35th Wild Game Feed draws more than 160

The Three Lakes Fish & Wildlife Improvement Association kicked off a year of local projects with its 35th annual Wild Game Feed June 13 — an event that drew more than 160 people to the Reiter Center.

With the exception of a pandemic-related global shut-down in 2020, the annual fundraiser has helped the conservation group complete numerous local projects since its inception in 1990.

Chris Blicharz, president, said the board of directors and volunteers provided an evening of dining, socializing, raffles and silent auctions, raising thousands of dollars for community-based work in youth education and natural resources.

“We are a blessed organization that gets tremendous support from the community,” said Blicharz. “It was not only a great turnout, but many generous business owners and individuals came through with donations, large and small, to help the cause of conservation.”

He said the group continues to focus on local projects that include fish stocking, boat landing upkeep, fish stick tree drops on the Three Lakes Chain, college scholarships for natural resources students, wildlife habitat enhancement, and a school wildlife display that rivals any in Wisconsin.

“Our newest goal is working with the Department of Natural Resources and the Pelican River Conservation Easement to establish a shooting range, something the community really needs,” said Blicharz. “We do not have a developed, safe shooting range for sighting in rifles or shooting pistols and shotguns.”

But work on the shooting range won’t stop the conservation group from continuing other projects, including work with the Three Lakes Waterfront Association to revive wild rice beds in area lakes or place fish sticks in the Three Lakes Chain. Blicharz said the large, anchored trees provide valuable in-lake woody debris that help fish, aquatic life and other wildlife.

He said several boat launches in the area will get their first piers thanks to a donation to the organization by resident Mark Schroeder. The landings include two on Thunder and one each on Whitefish, Big Stone and the Thoroughfare near Big Lake.

The association has put a high priority on supporting the Three Lakes High School trap team, the Clay Crackers, as well as the high school fishing team.

“We helped the school district locate an alternate site for its trap shooting range two years ago,” he said. “We’ve also donated more than $5,000 worth of high-quality shotguns to the team.”

For several years now, Three Lakes Fish & Wildlife has donated to the Wounded Warrior program — this year $2,000 — which helps veterans and their families by providing a free fishing-related vacation in the Northwoods.

“This group is big on promoting fishing, including family fishing. And what better opportunity than when it involves some American soldiers, heroes of our country,” he said.

Maple Lake had been adopted by the organization for a boat landing, panfishing pier, winter aeration, fish stocking and beach work in the past.

Last week’s game feed attendees dined on venison stroganoff, pheasant roll-ups, shrimp jambalaya, deep-fried cod and dozens of hors d’oeuvres, including smoked salmon and creamed pheasant. Vice President Tom Wallschlaeger said many of the raffle prizes were donated by businesses and other conservation-minded organizations, including $500 from the Headwaters Chapter of Muskies Inc. and $500 from the Three Lakes Tavern League. Donations helped the group do both a Forward Bank Gun Raffle and a Nicolet Bank Mystery Raffle. McNaughton Correctional Institute donated a kitchen island cart from the facility’s woodworking shop.

“We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that spends all of its money locally, and that really brings out the generosity in people who want to see conservation and enhanced natural resources,” said Wallschlaeger.

The wildlife habitat projects include trail clearing and mowing in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which promotes the growth of clover and other important food for ruffed grouse, deer, and other species. It also aids hunters in making the walking trails accessible.
Past president Jim Bollmann still serves on the 21-member board of directors.

“We couldn’t have gone 36 years, or accomplished so much in the way of local projects, without the support of our major donors, the game feed attendees, and a great group of volunteer directors,” said Bollmann. “We started this organization because we wanted to keep locally-raised conservation funds in the community, where they do the most good. And that’s what we’ve done and continue to do.”

True to its conservation mission, Three Lakes Fish & Wildlife offers a college scholarship each year to a local student who is studying in a natural resources field.

The group also sponsors a youth basketball tournament for boys and girls from fifth- through eighth-grade each March. To boost tourism and promote fishing, Three Lakes Fish & Wildlife revamped the community’s ice fishing jamboree in 2025 by sponsoring the inaugural Maple Lake Frozen Ice Challenge. The event, scheduled for the second Saturday in February every year, drew more than 100 anglers the past two years. The group boosted the prize money to $2,500 in 2026 with a new bass category.

Blicharz said another way they promote the sport of fishing, and especially family fishing, is by sponsoring a Free Kids Fishing Day each year on the second Saturday in August.
“It’s our way of giving back to the community, providing a day of fishing, eating, and camaraderie to Three Lakes youth, their parents and, quite often, grandparents,” he said. “We take them out on pontoons to catch fish on Maple Lake. We cook brats, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, and deep-fried sweet corn all day long.”