Depending on the year, the waters of Pigeon Lake are visible from this point… or not! Pigeon Lake is classified by the Wisconsin DNR as a seepage lake - this is the most common type of lake in Wisconsin, and it is especially prevalent in northern region of the state. This means the lake is landlocked. It has no inlets or outlets, and a combination of precipitation and runoff serve as its primary water source. Sometimes they’re also supplemented by groundwater (freshwater springs) from beneath. Due to its reliance on precipitation, the lake level is hugely variable and can sometimes rise and fall in decades-long cycles.
Despite the headaches that a declining lake level causes for property owners, the Wisconsin DNR points out that cyclical water decline is beneficial for wildlife. The consolidation of sediments allows new plant life to grow, and the usually submerged dormant plants are germinated, providing new habitats and food for animals while creating a natural filtration system for the lake.
As of 2020, however, Wisconsin has been enduring unprecedented rains and flooding. This is bad news for a seepage lake such as this one; at this point, many of the cabins at Pigeon Lake have been abandoned due to flooding. Members of the Pigeon Lake Association are trying to have the lake mapped by the state as a flood zone which would make them eligible for FEMA funding. However, state senator Janey Bewley has said she's unsure if they'll have success achieving state certification because seepage lakes generally don't fall in the technical definitions of what constitutes a flood plain.
At the time this cache was hidden, Pigeon Lake was 200 acres large and reached a maximum depth of 26 feet. It contains panfish, largemouth bass, and northern pike.