Beyond Minnesota: Man loses arm after gator attack behind Florida bar
A mix of outdoor-related news stories from across the country published in the June 2, 2023 edition of Minnesota Outdoor News.
May 31, 2023
A quick chat with Mark Norquist of Modern Carnivore
“There is always an opportunity to get a bigger audience,” said Norquist, 52, founder and editor of Modern Carnivore (modcarn.com), a blog and guide to adult-on-set outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, and foraging and their connection with real, wild foods.
The shiner: king of early-season walleye baits
There’s no doubt the top option for a minnow bait during the early season is the shiner minnow. And it doesn’t seem to matter if it’s goldies, spottails, or silvers – the shiner is the king of the early season. But if perch are taking my shiners, I switch to medium-sized, lipless crankbaits that resemble shiners. Anything silver and shiny works well.
Minnesota’s fishing license sales make May surge
Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, fishing license sales in Minnesota had completed a comeback, with the most recent tally – the Friday prior to the weekend (May 26) – up 1% over 2022, according to the DNR. Earlier this year, just prior the fishing opener, license sales were down 9% from a year ago, with numbers slowly improving since that time.
Extinct or not? The curious case of the ivory-billed woodpecker continues
New video and photographs purporting to show ivory-billed woodpeckers flying in a Louisiana forest were published by researchers May 18, as government officials said they will make a final decision this year on whether the birds are extinct.
The images – grainy and taken from a distance by drones and trail cameras – offer tantalizing hints the large woodpecker may yet exist almost 80 years after the last agreed-upon sightings, also in Louisiana.
Support not unanimous for Minnesota’s outdoors bill
A couple of weekends ago, the Minnesota Legislature ended its session with many different bills and policies passing in the final days and minutes. As is typically the case, not everyone approves what the Legislature finally adopted.
Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, said he didn’t see as much as he was hoping for regarding sportsmen and sportswomen during the session. Scott Fier, Minnesota Deer Farmers Association president, said he’s seeing his industry turned upside down with the new CWD/deer farm language. And Dr. Peter Sorensen, professor and carp expert at the University of Minnesota, has seen a shift from funding for an Asian carp barrier to potential carp studies and the possible design of a barrier.
Minnesota Mixed Bag: DNR announces habitat stamp contest details
A mix of outdoor-related news stories from across Minnesota published in the June 2, 2023 edition of Minnesota Outdoor News.
Outdoor Insights: Thoughts on important outdoor items from Minnesota’s legislative session
We don’t have to like everything that passed with the 2023 Minnesota Legislature, but – unlike most years in this space post-legislative session – I can’t say nothing happened.
Minnesota Letters to the Editor: Maybe water quality problems are bigger than agriculture
Reader-submitted letters to the editor published in the June 2, 2023 edition of Minnesota Outdoor News.
