Valley Sentinel - 10-17-2024 by Valley Sentinel

Spring Green, Wisconsin

Elections letters to the editor

Cooke, Van Orden vie for outsider status in 3rd Congressional District race

In the race for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, both Republican incumbent Rep. Derrick Van Orden and his Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke pulled up to campaign events last week in pickup trucks as they’ve each sought to claim status as true “political outsiders” who can bring a diﬀerent perspective to Washington D.C.

Van Orden, a former Navy SEAL, had never held an elected office before he ran for the seat and lost in 2020 to former Democratic Rep. Ron Kind, who had held the position for 26 years. After Kind retired in 2022, Van Orden ran again and won, defeatingstate Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska). Running for re-election for the first time, Van Orden tells voters he’s focused on making policies “where the rubber meets the road.”

Cooke, a nonproﬁt leader, business owner and waitress, points to her upbringing on an Eau Claire County dairy farm and has criticized both parties, depicting herself as a moderate in the purple district — which has been won twice by former President Donald Trump.

Both candidates say they represent the working class voters of western Wisconsin’s Driftless Region. Each has accused the other of being a political insider.

Van Orden and Republicans have highlighted Cooke’s previous work as a Democratic political fundraiser while Cooke, at an event last week, said that since being elected, Van Orden has “gone Washington.”

Since Van Orden won in 2022, Wisconsin Democrats have been haunted by the national party’s abandonment of Pfaﬀ’s campaign. Late in the cycle, the national party and its allied groups pulled spending in the district and moved it elsewhere. Van Orden won the race by 3.8 percentage points. This year, the outside money has continued to ﬂow towards Cooke’s campaign. House Majority PAC, the Democrats’ larg-

est outside funder of congressional campaigns, has more than $4 million in advertising reserved in the district while both candidates have individually raised more than $4 million, keeping Cooke’s campaign closer to her opponent’s in available cash

than Pfaﬀ had two years ago.

William Garcia, chair of the 3rd District and La Crosse County Democratic Parties says that national Democrats “learned their lesson” after Pfaﬀ’s loss.

“Look what you did, you took money out

of the 3rd and gave it to places that lost by more,” Garcia said, describing conversations he had with national Democrats after 2022.

Garcia says with Cooke on the ticket and the renewed national support, he’s conﬁdent in Cooke’s ability to return the seat to Democrats.

“We’re doing great,” he says. “Rebecca Cooke is good at connecting with people, talking with the press and engaging in the issues. We’re going to keep moving that needle.”

But with just a few weeks left in the campaign, election forecasters believe that needle still points toward Van Orden. Public polling on the race has been limited, but most have shown Van Orden with a lead. Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, designates the district as leaning Republican.

Throughout the campaign, Democrats have criticized Van Orden for contributing to Congress’ inability to pass an updated farm bill. Since taking oﬃce, Van Orden has celebrated his appointment to the House agriculture committee, but despite a farm bill passing out of the committee with his vote, it has not passed the full House.

The 3rd District is home to much of the state’s cranberry industry and a large number of dairy farms. The area, like other parts of Wisconsin and around the country, has seen a growth in the number of large factory farms. But factory farms haven’t become as dominant as in eastern Wisconsin, with some small and mid-size farms holding on.

“For this congressional district it’s the biggest disappointment,” Garcia says. “He made a big deal of being on the agriculture committee but one of the great failures of this Congress is the inability to pass a farm bill.”

Van Orden blames the Democratic controlled Senate for the impasse, saying the

continued on page 9

Chris Hardie: Fall lilac blooms

Community Calendar: Halloween events, Fall Art Tour & more

Photo by Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden tours Gilbertson’s Dairy in Dunn County.

Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner

Photo by Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner

Democratic candidate for the 3rd Congressional District Rebecca Cooke speaks after receiving the endorsement of National Security Leaders of America.

OPINION/EDITORIAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, Absentee ballots are out and voting is happening now. It’s time for study and questions. Let’s make sure we all have the facts for making this potentially life-changing decision. We can’t afford to postpone this effort until November. Every vote will count, especially in crucial Wisconsin, so nobody should wait for an “October surprise”, or some last-minute coin-flip. The time is now!

Everybody has their own info source but please make sure everybody hears about “Project 2025.” It’s so stunningly outlandish that when it ﬁrst leaked; many thought it was wacko conspiracy theory, but no, it’s an actual, all-inclusive, lurking plan, more

Dear Editor, Project 2025 has been mentioned numerous times in the media. I wonder how many people really know what is in it. I found numerous points that aﬀect us all, and feel we all should be aware of them as we go to vote. A few are:

• Eliminate no fault divorce

• Total ban on abortions, regardless of viability or health of the mother

• Ban all contraceptives

• Eliminate all climate protections (very timely to know about, right?)

• Eliminate social security for the elderly and disabled(remember Ho-

Dear Editor,

In denigrating others just to get a laugh, Trump imagines he is superior to all who disagree with him. Therefore, he blithely continues mudslinging anyone he considers a rival. Who but a fool would say, much less believe, that Kamala Harris is stupid? Her achievements far outweigh his. Most of what Trump has is due to wealth he inherited, much of which, in contrast to his assertions, he has frittered away, reducing what he started out with. Trump

Dear Editor,

My wife and I love the Wyoming Valley and Spring Green. We have been visiting there for the last 40 years. We have attended all APT performances for many years.

I have one suggestion for the village and that is that in the downtown area on all streets surrounding the Arcadia

than 900 pages long. It was sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, so-called conservatives, Koch funding, and corporate billionaires.

It lays out, in detail, their intentions if Trump wins, mentioning him about 300 times. Among hundreds of authors are 140 from his past administration, including 6 cabinet secretaries and his chief of staﬀ. When reporters started quoting the outrageous ideas, they noted page numbers for veriﬁcation. The project’s response was to quickly rename and rearrange it so they could yell “liar”, for citing the wrong page. That is the level of operation this is. Despite video of Trump lauding the writers, he claims to know nothing about it.

vde said old people shouldn’t vote, because they are going to die)

• Condemn single mothers while encouraging a “traditional family”

• Dismantle the FBI and Homeland Security

• Eliminating Head Start and school lunch programs

• Dismantle the FDA, EPA, NOAA, and more

• Force states to report miscarriages

• Targeting immigrant communities through mass deportations and r raids,

• Separating families, ending birth-

continues to criticize the economy under democratic rule, but with his ignoring warnings about Covid, he brought our economy to a standstill. He assumes those with less wealth are stupid, but wealth isn’t everything. Moral strength is much more valuable. Consider what the Haitians that he and Vance so cruelly and falsely accused in Ohio have gone through in their lives to get where they are. Imagine if your forebears had been enslaved like those of most black people now living in the

books intersection there should be trees planted to provide shade and interest to the surroundings. That would help keep the village streets from looking like Noon in the Movie "High Noon."

I realize that this would require the village to spend funds it does not have, but perhaps merchants could help fund the trees outside of their places of busi-

If true,a lack of awareness might be even more terrifying, frankly. Because this document is a total rewrite of every aspect of the constitution and how government currently works. Now, nobody claims there isn’t room for improvement, but changes aren’t supposed to be imposed by unelected corporate bosses.

They want to rewrite laws, defund services, and dismantle agencies, everywhere: Medicare, Vets Health Services, Environmental Protections, Social Security, SNAP, capital punishment, gender issues, abortions (and contraceptive availability!), weather alerts, school lunches, Medicaid, FBI, civil liberties, bank insurance - - you name it. They are serious.

right citizenship

• Cut Medicare and Medicaid

• Abolish the Dept of Education

• End the successful Housing First strategy, which could result in thousands of veterans losing housing and could imperil their ﬁnancial security.

These are just a few - JUST A FEWways Trump’s Project 2025 will change our democracy. This plan is eventually to privatize government..which will only beneﬁt the rich and powerful.

Our own Congressman, Derrick Van Orden, supports all Trump says and

Western Hemisphere. What kind of a start in life have their families had? To have survived, these people must have come from much superior stock than what rich, former slave-owning families are descended from. We should give the poor every advantage possible to allow them the education to develop skills that will beneﬁt mankind in the future, instead of cutting oﬀ their options for self-improvement. However, Trump and his Republican cronies have systematically chipped

ness. There might even be grants available for such a thing. While large pots on the sidewalk might work I think that taking every 5th parking place for inground trees would work better. The village seems to have a surplus of parking spots downtown so I don't think they will be missed. Perhaps a local resident can photoshop a picture

None of their changes would help us. Every single one purposely beneﬁts the top 1% wealth-holders.

Are you in the upper, upper income bracket? Are your friends and relatives? Do you own oil wells, yachts, multiple mansions, or even one simple jet? No. None of us do. So please make sure that everybody hears about Project 2025. Pick one government service you need and check out what they plan for it. You will freak out. Let the shock happen NOW, while we’re voting, not afterwards when it might be too late. And pass the word.

