Wisconsin’s 2026 youth turkey hunt was April 11-12.
At first light, 9-year-old Saige Osmunson was in the blind with her dad, Mike Osmunson, serving as her mentor. They hunted in the Mishicot area, where Mike’s calling quickly drew the attention of nearby toms.
Gobbling picked up, and several hens moved in. A large tom followed.
Saige used a single-shot Stevens .410 turkey gun. When the tom stepped into range, she took careful aim and fired.
It was her first turkey, and it was a big one. On the official scale, it weighed 30.4 pounds.
The bird had an 11-3/8-inch beard and 1-3/8-inch spurs. Saige may hunt a long time before she tops it.
Hunter safety courses in Manitowoc County: Dates, cost and registration
Maribel Sportsmen’s Club still has openings in its second hunter safety course.
Classes are Thursdays, April 23 and 30, from 6-9 p.m. The course wraps up with a field day Saturday, May 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost is $10 per person. It’s open to youth and adults.
The club’s bowhunter safety course runs May 5, 12 and 14, from 6-9 p.m.
Pre-registration is required. Call me, Bob Schuh, at 920-682-3106.
Youth trap shooting at Reedsville Sportsman Club: Spring schedule
Reedsville Sportsman Club will run its youth trap program Tuesdays, April 21 and 28, and May 5 and 12.
The program is open to students in grades 6-12 from local communities.
For more information, call Gerald Fischer at 920-901-3907.
Trapper education course and rendezvous set at Reedsville Sportsman Club
Trapper Dan Cichantek will lead a trapper education course that culminates with the Trappers’ Rendezvous at Reedsville Sportsman Club.
The course runs 6-9 p.m. May 1, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. May 2, and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. May 3.
Cost is $20 and the course is open to all ages.
Pre-registration is required. Call Cichantek at 920-901-9449. Online registration will not be accepted.
Wisconsin fishing opener 2026: New rules, license info and season dates
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that the 2026-27 general inland fishing season opens statewide Saturday, May 2.
Several new regulations and season structures are now in effect, and anglers are encouraged to review the rules before hitting the water.
With more than 15,000 inland lakes, 42,000 miles of perennial streams and rivers, 1,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and 260 miles of the Mississippi River, Wisconsin offers plenty of places to fish on opening weekend and all season.
All Wisconsin residents and nonresidents ages 16 and older must have a fishing license.
Annual resident licenses cost $20. A spousal license costs $31.
Licenses and stamps can be purchased online via Go Wild, at a registered sales location or at DNR Service Centers.
What’s new for 2026-27?
Several new regulations, season structures and bag limits take effect this season. Changes include the following:
Anglers can find a full list of 2026-27 fishing regulation changes, along with the full 2026-27 hook and line fishing regulations and trout fishing regulations on the DNR’s Fishing Regulations webpage.
Trap shooting in Manitowoc County: Winter trap open to the public
Manitowoc Rifle & Pistol Club holds winter trap at 1 p.m. every Sunday through April.
Trap shooting is open to the public, and membership is not required.
Cost is $6 per round for non-members; 12-gauge shotshells are available for purchase at the clubhouse.
The club is north of Two Rivers on Viceroy Road, between State 42 and County Road O.
That’s it for this week, so have fun in the great outdoors.
Outdoors columnist Bob Schuh’s “Scoping the Great Outdoors” column appears each Sunday in the Herald Times Reporter. Reach him at 920-682-3106 or bobschuh@lsol.net.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Wisconsin youth turkey hunt — 9-year-old tags 30.4-pound tom
Reporting by Bob Schuh, Special to Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
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