Tell A Warden

A driveway reflector taped to a tree? You never know what you might find while hiking at Devil’s Lake State Park. This taped reflector was placed not more than 5 feet off of the Johnson Moraine Trail near County Road DL. What does it mean? Our Facebook crew had lots of good guesses!

Well, last year about this time we found very similar setups in the same location. Wide yellow tape, orange spray paint, and pumpkins were set up in various locations along this same trail. Hikers that I’ve spoken with will often just take this stuff down when they see it, but I’d suggest leaving it be, marking the location with GPS or What 3 Words, and letting a warden know about it. You can call or text 1-800-TIP-WDNR (1-800-847-9367) or confidentially submit a report online here. Sometimes there may be a perfectly valid reason for markers or tape. (Usually, though, researchers and DNR folks label their stuff.)

Our wardens can’t be everywhere, so park users can really help. Especially this time of year. If you see something weird, let ’em know.

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.