Fort McCoy personnel share natural resources accomplishments during November county committee meeting

Official Statements

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “Fort McCoy natural resources personnel continued a wide range of environmental management, wildlife monitoring, fisheries research, forestry, and invasive-species control activities during September and October 2026, with accomplishments from both months shared during the Oct. 10 and Nov. 9 meetings of the Monroe County Natural Resources and Extension Committee in Sparta, Wis.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “Fort McCoy representatives attended the November meeting and provided committee members with an overview of the installation’s recent natural resources activities. Personnel were unable to attend the committee’s October meeting because it coincided with a federal holiday, but they submitted an update of their accomplishments for presentation and inclusion in the meeting record.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “The combined updates highlighted work conducted by the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch, which manages and monitors the installation's natural resources while supporting its military training mission. Fort McCoy routinely participates in the Monroe County committee meetings to maintain communication with county officials and regional conservation partners and to share information about environmental stewardship, research, monitoring, and natural resources management. The following highlights were included in the September and October updates.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Fort McCoy fisheries personnel continued monitoring lakes, streams, water quality, and fish populations throughout both months. - During September, staff conducted monthly adaptive-management phosphorus sampling, collected water samples from two runoff events and one base-flow period, and monitored 39 thermographs and two water-quality sondes. Temperature and dissolved-oxygen data were collected on all 10 installation lakes. - Staff also conducted 13 creel surveys, interviewing 47 anglers. Fishing activity and catch rates were relatively low, which is typical during late summer.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- In October, fisheries personnel assisted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) with trout collection in Silver Creek for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sampling. Results from the fish-tissue sampling are expected within six months. - Staff also conducted eight fall stream electroshocking surveys to evaluate trout movement and growth. During that effort, 93 new brown trout were tagged and 52 previously tagged brown trout were recaptured.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Additional October activities included invertebrate sampling at 33 locations across Fort McCoy streams. The results will be compared with historical sampling conducted approximately every five years. - Fisheries personnel also removed 39 thermographs and two water-quality sondes from the field and placed 11 thermographs to monitor winter stream and air temperatures. Temperature and dissolved-oxygen monitoring on all 10 lakes showed that most lakes had completed their seasonal turnover, with temperatures and oxygen levels becoming nearly equivalent from the top to the bottom of the water columns.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “Staff also conducted 10 creel surveys, interviewing 20 anglers, and continued monitoring West Sandy Lake for invasive Eurasian watermilfoil. Only one stem was found during the October survey. - Fort McCoy forestry personnel continued timber management and professional development activities during September and October.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- In September, staff sold three of four advertised timber tracts for a combined $96,357. Forestry personnel also participated in a prescribed-fire workshop at Fort Riley, Kan., gaining experience, completing Army mission objectives, and assisting Fort Riley personnel with qualification development. The workshop included completion of prescribed burns covering 5,143 acres across seven separate burn units. - During October, forestry personnel administered three active timber sales and awarded two contracts for new timber sales. Staff also submitted the fiscal year 2027 timber harvest National Environmental Policy Act documentation for review.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Another accomplishment involved completion of the Forestry Incident Response and Burn (FIRB) taskbook, which was approved at the Installation Management Command level. Threatened and endangered species monitoring - Fort McCoy’s threatened and endangered species personnel continued monitoring protected wildlife and other species of conservation concern during both months. - During September, biologists conducted biweekly telemetry tracking of one Blanding's turtle, two wood turtles, and one bullsnake. A new telemetry-tracked snake was also acquired in management area D06.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Staff completed five bumble bee surveys, documenting two rusty-patched bumble bees, bringing the year's total to 19; 18 southern plains bumble bee sightings; and one American bumble bee observed incidentally. - Other September observations included four Leonard’s skippers and seven regal fritillaries outside formal survey efforts. Personnel also tagged and released 20 monarch butterflies and completed eight rough white lettuce surveys, documenting 33 plants.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- During October, personnel continued biweekly telemetry monitoring of the same groups of turtles and a bullsnake, taking fall measurements and maintaining transmitters as needed. Staff completed nine additional rough white lettuce surveys, documenting 218 plants in management areas B18, B19, and B26. - Personnel also checked three bat-box locations to determine bat use, continued processing 2026 bat recordings for reporting and submission to the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), and worked on uploading bird-monitoring data to the Avian Knowledge Network.