Times Reporter (HTR) competed in the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation (Better Newspaper Contest). The HTR competed in Division B, with newspapers with circulation of 9,999 or less. The HTR earned 11 statewide journalism awards which were given out on March 16 in Madison. The 2023 contest received 2,144 entries from 102 newspapers. Eligible entries were published between Sept. 1, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2023, and were judged by members of the Kentucky Press Association. This reporter, Bob Schuh, where I write the weekly outdoor column, Scoping The Great Outdoors, took first place in the Local Outdoor Column category. My winning columns focused on a Lake Erie fishing trip, sturgeon spawning, and Mishicot High School trap shooters earning a trip to nationals. Special thanks goes out to our managing editor, Brandon Reid, for nominating the HTR reporters for their stories and articles. (Caption for photo by Mary Brethouwer) Bob Schuh shows the first place plaque he received for writing his outdoor column, Scoping The Great Outdoors, from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation (Better Newspaper Contest). This was just one of 11 total awards earned by the HTR staff. Awards were given out on March 16 in Madison.

Manitowoc County Fish and Game Protective Association has completed a Member Audit designed to measure the current level of involvement in the 24 sporting organizations that make up their group. This work is part of the Manitowoc County Conservation Study that was completed by the group earlier this year. The audit revealed that there are just shy of 5,000 area members in the clubs that have worked together for over 115 years. While the membership is impressive, results indicate membership is down notably from peak membership in the past 10 years. Clubs also report struggles in attracting youth, replacing leadership, and finding needed volunteers. The numbers show the strength of the conservation voice in Manitowoc County. Manitowoc County Fish and Game works to promote and protect the rights and resources of sporting men and women in the county through a variety of projects and education programming. It supports youth programs and events to get young people involved in the outdoors. This includes things like Hunter Education programming, Youth Shoots, sponsoring shooting and fishing clubs in area high schools, and a variety of take a kid fishing programs. Attracting youth to the clubs has been identified as the top goal for the organization as their Development Committee provides guidance and programming for the future. They will also work to better inform the community and leaders on the strong contributions these organizations make to the area. The group will be working on identifying specific projects to help retain and build membership so these organizations will continue their work that has been a key factor in delivering a high-quality outdoor experience in Manitowoc County. This includes maintaining piers at area lakes, and sponsoring lake studies and stocking programs around the area. For information on their programs and the recent study can be found at www.mantyfg.org or Contact Dean Halverson, Development Committee Chair, at mantyfg071@gmail.com.

Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserves presents: The pollinator and native Plant Connection on Tuesday, July 30 from 6-7:30 p.m. Sliding scale suggested donation $1-$10. Ever wonder how and why pollinators and native plants depend on each other? They’ve evolved together and humans and other animals rely heavily on pollinators for food. Pollinators and their caterpillars carry a heavy load in the cycle of life. Learn how it all fits together and why their continued survival is so important. This program will be led by Annette Weissbach, a Northeastern Wisconsin Master Gardener and member of the Wild Ones Green Bay Chapter. She also spent 30 years working as a WDNR Hydrogeologist. The program will start with an indoor presentation and the group will enjoy a short walk outside (weather permitting). Sponsored by the Winston Group. To register, email Jess at jessicaj@woodlanddunes.org or call (920) 793-4007.

Lake Michigan trout and salmon fishing has been outstanding this summer. I spoke with a few persons this past week and they are all doing very well on the big pond. Many limit catch’s have been coming in to the cleaning stations in both Manitowoc and Two Rivers. For the past month or more, fishing in 70-90 feet of water has been really good. Spoons in a variety of colors and sizes all have been good. Rick and I have also been running lots of glow spoons and they too have been hot.

Reedsville Sportsmen’s Club will be holding their Youth Trap Steak Fry on Saturday, Sept. 14. Serving will be from 5-8 p.m. Cost is $30 per person and includes a 16 oz. ribeye steak or chicken breast, baked potato, salad bar, and dessert. Please order your tickets early as only prepaid tickets will be guaranteed a steak. Proceeds will be used for the clubs youth activities. For more information or to order your tickets, contact Gerald Fischer at (920) 901-3907. That’s it for this week so have fun in the great outdoors.