Peggy Peckham Arena, Wisconsin

does. DVO always says how he is for veterans, yet P2025 impacts veterans’ disability benefits, access to VA benefits, access to medical care….and I haven’t heard him say how he would fight for vets on any of these things. Therefore, it is so important that we save our democracy, save our freedoms, save our way of life, and vote for Democrats this election. Vote for Keyeski, vote for Cooke, vote for Henley, and most importantly, vote for Harris!!

Barbara Voyce Lone Rock, Wisconsin

away at Public Education, and used public money for private institutions, so that average citizens have even fewer options for education. Instead, this indicted and convicted phony wants to deliver us all into servitude under Putin, who without a doubt, is pulling the strings of what will become our permanent puppet regime under him, if we elect Trump on November 5th.

Kay Ziegahn Richland Center, Wisconsin

of the downtown with trees to sell the idea. Your Jeﬀerson Street park is full of nice trees providing shade and interest that attract crowds. Why not make the entire street like that? Just a thought.

Ellis P. Waller Madison, Wisconsin

“Photographing the Aurora” (2024) Photo, by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor

Shot at the Arena Boat Landing on the evening of Oct. 10, photographers and onlookers gathered as the Northern Lights again gave the Valley an amazing show.

OPINION/EDITORIAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

“The economy, stupid,” so said James Carville, a political strategist in the 1992 presidential election. It was true then and still is and now that the two presidential candidates have released the opening salvos of their economic policies it’s worth thinking about.

The economy is often presented as a complex and complicated issue, and in some respects it is, but from another perspective, it’s kind of simple. Seventy percent of the economy is you and me buying things. So, much of economic policy boils down to putting money into pockets. From a policy point of view, it becomes whose pocket you put it in and what they do with it.

Kamala Harris is talking about earned income credits (EIC), child tax credits (CTC) and $25,000 for ﬁrst time home buyers.

Earned income credits are essentially tax cuts designed for low- to middle-in-

Dear Editor,

Over the years I have asked Assemblyman Kurtz why convicted felons are allowed to be free when they haven’t completed their sentences. I have never

come working individuals. This money is going to have a very short pocket halflife, almost immediately it is going to be spent on groceries, gas and rent or mortgage. In 2021, 90% of economists agreed that expanding EIC was a good idea. The child tax credit is a tax beneﬁt granted to American taxpayers with children under the age of 17. The 2021 expansion of the CTC resulted in the lowest level of child poverty on record. It lifted 2.9 million children out of poverty because that money was spent on groceries, clothes, and school supplies.

$25,000 to ﬁrst time homeowners sounds crazy until you realize that it would result in those new homeowners buying furniture, housewares, and lawnmowers mostly from local businesses. Money in the pocket but immediately out again and into the local economy.

Donald Trump’s economic policy is about tariﬀs, tax cuts for the ultra-rich, and deportation of millions of immi-

received an answer. He doesn’t seem to care!

grants.

The non-partisan Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates that a typical middle-class household in the U.S. would face an estimated $1,700 a year in additional costs from the 10% tariff Trump is proposing. Other groups estimate it as much higher. The reason is that companies in the U.S. that import goods from abroad typically pass the cost of tariffs onto American consumers. At the same time, domestic manufacturers then often raise their own prices. The negative impact of higher import tariffs falls mostly on low- and middle income consumers because they spend a larger share of their income on goods and services than wealthier Americans.

Which brings us to tax cuts for the ultra-rich. The money they save from a tax cut is not going to go back into the economy like tax cuts for low- and middle-income consumers. Trickle down simply does not happen, most of their tax cut

Recently, the ACLU sent a Candidate Questionnaire to all Assembly candidates – six questions. Tony Kurtz failed to respond to any of the six questions. So, a couple of weeks ago I emailed the Kurtz campaign and asked why no responses. I haven’t received an answer. So much for transparency!

Capitol Report — Marklein: Local Partnerships Help State Parks Thrive

On Monday, September 23, 2024, I visited Governor Dodge State Park near Dodgeville to get an update on the park and see some of the recent upgrades and improvements. A special thanks to Governor Dodge State Park Superintendent Matt Seguin and Wisconsin State Parks Director Steve Schmelzer for hosting me and showing me around. Last year, more than 685,000 people visited Governor Dodge State Park. This makes it one of the most popular parks in Wisconsin! There are things to do year-round at Governor Dodge, making it a must-see in any season. Like many of Wisconsin’s state parks, Governor Dodge offers traditional outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, biking, and fishing. However, Governor Dodge is unique because it also hosts an equestrian campground and offers opportunities for horseback riding, rock climbing, cross country skiing, and more.

I have been a long-time supporter of our state parks and am proud that the 17th Senate District has the most state parks of any Senate district in the state. I am pleased that my work to implement a user-fee driven system has generated a large balance

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in the State Parks Account that we have reinvested to improve the parks! In the last budget alone, we invested more than $33 million to support our state parks and fund park improvements.

In addition to the State’s direct investments, I have been impressed with the work that local groups have done to support the park. During my visit, Matt talked about the great partnerships that Governor Dodge State

Graphic Design Julianna Williams

Democracy, Society & Edu. Columnist Beverly Pestel

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goes into investments not back into the economy, the rich just get richer at the expense of low- to middle-income consumers.

And that leaves deportation of millions of immigrants. Unemployment is currently at about 4.0% which is essentially full employment. So, who would ﬁll all those jobs immigrants currently hold? What would happen to the business sectors who depend on those workers? Closing down essential segments of the economy does not sound like an economy-building idea.

It seems a simple choice if we actually care about an economy that works for all of us. Do we employ policies that result in a return of investment into our communities or policies that reward the already rich and increase prices for all of us?

Beverly Pestel Rockbridge, Wisconsin

I will vote for Julia Hensley for Assembly in the November election.

Bill Cary Richland Center, Wisconsin

Park has with the local community and was very appreciative of the work they do to help make Governor Dodge thrive. Groups like the Friends of Governor Dodge and the Dodgeville Kiwanis Club, which operates the Cox Hollow Lake concession stand, are instrumental in preserving, maintaining, and improving the park. In addition, the park hosts events such as Boulder Bash!, an annual rock climbing competition, naturalist and astronomy programs, local musicians, and more! These local partnerships help make Governor Dodge what it is today.

Specifically, Matt spoke very highly of the work that the Friends of Governor Dodge and its Equestrian Committee did to make the new, 20-site equestrian campground a reality at Governor Dodge. Opened in 2022, the group helped raise much of the roughly $625,000 needed for this project and continues to provide financial support for its operation. When the campground first opened, I was honored to attend the grand opening and celebrate the success of this endeavor. It was great to see the campground in use during my visit!

During my time at Governor Dodge, we

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also visited a number of other recently completed projects such as the new open air picnic shelter at the equestrian campground, supported by the Friends of Governor Dodge, and the new ADAcompliant boat launch at Twin Valley Lake. Even in the short time it has been open, the new boat launch has increased kayak usage and eased boat congestion. Although progress has been made, there is still more to be done. Matt talked speciﬁcally about the infrastructure at the park campgrounds as many of the water lines and bathrooms are from the 1960’s. While these projects may not be as prominent as a new campground or boat launch, they are just as important in ensuring Governor Dodge is a great place to visit. To help these projects come to fruition, I will continue to advocate for additional state park funding in the State Senate.

I had a wonderful time at Governor Dodge State Park. I enjoyed learning more about the park, hearing about the local partnerships that help Governor Dodge thrive, and seeing the recent improvements ﬁrsthand. Thank you again to Matt and Steve for hosting me during my visit.

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Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green)

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Back Home

Spring blooms in October

As a longtime suffering and now recovering journalist, I’m a self-professed word nerd. Words are my friends and finding the right one gives me the same feeling as finding a winning lottery ticket. So it was like a triple word score in Scrabble when I discovered that our spring lilacs are remontant – they are flowering for a second time in one growing season.

We are not alone – I have seen plenty of other photos on social media from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa where folks are reporting the same thing. Lilac bloom time is one of my favorite parts of spring, so my senses were sent catawampus when I inhaled their fragrance last week. The nasal insuﬄation took me back to May when it

was October.

The reason, according to several plant experts, is environmental stress. While plants are apparently immune to nauseating political advertising, they do feel stress from heat and drought or severe defoliation.

Our lilacs and our crab apple trees dropped their leaves early, which could be the result of a fungus or blight. The blight mimics the stress of winter, so the ﬂower buds that are set in early summer for the following year are triggered to bloom when the cooler temperatures and shorter days of fall arrive.

The impact will be fewer blooms next spring after the real stress of winter is past.

Speaking of winter, I’ve been tracking the numerous woolly bear caterpillars on the farm to gauge how bad it will be.

Popular folklore says the amount of black on the woolly bear in autumn varies proportionately with the severity of the coming winter. The longer the black bands, the longer, colder, snowier and more severe winter. A wider middle brown band means a milder winter.

So far I’ve seen a lot of wider middle brown bands – which is good, but there are some dark bands on the heads and tails, which means the beginning or the end of the winter will be the worst.

But there’s always the variance of the Woolly Bear Oscillation, when the length

WHERE'S THE ARENA COVERAGE?

