Wisconsin Mixed Bag: Man, 61, dies after falling through Pewaukee Lake ice – Outdoor News
Waukesha, Wis. — A 61-year-old man died the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 25, after falling through the ice on a UTV on Pewaukee Lake, according to the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department and Lake Country Fire and Rescue (LCFR).
LCFR officers said the man was in the water for at least 40 minutes from when they first received reports to when they began CPR. LCFR was dispatched to the lake just after 3 p.m. as bystanders tried to rescue the man. Responders learned shortly after that bystanders could no longer see the man under the water with the UTV. At that time, the Pewaukee Fire Department and Western Lakes Fire were called for additional dive rescue resources.
According to LCFR, responders arrived to the scene at 3:14 p.m. and confirmed that the man and his UTV could not be seen from the surface. Due to the depth of the water, swimmers were not able to find the man or UTV. Divers entered the water at 3:45 p.m. The man was found a few moments afterward and removed from the water. Responders then began CPR at 3:48 p.m.
The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department said the man was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.
The Pewaukee Fire Department, Hartland Fire Department, Merton Fire Department, City of Waukesha Fire Department, Western Lakes Fire Department, and Western Waukesha Dive Team all responded to the scene.
“You just have to know when (the ice) is risky,” said Brock Schueck, an ice fisherman who was also on Pewaukee Lake. “There are different guidelines on different DNR websites, or state websites, that tell you how thick the ice should be for certain weight loads.”
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Ashland Man, 20, Dies on Chequamegon Bay
Ashland, Wis. — Harlow Pruess, 20, of Ashland, was discovered deceased in open water on Chequamegon Bay the morning of Sunday, Jan. 19, after failing to join friends on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 18, for ice fishing plans the next morning.
Just before midnight on Jan. 18, the Ashland-Bayfield Communication Center received word about a 20-year-old male who was presumed missing. Officials said Pruess was supposed to meet up with the caller for ice fishing on the Chequamegon Bay Sunday morning, but failed to show up or pick up the phone. According to the caller, the last communication between the two was at 9:03 p.m. the night of Saturday, Jan. 18.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and Department of Natural Resources began a search along with Ashland authorities the morning of Sunday, Jan. 19. Around 10 a.m. that day Pruess was found dead in the open waters of Chequamegon Bay after a nine-hour search.
Vilas Co. Wolf Harassment of Pet Confirmed
Conover, Wis. — On Jan. 25, USDA-Wildlife Services verified that a wolf harassed a pet dog outside of a residence located in the town of Conover in northern Vilas County near Lower Buckatabon Lake and south of Hwy. K. The golden retriever was not injured.
The dog owner saw two animals running approximately 180 yards south of his house on a small lake adjacent to his yard. At first he thought they were deer, according to a Wildlife Services report filed on the incident. The man then realized his dog was chasing behind what appeared to be a wolf. He managed to call the dog back to the house. The wolf remained in the area.
The man took a picture of the animal and the USDA agent who responded to the site verified the photo as a wolf. Upon investigating the site, the agent found numerous wolf tracks in the snow, along with the dog tracks, according to the report. This incident has been confirmed as a wolf damage threat.
The dog owner was advised to be extra vigilant when letting the dog outside in the future.
UW-Stevens Point Speaker Series Blending Arts and Culture with Conservation
Stevens Point, Wis. — Discover the relationship between art and wetland habitats with the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife at UW-Stevens Point with “The Art of Waterbird and Wetland Management” speaker series of talks from seven land management and creative naturalist professionals.
The series will be run weekly on Thursday nights from 5-6 p.m. in Room 170 of the UW-Stevens Point Trainer Natural Resources Building, and via livestream on the College of Natural Resources YouTube channel. All seminars are free and open to the public. The series began Jan. 30 and continues Feb. 6 with “Bird Decoys from the View of a Biologist” by Chris Nicolai, waterfowl scientist, Delta Waterfowl. The series runs through March 13.
The series will focus on the federal duck stamp and state-level stamp art contests, with speakers addressing how funds raised from the sale of the stamps are used for conservation of waterbirds and their habitats. Participants will also learn the history and art of decoy carving and how decoys are used to advance scientific research and management objectives. Details and livestream links may be found at www.uwsp.edu/wcw.
Superior National Forest Offering Summer Intern Positions
Duluth, Minn. — The Superior National Forest will partner with The Student Conservation Association to offer a number of summer internships working in natural resources on the Superior National Forest this summer. The Student Conservation Association is the largest provider of hands-on environmental conservation programs for youth and adults.
Positions begin during the last half of May and run for 16 weeks. Visit SCA’s website for more information.
