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The Association of Retired Conservationists was organized by a group of retirees from the Wisconsin Conservation Department in the 1960's. By the mid-1970's, the WCD had been combined with the Department of Resource Development to form the Department of Natural Resources, and the retirees group had grown significantly, met monthly for lunch and began inviting speakers to address the group on issues of interest to the members. Today, the organization has more than two hundred members.

website contact:

retiredrick@wisarc.org

Welcome (finally) to spring, ARC members!

I hope you will take a ride through the spring countryside to New Glarus and join us on May 2 for one of your favorite lunches.  The New Glarus Hotel will be serving salad, weinerscitchel, rosti, spatzlie, Swiss green beans, rolls, coffee, tea, milk and ice cream. 

Speaking of upcoming lunches, we have speakers lined up for June and July:

In June, Leilani Amundson, an elder benefits specialist for the Dane County Area Agency on Aging, will be joining us to give an overview of Medicare benefits, changes for 2018, and to answer general questions.  Since it’s impossible to cover everything in a half hour, she’s promised to bring ‘cheat sheets’ with important info for you to take home.  AARP has also provided handouts on Medicare policy issues that we will hand out.  Should be an interesting session, and one you’ve requested so we hoping for a big turnout.  Leilani will be with us on June 6^th at the Nitty Gritty, 1021 N. Gammon Rd. in Middleton.  We expect her to start her presentation about 1 p.m.

On July 11, ARC member Chuck Pils will share photos and stories of his trip to Iceland, and he can really spin a yarn.  Recent Icelandic Airlines service to O’Hare in Chicago has opened this geo-thermal wonderland to easier access.  If you are like me and have recently added Iceland to your bucket list, Chuck’s presentation will be especially interesting.  As a reminder, the July 11 meeting has been re-sited to Babe’s (5614 Schroeder Rd., Madison) as the originally announced site (Sprecher’s) has closed and is no longer available.

Busy time of year for you outdoor types.  Spring turkey season is in full swing and the Fishing opener is May 5.  Here’s DNR’s latest on the opener: https://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/?id=637#art1

The Go Wild licensing system  on DNR’s website is operational – I know cause we used it last night at our house.  If you don’t want to trek out to Farm and Fleet or a DNR office to get your license, grab your customer number and log into https://gowild.wi.gov/   Here’s more info: https://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/?id=637#art2

Some of you may have been involved in reintroducing elk to Wisconsin.  The big news is the inaugural elk hunt is planned for October in the Clam Lake elk range in parts of Sawyer, Bayfield, Ashland, and Price counties.  DNR will start accepting applications for five available bull permits starting May 1.  Four tags will be awarded through a lottery drawing, with the fifth awarded through a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation raffle. Hunters may enter both, but can only win once. Those interested in entering the RMEF raffle should look for more information on the organization's website at www.rmef.org/Wisconsin. Elk license applications can be purchased in the DNR Go Wild license system from May 1 - 31, and only Wisconsin residents may apply. Each potential hunter may apply once online at gowild.wi.gov or by visiting a license agent. The application fee is $10. RMEF raffle tickets are also $10 each, and there is no limit on the number of raffle tickets each individual may purchase. The cost of an elkhunting license for the winners of the license drawing is $49. 

That’s about it.  Looking forward to seeing you on May 2 in New Glarus.

Laurel