DCCL News
March 2025
2025 Annual Banquet Invite For YOU!
April 17, 2025
Seating is Limited
2025 DCCL Banquet online.pdf2025 March Member Meeting
- Guest Speaker -
Jacob Zeuske
Jacob Z has been an active member of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) for many years. He has been the training director for the Wisconsin River Chapter (WRC) going on 10 years now. He is also a NAVHDA judge for the past 5 years. There are over 95 chapters across the states as well as over 10,000 active members. Jacob will provide an overview of NAVHDA’s function/goals, opportunities offered and testing/evaluation of your hunting companion. “The North American Versitile Hunting Dog Association defines the versatile dog as one that is bred and trained to dependably hunt and point game, to retrieve on both land and water, and to track wounded game on both land and water. NAVHDA currently recognizes 31 breeds of versatile hunting dogs.” (from NAVHDA website). Hope to you on March 25th !
Fun at the February Member Meeting
Thank you, Lesa!
Thank you to our generous volunteers who supported the Fishing Expo!
Meet Your Newest Board Members
- Steve Spaeni and Brad Sterling-
Least Weasel
This little guy (picture below) was discovered in January behind the pheasant farm shed. A few of our DCCL members identified it as a Least Weasel, the smallest of the weasel family. This is not a welcome sight at the farm. This little guy can become a serial killer when presented with an abundance of young birds. They mainly feed on rodents, but when easily accessible young birds are available, they can’t restrain themselves. DCCL had an encounter with this weasel species maybe 10 years ago. It killed hundreds of pheasants, leaving its signature clue of heads gone (they like brains) and birds piled up (cached). Traps were set but were never successful. As a proactive step this year, one of our members has set up a few traps out at the farm to hopefully keep this wily weasel species at bay. There are also a few brush-piles out at the farm which make great “houses” for weasels. We plan on burning them this spring.
- Submitted by Chris W., Board Secretary
The Hands on Habitat
A work day is scheduled on Buena Vista Wildlife Area has been scheduled for Saturday, May 31. It will be a native flower seeding on DCCL land. We will be looking for volunteers to help.....more details to follow or email Secretary@DCCL.org if you are interested in helping.
February 2025
2025 Annual Meeting
Food
Friends
Fun
Expired Terms
Multiple board members had terms which expired. Thank you to Richard Brye, Monica Spaeni, Jerry Sands (stepped down), Jeff Bloomer, Greg Dahl and Tom Klingbiel for your insights, suggestions and support of DCCL.
Elected Members
Membership elected the following board members: Monica Spaeni, Tom Klingbiel, Steve Spaeni and Jeff Bloomer. The 1 year remaining from Jerry Sands position will be appointed by the president soon. Officers elected are Tim Heindl (President), Sharon Schwab (Vice-President), Jeff Bloomer (Treasurer) and Chris Worley (Secretary).
We had a great turnout for our annual DCCL membership meeting on January 28th! Thank you to all attendees. We kicked it off with an ample supply of pizzas. Tim Heindl, DCCL President welcomed everyone.
DCCL’s 2024 Accomplishments
An overview of included:
purchase and installation of an ADA outhouse at the farm,
annual picnic (gave away bluebird houses),
annual banquet (largest number of attendees),
guest speakers for membership meetings,
ongoing efforts to maintain/protect the Greater Prairie-chicken (GPC) in the Buena Vista Wildlife Area,
updates to the DCCL website,
raised 1000 pheasant chicks to adults, highway pickup,
two DCCL scholarships provided to UW Stevens Point conservation students,
provided blaze orange caps to students graduating hunter safety classes,
signed on to a State of WI Wake Boat legislation and Grassland Conservation Act policy proposal;
participated in the Fishing Expo and Open Season Sportsman Expo in the Dells; and
provided grants to mission aligned organizations:
Access Ability Wisconsin (AAW),
Outdoor Heritage Education Center for their Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo (MOHEE),
Prairie Enthusiasts, and
financial support to Wisconsin Wildlife Federation (WWF) to intervene the Vista Sands solar project from abutting directly to the Buena Vista Wildlife area to reduce the impact on the GPC.
