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Wednesday, May 21st, 2025

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Dave Zeug

A great-grandfather’s .410 strikes again, this time on a double-bearded tom for an 8-year-old hunter

A passion for the outdoors runs deep in the Bontekoe family. With the help of a well-worn Mossberg bolt-action .410 shotgun passed down through four generations to 8-year-old Carter Bontekoe, that passion will run deep into another generation.
“My dad passed the gun down to Carter after my son, Bob, used it when he was a kid. I know my dad would be thrilled knowing his great-grandson is keeping the hunting tradition alive. Having his grandson Bob being Carter’s mentor for this hunt just puts icing on the cake,” said Carter’s grandfather, Jeff Bontekoe, of Shell Lake, Wis.

A great-grandfather’s .410 strikes again, this time on a double-bearded tom for an 8-year-old hunter Read More »

Long-term delegates on Conservation Congress challenged in Wisconsin’s Washburn, Bayfield county

A degree of political backlash or reprisal seems to have crept into the election of Washburn County Conservation Congress delegates during the April 14 spring hearings, with the focus apparently on long-serving delegate Joe Weiss.
The Conservation Congress, founded in 1937, is the only statutory body in Wisconsin where citizens elect delegates to advise the DNR and the Natural Resources Board on natural resource management. The election of delegates appeared to be what brought a record of 108 attendees to the Washburn County Conservation Congress’s spring hearing.

Long-term delegates on Conservation Congress challenged in Wisconsin’s Washburn, Bayfield county Read More »

Remembering a Wisconsin wildfire arson case from nearly 40 years ago

If deer are the primary workload for Wisconsin DNR game wardens in November, fish likely fill that role in April, but the recent spate of wildfires jarred loose a memory of a different workload during a dry spring in Jackson County’s sand country over 35 years ago.
A warden’s role during fire season centered on origin investigations and that April was an unforgettable one. Unattended debris or campfires were common causes. Rarely, but sometimes, it was arson.

Remembering a Wisconsin wildfire arson case from nearly 40 years ago Read More »

Kansasville, Wis., man gets 4.5 years jail time for assaulting a warden

More than 2.5 years after being assaulted and nearly losing his life, a Wisconsin DNR conservation warden found some justice on Wednesday, March 5, when Forest County Circuit Court Judge Leon Stenz sentenced Mark A. Szczerba, 43, of Kansasville, to 4.5 years in prison.
Stenz also ordered a period of extended supervision after the prison sentence is served. The judge ordered a psychological evaluation, the submission of a DNA sample, and no consumption of alcohol.

Kansasville, Wis., man gets 4.5 years jail time for assaulting a warden Read More »

Dave Zeug: Lessons in civility, etiquette needed on Wisconsin’s Brule River

As the 44-mile-long Brule River’s fame and appeal spreads across the country, pressure on the storied river has increased over the years.
Unfortunately, this popularity and the actions of a few anglers has resulted in the posting of some well-known access points located on private property. Traditionally these owners have been tolerant of anglers – something of a social contract between anglers and property owners. Unfortunately, that contract has been tested in recent years as a lack of civility descended on the Brule.

Dave Zeug: Lessons in civility, etiquette needed on Wisconsin’s Brule River Read More »

Fish biologists, charter school students tackle muskie, pike project on Wisconsin’s Spider Lake

What do charter school students, Wisconsin DNR fish biologists, financial donors, muskies, and northern pike have in common?
A new study taking place on Spider Lake in Sawyer County that will take a closer look at the interactions between those two fish species, with much of the work being done by students from two Northwoods charter schools under the guidance and assistance of Hayward DNR fisheries team members.

Fish biologists, charter school students tackle muskie, pike project on Wisconsin’s Spider Lake Read More »

Novice hunter’s perseverance pays off during Wisconsin gun season

Ironically, when the buck of a lifetime wandered by his Washburn County deer stand on the second day of the Wisconsin nine-day gun season, Minneapolis, Minn., resident Cody Chamberlain was reading the book, Undaunted Courage.
The book is a great read for outdoor enthusiasts because it chronicles the early 1800s Lewis and Clark Expedition across the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase.
“With three kids at home, I don’t have a lot of time to read, so when the hunting’s slow I’ll dig out a book while keeping an eye on the woods,” said Chamberlain.

Novice hunter’s perseverance pays off during Wisconsin gun season Read More »

All corners agree on Wisconsin DNR’s new approach on forest deer areas

It isn’t often Wisconsin DNR biologists, elected officials, deer hunters, and at least one Natural Resources Board member all agree on much of anything related to deer management, but that happened at a DNR-sponsored open house in Cable on Nov. 19 where all attendees considered a proposal for the DNR to return to numbered deer units.

All corners agree on Wisconsin DNR’s new approach on forest deer areas Read More »

Wisconsin’s Washburn County bear hunter loses three dogs to wolves

On Sept. 14 in Washburn County’s town of Stinnett, Wis., bear hunters lost three of their Plott trailing hounds to wolves that ran down the dogs and killed them.
This incident is the 30th report of confirmed or probable incidents of wolves killing livestock or pets in the northwest counties of Douglas, Bayfield, Sawyer, Ashland, Burnett, and Washburn counties. Douglas County recorded 13 of the incidents.

Wisconsin’s Washburn County bear hunter loses three dogs to wolves Read More »

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