We were off for a month working on admin and a project to improve local, independent journalism and A LOT happened in Arena during that time — and we're still getting caught up in a way that endeavors to result in the best, unparralleled in-depth coverage we can offer the community, especially as the Village and the Town of Arena duke it out over their joint fire & EMS agreement.

For example, during the process of putting this edition together, the Village of Arena posted and convened a special closed session meeting

of the sections change based on which part of the caterpillar is moving at the time. So make sure your woolly bears are stretched out.

The community of Banner Elk, NC holds an annual Woolly Worm Festival with a caterpillar race and all sorts of fun events, but due to hurricane Helene, the 47th annual festival for this year has been canceled. We can hope that the community will have something more to celebrate in 2025.

Oﬃcially the National Weather Service says we are in a La Niña weather pattern, where the colder waters in the Paciﬁc push the polar jet stream northward, setting up the chances for a colder and a snowier-than-normal winter to the northern U.S. That would be a change

from the warm and mainly snowless winter we had last year.

I have analyzed all of the data and folklore and will go out on a limb to predict that we will have snow and cold temperatures this winter.

And I look forward to next spring when the woolly bears will crawl from their winter hiding spaces, spin cocoons and emerge as full-grown tiger moths.

Chris Hardie spent more than 30 years as a reporter, editor and publisher. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and won dozens of state and national journalism awards. He is a former president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. Contact him at chardie1963@gmail.com.

Oct. 16 that appears to have been held illegally as it didn't meet several respective standards of Wisconsin Open Meetings Law. In order to best report on that story, and get everyone caught up, it'll take time — and we'll endeavor to bring you those updates in our next edition.

In the meantime we're hoping to slowly become less spread so thin and able to cover each village in our area, at least in brief.

Thanks for your understanding and for bearing with us.

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608-643-2431

Dr. Abengozar performs a broad range of surgical procedures including colonoscopy, breast cancer surgery, hernia repair, colon and bowel surgery, as well as other surgeries to treat GERD, hemorrhoids, and biliary disease.

I’m excited to get to know my patients and to be part of the community. I believe Sauk Prairie Healthcare really cares about the patient experience and providing more personalized care closer to home.

Chris Hardie, Columnist

Chris Hardie

Photo contributed by Chris Hardie

An October lilac bloom. Spring lilacs are blooming this fall on the Hardie farm.

Photo contributed by Chris Hardie Folklore says you can predict the severity of the winter by measuring the amount of the color in the bands of the woolly caterpillar.

Thursday,October 17

COmmunitycalendar

The Community Calendar is curated and designed by Julianna Williams. Events are subject to change, always check ahead for up-to-date information on any events you are interested in.

Events for October 17 - October 31

Storytime 10:30 AM • Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com Join us every Thursday for storytime!

Tech Help 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Arena Village Hall, 345 West St, Arena • rvbroadband.org/techhelp • Come on in with any devices or technology you need help with! No appointment necessary.

Lone Rock Farmers Market 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM • WI-130, Lone Rock, WI • For more information look up Lone Rock Farmers Market on Facebook • Lone Rock Farmers Market. Opening Market! Located at the Center Park on Hwy 130, across from the Lone Rock Community Building. Food trucks welcome and home gardeners bring your overstock veggies! Vendor fee is $10. pre-registration not required.

WeCOPE: Connecting with our Positive Emotions 5:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com

WeCOPE is an evidence-based program that helps adults cope with life stress. WeCOPE has been shown to reduce stress and depression, increase positive aﬀect, and improve health behaviors. Managing life’s challenges in healthy ways allows participants to take better care of themselves and others. This 6-week program meets once a week for 1 hour. You will learn about and be encouraged to practice 11 diﬀerent skills such as mindfulness, positive reappraisal, gratitude, and goal setting, among others. Space in the class is limited. Register online to attend.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM • Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jeﬀerson St Spring Green • ninasdepartmentstore.com • FREE • Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

Fall Healing & Release Circle 6:00 PM • Amphitheater, Governor Dodge State Park, 4175 WI-23, Dodgeville • For more information, look up The driftless shaman on Facebook • Free (donations accepted) • This fall healing will take place under the Full Moon, which is a great time for releasing! Bring at least one thing you would like to Let Go of! There will be an altar present; although optional to you, it would be appreciated if you brought something that is meaningful to you to add to the group's unique energy for the altar. You can also bring an oﬀering for the land like a sprig of lavender. Also bring a towel/old blanket/maybe a small pillow for your comfort. Dress in layers! Open to All. See online for the full schedule of events. Note: Handicap parking available and this area is handicap accessible.

Evenings Aﬁeld: Preserving and Enjoying Dark Skies 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM • Savanna Institute South Farm, 6172 Co Rd Z, Spring Green • driftlessconservancy.org • Experience dark, starry skies and discover simple steps we can all take to conserve them for future generations, like installing smart downward facing lighting. We will see a full Hunter’s Moon, Saturn, and many constellations. An alternative date will be set in case of clouds.

Friday, October 18

Pies, Pages & Puzzles 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM • Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain • kraemerlibrary.org • Join the Friends of the Kraemer Library for their annul Pies, Pages, & Puzzle sale. Donations are greatly appreciated. If you have books or puzzles to donate, please drop them oﬀ at the library. Please note: almanacs, encyclopedia or items published before 2000 will not be accepted. If you would like to donate a pie you can sign up online or stop in the library.

Highland Haunted Hayride: Haunting for a Cause 6:00 PM • Yager Farms, 5718 Hines Rd, Highland 608-929-7650 $5 per person • The Highland Haunted Hayride is a community event held annually to provide entertainment while raising funds to support local youth and groups. First wagons will leave at dark and everyone that is there by 10 will get on a wagon! This year, the Haunted Hayride will be October 18, 19 & 25, 26. Hope to see you there!

LIVE MUSIC: Dance Revolution with DJ Cody! 9:00 PM Keg & Kettle Bar, 104 S Oak St, Lone Rock For more information, look up Keg & Kettle on Facebook To all the party people, the amazing DJ Cody coming to you Live in Lone Rock, yet again, at the Keg & Kettle. It’s sure to be a phenomenal time with the Dance Revolution! Karaoke too! Let's pull out some hoodies and head on down for some fun and dancing! See you there! Be sure to come back Nov 2nd for the Halloween Bash!

Saturday, October 19

Heck’s Vendor/Flea Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM • Heck’s Farm Market, 7266 US Highway 14, Arena • For more information look up Heck’s Farm Market on Facebook • Various types of vendors to shop every Saturday and Sunday - weather permitting. Vendors must contact Heck’s Farm Market for free registration.

Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM • S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market oﬀering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning.

Mindfulness: Discussion and Practice 9:30 AM • Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org • Our meetings will include discussions and short mindfulness exercises/practices.

Scouting: Carnival Bash! 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM • 237 E Daley St, Spring Green • 608-778-4770 Justin.Sommerfeld@gmail.com • Come have fun with us, and learn what Scouting has to oﬀer! Contact Justin to learn more.

Saturday, October 19 cont.

Highland Haunted Hayride: Haunting for a Cause 6:00 PM Yager Farms, 5718 Hines Rd, Highland 608-929-7650 $5 per person • The Highland Haunted Hayride is a community event held annually to provide entertainment while raising funds to support local youth and groups. First wagons will leave at dark and everyone that is there by 10 will get on a wagon! This year, the Haunted Hayride will be October 18, 19 & 25, 26. Hope to see you there!

Come see the Dark Side of The House… 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM (last admittance is at 9) • The House on The Rock, 5754 State Road 23, Spring Green • thehouseontherock.com • Dark Side Only Rates: $19.95 Adults ages 18 and up • $11.95 Children ages 17 and below Combination Ticket Rates: $45.95 Adults ages 18 and up • $25.95 Children ages 17 and below • The Combination Ticket includes the Dark Side Experience and the Ultimate Experience Admission • If you have ever wondered if the dolls come alive at night or if you ﬁnd the displays troubling during the day, wait until you see them in the dark. Your nightmares will become real. You will stroll down the walkway of the macabre and see the carousel in a whole new light. You will travel through the Devil’s throat and wander through the mysterious maze before escaping to be greeted by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Visit is self-guided.

LIVE MUSIC: Adem Tesfaye 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green • slowpokelounge.com • $10 in advance/$15 at the door • Adem Tesfaye is a Madison, WI. native, emcee/songwriter, Hip-hop guitarist, a music producer whose music style has deep roots in Hip-Hop, funk, reggae, and blues. Adem draws his inspiration from artists like Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Tribe Called Quest, Gang Star, and the Roots. His craftsmanship of storytelling is unique and rhythmically hypnotic. Adem’s stature on stage and baritone voice ooze with sexy richness, heartfelt warmth, life wisdom, and command.

LIVE MUSIC: Dylan Harris at MH Friends 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM MH Friends, 234 S Oak St, Lone Rock For more information, look up Dylan Harris & Good Company or MH Friends on Facebook Music and good company over at MH Friends bar and grill in Lone Rock...country, rock, classics, originals, toetappers and tearjerkers...grab a drink, bring a friend, we're going to have a night to remember.

