Minnesota Mixed Bag: St. Paul Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show starts Friday

St. Paul — The St. Paul Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show kicks off Friday and continues through Sunday at St. Paul RiverCentre.

For ice anglers, the show offers a chance to see what’s new in fish houses, augers, rods and reels, tackle, fish finders, apparel, and more. For those looking for new and effective ways to pull fish from beneath the ice, panel discussions by experts on how to do so will be offered by Dave Genz, Matt Breuer, “Tackle” Terry Tuma, Ashley Holmgren, Caleb Wistad, and others.

Show hours are 1-7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 7. Admission is $16 for adults, $6 for youth ages 6 to 12, and free for kids age 5 and under. Visit www.stpaulicefishingshow.com for more info.

MORE COVERAGE FROM MINNESOTA OUTDOOR NEWS:

Minnesota’s deer harvest surpasses state’s total from 2024; Wisconsin also ahead of last year’s pace

Frigid weather aiding formation of ice for eager anglers across Minnesota

Habitat help on the way for waterfowl? New Delta initiative focuses on refuges, WMAs

ARROWHEAD ICE FISHING AND WINTER SHOW SET FOR DEC. 12-14

Duluth, Minn. — The Arrowhead Ice Fishing and Winter Show comes to the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, Dec. 12-14, bringing with it an array of fish houses, winter clothing, gear, ATVs, and much more for the winter outdoorsperson.

For those seeking information and tips, there will be panel discussions about ice fishing and other outdoor pursuits. Also, Jenny Anderson will offer a seminar on introduction to ice fishing for women and families. Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel returns, too, to teach showgoers about ice safety, and the “frozen basin” offers a chance to catch rainbow trout.

Show hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14. Admission is $10 for adults 18 and older; $6 for those ages 6 to 17; and free for kids age 5 and under. For more information, visit www.arrowheadiceshow.com

FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED SEATS OFFERED FOR DNR ROUNDTABLE

St. Paul — The 2026 Minnesota DNR’s Roundtable – an annual gathering of conservation partners focused on discussing fisheries, wildlife, and ecological and water resource topics and encouraging partnerships – will again include a no-cost, open registration opportunity.

The 2026 DNR Roundtable will be held Friday, Jan. 9. The opportunity to register for one of a limited number of first-come, first-served slots will open at noon on Monday, Dec. 8 via a registration link on the DNR’s Roundtable webpage.

Anticipated topics for the 2026 Roundtable include the science behind fish and wildlife limits, the 75th anniversary of state wildlife management areas, balancing management of aquatic vegetation, wake impact research, the future of fair chase, and more.

PRUNE OAKS NOW TO AVOID RISK OF OAK WILT

St. Paul — Now through February is a great time to prune or cut oaks without the risk of oak wilt infection, according to the Minnesota DNR.

Oak wilt is an invasive fungal disease deadly to all of Minnesota’s oak species. One of the ways it spreads is by sap-feeding beetles that carry spores from infected trees to fresh wounds of healthy trees. The disease is common in east-central and southeastern Minnesota and is expanding north and west.

“Oak wilt is very expensive to treat, but prevention is often effective and much less costly – even free,” said Brian Schwingle, DNR Forest Health Program consultant. “One of the best ways to help protect oaks is to do necessary pruning or cutting in winter, which is the safest season to avoid risk of infection.”

More details about oak wilt, including identification, prevention, and how best to deal with infected trees and wood, can be found on the DNR’s oak wilt management webpage (www.mndnr.gov/oakwilt).

NEW HIGH FALLS PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OPENS AT TETTEGOUCHE STATE PARK

St. Paul — After several years of closure and construction, the new High Falls pedestrian bridge at Tettegouche State Park opened to the public on Monday.

The bridge, which spans the Baptism River upstream of the 63-foot High Falls, was completely replaced during the $1.07 million construction project. The new bridge is made of fiberglass polymer and is elevated 5 feet above the original, helping make it more resilient to high flooding. Built in 1988, the previous bridge closed to the public in 2022 after severe flood damage. A subsequent severe flood in 2024 caused the bridge to fully detach on one side.

DEADLINES APPROACHING FOR WISCONSIN SPRING TURKEY, BEAR TAGS

Madison, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reminds bear and turkey hunters that applications for the 2026 black bear- and spring turkey-hunting seasons are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. Hunters may apply for harvest authorizations or purchase preference points toward future drawings, or edit an existing application, through Go Wild or an authorized license agent until the deadline.

The drawing for 2026 black bear harvest authorizations will occur in February. This year, more than 32,000 people applied for one of the 13,110 bear licenses available.

Turkey harvest authorizations are issued through a preference-based drawing system. The spring harvest authorization drawing takes place in late December. Successful applicants may purchase their 2026 spring turkey license/permit/stamp beginning in March 2026.