Hello Clam Lake!
Happy Mother’s Day to all those Moms out there! Mother Nature seems to be trying to bring us some flowers for Mother’s Day. A few hardy trailing arbutus may be poking through to remind us of what is to come. I know the loons are back. I heard mine yodeling a lament as he tried to find a spot that was ice free to land. My swans looked on, having already claimed a section of open water as theirs. (As of this going to press, things are looking much more ice free. The ducks are quacking in delight!)
MEETING REMIDER: The Clam Lake Community Club will be holding their monthly meeting on Thursday, May 12th beginning at 5:00 pm. After the short meeting there will be a Pot Luck followed by some Clam Lake style Bingo led by Master Bingo Caller Ace Griffaw. It remains to be seen whom will be crowned Bingo Champ for the month of May.
WEST FORK WATERWAY ASSOCIATION (WFWA) MEETING: On Saturday, May 21st the WFWA will hold their Board of Directors meeting at the Clam Lake Community Club. The meeting will begin at 9:00 am. The public are encouraged to attend. The WFWA was formed in order to preserve and protect the historic West Fork Waterway for recreation and public enjoyment of its scenic beauty today and in the future. The WFWA assists the Town of Gordon to maintain the Dam and the waterway. To learn more and how you can help you may go to https://clamlakewi.com/wfwa/.
SAVE THE DATE – 27TH ANNUAL CLEANSWEEPS COLLECTION PROGRAM: This year’s Cleansweeps in Ashland County will be held Wednesday, June 22nd at the Northwood Technical College in the south parking lot at 2100 Beaser Ave from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Toxic and hazardous products and items will be accepted from households, farms, governmental entities and small businesses in Ashland County and neighboring northern Wisconsin counties. Also accepted are controlled medications and prescriptions and over the counter medications. We’ll trade you “Drugs for Free Donuts” if you bring in your unwanted medications. Last year, 11,000 pounds of toxic materials was brought to the Ashland site, safely keeping them out of local waterways and landfills.
CORRECTION AND REMINDER – ELF CALF SEARCH: The call has been put out for volunteers to participate in this year’s Elk Calf Search. The search will take place from May 21st thru June 22nd. After a hiatus of a few years the DNR Elk team will once again be going out to search for new born elk calves to collar and monitor. This is being done to get new data on calf survival rates to compare with data compiled by former elk biologist Laine Stowell. WARNING: This activity can be rigorous depending on the location of the elk so, if thinking of volunteering, take this into account. As in years past the volunteers will meet in Clam Lake before heading out although searching will include the entire Clam Lake range. If interested or want more information please contact Sarah Looman at sarah.looman@wisconsin.gov or 715-634-7464. (Side note: I, inadvertently put in the wrong number for Sarah in last week’s news. Please note the correction.)
SPEAKING OF: Upon returning home the other day I had a chance to speak with some of our transplanted Kentucky elk that happened to be browsing on my forest road. This was the first time I had had a chance to speak with them directly in close proximity. With their stylish collars and ear tags they are a breed apart. Being from the South, they were very polite with an “excuse us, ma’am” approach to getting off the road allowing me to move forward. Although acclimated to the north, after a year in residence, they have obviously not lost their Southern charm. (As a side note – They did come down to the house the next day to do a bit of a “meet and greet”. Always fun!)
And, finally! Good luck to all those anglers out there as they head out onto the lakes ( hopefully, maybe? Most likely!) for the fishing opener.
Until next week…..
Pictured is a newborn elk calf being collared by the DNR and how they appear hidden in the woods. (Collaring photo taken by the DNR, newborn in the grasses credited to Chris Frasch.)
