Wisconsin
Airguns for big game hunting are among six outdoors-related bills signed into Wisconsin law
Increased aid for snowmobile trails and a change in state parks stamps among other measures signed by Gov. Tony Evers
Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday signed 15 bills into law, including six related to hunting, fishing or outdoor recreation.
Arguably the most notable was Senate Bill 586, now Wisconsin Act 115, which will allow hunters in the state to use airguns during any season open to firearms.
Since state rules for many years allowed airguns for hunting small game such as gray squirrels and cottontail rabbits, the major impact of Act 115 is to expand the use of airguns to include big game hunting in Wisconsin, including white-tailed deer, black bear and elk.
More: Outdoors calendar
The law defines an airgun as “a weapon originally manufactured to expel one or more metal projectiles by the expansion of compressed air.”
The legislation received lots of support and essentially no opposition. Wisconsin now is among at least 29 states that allow airguns for big game hunting, according to Mitch King, president of the Airgun Sporting Association, a trade group promoting expanded use of airguns across the nation.
Proponents tout the quiet, clean operation and lack of recoil of airguns. Most models are designed for hunting big game at ranges of less than 100 yards; centerfire rifles have much longer effective ranges.
In the Midwest, states that allow airguns for deer hunting include Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Act 115 passed easily because it was restricted to use of airguns during Wisconsin’s firearm hunting seasons; versions of the proposal introduced in previous years would have allowed “airbows” to be used during archery seasons and were opposed by several groups, including the Wisconsin Bowhunters Association.
Among other bills signed by Evers, SB 34, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 109, establishes the full weekend prior to the third Monday in January as “free fishing weekend” so it lands just before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday.
The governor also signed SB 136 (Act 110) to increase the cap on county supplemental snowmobile trail maintenance aid from the current limit of no more than three times the per mile maximum to no more than five times the per mile maximum. It is expected to increase the supplemental aid limit from the current rate of $900 per mile to $1,500 per mile.
Evers also signed SB 411 (Act 112) which allows a person to transport a dressed or filleted game fish from inland or outlying waters if they provide a physical or digital photograph upon request that proves the time and date of the photograph and physical evidence of the fish’s length prior to the head and tail being removed.
In addition, the governor inked SB 415 (Act 113) to make DNR annual vehicle admission receipts such as state park stamps good for 12 months from the date of issue, rather than the calendar year. The change will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.
And Evers signed SB 587 (Act 116) to statutorily define a muzzle-loading firearm as a firearm that shoots a projectile loaded exclusively from the muzzle.
For more details, visit legis.wisconsin.gov.
Leftover turkey tag sales begin this week
The DNR this week will begin selling bonus harvest authorizations for the 2024 spring turkey season. As in past years, the tags will be offered first with a designated sale date for each zone, then all remaining authorizations will be available for purchase.
Sale dates are Monday for Zone 1, Tuesday for Zone 2, Wednesday for Zone 3, Thursday for Zone 4 and Friday for Zone 5 and Zone 7. No permits are available for Zone 6. All remaining tags will go on sale Saturday.
Sales are offered through the Go Wild license portal and at all license sales agents. Sales begin at 10 a.m. and run through midnight each day. Bonus harvest authorizations are $10 for residents and $15 for non-residents.
Visit dnr.wi.gov for more information.
With the action-packed Wisconsin high school boys basketball regular season completed and March Madness beginning, it’s time to take a look at some of the outstanding players and cast your vote for the best.
We began by looking at the most prolific individual scoring threats, talented 3-point shooters,strong rebounders, and top free-throw shooters so now it’s time to take a look at the high-caliber guards from throughout the state.
There are hundreds of high-caliber boys basketball players in Wisconsin, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.
Voting remains open until March 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
(Players are listed in alphabetical order and all nominees are leaders from the 2025-26 season as compiled by Bound.com, and WIAA; the poll is below the list of athletes)
Castillo is averaging 25.4 points per game with 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals for Greendale (18-6 overall record).
Collien is averaging 15 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists for Oakfield (21-3 overall record).
Edwards is averaging 14.1 points per game with 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists for D.C. Everest (21-3 overall record).
Gray Jr. was averaging 24.3 points per game with 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals prior for West Allis Central (22-2 overall record).
Hereford is averaging 36.4 points per game with 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 4.1 steals for Beloit Memorial (22-2 overall record).
Johnson is averaging 27.3 points per game with 8.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.6 steals for Milwaukee Juneau (22-1 overall record).
Jones is averaging 23.3 points per game with 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.6 steals for Germantown (15-9 overall record).
Kern is averaging 16 points per game with 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists for New Berlin West (21-3 overall record).
Kilgore is averaging 14.6 points per game with 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 steals for Kewaunee (24-0 overall record).
Kohnen is averaging 16.3 points per game with 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals for Slinger (20-4 overall record).
Knueppel is averaging 17.4 points per game with 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals for Wisconsin Lutheran (24-0 overall record).
Loose is averaging 18.2 points per game with 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals for Port Washington (23-1 overall).
Manchester is averaging 35.8 points per game for Mount Horeb (19-5 overall record).
Platz is averaging 19.5 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and 1.4 steals for Brookfield East (19-5 overall record).
Prochnow is averaging 21.3 points per game with 11.1 assists, 4.8 assists, and 3.2 steals for Reedsville (21-3 overall record).
Resch is averaging 21.3 points per game with 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals for Arrowhead (18-6 overall record).
Schultz is averaging 27.4 points per game with 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.0 steals for Plymouth (17-7 overall record).
Schwalbach is averaging 15 points per game with 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for Kaukauna (21-3 overall).
Sweeney is averaging 15.5 points per game for Appleton North (20-4 overall record).
Vandenberg is averaging 13 points per game with 2.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds for Freedom (23-1 overall).
About Our Player Poll Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.
— Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com
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