Sunday, October 20

Autumn Yoga & Wellness Retreat 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM • S7163 County Road G, Hillpoint, WI 53937 • 608-250-0966 • lark@radiantspiritretreat.com • wetravel.com/users/radiant-spirit-retreats • $175 • Join Lark Gibson of Radiant Spirit Retreats for her autumn Yoga and Wellness Retreat on 25 acres of gorgeous property located north of Spring Green. The Retreat will include: Aromatherapy Yoga, Breathwork, Meditation, a Soundbath with Avian Aura, Nature Walking, Essential Oil Emotional Rollerball Workshop, and a 3-course vegetarian Lunch.

Free Hayride & Meal at Rock O Rest Farm 2:45 PM • 6215 County Road HH, Barneveld • For more information, look up Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship on Facebook • Join in on a Fall Hayride at John and Jackie Gates’ Rock o’ Rest farm and enjoy the outdoors! View the beautiful fall colors on the rolling hillsides, enjoy seeing a working sheep farm, meet and fellowship with friends, family, and guests, and then enjoy an outdoor meal before the sunset! Please plan on being at the farm by 2:45 PM as the wagons plan to leave at 3 PM. Please RSVP so that they can plan accordingly.

Monthly Movie Night @ Slowpoke 7:00 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green • For more information, look up River Valley Film Club on Facebook • River Valley Film Club presents... a game-changing horror film that's perfect for Spooky Season. 25 years ago, this film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in a cloud of suspicions about its origins. Was it documentary? Fiction? A hoax? In those pre-internet days, those suspicions sustained for much of the year as it became a cultural phenomenon and a huge box office hit. Be bloody, bold, and resolute, and meet at Slowpoke on Sunday night for some scares. Bar opens at 5:30. Movie, trivia, shenanigans start at 7.

Monday, October 21

Build-a-Monster 3:00 PM • Spring Green Community Library, Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • Have your very own Frankenstein experience creating a unique felt monster. Scary or sweet - It's up to you! This event is for your younger little monsters - ages 2-8.

Arena Historians Meeting with Guest Speaker Kurt Sampson 6:30 PM • Grandma Mary's (Brisbane Hall), 175 US Hwy 14, Arena • This meeting will be held both in person and online. To ﬁnd the zoom link, look up Arena Historians on Facebook. If you have any questions regarding viewing the live stream, please contact Peggy Peterson at (608) 628-6629, or at pondex1@hotmail.com • Please join the Arena Historians in welcoming Kurt Sampson as the guest speaker. A man of many hats, Sampson is the curator and director of the Dodge County Historical Society, an archeologist who leads the Eﬃgy Mounds Initiative, and a published author, whose book (written with William Volkert), "Indian Mounds of the Horicon Marsh and Upper Rock River" is out now. If you are unable to attend in person, they will be live streaming the meeting via Zoom.

A Night of Words 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green • slowpokelounge.com • An open mic. Friends sharing words. Watch. Listen. Speak. Share. Maybe you have a favorite poem, or passage from a book you’d like to share. Or maybe you write your own and are ready to share it with the rest of us. Maybe you just want to tell a story. Or maybe you just want to listen. It’s all good. Let’s hang out and share words together. Poetry. Stories. Original work and old favorites. This and that. A Night of Words.

Events for October 17 - October 31

Tuesday, October 22

Intro to Zazen Meditation 8:00 AM Wyoming Valley School, 6306 State Road 23, Spring Green choseizen.org • wyomingvalleyschool.org Please join for an introductory meditation class at Wyoming Valley School. Zazen is a style of seated meditation that emphasizes breath, posture, and gravity. No prior meditation experience is necessary. Please arrive 5-15 minutes early. We recommend wearing loose-ﬁtting pants (eg, sweatpants). Meditation cushions and chairs will be provided.

Spooky Cookie Decorating 10:30 AM • Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • Turn cookies into little, delicious monsters this Halloween season. Decorations will be provided. Allergy friendly options available.

Movies, Munchies, and More: On the Rocks 1:00 PM • Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • Every Tuesday at 1pm, come to the Spring Green Community Library for a sweet treat and a movie. We are going to continue watching some movies that haven't quite made it to DVD yet. Movie Summary: Faced with sudden doubts about her marriage, a young New York mother (Rashida Jones) teams up with her larger-than-life playboy father (Bill Murray) to tail her husband. Directed by Soﬁa Coppola. (R, 1hr 36min, 2020)

SESSION FULL: Moving Senior Bodies 4:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Join Upland Hills Health professionals for weekly classes focusing on balance and strength training to promote healthy aging.This session is full.

Afternoon Fall Family Storytime 4:30 PM • Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain • kraemerlibrary.org • Join us for Themed Stories, Songs & Crafts ! Running from September 17- December 17 at 4:30PM. All are Welcome. Aimed at ages 0-5.

An Evening of Poetry by Wendell Berry 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Elderﬂower Retreat at Hillside Pastures, 6511 Hillside School Rd, Spring Green • springgreenlitfest.org Free, but registration is required • The poetry of Wendell Berry, acclaimed novelist, poet, environmentalist and farmer, will be read by Tracy Michelle Arnold and David Daniel of American Players Theatre. Berry's message is "humans must learn to live in harmony with the natural rhythms of the earth or perish". Beverages and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Wednesday, October 23

Wednesday Morning Art Class: Spooky Tree Paint Along 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM E2516 Brace Road, Lone Rock For more information look up Angel Dreams Studios on Facebook For questions, please feel free to text or call @ 608-350-9989 • $20/student/class • Please RSVP online Welcome to Art Class at Angel Dreams Studios! Join at Angel Dreams Studios for a spooky tree paint-along Halloween party! Unleash your creativity as we paint eerie trees and enjoy some festive fun—costumes encouraged! Feel free to bring a treat to share. Each 2 hour class will consist of a brief art history lesson, a presentation of technique, followed by a project inspired by the lesson. All supplies will be included, unless otherwise discussed in advance. Children under the age of 5 are asked to have a parent stay to help them. The projects can be adjusted to accommodate all ages. Please bring a snack and a water bottle.

All Ages Storytime 10:30 AM • Spring Green Community Library, Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • Share stories, songs and crafts with library friends. Our theme for October is "Spooky," but very mildly. Halloween stories will be more sweet than scary. Is your little one ﬁdgety or noisy? No worries! We have quiet toys so busy bodies can listen to stories and wiggle at the same time!

Book Discussion 2:00 PM • Spring Green Community Library, Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • springgreenlitfest.org • Every Fourth Wednesday at 2, join us for a cup of coﬀee, snack, and a chat about this month's selection. The book is available at the Library a month before the discussion. This discussion will focus on "Pastoral Song", written by British author James Rebanks, and the selected book for the 2024 Community Read. Published in 2020, the Times of London named it the nature book of the year. It is a story of farming life over generations, revealing the transformation of agriculture and the farmer's relationship to the land. All are welcome to join the discussion.

Annual Chicken Supper at the Lone Rock Congregational Church 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM • Lone Rock Congregational Church, 202 Chestnut St, Lone Rock • lonerockcongchurch.org• Tickets must be purchased ahead of time and are $15.00 each. Tickets are available at many Lone Rock merchants and from many members of the congregation. Meal is drive-up, carryout only.

Thursday, October 24

Storytime 10:30 AM • Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com • Join us every Thursday for storytime!

Tech Help 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM • Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain • kraemerlibrary.org • rvbroadband.org/techhelp • Come on in with any devices or technology you need help with! No appointment necessary.

Sauk County Pasture Walks— With Roger Bindl 5:00 PM 510620 Weidner Rd., Spring Green co.sauk.wi.us Learn how to use cover crops to extend your grazing season. Winter feeding is the #1 expense for raising livestock, reducing winter feeding days by using cover crops is a practical way of lowering this expense.

WeCOPE: Connecting with our Positive Emotions 5:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com WeCOPE is an evidence-based program that helps adults cope with life stress. WeCOPE has been shown to reduce stress and depression, increase positive aﬀect, and improve health behaviors. Managing life’s challenges in healthy ways allows participants to take better care of themselves and others. This 6-week program meets once a week for 1 hour. You will learn about and be encouraged to practice 11 diﬀerent skills such as mindfulness, positive reappraisal, gratitude, and goal setting, among others. Space in the class is limited. Register online to attend.

Spooktacular Family Movie Night 5:00 PM • Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain • kraemerlibrary.org • Join us for a Spook-tacular Family Movie Night at the library! Come enjoy the Halloween classic, Casper, while creating your own spooky snacks and drinks during the show. While sign-up isn't mandatory, it is highly encouraged. Duration: 1 hour 60 minutes, rated PG.

Silent Book Club 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM • Convivio, 122 N Lexington St, Spring Green • readinutopia.com Bring your own book and settle in for a relaxed session of silent reading with other book lovers. We'll gather around 5:30, grab a drink from the bar, and share what everyone is reading for the first 30 minutes. Then enjoy 1 hour of silent reading together. And finally we'll finish up with some visiting (or more reading).

