Plant blooming is ongoing in small catkin flowers and larger, showy plants. Consider keeping a list of dates of different species flowering while beginning to search for the first mushroom-fruiting bodies of cup fungi, false morels and later true morels. Morels are often sold; those growing on private property may be marketed. Those picked on state property can be consumed or given away but can’t be sold.

It’s a become-reacquainted time since we left the woods after gun-deer season, late rabbit hunting or cutting evergreen boughs for decorating. There is less of everything – not so much to overwhelm, misidentify or to fill every space.

But that can be a disadvantage, said Jeff Fredrick, an avid turkey hunter, artist, caller, seminar leader and nature lover from Mindoro, Wisconsin.

“During the early turkey-hunting periods, beginning April 17, the woods are open, vegetation is sparse and turkeys can see us from a long ways away,” he said. “Hunters need to know the areas they plan to hunt and be in their preferred location before that first gobble. It’s not a time to move around a lot but a time to remain, be patient, have the camera or gun ready, and watch the woods wake up at dawn.”

But not every day is prime for turkey hunting, scouting or photographing.

“What do I do if it’s raining or snowing,” he said. “Stay in. There’s a lot more to turkey hunting in spring than shooting a bird. We have seven days and can get authorizations for multiple hunting periods. I want that beautiful daybreak, apples flowering, morels popping, birds singing and sun rising.”

I’ve heard that many times – it’s more than shooting the bird. So much is lost when the weather is bad or even dangerous. Fredrick said he realizes birds can be killed or photographed in a snowstorm or thunderstorm – and he’s done that a time or two. But he’s confident enough that if Wednesday gives terrible weather, to wait until Thursday or even Friday to begin a hunt.

“There’s more to turkey hunting than killing a bird,” he said. “There’s experiencing spring. Wisconsin has excessive opportunities and so do neighbor states.”

Over-the-counter authorizations are still available in zones 1 and 3 for periods D, E and F. Zones 2, 4 and 5 only have Period F left. All permits for zones 6 and 7 have been sold.

Adults can promote hunting by volunteering to become hunter-education instructors. Opportunities are available through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Trout fishing coming soon

Trout anglers are waiting for warmer weather; they will start watching for insect hatches on the water.

“One of the most abundant insect hatches will be seen when the morning sun warms the water temperature and sunshine is good so the hatch occurs from noon to 2 p.m.,” said Bret Schultz of Black Earth, Wisconsin.

Precipitation is an ongoing problem in most trout streams.

“We’ll take all the precipitations we can get; rain is best but snow is not to be turned away with these conditions,” he said. “I checked several streams in Iowa County and there is ‘no’ water in many and beavers are really, really bad in places.”

One stream in particular, which is rare in Wisconsin, is pure brook-trout water, Schultz said. He thinks the beavers need to be trapped and some of the dams removed because the flow is low and slow. Silt has covered gravel and stones, which would make good reproduction sites.

This is an original article written for Agri-View, a Lee Enterprises agricultural publication based in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit AgriView.com for more information.