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Fort McCoy personnel once again provided updates about the installation’s natural resources-related efforts Aug. 11 during the September 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 in 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 August 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 August 2025 were:
— Fort McCoy fisheries personnel conducted base flow, runoff, and monthly phosphorus stream water quality sampling. They also conducted monthly lake oxygen and temperature profiles. Oxygen levels and temperatures are consistent with late summer surveys, with some lakes showing signs of oxygen deficiencies at deeper depths, although levels are not concerning.
— Fisheries personnel also conducted 12 creel surveys. Heavy training in August resulted in numerous lake closures.
— Fisheries employees supporting Fort McCoy natural resources efforts also removed 50 meters of invasive brush along Stillwell Creek and placed 26 meters of brush bundles to reduce erosion.
— The fisheries team also conducted 11 stream habitat and 18 shocking surveys, which completed the summer stream sampling. Overall, they stated they saw fewer brown trout, but the overall biomass and abundance is consistent with historical trends.
— Fort McCoy natural resources personnel completed the second draft of the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan and sent copies to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for review.
— In forestry management, forestry personnel assisted Land Rehabilitation and Management (LRAM) members in identifying nine Oak Wilt treatment sites.
— Forestry personnel also identified and coordinated sites with LRAM for shredding.
— Fort McCoy forestry personnel also submitted Fort McCoy fiscal year 2026 timber sale invitation for bid to Seattle U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for review.
— A forestry technician marked 1.3 miles of timber sale boundary line for fiscal year 2027 timber sales.
— Fort McCoy invasive species management personnel stated the weather for August was good for treatments of invasive species on the installation. Unfortunately, there was also heavy training during a critical period for spotted knapweed management, which had a negative impact on how many acres could be completed this month. The two week period for a Combat Support Training Exercise in early August followed by another week of substantial training limited their ability to get to areas for spotted knapweed pulling, especially in openings/fields such as firing points. For example, they had limited access to firing points 415, 418, and 421. By the time these sites were vacated, the knapweed was either trampled or too far senesced to be productive pulling it. Beyond access issues from training, we were not able to get to some other areas for pulling do to time and priority constraints. One example would be along the roadsides heading to the campground and Range 2.
— Invasive species personnel also stated they spent more effort per unit area of knapweed this year than in the previous years. This has resulted in 120.5 more gallons herbicide applied and 22.7 more bags of knapweed pulled than last year for roughly the same time spent, but with far fewer acres completed. Some of this is from tackling areas with dense knapweed such as near Staging Area Freedom, the ammunition storage facility, the large new population found in Drop Zone Warrens, and to a lesser extent along the roadsides in D8, D9, D10, and D11. They also spent a substantial amount of man hours pulling a small, dense patch of knapweed in cantonment near the Wisconsin State Patrol Academy to benefit the cactus population there. The overall increase in per unit effort suggests the possibility that there was simply more knapweed this year than previously known.
In wildlife management, natural resources staff continued the annual process of updating the Fort McCoy Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Rules and Regulations. The regulations have been sent out for review to get senior commander approval and signature.
— Natural resources personnel at Fort McCoy also stated they did not receive enough applications to fill the quota for the nine-day gun-deer season permit. Hunters who are interested in participating in the nine-day gun-deer season need to contact the Permit Sales Office to obtain a left-over permit (502-898-3337). More information on the upcoming hunting, fishing , and trapping seasons can be found at https://mccoy.isportsman.net.
— During August, Bluebird volunteers checked over 400-plus boxes on a weekly basis documenting use, success, number of young fledged, and more. Boxes have now been left open to deter the use of the boxes by mice through the fall and winter. The program ended up fledging 1,457 Bluebirds, 85 Tree Swallows, and 64 House Wrens (average year). That equates to 4.92 bluebirds per box or 5.42 songbirds per box.
Summer crews for fisheries, wildlife, invasives, archaeology, and more started the annual truckbook surveys. These crews conducted surveys throughout the summer while moving between work sites and have been on the lookout for and recording any deer, gamebird, and predator sightings. The truckbook surveys allow Fort McCoy to look at population trends through time and offer great information on deer for doe/fawn ratios and what can be expected for recruitment into the fall seasons to determine antlerless harvest quotas. A doe/fawn ratio of 0.52:1 was reported in August, meaning roughly every other doe had a fawn.
— Also, during August, 30 wild turkey observations were recorded totaling 118 turkeys. Of the 118 turkeys, 20 were hens with 58 poults. The average brood size for August is at 2.9 poults per brood. This was slightly lower than the 2024 August average (3.2 average brood size). Additional gamebirds recorded included ruff grouse, woodcock, wood duck, and mallards. These observations were at a much smaller level, but we were seeing 4.5 young per brood for ruff grouse. Mammal/predator truckbook surveys recorded three raccoons, one opossum, two coyotes, and six red fox.
— Fort McCoy natural resources personnel also attended the WDNR Wild Turkey Advisory Committee Meeting on Aug. 21. The committee began reviewing and updating the WDNR 2025-2035 Wild Turkey Management Plan.
— Natural resources personnel conducted biweekly telemetry tracking on five Blanding’s turtles, one wood turtle, and two bull snakes. They also completed 46 bumble bee surveys with 21 rusty-patched bumble bees observed (D11, D07, C06, B12, B13, B18, B27, B21, M01).
— They also Completed 24 Leonard’s Skipper surveys. There were 284 Leonard’s Skippers observed during survey efforts. Five Leonard’s Skippers were observed outside of survey efforts.
— Other work included completing 13 red-tailed prairie leafhopper survey with 11 red-tailed prairie leafhoppers observed (C02, B08, B09, B26, B29); tagging and releasing 32 monarch butterflies; completing seven rare plant surveys, where they observed 4,587 Virginia meadow beauty plants in A02, four Nuttall’s Prairie Parsley (B18, B19, A05), and 12 Dragon wormwood plants (A05).
Personnel maintained stationary acoustic bat detectors; assessed six goat prairie sites and four were checked after last year’s work, and two need restoration efforts; completed 12 mobile bat surveys; completed 13 regal fritillary butterfly surveys and found 7 butterflies; observed three regal fritillary butterflies after survey efforts completed (B23E, Range 29); and one slender glass lizard observation was had in A05.
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.”
(Article prepared by the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office and the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch staff.)
| Date Taken: | 09.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.28.2025 01:15 |
| Story ID: | 549475 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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