Bird Breakfast and 50th anniversary celebration set at Woodland Dunes, plus more in the latest Manitowoc outdoors report

Bob Schuh
·5 min read

Woodland Dunes is excited for the arrival of spring and celebrations that go with it.

May 17 will bring an open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate 50 years of conservation and education.

Festivities that day include the following:

  • Free guided hikes at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.;

  • A welcome from Sue Crowley, executive director, plus open mic for guests to share memories and stories of Woodland Dunes over the last 50 years, from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m.;

  • Archived photos over the years on a rolling display;

  • Refreshments; and

  • Door prize winnings with a big drawing at 4 p.m. when one winner will take home a pair of Vortex binoculars valued at $700.

The next day, May 18, is the 82nd Bird Breakfast. The Bird Breakfast features pancakes and ham with maple syrup.

Breakfast will be served 8-11 a.m. at the Nature Center. Tickets are $6 each, and free for kids younger than 4. Reservations began May 1 and are required.

Tree swallows argue over a nest box at Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve.
Tree swallows argue over a nest box at Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve.

The 82-year Bird Breakfast tradition is recognized statewide by bird lovers and is offered to encourage folks and families to get out in spring, walk trails and listen to the new sounds of the season. Guided bird hikes (registration required) will be at 8 a.m. (Hike 1 on Willow Trail and Hike 2 at end of Goodwin Road or possibly Black Cherry Trail); 9 a.m. (Hike 3 on Cattail Trail); 10 a.m. (Hike 4 on Willow Trail and Hike 5 on Cattail Trail).

For more information or to register for the Bird Breakfast and/or guided hikes, call Woodland Dunes at 920-793-4007. No registration is necessary to attend the open house celebration May 17. Woodland Dunes is at 3000 Hawthorne Ave., Two Rivers.

Read last week's column: Scoring a 23-pound tom in Wisconsin's second wild turkey season, and more in the latest Manitowoc outdoors report

Maribel club to host fundraiser for 15-year-old diagnosed with cancer

On April 2, 15-year-old Denmark High School/Maribel Sportsman’s Club trap shooter Nathan Chervenka was diagnosed with cancer.

On May 18, the Denmark High School trap team and the Maribel Sportsman’s Club will host a “Hootin’ Clays ... Shatterin’ Cancer” Lewis trap shoot. Registration will run 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. A $25 entry fee will get you in on this 50-bird shoot. And feeling confident? There will be a $5 high-gun option as well. The first 25 will be shot from the 16-yard line and the second 25 from the 18-yard line.

Breakfast sandwiches will be served 8-11 a.m. Then, the kitchen will switch to burgers, brats, steak sandwiches, hot dogs and booyah. Booyah will be sold until gone. Carry-outs will be allowed.

If trap shooting isn’t your thing, bucket raffles will go until 4 p.m., and there will be 50/50 raffles, gun raffles, paddle wheel raffles and meat raffles.

For more details or to make a donation, contact Marty Nowak at 920-366-2713 or Nel Spangler at 715-929-0046.

Big Game Extravaganza saw records and had a great display

Maribel Sportsman’s Club held its first Big Game Extravaganza April 27.

Some great-looking antlers came in, including three that made the Pope and Young Club record book for archery-killed animals.

Some of the antlers brought in were:

  • Perry Procnow’s Alaska-Yukon moose, which scored in at 200 inches;

  • Heath Kersten’s Manitowoc County non-typical deer, which scored 206 inches;

  • A really nice velvet whitetail from South Dakota;

  • Brad Wessley’s Manitowoc County whitetail, which made Pope and Young;

  • Kevin Wessley’s Kewaunee County deer, which also made Pope and Young; and

  • Trevor Leist brought in a nice Grant County Pope and Young.

Many nice heads were also included. It was a great display with lots of nice mounts.

Overall, it was a fun day for all, especially for Stan Zirbel and the other official scorers.

Ducks Unlimited banquet nears

Lakeshore Ducks Unlimited will hold its banquet May 16 at City Limits.

Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased at https://ducksunlimited.myeventscenter.com/event/Lakeshore-Manitowoc-Ducks-Unlimited-Banquet-80835, or by calling Stephine at 920-652-8957 or Dan at 920-684-6791.

Here are the ticket package options:

  • A single ticket is $55 and includes meal, membership and chance at a door prize;

  • The special couple’s ticket is $100 and includes two banquet admissions and two memberships;

  • The special eight-person table seating is $385 (buy a table of eight for the price of seven);

  • The special eight-person table seating with a gun is $835 and includes eight members, eight dinners and a table-only gun raffle;

  • A special sponsor and guest is $275 and includes a ticket for a sponsor and a guest (they will give away a sponsor prize for every seven sponsors);

  • Special sponsorship and table of eight is $635 and reserves a table and a Ducks Unlimited sponsorship;

  • Special sponsorship and table of eight with a gun is $1,050 and includes banquet seating for eight, sponsor print and sponsor raffle, and a table-only gun raffle;

  • Greenwing Youth Membership is $35, which is a special discounted ticket for all members ages 17 and younger; and

  • Duck Bucks are $100 and get $140 in Duck Bucks.

Reedsville club’s summer trap league starts May 22

Reedsville Sportsman Club will start its summer trap league at 6 p.m. May 22.

The league is on Wednesdays only, and it is a handicap league.

For more information, call Gerald Fischer 920-901-3907.

More Bob Schuh: Click here to read more 'Scoping the Great Outdoors' columns by Bob Schuh

Camp Sinawa holds family-friendly hike May 19

Friends of Sinawa invite you to Camp Sinawa, 9113 Sinawa Road, Valders, May 19.

Take a walk through the woods and learn to identify spring ephemerals. This family-friendly hike will teach you how to identify the wildflowers that bloom in Wisconsin in May. The hike is suitable for all ages, but the path is too rugged to accommodate strollers or wheelchairs. Those attending should park in the parking area and meet at the entrance to the west woods at 1 p.m.

That’s it for this week, so have fun in the great outdoors.

Outdoors columnist Bob Schuh’s “Scoping the Great Outdoors” column appears each Sunday in the Herald Times Reporter. He can be reached at 920-682-3106 or bobschuh@lsol.net.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Bird Breakfast set at Woodland Dunes: Your Manitowoc outdoors report