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Other October work included completing the 2026 bumble bee survey summary, preparing the 2026 Wisconsin DNR report, and spraying crown vetch and woody encroachment on three goat prairies in management area B10. Invasive-species management - Invasive-species control remained a major part of Fort McCoy's natural resources workload during September and October.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- During September, personnel reported treating 258.4 acres through invasive-species management activities. Major treatments included 199 acres of honeysuckle, 59.8 acres of glossy buckthorn, and 22.8 acres of common buckthorn, along with smaller areas involving black locust, Japanese barberry, Japanese knotweed, purple loosestrife, and other invasive plants. The September report also documented surveys of 196 acres for woody invasive species in management areas D01 and D06.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- During October, personnel reported treating 220.5 acres. Major treatments included 110.1 acres of glossy buckthorn, 105.9 acres of garlic mustard, and 46.1 acres of honeysuckle. Smaller treatments addressed common buckthorn and Japanese knotweed. - Staff also surveyed 35.4 acres for woody invasive species in management area C19 and conducted 339.9 acres of garlic mustard treatment surveys.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- The October report noted that warmer temperatures during much of the month allowed woody foliar treatments to continue through approximately the first half of the month before personnel transitioned to fall garlic mustard treatments. - In addition to the invasive-species work, staff treated 75.6 acres of native woody vegetation during September and conducted additional vegetation treatments on goat prairies during October. Fisheries personnel also completed separate buckthorn treatments along streams.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Personnel also attended the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference in La Crosse, Wis., to participate in professional development and discussions related to invasive-species management. - Fort McCoy wildlife personnel continued monitoring deer populations, coordinating hunting activities, and conducting wildlife surveys during the fall. - During September, staff completed the installation's truck-book surveys for gamebirds, deer, and predator, furbearer, and other unique wildlife. The information was being compiled for final survey results.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Dusk and spotlight deer surveys also began. Eight surveys were completed in the cantonment area during September, with additional training-area surveys continuing into October. - The September report also noted that Fort McCoy's Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Rules and Regulations, FMR 420-29, had been approved and signed by the garrison commander. The regulation was made available through the installation's iSportsman website, at the Hunter Information Point at the intersection of Highway 21 and South J Street, and at Permit Sales in Building 2168.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- October included the installation's Youth Gun-Deer and Gun-Deer for Hunters with Disabilities seasons, conducted Oct. 10-11. A total of 27 youth hunters and 27 hunters with disabilities participated. - Those hunts resulted in 14 deer harvested, with nine Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) samples collected. - Wildlife personnel also reported that the average doe-to-fawn ratio from summer surveys was 1:0.44, representing approximately one fawn for every 2.25 adult does.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “- Fall trapping season began Oct. 17. During the reporting period, three different wolves were incidentally trapped in management area C20 in the northeastern corner of Fort McCoy and subsequently released. Fort McCoy personnel coordinated with the WDNR during the effort, and no GPS collars were deployed. - The October wildlife harvest report, updated Nov. 3, documented 137 total deer harvested across the installation's reporting categories, including regular archery, cantonment archery, youth, and hunters-with-disabilities seasons. The report also documented 11 fall turkeys harvested. Continuing environmental stewardship and partnerships”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “The September and October updates demonstrate the broad scope of Fort McCoy's natural resources management efforts, from monitoring fish populations and maintaining healthy streams to protecting threatened and endangered species, managing forests, controlling invasive vegetation, and supporting responsible hunting and outdoor recreation. Fort McCoy manages nearly 60,000 acres of forests, wetlands, lakes, streams, wildlife habitat, and other natural resources. Its Natural Resources Branch works to balance environmental stewardship with the installation's military training and readiness mission.\”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “Participation in the Monroe County Natural Resources and Extension Committee provides an important opportunity to maintain relationships with local officials, conservation organizations, and natural resources professionals while sharing information about activities taking place on the installation. The regular updates also help demonstrate how Fort McCoy's environmental management efforts contribute to the region's broader natural resources conservation work.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.” The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.” And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin. The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.”

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 11: “Learn more about Fort McCoy online athttps://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on DVIDS by visiting https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/FMPAO on DVIDS. Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.” (The Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch contributed information for this article.)”