Dean Bortz, Author at Outdoor News

State Roundup: Dan Schmidt has Bortz to thank for long run with Deer and Deer Hunting?

Featured, Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

I had the privilege of interviewing Dan Schmidt, the editor of Deer and Deer Hunting, for our ongoing Quick Chat series, with Schmidt’s interview appearing here.
As you read through the piece you’ll see that Herr Schmidt is a just a regular Wisconsin kid who has made good in the outdoor media scene. I’ll say I had a hand in his success due to a mistake I made in the early 1990s.

State Roundup: Dan Schmidt has Bortz to thank for long run with Deer and Deer Hunting? Read More »

A quick chat with Deer and Deer Hunting’s Daniel Schmidt

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Quick Chats, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

Most north-country deer hunters have read Deer and Deer Hunting magazine. The publication is almost as ubiquitous as Winchester’s Model 94 – and may have even killed as many whitetails as has the old .30-30.
Way back in 1973, founders Al Hofacker and Jack Brauer incorporated in Wisconsin as Stump Sitters, at first a loosely united group interested in talking about deer and deer hunting. When the first Stump Sitter newsletter appeared in 1977 carrying the Deer and Deer Hunting (DDH) title, it became the first white-tailed deer-specific magazine in the country.

A quick chat with Deer and Deer Hunting’s Daniel Schmidt Read More »

Dean Bortz: Elk hunting… if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again

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

When I finally grow up I hope I can become a successful elk hunter just like Patrick Durkin and Christine Thomas.
As it stands right now, after – what? – 13 years of trying I still haven’t shot an elk. With bow or gun, but mostly bow. Nope, I’m a lousy elk hunter.

Dean Bortz: Elk hunting… if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again Read More »

Wisconsin Roundup: Clearing up any confusion on turkey hearing; and bears producing many cubs

Featured, Hunting, National Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) will meet Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 8:30 a.m. at the DNR’s headquarters in Madison.
During the proceedings, the DNR will ask NRB members to approve several scope statements that will allow the agency to hold preliminary public hearings, with comment periods, on several topics. Items 2E and 2F deal with turkeys and migratory birds, respectively.

Wisconsin Roundup: Clearing up any confusion on turkey hearing; and bears producing many cubs Read More »

Dean Bortz: A close look at how Wisconsin game wardens make a case

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

I create a file on my desktop for each of the 26 issues of Wisconsin Outdoor News every year. All of those files are tucked inside my main “Issues Folder.”
Within each folder I’ve created more folders, one for each year. This is Issue No. 20 for 2025. Every time I start collecting news stories and features for the current year, I look back in folders from past years just to see what was going on at this time of the year from days gone by.

Dean Bortz: A close look at how Wisconsin game wardens make a case Read More »

State Roundup: Wisconsin Waterfowl Association names new executive director

Featured, Hunting, National Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

The Wisconsin Waterfowl Association (WWA) has a new executive director in the form of Brad Heidel.
WWA’s retiring executive director, Bruce Ross, and board of director president, Bruce Urben, made the announcement last week. Heidel takes over WWA following the retirement of Ross, who led the organization for the last seven years. Heidel, raised in Green Lake and now living in Dane, was most recently the senior director of corporate relations and marketing for Delta Waterfowl.

State Roundup: Wisconsin Waterfowl Association names new executive director Read More »

Dean Bortz: North Fork of Wisconsin’s Flambeau River nearly got me

Featured, Fishing, Nature Page & Night Sky, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

Yours truly came “this close” to drowning on the North Fork of Wisconsin’s Flambeau River last August.
Now, how close “this close” really was to leaving our beautiful world for good no one will ever know since I didn’t succumb to those roiling dark waters. But it had to be pretty doggone close. I didn’t think I was in that much trouble, but my assessment of the situation changed once I saw the looks on the faces of my friends who were along on the river trip that day.

Dean Bortz: North Fork of Wisconsin’s Flambeau River nearly got me Read More »

State Roundup: Does Wisconsin put enough emphasis on catching poachers?

Leave a Comment / Discussions, Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, Hunting, National Fishing, National Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

Outdoor News recently ran a story from a Boone and Crockett Club research project that, at first cut, tells us as few as 4% to 5% of all fish and game poaching violations are discovered by wardens, reported by citizens, investigated and eventually adjudicated.
Now, this story just scratches the surface of that research work, and that project likely just scratches the surface of what’s actually happening in the field. There’s a lot of poaching going on out there. That makes me wonder if state natural resource agencies are putting enough emphasis on catching violators.

State Roundup: Does Wisconsin put enough emphasis on catching poachers? Read More »

Dean Bortz: Wait, there’s a trick to taking kids fishing

Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, Wisconsin / Dean Bortz

Hey, I’m all for having fun. Who wouldn’t be, right? Especially as we age and our family grows, who doesn’t get a kick out of watching young kids have fun while also learning a few things about the outdoors, even if they don’t realize they’re gaining experience and know-how at the time. They’re just focused on having fun. As it should be.
But man, just how many worms does a guy have to thread on a hook and how many bluegills to take off the hook before these kids wear out?

Dean Bortz: Wait, there’s a trick to taking kids fishing Read More »

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Dean Bortz

State Roundup: Dan Schmidt has Bortz to thank for long run with Deer and Deer Hunting?

A quick chat with Deer and Deer Hunting’s Daniel Schmidt

Dean Bortz: Elk hunting… if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again

Wisconsin Roundup: Clearing up any confusion on turkey hearing; and bears producing many cubs

Dean Bortz: A close look at how Wisconsin game wardens make a case

State Roundup: Wisconsin Waterfowl Association names new executive director

Dean Bortz: North Fork of Wisconsin’s Flambeau River nearly got me

State Roundup: Does Wisconsin put enough emphasis on catching poachers?

Dean Bortz: Wait, there’s a trick to taking kids fishing

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