Wildlife Is Part of the Devil’s Lake Experience

What a great time to see waterfowl on the water at Devil’s Lake State Park! Just yesterday we watch trumpeter swans, loons, grebes, and golden eyes going about their day upon the lake. A turkey vulture soared overhead while her uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters battled with gulls for a dead fish that someone left on the shore. What an awesome, relaxing show!

Here’s my thought for the day. How important is wildlife to Devil’s Lake State Park? How important are the park’s animals to the overall health, beauty, and enjoyment of the park?  Should we care if migrating waterfowl are chased away by early spring events?  Do we care if beavers are eradicated and wetlands within the park turn into seas of invasive grass?  What’s it worth to see a healthy deer along the trail on your morning run or hear coyote singing on your evening bike ride through Steinke Basin?

Thing is, Devil’s Lake State Park has no plan when it comes to wildlife in the park. The old, but applicable Master Plan (Section 2.C) states that since wildlife production and harvest are not objectives, “The park will not be managed to maximize wildlife habitat or wildlife populations.” The best that wildlife get in the plan is that any consideration wildlife will receive at the park is as an “added benefit rather than an objective.” This is why there is now a boat landing in what was the healthiest waterfowl area and beavers are no longer maintaining the parks once healthy wetlands. This is pretty surprising considering that Devil’s Lake and the Baraboo Hills offer your best chance to ever get close to a Great Blue Heron rookery, see a Peregrine falcon flying overhead or rarely catch a glimpse of a black bear or even a wolf right here in southern Wisconsin! Thing is, under the current management plan, wildlife receives no consideration. No quarter. Is this OK with you?

Now here’s what’s interesting to me. A quick search of outdoor recreation numbers will show that wildlife watching is often bringing in as much cash as hunting and fishing in any popular outdoor area. In fact, wildlife watching dollars are surpassing hunting all over the country.** Let’s be clear, this is not a hunting vs wildlife watching argument. We’re simply saying that to ignore wildlife watching as a revenue generator is foolish. And right now, a lack of any solid wildlife management plan at Devil’s Lake State Park is well.., lacking in wisdom.

** Is Wildlife Watching The New Hunting?

Derrick Mayoleth

For nearly 2 decades the Skillet Creek blog has focused on 3 main goals; To inspire you to visit and explore the Devil’s Lake region, to help you get the most your visit by sharing tips, events, and other helpful information. Lastly to advocate for our environment & wildlife and talk about how we can keep our natural areas amazing now and into the future! That last goal can sometimes cause controversy, but it’s the only way we can accomplish the first two. – Derrick Mayoleth, Owner.