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Friday, May 1st, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

October 4, 2023

Three faces of October: Make the most of this sometimes-misunderstood month for whitetails

The monster 8-point had clearly not read the calendar. He was destroying trees, hog-troughing scrapes, and badgering does like it was peak rut. Instead, it was Oct. 8, and I remember the date because my dad not only rattled and grunted that buck in, but almost got a slam-dunk shot opportunity. However, the buck zigged when Dad assumed he’d zag.
It’s pretty sad that the reputation of an entire month rests on a handful of days when hunters have traditionally had trouble figuring out deer. I’ve heard all kinds of explanations for the seemingly poor hunting in October, and for many years I joined ranks with the scads of hunters who were sucker punched by a myth that said the tenth month was something to be endured until things got good.

Three faces of October: Make the most of this sometimes-misunderstood month for whitetails Read More »

A more frequent ‘spec’-tacle: White-fronted goose sightings on the rise in Minnesota

Steve Cordts has a plan, albeit a tentative one.
In the rafters of his garage, stowed away in decoy bags, rest four dozen white-fronted goose shells, decoys that have neither seen the light of day nor a well-scouted agriculture field in some time. He took them down last autumn, but never had the opportunity to deploy them. Back into the rafters they went.
“I couldn’t find any birds in October … even though I knew some were around,” said Cordts, who last shot a white-fronted goose many moons ago in prairie Canada. “I’ve definitely been thinking about it again for this year.”
A decade or so ago, a statement like that would have been unheard of, perhaps even the ravings of a Minnesota waterfowler gone mad.

A more frequent ‘spec’-tacle: White-fronted goose sightings on the rise in Minnesota Read More »

Pelican recovering from gunshot wound after being found on Wisconsin lake

An American white pelican found with a gunshot wound on Lake Iola continues to recover at a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Antigo, Wis.
Jonathan Kaiser, a DNR warden investigating the case, said the pelican may have been shot because of a perception the large birds have a negative effect on a lake’s fish population.
“It sounds like there had been a flock of pelicans present on the Iola millpond earlier this summer,” he said. “It appears to have been shot. Someone may have shot it because of unfounded concerns pelicans are detrimental to fish populations.”

Pelican recovering from gunshot wound after being found on Wisconsin lake Read More »

Want advice on bowhunting elk? Don’t ask Dean Bortz

Wanna know what I’m never going to do? Write a book about how to bowhunt for elk.
It’s become fairly obvious that I don’t know how to bowhunt elk and I don’t think anyone would buy a two-page book on that topic. You’d think a guy would be able to write more than two pages on that topic after bowhunting elk for, what, 11 seasons now of trying? Before writing a book a guy would want to have photos from multiple successful hunts, right? No dead elk, no photos.

Want advice on bowhunting elk? Don’t ask Dean Bortz Read More »

Small wetlands project enhances habitat of New York’s Montezuma Wetlands Complex

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Ducks Unlimited, and other partners recently completed the restoration of two wetlands on either side of the Seneca River, a 61-mile flowage that empties into Lake Ontario.
For over 25 years efforts have been made to repair the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, impacting more than 18,700 acres in the last quarter-century. This latest conservation effort, was completed in late June. MWC is one of New York’s most important wetland complexes for migratory birds with more than 800,000 ducks and geese moving through the complex annually.

Small wetlands project enhances habitat of New York’s Montezuma Wetlands Complex Read More »

Ohio Insider: More on the adventures of visiting all 75 of Ohio’s state parks

In the last issue in this space, I wrote about Jerry Tyree and his family’s adventure to visit all 75 of Ohio’s state parks.

But, there was so much more to tell about the Tyrees’ odyssey that I hope you’ll indulge me and read a second column to further dive into the details.

To recap a bit, Jerry, his son Tristan, and wife Rhonda spent the past three years visiting all 75 state parks. The adventure began during the early days of COVID-19 just to get the family out of the house and enjoying nature.

Ohio Insider: More on the adventures of visiting all 75 of Ohio’s state parks Read More »

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