Thursday, October 24 cont.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM • Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jeﬀerson St Spring Green • ninasdepartmentstore.com FREE Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

LIVE MUSIC: Fran 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green • slowpokelounge.com • Tickets $10 in advance/$15 at the door • On their second album, Leaving, Fran ﬁnds us at a crossroads of loss and possibility, borne from the grief of isolation and the existential drama of a warming planet. In spite of this grief, songwriter Maria Jacobson took the solitude of the past few years to commit to seeing reality clearly.

Friday, October 25

Come see the Dark Side of The House… 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM (last admittance is at 9)

• The House on The Rock, 5754 State Road 23, Spring Green • thehouseontherock.com • Dark Side Only

Rates: $19.95 Adults ages 18 and up • $11.95 Children ages 17 and below Combination Ticket Rates: $45.95 Adults ages 18 and up • $25.95 Children ages 17 and below • The Combination Ticket includes the Dark Side Experience and the Ultimate Experience Admission • If you have ever wondered if the dolls come alive at night or if you ﬁnd the displays troubling during the day, wait until you see them in the dark. Your nightmares will become real. You will stroll down the walkway of the macabre and see the carousel in a whole new light. You will travel through the Devil’s throat and wander through the mysterious maze before escaping to be greeted by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Visit is self-guided.

Karaoke 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green • slowpokelounge.com • Join us the fourth Friday of every month for a night of Karaoke at Slowpoke. Janna Johnson hosts this night for the community to come together in song. Take a chance and come up on stage, or just cheer on your friends. We’ll get star ted around 8:00, and go until last call. That could be as early as 10:00 or as late as 2:00am. It all depends on you! No cover, but tips for our host are always welcome.

Vendor/Flea Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM • Heck’s Farm Market, 7266 US Highway 14, Arena • For more information look up Heck’s Farm Market on Facebook • Various types of vendors to shop every Saturday and Sunday - weather permitting. Vendors must contact Heck’s Farm Market for free registration.

Open Euchre 5:00 PM Arena VFW Hall 514 Willow Street, Arena For more info look up Arena VFW on Facebook $5 BBQ, Chips and Pork & Beans available for purchase. No partner needed.

Wild Hills Winery Halloween Party 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM • Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oak Ridge Dr., Muscoda • wildhillswinery.com • Spooky Sips & Thrilling Vibes at Wild Hills Winery! Join for a hauntingly good time at the Halloween Party! What to Expect: Seasonal Wine Tastings, Cozy bonﬁre, Woodﬁre pizzas, Music to keep the spirits high, Costume Contest (Best Dressed wins a special prize!), Spooky Decorations to set the perfect eerie mood! Whether you’re coming to sip, dance, or scare, they’ve got something for everyone! Don’t forget to dress up— can’t wait to see your creative costumes!

Come see the Dark Side of The House… 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM (last admittance is at 9)

• The House on The Rock, 5754 State Road 23, Spring Green • thehouseontherock.com • Dark Side Only

LIVE MUSIC: Halloween Party 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM • Arthur's Supper Club, E4885 Hwy 14 & 23, Spring Green • arthurssupperclub.com • Live Music - No Turn'in Back, dancing, and cocktails. Costume Contest at 10:30 p.m. with cash prizes.

saturday, october 26

7:30 PM - 10:00 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green (608) 520-3026 • dogforlifeinc@gmail.com • dogforlifeinc.com tortilleriazepeda.com • slowpokelounge.com

Adults only • $25

An evening of standup comedy, food from Tortilleria Zepeda, and prizes to support a Mexican dog rescue. Dog For Life is a non-proﬁt operated by Julian Zepeda's parents who rehabilitate, rescue and providing medical care, food and homes for vulnerable dogs living in the streets of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. After the comedy show, there will be food for purchase, a silent auction and raﬄe.

Sunday, October 27

EMF Tapping with Leah Griffiths Boyce 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM • North Earth Crystals & Gifts, 124 W. Jefferson St, Spring Green • northearth.com • $55 for the two hour class • Trust the Unfolding practitioner, Leah Griffith Boyce, is excited to share EFT Tapping with you in a beginners workshop. Come and learn and practice the basic techniques to start living a life where eliminating stress and experiencing emotional freedom is just a tap away!

Heck’s

Saturday, October 26

Events for October 17 - October 31

Sunday, October 27 cont.

Extra! Extra! Eat All About It! with Randi Ramsden and Jane Conway 2:00 PM3:00 PM • Arcadia Books, 102 East Jefferson St., Spring Green • readinutopia.com • A blend of cookbook and bite-size history, Extra! Extra! Eat All About It! offers a unique glimpse into the Midwestern culinary landscape between 1870 and 1930. Fifty recipes selected from Wisconsin newspapers are served alongside brief essays that dig into the history behind the food trends of the time. In lively prose, historians Jane Conway and Randi Julia Ramsden reveal how coconuts and oysters made their way to 1800s Wisconsin, how the state came to lead the nation in commercial pea canning, how bakers gauged the temperatures of their wood-burning stoves, and how our predecessors really did slip on banana peels, among other flavorful facts.

Monday, October 28

Mini Golf at the Library 3:00 PM • Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • Join for an indoor 9-hole putting challenge! All ages are welcome to try their mini-golﬁng skills. Prizes for hole-in-one pros!

Lego Builders 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM • Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain kraemerlibrary.org • Join us for Lego Builders Club each month for a fun challenge or to free build your own masterpiece! Open to all ages. Children under 6 must have adult at program. We will be meeting in the library's community room.

Open Mic 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green • slowpokelounge.com • No cover, but tips for our host are always welcome! • Join us the fourth Monday of every month for an Open Mic, hosted by Dylan Harris. We’ve got the mics, the plug-ins, the piano - you bring the music! Whether you want to play solo, sing to a back up, or get the band together, this is the place. So come on out and show your stuﬀ, or just support the folks on stage. Either way, we’re making music together!

Tuesday, October 29

Movies, Munchies, and More: Sharper 1:00 PM • Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • Every Tuesday at 1pm, come to the Spring Green Community Library for a sweet treat and a movie. We are going to continue watching some movies that haven't quite made it to DVD yet. Movie Summary: Motivations are suspect, and expectations are turned upside down, as a con artist takes on Manhattan billionaires (R, 1hr 56min, 2023).

Scouting: Campﬁre Songs & Smores 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM • Porter Rd., Spring Green • 608-778-4770 Justin.Sommerfeld@gmail.com • Enjoy some tasty campﬁre treats with us! Please contact Justin for directions, or to learn more.

LitFest Book Discussion: Pastoral Song- 6:30 PM Spring Green Community Library, Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green • springgreenlibrary.org • springgreenlitfest.org • Join for a conversation about the LitFest Pick, "Pastoral Song." There will be some small snacks and a hot beverage provided.

TUESday october 29

featured event: Closure: The Dismantling of Wisconsin's Colleges — Documentary Screening

7:00 PM • Gard Theater,111 E Jefferson St, Spring Green • For more information look up Economic Equity Now on Facebook • More info at: economicequitynow@gmail.com • Doors open at 6:30 A documentary by Ken Brosky on the fate and future of the “Wisconsin Idea” and the 2-year UW System campuses. Discussion and Q&A with the filmmaker Ken Brosky to follow the screening. Massive budget cuts, mergers, political attacks, and declining enrollments have devastated Wisconsin’s University System. At the center of the crisis are the two-year community colleges that serve the Wisconsin Idea by providing higher education access everywhere in the state. Under tremendous stress, these campuses are being shut down at a time when rural communities need them most. Join director Ken Brosky as he investigates the impact of these campus closures and tries to find a way to stop the closures before it’s too late.

Runtime: 87 minutes

Wednesday, October 30

Bonnie Jo Campbell in conversation with Christi Clancy: The Waters 6:00 PM7:30 PM • Arcadia Books, 102 East Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green readinutopia.com

Three generations of Zook women live on an island in the Great Massasauga Swamp in MI. The matriarch Hermione is an herbalist, a healer, and feared by most of the town even though they rely greatly upon her remedies. The middle generation has turned it's back on Hermione's ways and have left behind not just the island but also tween-aged Dorothy, known as "Donkey". Hermione and Donkey love the island and the magic and mystery of all of its inhabitants and plants. When the outside world presses in, their way of life, and their actual lives, are put in danger. Feminist and fearless, The Waters is a love letter to the natural world, family, and raw beauty of the rurals of the Midwest.

Thursday, October 31

Storytime 10:30 AM • Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com Join us every Thursday for storytime!

Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM • Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green • springgreengeneralstore.com • FREE • The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome. Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM • Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jeﬀerson St Spring Green • ninasdepartmentstore.com • FREE • Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

Thursday, October 31 cont.

Trick or Treat at Meadows in Spring Green 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM • Meadows, Assissted Living, 477 Rainbow Road, Spring Green • For more information, look up Meadows Assisted Living and Memory Care on Facebook • Bring your kiddos to trick or treat and visit with staﬀ and residents!

Village of Spring Green: Halloween Trick or Treating Hours 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM • springgreen.com • Trick or Treat!

Village of Arena: Halloween Trick or Treating Hours 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM • villageofarena.net • Trick or Treat!

Village of Plain: Halloween Trick or Treating Hours 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM • villageofplain.com • Halloween at the Fire Station during Trick-or-Treating hours. Village of Plain: Halloween at the Fire Station 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM • Plain Fire Station, 1045 Cedar Street, Plain • villageofplain.com • Halloween at the Fire Station! Free hot dogs, treats, and air brushed tattoos!

