Lake Koshkonong Wetland Association:

Program Notes from 10/24/06 Meeting

October 24, 2006 at 6:00 pm

Janesville DNR Station

Vice-Chairman, Linn Duesterbeck, called the meeting to order at 6:10 pm. There were 17 persons in attendance.

The minutes of May 25, 2006, July 23, 2006 and September 16, 2006 as Emailed were approved.

The treasurer’s report was distributed and discussed. A motion to approve was passed.

Linn discussed how important it was for our organization to defend the lake, noting that it is worth our effort and expense. He reviewed the extensive involvement of many of our members in the hearing and thanked all for their efforts. A decision by the administrative law judge is expected within a few weeks.

Susan reported that we will move ahead with erecting the osprey platforms soon. ATC had no funds to help us, but Alliant Energy will provide poles and volunteers to dig the holes and raise the poles on a Saturday. One platform will be at Carcajou and another on Peter Layton’s property just west of Charlie Bluff Road.

Penny reviewed the Important Bird Area (IBA) program. The Greater Lake Koshkonong Area is now an official IBA. With expert advice from ecologists and ornithologists, we will begin to plan how to protect and improve habitats around the lake for the benefit of birds. All participation is voluntary. One suggested focus is to monitor and control Phragmites and reed canary grass. Other projects might include carp barriers and establishment of vegetation. We will schedule a planning session with someone from the IBA program later this year. We welcome all suggestions. It is likely that grant money may be available.

Penny reported that LKWA received the Citizen Monitoring Program of the Year award on October 5th at the annual Citizen Monitoring meeting held at Rowley’s Bay. This award was granted because of our survey work that led to dedication of the Great Lake Koshkonong IBA. This was a great honor for our organization. Penny sent press releases that were published in the Courier, the Janesville Gazette and the Daily Jefferson County Union. Thanks to all the members, friends and birders who helped with the surveys.

Penny presented information about LKWA becoming a partner in the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI). This is a consortium of more than 100 organizations around Wisconsin. It includes bird clubs, hunting and fishing groups, government agencies, land trusts, nature centers, universities, environmental groups and businesses. As a partner we agree to support bird conservation activities. There is no formal commitment to any specific actions. Penny will email the Memorandum of agreement and ask for positive or negative responses from our members. The IBA program is coordinated by WBCI. Other programs include research, education, habitat assessment and bird-based recreation (development of the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail).

We agreed to renew our membership in the Wisconsin Wetlands Association. We decided not to donate to Operation Migration this year as we have so many other expenses.

Penny reported that we have been invited to participate in a Community Partnership Advisory forum sponsored by UW Extension, Jefferson County. On November 8th or 9th, it will bring together citizens to assess emerging trends in Jefferson County and share observations on possible educational program responses. Linn Duesterbeck and Margaret Martin may be interested, and Penny will let them know more specifically about the date and time.

Sightings around the lake:

  1. A float-plane has been observed twice in the past few weeks landing in the center of the lake and disturbing the resting waterfowl. The plane is light blue with white and black stripes. The numbers on the side are very small and may only be legible with binoculars. Disturbing resting waterfowl is an illegal activity and should be reported to a conservation warden at 1-800-847-9367, either Dave Walls or Ryan Ellifson. The latter can also be reached at 920 674-5880.
  2. Water levels are very high at 777.5.
  3. There is an abundance of wild rice in many areas around the lake. There are many Sora rails feeding on the rice.
  4. There are many Ruddy ducks on the lake.

Upcoming programs

Please let Penny or Susan know of persons who have personal knowledge of Lake Koshkonong in the period before 1950. We plan to record the remembrances of these persons at the March forum and have a transcription prepared. Cindy Wagner and Margaret Martin will work with Penny to obtain grant funding for the transcription and publication.

The meeting adjourned at 6:45 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Penny Shackelford, Secretary

Program: Dick Wanie discussed his new book, “Horicon to Koshkonong”. 500 copes were printed and they are already sold out! He has not decided if he will order another printing.

Dick grew up on Horicon Marsh where his dad, Barney Wanie, was a game warden. A major impetus for him to write this book was his dad’s diary in which he faithfully recorded events on the marsh every day for 33 years (1934-67).

Dick reviewed the history of Horicon. It is a 30,000-acre marsh that was dug out by the glacier. It has a rock layer at its outlet that holds water in the marsh. Prior to the first dam, there were rapids at the outlet (Hubbard’s Rapids).

A dam and grist-mill were built in 1846 and Horicon became the largest man-made lake in the world. During its “lake era”, it had great northern pike fishing. The fishing was done with spears, and tons of pike were sold to the cities. Also, small wooden fish decoys were used to attract the fish. After the Civil War, the dam was determined to be illegal and was removed.

This began the “hunting era”. There were three large hunt clubs, the Upper Horicon Club (Blue-wing Club), the Paw Paw Club that liked to hunt divers, and the Diana Shooting Club. Some of Dick’s research was based on a membership list from that club.

Then an entrepreneur (Norris) purchased the marsh for $0.25 per acre and in 1910 decided to drain the marsh. Large ditches were dug by the railroads in exchange for acquiring some of the land. Several large fires occurred after the land was drained, and then it was plowed and planted with vegetable crops. In his dad’s papers, Dick found a booklet called “Onions for Independence”. This was used to encourage men to purchase land for raising onions. Dick reported that the land sold for $125 per acre after it was drained. Excellent crops were raised for several years, but then the marsh re-flooded after a fall with heavy rains and the farmers lost their investment.

After the flood, Curly Radke, who worked for John Deere, and the Isaac Walton League decided to save the marsh. A series of water control structures were placed. Dick’s dad became the rough fish manager and coordinated an extensive carp control program.

In the 1960s, Dick was able to interview Frank, a 98 year-old man who was a member of the original Diana shooting Club. He recalled that people used to hang lanterns on their blinds, so when hunters moved into the marsh before dawn, they could see when a blind was occupied. He also described the common practice of using live decoys. The hen mallard was put in front of the blind and the drake was kept inside. Their calling to each other attracted the wild ducks.

Dick noted that after 33 years of living and working on the marsh, his dad suddenly switched to golf and stopped duck hunting!

Horicon Marsh is now quite degraded. It is thick with cattails, the muskrats are gone, the carp are back and there are very few ducks. It still remains one of the largest nesting areas for red heads. There is a new comprehensive plan to improve the marsh.

Dick showed examples of the types of decoys used on Horicon during the “hunting era”. They were almost all made from cork. The most common ducks were mallards and black ducks.

Dick was also able to interview Roberta Ninedorf who grew up at the Blackhawk Club at the tip of Blackhawk Island on Lake Koshkonong. The club had a large lookout tower. Although legend says the tower was used to watch for the game warden, it was actually used to hang a lantern at night so people could find their way back to the club. The club was closed when the canvasback ducks were gone and the building burned to the ground in 1970. In the early 1920s, Stinker’s Bay was filled with weeds and there were many canvasback along with abundant large bass and bluegills.

One interesting note is that in the 1950s, there used to be an area in the center of Lake Koshkonong marked off by buoys as a resting area for ducks during their migration. Boats were excluded.