DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — The DNR says they closed the campsites at Rock Island State Park four days early due to their mice population.
- Katie Kilsdonk a camper on Rock Island this past weekend describe what the mice were like
- Maddy Pritzl former part time Park Ranger at Rock Island explain what mice were like last year
- Eric Hyde with the Wisconsin DNR talk about the mice population on Rock Island
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Eric Hyde with the DNR says though the sites are now closed the rest of Rock Island State Park will remain open.
Though the last ferry to Rock Island for the season was on Monday, Hyde says visitors can use private water-crafts to get to the island.
Maddy Pritzl was a part time Park Ranger last year on Rock Island and says the mice this year are way worse than last year.
"Talking to the ranger this year she was like they'd be all over the counter like I'd have multiple traps always going off," Pritzl said.
Pritzl says that even when she goes camping, she makes sure that she is prepared to deal with mice on the island, camping with a hard shell cooler and putting a rock on top of it at night to avoid mice in her food.
Katie Kilsdonk was returning from Rock Island after spending the weekend camping and volunteering to clean up the island.
She says that when she was there, the mice weren't as bad as they were a few days ago.
"I mean I saw the videos last week, that's not what I saw this weekend. I wasn't there last week so I mean I can't talk for everyone," Kilsdonk said.
Eric Hyde from the DNR says the mice have begun to scatter.
"We've already just not having campers there, not as many people the mice have been dispersing a little bit," Hyde said.
The DNR says they plan to let natural predators thin the mice population as well as a good winter to also help bring the numbers under control.
