January 6

• Late archery deer season closes.

January 19

• Winter crow season opens, through March 20.

January 31

• Squirrel season closes.*
• Raccoon season closes*
• Ruffed grouse seasons closes in zone A (northern zone).*

February 15

• Coyote trapping season closes.*
• Red and gray fox gun and trapping seasons close.*

February 9

• Lake Winnebago Sturgeon Spearing Season opens. Season runs for 16 days or until the harvest level is reached. Season hours are 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily. The season will close after one day if one of the harvest caps is reached. Sturgeon must be registered by 1:30 p.m. the day they are harvested. There are separate, annual spearing seasons for Lake Winnebago and for the system's upriver lakes of Butte des Mort, Winneconne and Poygan. Previously the Upriver Season occurred only once every five years but was open to anyone who wanted to participate in it and bought a license. Spearers who wanted to participate in the Upriver Lakes season had to submit an application by Aug. 1, 2007. Licenses for the upcoming season must have been purchased by Oct. 31 of the previous year.

February 20

• Ice fishing shelters must be removed from Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters.*

February 24

• Lake Winnebago system sturgeon spearing season closes unless season is closed earlier due to spearers reaching harvest caps.

February 28

• Cottontail rabbit season closes in northern and southern zones.*
• Mink trapping season closes in the northern, central and southern zones.

March 1

• Early catch-and-release only trout season opens statewide, with exception of spring ponds and Great Lakes tributaries; barbless hooks required. Season runs to midnight April 29.
• Ice fishing shelters must be removed from Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters.*
• Lake trout season opens on Lake Michigan, Green Bay & Lake Michigan tributaries through Oct. 31.*

March 2

• The fishing season for all game species closes on inland waters that do not remain open all year. Check the current fishing regulations for waters that remain open to fishing.
• The game fish season closes on tributary streams and ditches of Green Bay and the Fox River up to the first dam or lake (except yellow perch is open until March 15). There is an exception to this closure for portions of 9 major Green Bay Tributaries. Check the current fishing regulations for waters that remain open to fishing.

March 5

• Ice fishing shelters must be removed from inland waters south of Highway 64.*

March 10

• 2008-2009 hunting and fishing licenses go on sale.

March 15

• Ice fishing shelters must be removed from Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, inland lakes north of Highway 64, and Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters.*
• Yellow perch season closes on Green Bay and its tributary streams and the Fox River from the mouth up to the De Pere Dam.*
• Beaver trapping season closes in the Mississippi River zone.

March 20

• Winter crow season closes.*

March 28

• Remaining permits not issued through the spring turkey permit drawing will be available for sale beginning at 10 a.m. on a first-come, first served basis through license sales outlets, and DNR service centers. In addition, licenses can be purchased on line through the DNR Web site or by phone at 1-877-945-4236.beginning at noon. A complete list of units with the number of permits is available on the turkey hunting page of the DNR Web site.

March 29

• correction Trout season opens on designated sections of some Lake Superior tributaries. See the current Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations and Guide for more information.

March 31

• Hunting, fishing, sports, and conservation patron licenses expire.*
• Otter trapping season closes in central and southern zone.

April 12 –13

• Youth turkey hunt.

April 14

• Spring Fish and Wildlife Rules Hearings and Conservation Congress county meetings held in every county beginning at 7 p.m.

April 15 - July 31

• It is illegal to allow dogs to run on DNR lands and Federal Waterfowl Production Areas lands during this time unless the dog is on a leash no longer than 8 feet. Doe not apply to class 1 field trial grounds or DNR lands open to dog training.*

April 16 – 20

• Spring turkey hunting period A

April 23 – 27

• Spring turkey hunting period B

April 27

• Early catch-and-release only trout season closes at midnight. Season is artificial bait, barbless-hook only.

April 30

• The yellow perch season closes on Lake Michigan and tributaries. The season reopens June 16.*
• Otter trapping season closes in the North zone.*

April 30 – May 4

• Spring turkey hunting period C

May 3

• General inland waters game fish opener (trout, walleye, northern pike, bass in the southern zone). Check current Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations pamphlet for exceptions regarding specific game species and waters.
• Catch and release only bass season opens through June 14 in the northern zone.
• Muskellunge season in waters south of State Highway 10 opens.
• Frog season opens. Runs through Dec. 31

May 7 - 11

• Spring turkey hunting period D.

May 14 - 18

• Spring turkey hunting period E.

May 20

• Yellow perch season opens on Green Bay, the Fox River and other Green Bay tributaries through March 15 with a bag limit of 15. Yellow perch season on Lake Michigan opens June 16.*
• Set or bank pole and setlines can be used on specified waters in the Wolf and Fox river basins through Sept. 30. Check the current Setline, Set or Bank Pole Regulations for open waters.

May 21 - 25

• Spring turkey hunting period F.

May 24

• Muskellunge season opens north of State Highway 10.

June 7 – 8

• Free Fishing Weekend. No license or stamps required to fish inland waters or outlying Wisconsin waters of the Great Lakes and Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. All bag and size limits and other regulations apply.

June 8

• State Parks Open House Day -- free admission to all state parks, forests and trails.

June 16

• Yellow perch season opens on Lake Michigan with a bag limit of five (5).* (Note: the 2008009 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations lists an incorrect date of June 21 for this season. The season opens June 16.)

June 21

• Northern zone bass season goes from catch-and-release to daily bag limits. Check current regulations for bag and size limits.