By Topf Wells

SWTU’s first workday of the fall/winter cycle was a challenge. We had to finish the last clearing and brush bundling on Hefty Creek’s Rudd easement in one day. Jim Hess had originally scheduled two but Dane County has some projects in mind for 10/12.

We did it with quite a varied cast of workers. Top of the list were Scott Harpold and Vince Schmitz, the biologists who are the heart of the DNR’s stream restoration crew in this part of the state. They worked all morning and showed us the latest brush bundling techniques. Vince shared possibly the most unique “DNR Biologist Catches a Cool Fish while on Official Business” story ever during our break. He was on site at the Big Green River after the recent flood and noticed what he thought was a fish in a puddle stranded 8 ft. above the stream. He rescued a still healthy 12 inch burbot, a great native WI fish, happy to be in the cool, clean water of the Big Green. (See what you miss at these workdays!)

Some of our veteran sawyers could not attend but Mike Meier saved the day. Mike would be the starting pitcher on the SWTU All Star Team. He furnished all the wood and brush the bundles needed. BTW, Mike has volunteered hundreds and perhaps thousands of hours to reclaim a 70 acre oak savanna and other native habitats Dane County’s Silverwood Park in SE Dane County, just north of Edgerton. That would make a lovely fall day trip; a healthy oak savanna is a beautiful and rare site/sight in southern Wisconsin.

A good showing of regulars appeared including Kim Licitar, who continues to drive in from Jefferson County, which he mournfully describes as the Trout Desert of Wisconsin. Dyan and Wayne brought our new trailer, that holds all we need and is easier to maneuver and tow. Bob Rudd, the landowner, has always joined us on the workdays at his easement. We gave his new knee a workout and it passed the test.

We asked if any Blackhawk Chapter members would help and Mark Wirfs and Keevin Quillen, the Rockford Twins, arrived and were prime reasons we finished. They were in the stream by 9 and installed more logs and brush than anyone. No more jokes from me about Illini trout anglers ever again. These guys were tireless and strong. The DNR continues to refine its brush bundle plan and they had us driving long stakes horizontally in the bank to provide a better frame and lateral support for the brush. This necessitates someone wielding a sledgehammer sort of like a bat. Everytime I looked, one of the Rockford guys was swinging the hammer.

Two other DNR employees made this day safer and more productive. Mitch Trow and Lloyd Meng used the brush mower to clear out an area for us to cut, move material, and install the bundle. I think any volunteer at this workday would opine that the mower was a great SWTU donation to the DNR.

Jim Hess deserves even more thanks than usual (and that’s a lot). This was a tough day to organize and he was clearly concerned about the need to finish in one day if at all possible. Thanks to a great crew, some unexpected but most welcome help, and DNR expertise, we did it with only 30 minutes of overtime. We don’t get time and a half but we did enjoy brownies, pork sticks and Dyan’s fabulous pumpkin/chocolate chip muffins.

Photos courtesy Dyan Lesnik.