Village of Lone Rock: Halloween Trick or Treating Hours 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM • villageoﬂonerock-wi.gov •

LIVE MUSIC: 2nd Best Costume Contest 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM • Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green • slowpokelounge.com Suggested $15 donation at the door • Live music from Sugar Mama & the Rent Check! Prizes from Reunion, Shitty Barn, Slowpoke, Steadfast Acres, Violet Palms, Wilson Creek Pottery & Wander Provisions. Costume Categories Include: Best Duo, Scariest, Funniest, Most Creative, Best Pop Culture Reference, and Crowd Favorite.

CIVICS

CIVICS & SERVICES

This calendar is a place listing (for free) the typical meeting dates for area governmental bodies, and Please email us with these meetings, or use the form on our Community Calendar page — let's build community together:

October 21:

Honey Creek ATV/UTV Club Meeting more information look up Honey Creek ATV/UTV Club on Facebook come early or stay after! This will be our last meeting until spring.

October 28: Plain Kraemer Library Board Meeting kraemerlibrary.org

October 30: Blood Drive 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM River Valley High School, 660 Varsity Blvd, Spring Green redcrossblood.org The RVHS Service Learning class is sponsoring a Blood Drive with the Red Cross. For an appointment call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter Sponsor Code: blackhawks

October 31:

Eye Screening for Homeschool Families 10:30 AM • Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock For more information, look up Ithaca Lions Club on Facebook• The Lone Rock Community Library will host the Ithaca Lions Club, who will provide eye screenings for our homeschool kids!

Continued on page 8

WHAT’S HANGINg ? ongoing art exhibitions

Driftless Prairie Visions Art Exhibit 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM • Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 State Highway 23, Spring Green • For more information look up Spring Green Literary Festival on Facebook • Open October 18-20.

“Driftless Prairie Visions,” a multimedia exhibit by the ﬁve-artist group Prairie Imaginarium, will be on view at the Wyoming Valley Cultural Arts Center. The multimedia exhibit “Driftless Prairie Visions” explores plant phenology (the timing of cyclical and seasonal biological events) at a reconstructed 10-acre prairie that grows on a bluﬀ in Sauk County, Wisconsin. The artists used data collected from the prairie to spark imagination, inspire artistic creations, and promote land stewardship.

Jill Metcoﬀ, Gigi La Budde, Karen Ellzey Wright, Peggy Timmerman, and Joni Graves analyzed and interpreted data including weekly bloom times, abundance, duration of plant species, and more. This information inspired each artist’s unique work focused on diﬀerent dimensions of time – years, seasons, months, and weeks. The winner of the River Valley School Fair art contest will also have their piece on display during this exhibition.

WHAT’S HANGINg ?

CONTINUED

Spring Green Community Library Art Exhibitions Spring Green Community Library, 230 E Monroe St, Spring Green Monday-Thursday: 10 AM - 7 PM • Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM • Saturday: 9 AM - 1 PM •

Ana Maria Vascan is the featured artist in the Community Room Gallery. Vascan grew up in Romania, northern Wisconsin, the U.P. of Michigan, and Milwaukee. her love of art moved with her; from childhood pursuit to school passion, eventually leading to classes at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design during high school. The works in this exhibit span the last 20 years - including a few survivors from school days. Some take themselves quite seriously, while others are whimsical and fun. Her love of vibrant colors is a through-line in her art, as is her interest in the human form, animals, and a touch of magical realism. Her preferred medium is acrylic, and she dabbles in gouache, watercolors and whatever else she can get her hands on. Ana's art is available for viewing during regular library hours when the Community Room is not in use. Please ask for the key at the circulation desk.

Kathy Warpinski is the featured October artist in the Glass Case Gallery in the Spring Green Library. Postcrossing is her focus. She tells about herself, “I am a

October 18

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM • Mineral Point, Spring Green/Dodgeville, Baraboo

Explore the studios of some of Wisconsin's best-known artisans as they open their doors for live demonstrations. Meet painters, sculptors, potters, weavers, jewelers, and more, while enjoying the scenic hills and autumn beauty of southern Wisconsin.

October 19

Take a scenic drive through southern Wisconsin and discover the vibrant art communities of Mineral Point, Spring Green, Dodgeville, and Baraboo. Visit the artists' studios, many of which are open only during this annual event.

October 20

On the ﬁnal day of the Fall Art Tour, don't miss your chance to see behind-the-scenes of how some of Wisconsin's ﬁnest artworks are created. Live demonstrations continue as you visit studios tucked away in Wisconsin’s picturesque countryside.

Lexington

Spring Branch Pottery Open Studio Oct 18 – Oct 20 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM • 504 W Leeson St, Spring Green • The studio is warm and cozy, and all her pottery will be on display. Located in the big green shed behind the house.

Participating in Postcrossing is a way for me to

River Valley Players announces cast for “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play”

Imagine it’s 1947 and the River Valley has its own radio theater company broadcasting from Spring Green.

Imagine yourself in the Gard Theater this coming December. You ﬁnd yourself

taken back magically to the 40s when families gathered around the radio and listened to their favorite stories.

Imagine that local talent from this company is preparing to tell you the classic story of George Bailey and Bedford

Falls.

In the world of radio, everything is possible. Just sit back and listen.

Massive budget cuts, mergers, political attacks, and declining enrollments have devastated Wisconsin’s University System. At the center of the crisis are the two-year community colleges that serve the Wisconsin Idea by providing higher education access everywhere in the state. Under tremendous stress, these campuses are being shut down at a time when rural communities need them most. Join director Ken Brosky as he investigates the impact of these campus closures and tries to find a way to stop the closures before it’s too late.

River Valley Players is excited to announce its cast for “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play.” George Bailey will be played by Ari Pollack, Mary Hatch by Hannah Anderson, Joseph by Amelia Royko Maurer, Clarence by Erin Milleville, Henry F. Potter by Al Ikeler, and the Announcer by Jay Rath. The supporting cast includes Norah Barsness, Kathryn C. Bencriscutto, Matthew Brockett, Mildred Eisenstadt, Salem Joseph, Jenafer LloydJones, Elijah Quigley, Lillian Quigley, Jackie Passant, Nate Royko Maurer, Duke Stroud, Hildy Van Hallgren, Sam Van Hallgren, and Grace Vosen.

The cast goes into rehearsal on Monday, October 7; and the production dates are Thursday, December 5, 7 p.m.;

continued from page 1

House is waiting on them to introduce their version of the bill.

Last Thursday, Van Orden and a small group of supporters toured the 550-cow Gilbertson’s Dairy Farm in Dunn County as he received the endorsement of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.

Saturday, December 7, 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 8, 1 and 6 p.m. “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play” will be brought to you as part of the Chamber’s A Country Christmas with sponsorship by Bob Glebs, a Grant from RV ARTS, and ad sponsorships by The Slowpoke Lounge and Cabaret, The Peoples Community Bank, Wander Provisions, Arcadia Bookstore, the Opel Man, Nina’s Department Store, and American Players Theatre.

We are currently looking for people interested in set construction, lighting, sound, and costumes. Please direct your questions to Patrick Hagen, the show’s director, at hagenp2@gmail.com.

If you’re interested in River Valley Players, check us out online at rivervalleyplayers.org. New members are welcome.

one. So the federal government needs to get out of the way of their private businesses, including the agricultural industry, and let them do their job.”

At the event, Van Orden said “I’m not gambling with your farm,” when discussing the importance of getting a farm bill passed. He talked about making sure the policies set at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are kept up to date with modern farming practices.

“Government has to operate at the speed of farming,” he said. “Farming should not be beholden to government policies that are decades behind.”

Throughout the race, he’s discussed goals to reduce government regulations on farms and let farmers do their work.

“We have to understand that farmers are shepherds of the land, they’re the greatest conservationists around,” he said. “Because if you destroy the land, you can’t farm and you’re out of business. So what I want to do is make sure that USDA is keeping up with what farmers need. We absolutely want to maintain this beautiful land, but when you have onerous amounts of regulations, the farmers can’t aﬀord to farm anymore, which means we can’t aﬀord to feed every-

CROSSWORD

At an event nearly 100 miles south in La Crosse, Cooke — speaking to a small group of supporters — mocked property Van Orden owns as a “hobby farm” and later told reporters that the version of the farm bill he voted for in committee “doesn’t support small and mid-sized farmers.”

During the campaign, Van Orden has focused heavily on immigration policy, complaining about unauthorized crossings of migrants at the country’s southern border and highlighting crimes committed by undocumented immigrants in the district. Democratic voters at the Cooke event worried about the eﬀect that Republican immigration proposals, saying Trump’s plan to deport millions of immigrants could devastate a number of local industries, including agriculture.

