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Dean Bortz

State Roundup: No shortage of opportunities for Wisconsin anglers these days

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, National Fishing, Opinion, Wisconsin /

It’s almost getting to the point where a fisherman might ask why we even have any closed seasons anymore.
Wisconsin’s stream trout season closure has been pushed into October. This year, on April 4, our inland stream trout “keep” season opened, and will continue to do so the first Saturday of each April. The winter trout release season opened in January and ran through Friday, April 3, then gave way to the new keep season.

State Roundup: No shortage of opportunities for Wisconsin anglers these days Read More »

State Roundup: A few recommendations for Wisconsin DNR after turkey tag fiasco

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin /

I think there is a secondary reason why it wouldn’t hurt to hear from Hyun right about now. I hear we’re going have the Natural Resources Board polling sportsmen on their level of support for license fee increases and dedicated alternate funding on Monday, April 13, during the annual spring fish and game hearings.

State Roundup: A few recommendations for Wisconsin DNR after turkey tag fiasco Read More »

Dean Bortz: Wisconsin NRB asking for support on DNR fee increase, dedicated funding source on April 13

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, Hunting, National Fishing, National Hunting, Nature Page & Night Sky, Wisconsin /

Conservation Congress delegates have been looking at a dedicated funding source for the Wisconsin DNR’s fish and wildlife programs and the game warden force since at least the early 1990s.
Bob Ellingson served as congress chair from 1995-98. During that time Ellingson went to Missouri to ask Missouri Department of Conservation officials how they were able to get citizens to support adding a 1/8 of 1% sales tax to support conservation work in that state.

Dean Bortz: Wisconsin NRB asking for support on DNR fee increase, dedicated funding source on April 13 Read More »

Dean Bortz: Let’s talk about a timber sale

Featured, Nature Page & Night Sky, Wisconsin /

It was probably around late winter of 1972 or 1973 that our grandfather cut a skidding trail through our cedar swamp in southern Ashland County so my brother and I could make some money by cutting balsam pulpwood.
He built a wooden dray that he pulled behind his Farmall H tractor. Loading and unloading was done by hand by my brother and me. That’s when I gained an appreciation for chopper mitts.

Dean Bortz: Let’s talk about a timber sale Read More »

Wisconsin State Roundup: Ban of frog, turtle races necessary? And efforts to ban some hunting contests

Featured, Fishing, Hunting, National Hunting, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion, Wisconsin /

Apparently Mark Twain had absolutely no idea what kind of concerns and consternations he would create some folks in today’s society when he wrote his story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, in 1865.
You can read Tim Eisele’s news story from the February Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) meeting at which NRB members approved a request from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to ban all turtle and frog races or contests (actually includes all amphibians and reptiles – not limited to turtles and frogs) in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin State Roundup: Ban of frog, turtle races necessary? And efforts to ban some hunting contests Read More »

State Roundup: .41 Great Lakes is a great cartridge with a great story behind it

Featured, Featured, Gear & Gadgets, Home Page News, Hunting, Hunting, Michigan, National Hunting, Opinion, Opinion, Wisconsin /

The .41 Great Lakes, a mostly new straight-wall cartridge has a great story behind it. I suppose it should still be considered a wildcat round, but the originators, friends John Upp and Larry Miller, both of Adrian, Mich., are on the verge of “big-timing” their round.
I had a couple of questions after editing Hansen’s article, so I found Upp’s email and sent a message with a couple of questions.

State Roundup: .41 Great Lakes is a great cartridge with a great story behind it Read More »

Former president of Bluffland Whitetail Association charged in Minnesota’s Fillmore County

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting, National News, News /

Former Bluffland Whitetail Association President Taylor Bestor, 41, faces up to 10 felony charges in Fillmore County Circuit Court over the alleged disappearance of $77,834.87 from the association’s financial accounts.
According to court documents filed with the Fillmore County attorney’s office, Bestor allegedly made 968 unauthorized transactions from Bluffland Whitetail Association (BWA) accounts between June 28, 2023, and Oct. 3, 2025, totaling $77,834.87.

Former president of Bluffland Whitetail Association charged in Minnesota’s Fillmore County Read More »

Dean Bortz: The inspiring story of ‘Raga’ and her big 2023 Wisconsin bear

Featured, Features, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Wisconsin /

Anyone who has spent some time in the Madison area has likely seen Geraldine Francis Klus bombing around the beltline in her Ford Explorer painted in winter camo and bearing a license plate that simply reads, “Raga.”
A grandchild who was just learning to speak couldn’t say grandma. It came out Raga instead, and it stuck. Klus, now 88, has a story to tell from her 2023 Forest County bear hunt at age 85, and, really, her life in general.

Dean Bortz: The inspiring story of ‘Raga’ and her big 2023 Wisconsin bear Read More »

State Roundup: Wisconsin’s fall turkey harvest numbers are in

Featured, Fishing, Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin /

When Wisconsin Natural Resources Board members meet Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Madison they will receive updates on proposed fish and game advisory questions from the DNR and Conservation Congress that will appear on the annual spring fish and game hearing questionnaire (no proposed rule changes this year).

State Roundup: Wisconsin’s fall turkey harvest numbers are in Read More »

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