These grant recipients provided brief overviews of their accomplishments utilizing DCCL grant money and then took questions from the DCCL membership.
FEBRUARY – FISHING EXPO
WI Fishing Expo - We have a lot of volunteer spots to fill. The Expo gives the DCCL a free booth for help to staff the event. We have been asked to provide two people for each hour the doors are open Friday February 21st through Sunday the 23rd. We also have the DCCL booth to staff. If you are available to help in any capacity please let me know.
Tom Klingbiel
575-0295
Tom.klingbiel@gmail.com
WI FISHING EXPO Hours
Friday Feb. 21 1:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday Feb. 22 9:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday Feb. 23 9:00am - 4:00pm
Guest Speaker: Lesa Kardash (see bio)
Topic: Management of 17,000 acres of grassland habitat on the Buena Vista and Paul J. Olson Wildlife Areas.
When: 7:00 PM, February 25, 2025
Where: Schwoegler Park Towne Lanes
444 Grand Canyon Dr, Madison, WI 53719
Hope to see you there!
My husband and four children live next to the Buena Vista grasslands and spend as much time as we can outdoors together. We enjoy camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, biking, gardening, and simply exploring the natural world as a family.
I am a native Wisconsinite and grew up near here - in Verona. I received my Bachelor and Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am an active member of The Wisconsin Chapter of The Wildlife Society. For the past 18 years, I have been a Wildlife Biologist in Portage and Wood Counties with the Wisconsin DNR. During that time, I have been responsible for implementing the wildlife management program in Portage and Wood Counties. A significant portion of my work involves the management of 17,000 acres of grassland habitat on the Buena Vista and Paul J. Olson Wildlife Areas. In 2022, I took on the role of Greater Prairie-chicken staff specialist.
March 25, 2025– Membership Meeting
Guest Speaker: Jacob Zeuske
Jacob has been an active member of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) for many years. He has been the training director for the Wisconsin River Chapter (WRC) going on 10 years now. He is also a NAVHDA judge for the past 5 years. There are over 95 chapters across the states as well as over 10,000 active members. Jacob will provide an overview of NAVHDA’s function/goals, opportunities offered and testing/evaluation of your hunting companion. “The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association defines the versatile dog as one that is bred and trained to dependably hunt and point game, to retrieve on both land and water, and to track wounded game on both land and water. NAVHDA currently recognizes 31 breeds of versatile hunting dogs.” (from NAVHDA website). Hope to you on March 25th !
'25 APRIL 17, 2025
DCCL BANQUET
DCCL BANQUET
The banquet invite will be going out probably sometime before the end of January and anyone interested in helping with the banquet can call Dwaine Rundle at 608-235-4576 to volunteer. The banquet will be held on April 17th at The Red Mouse in Pine Bluff. Volunteers can help with set only, banquet only or both. Mark your calendar so you are prepared for a fun night. More details of the banquet will be forthcoming.
January 2025
Membership - Renewal
Have you renewed your annual membership? You have some choices. We recommend renewing online and you have two choices on how to pay: 1) pay online or 2) send in a check. We encourage you to pay online. Click on the Annual Membership Form button below and follow the instructions.
Mark Your Calendar
The annual DCCL Meeting is January 28, 2025. Throw your name in the hat to join the DCCL board and if you have someone you think will be an active board member, ask them if you can throw their name in the hat.
Elections are that night with pizza, raffles, and a good time. Come on out! Get to know your fellow members and 2024 Board Members.
We want to hear from YOU!
If you would like to submit a story, conservation idea, or something related to DCCL's mission, please submit your story here -> "Submit Story"
Check out stories from members and updates from the community on our new Stories & More page.