On the road between the two events, the city of Arcadia is home to Ashley Furniture, the largest furniture manufacturer in the world, which is heavily dependent on Hispanic immigrant workers. More than 63% of the city’s population is Hispanic, according to census data, and 44% of the community speaks Spanish. In western Wisconsin,

continued on page 10

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Give us feedback at editor@valleysentinelnews.com, as we've never made a crossword before, much less a respectable one, and it's surprisingly diﬃcult. Especially (maybe) with the goal of only including words or themes from the previous edition.

We're hoping to tighten up the grid over time and shift from an "indie" style to a respectable New York Times style with rotational symmetry. Which is why we've expanded our word pool and enlisted the help of passionate community members, who have created this crossword. This puzzle and section will absolutely change. Especially if you can help. We appreciate all the feedback and suggestions so far.

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Solution

Patrick Hagen, River Valley Players

Cooke, Van Orden vie for outsider status in 3rd CD

Reﬂections from Lost Horizon Farm — Wildlife on the Farm (Part 5)

Each edition, retired dairy farmer Barb Garvoille brings her musings on dairy farm life from her own years of experience on Lost Horizon Farm with her late husband Vince “Mr. Farmer” Garvoille. This mooving memoir focuses on 1980-2000, join Barb as she rises with the herd.

Wildlife on the Farm

Birds (con.)

Ruﬀed Grouse would drum in the spring. We would most often discover them in the spring when we were in the woods en route to check fences or to search for morel mushrooms. These game birds would "explode" in a rapid ﬂight when a person approached too closely. One winter when the temperature fell to a negative 43, we did have a grouse bury itself in the snow by the bird feeding stations, but that was the only time we ever viewed one in such proximity to the farm buildings.

Pileated Woodpeckers with the large white windows in their wings would call as they ﬂew over the ridge east of the barn. Their distinctive elongated workings on trees in the woods were unmistakable. This was a species we never saw approach the suet feeders, even during the coldest of winter days.

Released Ring-necked Pheasant, Bobwhite Quail, and Chukar Partridge were some of the neighbor's introductions onto our farm. These captive-raised birds were easy meals for predators, and their numbers ﬂuctuated greatly. However, the Wild Turkeys that had been reintroduced onto the farm by the state's Department of Natural Resources did well. Lots of times a person would see them feeding in the farm ﬁelds alongside deer. The males displaying their fans of tail feathers

were an impressive sight in the spring. Mr. Farmer found an abandoned clutch of turkey eggs in the hay ﬁeld and was surprised by the number of eggs in it. On the ridge tops, a person stood a good chance of seeing a hen turkey with her spring chicks running in a line behind her.

The coyote that had spent the winter sleeping on the bales in the machine shed once caught a turkey and brought it into the empty horse stall to eat. In the morning, the corner of the box stall had the smoothed out circle where the

coyote had turned around and around before lying down on the sand to sleep. Nearby was a pile of brown and beautifully iridescent turkey feathers, hollow bones, the lifeless head, and a set of yellow game bird feet.

Barb has called Lost Horizon Farm, just north of Spring Green, her home for the past 44 years. She is fond of all creatures (including snakes). Her joy stems from being able to be outdoors every day observing and treasuring the plant and animal life on her small piece of this planet. She loved milking cows and is proud to have been a dairy farmer.

Cooke,

vie for outsider status in 3rd Congressional District race

continued from page 9

an estimated 70% of the workforce on local dairy farms is made up of immigrants, mostly from Mexico and Central America. At her La Crosse event, Cooke appeared at the local Korean War Memorial where she received the endorsement of National Security Leaders of America, a group of retired members of the military and former staﬀ at the Departments of Defense, State and Veterans Aﬀairs.

After losing his ﬁrst campaign to Kind in 2020, Van Orden attended the rally in Washington D.C. that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The veterans’ group highlighted Jan. 6 saying Van Orden’s presence near the Capitol that day should disqualify him from oﬃce. Cooke said she was “humbled” by the endorsement, which also gave her campaign an avenue to contrast Van Orden’s military

record without criticizing his service.

“[Van Orden] has done an incredible amount since launching his ﬁrst campaign for this seat,” she said. “Unfortunately, none of it has been to beneﬁt his constituents and our community. It has been in service of his own ego and his own political advancement.”

Pfaff’s campaign in 2022 focused heavily on attacking Van Orden for perceived character flaws. In addition to his attendance at the Trump rally on Jan. 6, Pfaff pointed to an incident in which Van Orden tried to bring a loaded gun onto an airplane and a time he yelled at a teenage library employee in Prairie du Chien over a LGBTQ book display for Pride month. After he was elected, Van Orden made headlines for yelling at teenage Senate pages for taking pictures in the Capitol rotunda.

While Cooke mentioned some of those

outbursts, she kept the focus on policy.

“We have so much to do here in this district when it comes to service,” she said.

“Our communities still need access to better health care, health care that they can aﬀord, and so many of our families really are struggling to make ends meet. Whether that’s ﬁlling up at the gas tank or getting to the grocery store and being able to pay for their rent all in the same month, and to have a little bit of money left over.”

“We also know that we deserve leaders that build up our democracy,” she continued. “As these folks mentioned, I’m running against someone who is an election denier. He participated in the Stop the Steal rally. He is shaking the very pillars of our democracy.”

But Van Orden, asked about his attendance at the Trump rally on Jan. 6, said he condemned the attack on the Capitol and

criticized a reporter for asking about it, saying, “next time do your homework before you ask me that question.”

Despite all the negative headlines that have surrounded Van Orden before and since he took office, he summarized the choice in his re-election race as a simple calculation: Are voters better off now than when President Joe Biden won office four years ago? Although Republicans have held a majority in the House since 2022.

“Are you better oﬀ now than you were three and a half years ago or four years ago? The answer is no,” he said. “We’re closer to World War III than we have been in my lifetime because of weak strategic leadership by the Biden administration. So everybody just ask yourself, are you better oﬀ now than you were four years ago? And if they’re honest, they’re going to say no. That means you need a change in leadership.”

Barb Garvoille, Columnist

Barb Garvoille

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille

A Pileated Woodpecker ﬁnds a perch on the power pole by the farm’s machine shed.

Van Orden

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille

A hen Turkey searches for spilled grain in the harvested corn ﬁeld.

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille

A captive-bred Ring-necked Pheasant makes a striking image in the snow.

The Sauk County Gardener

Propagating Geraniums and Coleus for Next Year’s Garden

Jeannie Manis,

Certiﬁed Master Gardener

“The weather just went from 90 to 55 like it saw a state trooper.” — Unknown

Typically, by this time of year we’ve had some frost so I’m watching the weather like a hawk. I have some annuals that I want to propagate for next year’s garden and I’m a bit behind. I’m hoping we avoid frost until after this weekend so I can take some cuttings from both my geraniums and my coleus. If you have either of these plants growing and would like to keep some for next year’s garden, you’ll ﬁnd they are relatively easy to propagate. You can overwinter geraniums (in a pot or bareroot), but they do tend to take a lot of storage room, and their stems become quite woody. If you lack storage space, propagating your geranium from cuttings is the way to go. Start by using a sharp knife and cut a 3-4” section from the plant’s stem tip, leaving at least two leaf nodes attached. Be generous in taking your cutting as not all cuttings will take root. Keep in mind is how many plants you want to have for the following year and increase your cuttings a bit.

Pinch oﬀ any lower leaves. UW Madison – Horticulture Division of Extension also recommends dipping the cut end of the geranium in rooting hormone. Rooting hormone is available online or at most garden centers.

Next, ﬁll smaller (4”) pots with a rooting or potting medium. You can mix your own or purchase it all mixed up. Here is

a link to a “recipe” for homemade rooting medium - https://sfyl.ifas.uﬂ.edu/lawnand-garden/homemade-potting-mix/. Place the cutting in the rooting/potting medium, press the medium around the stem base gently, water well, and let drain.

Place a clear plastic bag or dome over the cutting to prevent wilting. If you use a plastic bag, avoid having the leaves touch bag as much as possible as this will cause the mold to form. Place these cuttings in a location with bright, indirect light where the temps are 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The cuttings should take root in 6-8 weeks. Once rooted, transplant the geraniums into larger containers ﬁlled with potting soil. Place the potted plants in a bright location and water when the soil is dry. By next spring, you’ll have geraniums to put out in your containers and garden.

Propagating coleus can also be done in the fall although they will be slower to root. Larger, more mature plant are the best ones to take a cutting from as they should have plenty of healthy shoots to choose from. For coleus, take a 4-6” diagonal cutting, just below a node. Remove all but the top set of leaves and any ﬂowers or ﬂowers buds. Once again, keep in mind how many plants you really need as you don’t want to start a ton that you have to toss on the compost pile if you have too many next spring. At this point, you can either start the cuttings in water or rooting mix. If you plant directly into your rooting mix, dip

Wandering the Driftless

Wisconsin

I traveled out of the Driftless Area in mid-September to act as “wing man” for good friend, Jerry Lynch, on a black bear hunt in northern Wisconsin. He had been applying for a bear tag in Bear Management Zone A for ten years and ﬁnally drew a tag for the 2024 season. Spirits were high as we headed toward the small town of Saxon, lying just south of Lake Superior.

