Minnesota Cuffs & Collars: Conservation officer helps with injured hawk, sick moose, troublesome bear
Minnesota cuffs and collars are field reports from DNR conservation officers. These reports are from the April 17, 2026 edition of Outdoor News.
April 2026
Whale that swam 20 miles up Washington’s Willapa River found dead
A juvenile gray whale that amazed Washington state residents after it swam 20 miles up a small river was found dead, and an official with a marine mammal research group suspects hunger may have driven the whale to new hunting grounds as the species’ population declines.
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First American to summit Mount Everest dies at 97
Celebrated mountaineer Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, has died. He was 97.
Whittaker, who also served as the first full-time employee of the outdoor retailer REI and later as its president and CEO, died last Tuesday, April 7, at his home in Port Townsend, Wash.
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Josh Haiar: South Dakota officials say ‘no’ to lowering walleye limits
South Dakota wildlife officials denied a public petition to reduce early-season walleye limits on a stretch of the Missouri River, citing fisheries data indicating a healthy population.
Wes Chmela of Oacoma asked officials to shut down or lower the daily walleye limit from four fish to two fish during January, February, and March on upper Lake Francis Case. In his written petition, he also proposed either catch-and-release-only fishing or tighter size restrictions for that period on the stretch from the Platte-Winner bridge to Fort Thompson.
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Minnesota Mixed Bag: Minnesota BHA hosts 2026 Turkey and Trout Classic
The Minnesota BHA Chapter is hosting its 2026 Turkey & Trout Classic on May 1-3 at Rock Lake Campground in Pillsbury State Forest (near Nisswa). It’s three days of turkey hunting, trout fishing, communal cookouts, and campfire storytelling with folks who love public lands. Hunt hard at first light, drift a fly in the afternoon, or just pull up a chair at camp – it’s your weekend.
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Minnesota Letters to the Editor: Time for a little common sense dialogue on the lead issue
Reader-submitted letters to the editor published in the April 17, 2026 edition of Minnesota Outdoor News.
Minnesota Senate passes crossbow bill, House decision pending
Minnesota moved one step closer to allowing crossbow hunting during the full archery season after the Senate passed a bill unanimously.
The April 8 vote on the Senate floor was 67-0. The bill, SF1251, would remove the expiration on crossbow use during the state’s archery season.
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More gun rights groups lining up against N.Y. public nuisance law
The Second Amendment Foundation and the National Rifle Association have both joined the efforts of the National Shooting Sports Foundation in petitioning the United States Supreme Court to take up the latter group’s NSSF v. James court case. The case seeks to protect firearms manufacturers from being held liable, in certain cases, if their products are used in crimes.
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Critical vote on Minnesota’s BWCA watershed mining resolution likely later today
A Congressional resolution affecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota that passed the U.S. House in January could see a critical vote in the Senate today.
An up-or-down vote on House Joint Resolution 140 will either repeal a 20-year moratorium on copper-sulfide mining in the Rainy River watershed around the BWCA, or allow that Biden-era decision to stand.
Critical vote on Minnesota’s BWCA watershed mining resolution likely later today Read More »
