NORTHWOODS - Deer hunters in the Northwoods thought they hit the jackpot when they got extra antlerless deer tags.
But now the DNR wants those tags back.
350 extra permits were mistakenly given out to two deer management units.
Those units are 35 and 36.
That's typically in Vilas and northern Oneida counties.
The Wisconsin Conservation Congress caught the mistake.
The DNR's big game ecologist says it's possible an extra 100 deer could get shot this season.
"People caught it early and were able to make the necessary adjustments, but there were still more tags issued than actually approved." said DNR Wildlife Biologist, Jeremy Holtz.
The hunters aren't required to turn the extra tags in.
But the DNR is asking to get them back.
It's up to hunters to turn them in.
"The first step is to communicate the mistake and see if they can correct it between the hunter and the customer service staff." Holtz said.
The DNR say's they've gotten most of the tags back.
MINOCQUA - The Minocqua Town Board approved spending nearly $8,000 on a study for the public fishing pier on Highway 51 in Minocqua.
The findings will help board members decide whether to replace the entire bridge or just repair parts of it.
Public Works Director Mark Pertile says the exact age of the pier is unknown but he guesses it's around 100 years old.
"When you look underneath you'll see some of the problem areas. Some of the things we check are the railings to make sure they are stable. But the wood [is starting to] rot," explained Pertile.
RHINELANDER - With the push of a button and the whining of a winch, John Wendt singlehandedly symbolizes the end of a season.
"You see the changing of the leaves, I just love being out here every day," Wendt said.
Wednt hauls boats for Shoeder's RV & Marine in Rhinelander. Starting in September, he loads up fishing boats, pontoons, and jet skis and puts them away for the season.
"The weather's been nice, everybody doesn't want to put their boats away yet," Wendt said. "But as soon as the weather starts turning, that's when it'll hit the fan."
HARSHAW - Oneida County sheriff's deputies found three runaway sisters, ages 14, 14, and 12, in the woods in Harshaw just after 1 p.m. on Monday.
The sisters had been reported missing by their parents Monday morning. The parents had gone to wake the girls up for school, but instead found a note saying they had gone on an "adventure."
The missing girls triggered a search from the Oneida County Sheriff's Office Special Response Unit, Newbold Fire Department Search and Rescue, Minocqua Fire Department, Lake Tomahawk Fire Department, and Little Rice Fire Department.
RHINELANDER - A large open lot on Rhinelander's east side could soon fill in with a chain restaurant.
Cory Moritz-Hoffmann and her husband hope to build a Pizza Ranch next to Kwik Trip on Eisenhower Parkway. The pair of former Pine Lake firefighters got the idea about six years ago when they first went to a Pizza Ranch in Iowa.
They considered pursing a franchise then, but it was more than they could afford at the time. About two years ago, the Hoffmanns contacted an investor and saw an opportunity to turn their dream into a reality.
RHINELANDER - A Rhinelander factory that makes smoke flavoring caught fire early Monday morning.
Shortly before 6:00 a.m., Rhinelander, Crescent and Newbold Fire Departments responded to a fire at Red Arrow Products on Rhinelander's west side.
An employee says there were about eight workers inside at the time.
No one was injured.
"Flames were coming out of a conveyor area as high as the roof. We made an interior attack and knocked that flame down. Came in from the other side of the partition wall, then made another interior attack and knocked that down," says Chief Terry Williams.
As of 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, firefighters were still working to make sure the flames were out.
MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker has selected a former legislator to run the state Department of Natural Resources.
Walker's office announced Monday that he has chosen former Republican state Rep. Dan Meyer to serve as DNR secretary. He replaces Cathy Stepp, who resigned in August to take a position in President Donald Trump's administration.
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