Bear hunting is more than grabbing a bow or gun and heading into the woods in search of a bruin. Bears are solitary, stealthy and mostly nocturnal. Your chances of spotting a bear while still hunting or sitting in the woods are close to zero. Most bear hunters choose to sit over a bait or enlist the help of a pack of hounds to locate a bear. Bears are looking to add a good layer of fat prior to the start of hibernation in late fall. Baits are used by both bait hunters and hound hunters.

Hounds may only be used in Management Zones A, B and C which are north of Highway 64. The presence of plenty of public access land in these zones helps to minimize any problems with hounds chasing bears onto private property. Zone C, E and F cover the remainder of Wisconsin. Only bait hunting is allowed here. The Driftless Area lies within Zone E.

Each spring, our portion of the Driftless Area sees and inﬂux of bears. This is their mating season and the bears seen are usually young males looking for a home range and some female bears. The spring of 2024 was no exception. There were lots of reports of bears spotted in person or caught on trail cameras in the area. Our family hunting property in Richland County had a bear visit that resulted in a couple of archery target being destroyed and a fence post with a bluebird nest box atop it being bent over to get at the birds inside. These sightings usually end in late June, as wandering bruins head north again. This year there were some reports of bear spending

the cut end in rooting hormone ﬁrst and push the stem into a small pot ﬁlled with rooting medium so at least one or two nodes are submerged in the medium. Water and cover with a plastic bag or cover to retain humidity and slow down evaporation. Place your cuttings in bright, indirect light where the temperature is between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. If you start your coleus in water, take the cuttings the same way, place them in a container of water in a location with bright indirect light. You’ll need to

Area?

the summer. Could this be the beginning of a permanent bear population? More on that later.

Jerry has harvested several bears and chose to hunt with hounds this time around. He had contacted Mike Rogers of Merrimac after getting his bear tag. Mike is part of a group of houndsmen that hunt the Saxon area. Mike is an active member of the Conservation Congress and serves on the Bear Committee.

Once we arrived at Mike’s camp, Jerry and I moved our gear into a trailer on the property and got an update on recent bear activity. There had been a couple of bears harvested prior to our arrival. A couple of dogs had been injured by a bear that took exception to being chased by a bunch of noisy hounds. Our excitement made for a sleepless night.

As the eastern sky began to lighten, the hounds began their wake-up call. They were as excited as we were at the prospect of a morning chasing bears. Travel mugs were ﬁlled with coﬀee and dogs were loaded in boxes in the back of Mike’s pickup. Trail cameras had shown a good bear had visited a bait several hours earlier. Everyone was excited.

Several hounds were released at the bait sight. They immediately began barking as they set out on the trail. They all began to “bark treed” a short time later. This means the sound of their barks indicated the animal they were chasing had climbed a tree. Excitement was high as we drove to a spot that was closer to the treed animal. Jerry was instructed to grab his gun and follow Mike through a wet alder thicket along side of a beaver pond. I waited on the dry road for the sound of a shot….. and waited….and waited. I heard the sound of hunters and dogs sloshing through wet ground on their way back to the road. The dogs had treed a family of raccoons that had visited the bait sight. Mike and the other houndsmen were not happy with that, as the dogs were

trained to only follow bear scent.

A conference was held. It was decided to return to the original bait sight and release different dogs, in hopes they would be able to sort out the bear scent. Once the dogs were released they took off, barking up a storm, but heading in a slightly different direction. We position on a road ahead of the chase, in hopes of seeing the bear cross the road. The bear did cross the road, but around a curve that prevented us seeing the animal.

We followed the chase by the sound of the howls of the hounds as they faded into the distance. The hounds indicated that they had treed an animal after a chase of another couple of miles. A logging road took to a parking area within a quarter mile of the dog pack. The hike in was dry, but covered with thick vegetation. As we approached the tree the dogs were barking under, Taylor, the lead hounds man turned and said “It’s a big bear.”

The bear was perched about forty feet from the ground among the branches of a good sized tree. Jerry was told to carefully load his gun, as the dog handlers began leashing their animals and tying them in areas away from the base of the tree. When this task was completed, Jerry was told to shoot the bear in the chest or neck when he had a clear shot. When the gun barked the animal fell to the ground. When handshakes and ﬁst bumps were completed the bear was ﬁeld dressed and taken back to camp, where it tipped the scale at 264 lbs.

A great bear and a great hunt enjoyed by both dogs and people.

What about the Driftless Area, you ask? While we were enjoying our hunt in northern Wisconsin, Mike received word that a bear had been harvested in Grant County. That was the ﬁrst bear to be harvested in our area in modern times. It weighed 408 lbs.! Another bear (200 lbs) was also harvested in Grant County, later in the season.

Bear numbers in the Driftless Area will,

change the water every few days. Once your cuttings have 1-2” long roots, they are ready to be transplanted into a larger pot ﬁlled with potting soil. It’s easy to see the roots in the water but for those planted in rooting medium, you’ll need to look for sign of new growth or give the cutting a slight tug to see if it feels like it’s attached to the soil. Keep these transplants in a location with bright, indirect light and water as needed. Next spring you’ll have plenty of coleus for your garden containers.

hopefully, continue to grow. This may allow those of us that enjoy hunting, a new opportunity to pursue black bears close to home. Time will tell.

John Cler is a retired High School Science Teacher and Principal residing in Richland Center. He is an avid hunter, trapper, ﬁsher and nature nut. He currently chairs the Richland County Deer Advisory Council and the Richland County Delegation of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress.

John Cler, Columnist

Black Bears in the Driftless

Photos contributed by John Cler Jerry Lynch, hounds and houndsmen with a nice bear.

Wisconsin

Photo contributed by Jeannie Manis Pictured are red Geraniums.

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Mark Walters, Columnist

Hello friends,

Kids And Mentors Outdoors

“KAMO” (kamokids.org) has helped young hunters harvest deer hundreds of times since 2008. This week I was at a camp near Burnett in Dodge County and was able to experience 2 young hunters who had a very active weekend as they hunted hard and at night, played hard.

Saturday, October 5th

High 76°, Low 42°

So here is the scoop, I was going to be hunting with 14 year old Carsyn Thiede who I have hunted with for both turkey and deer in the past. It just happened to be homecoming weekend in Mayville and Carsyn who is a freshmen also had a volleyball tournament on Saturday, she did hunt on Sunday night.

My partner would be 15-year-old Joey Reifsneider who is Carsyn’s cousin. Conner Thiede who is 12 would be mentored by Kyle Zuelsdorf and his father Tyler. Kyle is very skilled at hunting deer in the Horicon marsh which is tricky as you are in tall grass and have to watch the openings. Joey and I were hunting public land, it was rolling hills with tall grass and a forest on one side and soybeans and corn on the other, we were in a ground blind.

Daylight arrives, we watch the sun come up, see no deer and have no cares. I run my usual deer, turkey and coyote spotting contest with a point for each new sighting and life is good. At 7:30, I told Joey the next half hour can be good as the deer are moving to their beds. Five minutes later, I spot a real nice buck in the tall grass maybe 80-yards away, then I spot a smaller one a bit closer. Joey is trying to get a shot at the bigger one and decides there is too much cover between him and the deer and both deer are gone as quick as they appeared.

I told Joey just what I tell every kid when they pass or miss a deer, duck, turkey or a fish, “it’s good, it gets to live another day.”

At 7:55 the smaller buck appears 60-yards away and has no clue we are there. Joey makes a perfect shot, the 6 pointer never knew what hit it, and life is good.

Conner, Kyle and Tyler are seeing a lot of deer but things are not working out as the deer are going from ag land to the marsh and the shot potential is fast. Both the morning hunt and the evening were hard for Conner, but he had a ton of action.

Tonight we had a first rate shing ding as Joey had shot his first buck. Joey’s dad Chad and mom Jess joined us in the deer shack, and we

had a blast. On a side note, I was using my Eskimo ice shack as a tent and in the wee hours of the night when I went to bed my shack had blown away. My cot was still in place with my sleeping bag and life was perfect.

Sunday, October 6th

High 76°, Low 40°

Joey would be trying to fill his anterless tag. Conner would be with Kyle and his dad Tyler hoping to whack a buck or a doe. Joey and I did not see a deer this morning and on a side note, on last night’s hunt, Joey could have had a bunny shot at a good sized doe but it was 4 minutes after shooting hours.

So Conner, Kyle and Tyler are having action and had a group of what would be 4 bucks pass through one of the openings in the marsh, this type of hunting can be frustrating especially for a young hunter because the grass is taller than the deer and you literally have to pick the next opening the deer might pass through.

Good mentoring and bad luck for a 6 pointer ended with Conner Thiede whacking his first buck this morning and everyone was happy.

Youth hunts are really good for the future of this sport!

Sunset

Want to read more?

Check out previous weeks’ columns at www.outdoorsmansjournal.com

Follow along the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman’s Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking. He currently writes for around 60 newspapers. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Joey Reifsneider, 15, of Burnett with his first buck.

First Bucks

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Conner Thiede and Kyle Zuelsdorf enjoying their hunt on the Horicon marsh.

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Kyle Zuelsdorf, Conner Thiede and his dad Tyler with a well earned first buck for Conner.