CALENDAR

Mason Tait, 16, of Germantown has added another top title to his impressive duck calling résumé.

In November, Tait won the Intermediate division (ages 14 to 16) at the 2017 World Duck Calling Championships in Stuttgart, Ark.

The event is considered the Super Bowl of duck-calling competitions.

It's the second time Tait won the Intermediate title; he also placed first in 2015 and was runner-up in 2016.

According to records kept by event organizers, he's just the second Wisconsinite to win a world title.

Tim Gesch lived in Woodruff when he won the 1991 World Championship in the Adult or Open Division.

Tait, who learned to use a duck call just four years ago, has won more than a dozen events, including state titles in the annual contest run by the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.

In October he also won the Bass Pro Shop national contest in Memphis.

Tait will turn 17 before next year's competition and hopes to compete in the adult division.

Early trout season: For the third year, anglers in Wisconsin can pursue trout in an expanded early catch-andrelease season.

The 2018 early trout season runs Jan. 6 through May 4.

It is open on all streams in 46 counties, on selected waters in 18 counties and closed in eight counties.

Prior to 2015, the early catch-andrelease trout season ran about eight weeks from early March to early May.

The expanded season was developed in response to feedback from anglers, said Joanna Griffin, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources trout specialist. The rule was implemented after extensive public review.

“We appreciate the angler interest in our world class trout waters and we believe the early catch-and-release season will provide exciting opportunities while protecting the resource,” Griffin said in a statement. “We hope that by providing more opportunities we will recruit more people to trout fishing and the extended seasons will have a positive impact on the local economies.”

From 2011 through 2014, the department held more than 30 public meetings, conducted three surveys and convened additional task force meetings to develop the current trout regulations.

Early season anglers must have a valid fishing license and a trout stamp; licenses are valid from the start of the license year in early March through March 31 the following year.

Visit for details. Dec. 31

Musky season closes in southern zone. Jan. 1

Holiday deer hunt ends in select farmland zones.

Jan. 6

Early catch-and-release trout season opens

Jan. 7

Archery and crossbow deer seasons close in most of the state.