Photo By Scott Sturkol | Members of the Monroe County (Wis.) Natural Resource and Extension Committee meets in...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy personnel once again provided updates about the installation’s natural resources-related efforts May 12 during the May 2025 meeting of the Monroe County (Wis.) Natural Resource and Extension Committee.
The monthly committee includes members Nodji VanWychen, Joey Esterline, Cedric Schnitzler, Doug Rogalla, Todd Sparks, and Paul Zastophil from areas within the county. According to the Monroe County webpage for the committee at https://www.co.monroe.wi.us/government/county-board-of-supervisors/boards-committees/natural-resource-extension/-folder-2344, the committee has a diverse mission.
“The mission of the Monroe County Natural Resource Committee is to manage, conserve, and protect our natural resources,” the website states. “The committee will facilitate wise, sustainable land use and outdoor recreation through information and education while supporting technical and financial assistance to landowners of Monroe County and encourage all residents of Monroe County to be stewards of our natural resources keeping in mind the generations to follow.”
As part of Monroe County, Fort McCoy has a part is supporting the committee. The post does so through the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch (NRB) as well as the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office.
During the May meeting, NRB Endangered Species Biologist Jessup Weichelt served as one of the Fort McCoy representatives where he reviewed recent accomplishments completed by NRB and related Fort McCoy personnel.
Among those accomplishments in natural resources management Weichelt mentioned from April 2025 were:
— NRB fisheries personnel collected water samples from three runoff events and two baseflow events.
— Fisheries staff also had eight sediment traps excavated in waterways that removed 228 yards of material.
— Fisheries team members also conducted temperature and dissolved oxygen surveys on all 10 lakes.
— Six creel surveys were conducted by fisheries personnel during early catch-and-release trout and largemouth bass seasons. Early largemouth bass season is only open on the North Flowage and Lost Lake at Fort McCoy. All the other lakes were closed until May 3 until the start of the regular fishing season.
— Fisheries staff conducted fish population surveys on North Flowage, Stillwell Lake, Sparta Pond, Sandy Lake, and West sandy Lake. Surveys will be wrapping up in May. See related story at https://www.dvidshub.net/news/496274/fort-mccoys-fisheries-team-completes-2025-fish-surveys-helps-maintain-improve-options-anglers.
— Staff conducted stream fish surveys at eight locations to determine overwinter growth and spatial movement. Staff tagged 56 new brown trout and recaptured 41.
— Completed the first draft of the Fort McCoy Watershed Report. The final version should be completed by June 1.
— Coordinated the stocking of 15,000 rainbow trout into six lakes on Fort McCoy by the staff of the Genoa National Fish Hatchery with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. See related story on this effort at: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/496294/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-completes-2025-stocking-more-than-15000-rainbow-trout-fort-mccoys-waterways.
— Forestry team members at NRB administered six timber sales and collected $30,936 in revenue for timber sales.
— Forestry members also submitted its fiscal year 2027 timber sale environmental review request.
— Forestry led prescribed burn efforts where 1,133 acres were burned on three days in April in five different units.
— Forestry members root-pruned 500 trees for an on-post tree-planting event April 25.
— Forestry team members also coordinated and led an on-post tree-planting event that included nearly 50 people with the installation workforce, installation family members, and installation leadership. Read more about that event at: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/496899/fort-mccoy-continues-annual-tree-replenishment-efforts-earns-36th-tree-city-usa-award-process.
— In invasive species management, NRB personnel began scheduling times for goats to be brought back to the post for summer grazing re-treatments in training areas to knock back invasive species. See more about goats being utilized for invasive species management at Fort McCoy by going to: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/899508/energy-action-month-fort-mccoy-uses-goats-save-resources-fight-against-invasive-plant-species.
— NRB members also began making updates to the Invasive Plants Management Plan for a later review by staff. Members are also conducting planning for the annual Fort McCoy Invasive Species Field Day at Pine View Campground on June 26.
— In wildlife management, NRB members began overseeing the spring turkey season that began on April 16. More information on the spring turkey season, Fort McCoy hunting regulations, firearm registration, and other topics can be found at the Fort McCoy iSportsman page at https://mccoy.isportsman.net.
— NRB staff are also continuing the annual process of updating the Fort McCoy hunting, fishing, and trapping rules and regulations.
— NRB staff also worked with Permit Sales staff to begin to build the permits, harvest authorizations, and applications for the fall hunting and trapping seasons in iSportsman.
— Jessup stated that blue bird volunteers will be checking 400-plus boxes on a weekly basis now through the summer documenting use, success, number of blue birds fledged, and more.
— Staff completed drumming grouse/gobbling turkey surveys in April as well. Staff completed four surveys of each of the three routes. Surveys started around March 15.
“We have seen roughly a 50 percent decrease in drumming grouse compared to last year, and are waiting to see (state) drumming grouse survey results to see how Fort McCoy compares to the rest of the local regions and state overall,” Jessup said at the meeting. “We have also seen an increase in turkey gobbling activity compared to last year, but gobbling birds per stop has remained consistent.”
— NRB staff also reviewed and updated the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan for wildlife, pest management, and Permit Sales program information, processes, and work plans.
— Jessup stated that a new seasonal technician was brought on.
— NRB staff completed 14 turtle surveys. Five Blanding turtles were captured and processed as a result of survey efforts. Two new captures were noted.
— Staff finished 10 bull snake surveys as well. Thirteen bull snakes were captured and processed as a result of survey efforts. One bull snake was captured and processed as a result of incidental capture. They implanted transmitters in eight of the bull snakes. Also, seven bull snakes were observed but not captured during survey efforts.
— Staff also conducted biweekly telemetry tracking on five Blanding’s turtles, one wood turtle, and one bull snake.
— Staff also conducted eagle nest checks. Six eagle nest checks and four osprey nest checks were completed. An eagle nest on North flowage has activity, and they’ll continue monitoring.
— Frosted elfin butterfly spot checks were also held. One frosted elfin check was done in in training area C-19 on April 30 but no significant activity yet.
Fort McCoy personnel also addressed upcoming opportunities at the installation for outdoor recreation, such as the spring opening of Pine View Campground. The availability of miles of hiking trails at Fort McCoy’s Pine View Recreation Area also were shared.
Post personnel will also participate in the next monthly meeting in June 2025.
Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.
The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy,” on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fortmccoywi, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@fortmccoy.
Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
(Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch staff contributed to this article.)
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2025 23:17 |
| Story ID: | 498413 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 1,345 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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