Minnesota hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation news

Minnesota’s Critical Habitat license plates are increasingly popular with vehicle owners. But with record-level revenue from the plates’ sale, the

Anderson: Critical Habitat license-plate program veering from its dedicated mission

A closer look at the DNR's license plate Critical Habitat program reveals the agency in recent years has only minimally deployed license plate funds to preserve habitat.

Ice anglers stranded, rescued on Lake Superior near Duluth

February 9

Stranded anglers awaited rescue after an ice floe broke away from the Lake Superior shoreline near Duluth on Tuesday.

Their fishing equipment and beer are still floating up the North Shore, though.

Surge in demand for pleasure boating amid pandemic has Minnesota builders busy

February 9

The Brunswick Corp., which makes Lund and Crestliner boats, says it needs dozens more employees at its world headquarters in New York Mills, Minn. Cr

The facility in New York Mills that builds Lund and Crestliner boats has added 114 positions in past 6 months and needs to fill 60 more.

Nation

February 9

Deer native to India starve to death amid drought in Hawaii

Axis deer, a species native to India presented as a gift from Hong Kong to the king of Hawaii in 1868, have fed hunters and their families on the rural island of Molokai for generations. But for the community of about 7,500, where self-sustainability is a way of life, the invasive deer are both a cherished food source and a danger to their island ecosystem.

East Metro

February 5

Two state lawmakers from Maplewood, with the strong support of north metro watershed districts, have again introduced legislation to remove toxic lead

Bird deaths fuel push for Minnesota lead tackle ban

Fishing tackle killing popular waterfowl.

Nation

February 5

The U.S. Coast Guard used ice boats and helicopters to rescue 66 people stranded on ice floes in Door County, Wisconsin.

66 people rescued from ice floes adrift on Wisconsin bay

The U.S. Coast Guard and several other agencies rescued 66 people stranded on ice floes in a bay in northeastern Wisconsin.

Variety

February 5

Freedom made his home at the U’s Raptor Center but now will reside as an exhibition bird at the Turtle Back Zoo.

A Minnesota sharpshooter rescued eagle caught in tree. Now the raptor has a forever home.

Freedom made headlines in 2016 after he was daringly rescued on July 4th by a U.S. Army veteran.

Local

February 5

Gregg Lind checked on his son Galen Beil, 8, as they and Melissa Arbuckle, left, looked over the Ice Henge sculpture during the Luminary Loppet Friday

Loppet ski races in Minneapolis this weekend called off due to extreme cold

The Loppet Foundation is also cutting short its Luminary Loppet, which will have its final day Friday.

Outdoors

February 4

Hundreds of anglers ply the Mississippi River near Red Wing in spring to seek walleyes amd saiger that swim upstream from Lake Pepin to spawn.

Good old days are now for Lake Pepin perch and walleye anglers

Consecutive years of high water during spawning have helped walleye, too.

Tony Jones baptized his 14-year old son, Aidan, as a neophyte voyageur at the completion of the Height of Land Portage in the BWCA. ] Aaron Lavinsky �

Special Series: Boundary Water Passage Father, son launch epic canoe journey in Boundary Waters

updated 15 hours 53 mins. ago

Part 1: A rainy start and sore shoulders foreshadowed the adventure to come for a father and son on the lakes near the Minnesota-Canada border.

Outdoors

February 4

Every wild sign from a walk in the Minnesota woods held a lesson

A recent outing over a few hours became a rich dive into a diverse ecosystem full of life and death and adaptation in Minnesota's harshest season.

Duluth

February 4

Erin Letzring won the John Beargrease Sled Dog marathon by the smallest margin in the race’s history. She beat out ex-husband Ryan Redington by seve

For Duluth native, ending first Beargrease with a win was a 'team effort'

Erin Letzring edged out her ex-husband in her first full marathon.

Outdoors

February 4

Ravens stand out with their aerial displays and intelligence.

February is a generous month in the natural world

Most lakes are covered with 15 inches to 2 feet of ice, but if you head out, always think of springs, soft spots, and changing conditions. Be careful.

Outdoors

February 4

The writer was in a position to buy two places on Mille Lacs: a beach house, left, and a cabin.

Opportunity knocked for doubling the cabin fun on Mille Lacs

Cabin Country: Last year was a very challenging year for many, but did not deter this family's cabin fun.

Duluth

February 3

Wolf V088, a male age one to two years, went missing in early November, based on data collected from the animal’s GPS and body-monitoring collar. C

Researchers find 2 wolves illegally killed in northeastern Minnesota

The collared animals were located in January and killed in November.

Duluth

February 2

Erin Letzring celebrated with her lead dogs after she won the John Beargrease sled dog marathon by what organizers said was the smallest margins in hi

Beargrease finish is closest in race history

Erin Letzring of Skagway, Alaska, edged out defending champion Ryan Redington to become the first female musher to win the Duluth-to-Grand Portage race since 1998.

Local

February 2

A gray wolf in a wooded area near Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Hunting group sues to force Wisconsin wolf season

A national hunting group filed a lawsuit Tuesday to force an immediate start to Wisconsin's wolf season before President Joe Biden's administration restores federal protections for the animals.

Local

January 30

Justin Watkins with a common carp, regarded by the DNR as perhaps the most damaging invasive species in state waters.

Corn, conveyor belts and a virus show promise in removing invasive carp from Minnesota waters

The invasive species has upended ecosystems in state waters since the 1880s.

Sports

January 30

Are some state wildlife management areas (WMA) suitable for user groups other than hunters? A concept unveiled at the recent DNR Roundtable suggests s

Anderson: Wildlife management areas can foster a greater appreciation of nature

The notion of making some wildlife management areas more inviting is taking shape, amid questions about timber harvesting.

Outdoors

January 29

Weighing a mother bear in March 2019 were, from left, University of Minnesota graduate student Spencer Rettler, Department of Natural Resources volunt

Anderson: Mystery around bears' reproduction is a reminder of their balancing act

Minnesota wildlife managers want to minimize nuisance-bear complaints while satisfying hunters' desires, while also, most important, maintaining a healthy, stable bruin population.

Outdoors

January 28

Sure it's cold, but nothing near a traditional subzero Minnesota winter

In 2021, by mid-January we in the metro area had experienced only two days with below-zero temperatures, when 24 days with subzero readings is normal here for a winter season.

Outdoors

January 28

CBoys member Ben Roth takes his share of spills during the filming of YouTube videos, but he excels at riding wheelies of all types.

With throttles wide open, small-town 'CBoys' achieve YouTube stardom

Five young gear heads regale YouTube with daring thrills and spills.

Outdoors

January 28

Those Minnesota memories played a part in attracting the writer and his wife north to Minneapolis after college. In 1986 they bought a cabin in wester

A string of white cabins and family trips inspired their own place

Cabin Country: Lined wall-to-wall with knotty pine, this cabin has memories new and old.

Variety

January 26

Ryan Redington’s sled dog team, led by (left) Ghost and Henry ran down Old Highway 61 near Grand Portage, MN in the final leg of the John Beargrease

In a year of canceled traditions, Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is 'a bright spot'

Other dog sled races have been canceled, but the North Shore's Beargrease marathon will start Sunday, albeit with some modifications.

StarTribune