Thursday, May 14th, 2026

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Thursday, May 14th, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Natalie Ryder

Huge Minnesota muskie from Mille Lacs’ depths reeled in

According to the Florida-based International Game Fish Association, Art Weston caught a potential record-breaking muskie measuring in around 138-centimeters or 54-1/3 inches on Minnesota’s Lake Mille Lacs on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
After documenting its length, Weston reportedly released it back into the depths of the lake.

Huge Minnesota muskie from Mille Lacs’ depths reeled in Read More »

Minnesota voters approve continued ENRTF funding, while Boundary Water advocates prepare for fight ahead

In the 2024 election, around 77.5% of Minnesota voters approved the renewal to allocate 40% of lottery money toward the Environmental Natural Resources Trust Fund. It is a fund that has supported almost 2,000 projects related to conservation and the preservation of natural resources since 1991.
“It’s good for Minnesota, and I just hope that we keep investing in our state,” said Nancy Gibson, the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources co-chair.

Minnesota voters approve continued ENRTF funding, while Boundary Water advocates prepare for fight ahead Read More »

Minnesota DNR stocking larger-than-normal walleyes following mild winter

In Ortonville-area walleye rearing ponds that support Minnesota stocking, the walleye fingerlings and yearlings are larger and heavier than normal in 2024. That’s a statewide trend following a mild winter.
“As many areas across the state are seeing, we have a lot of bigger fingerlings this year. We have a lot of yearling fish with the open winter that we had last year – just very little winterkill,” said Kyle Anderson, the Ortonville assistant area fisheries supervisor.

Minnesota DNR stocking larger-than-normal walleyes following mild winter Read More »

Ample birds, good hunting conditions equals fine season for Minnesota fall turkey hunters

Minnesota hunters who harvested turkeys this fall were part of one of the highest harvests since 1990 – a total of around 1,450 birds as the season ended on Sunday, Oct. 27.
“[It’s] significantly more than we’ve harvested in most recent years,” said Nate Huck, the Minnesota DNR’s resident game bird specialist.

Ample birds, good hunting conditions equals fine season for Minnesota fall turkey hunters Read More »

Minnesota DNR brings felony charges in illegal spruce tops case

The Minnesota DNR is pressing felony charges against Blake Buschman of Babbitt, for the recent illegal harvest of more than 5,000 spruce top trees on private and county property, according to the St. Louis County criminal complaint.
Babbitt Conservation Officer Anthony Bermel said this isn’t the first time he has caught Buschman harvesting batches of spruce tops, when he seized about 1,300 tops in late October. He also caught him last October when he was in possession of more than 1,500 spruce tops.

Minnesota DNR brings felony charges in illegal spruce tops case Read More »

Early, pre-opener license sales tick up from 2023 ahead of Minnesota’s firearm deer season

As hunters across Minnesota sight in their shotguns and rifles for the firearms deer opener on Saturday, Nov. 9, area wildlife managers across the state are projecting mixed conditions that could be favorable for some, and trickier in other areas.
Central and south-central Minnesota are looking favorable for a solid opener and firearm harvest as abundant numbers of deer have been seen across the landscape so far this year. With the rut underway, hunters are optimistic. 

Early, pre-opener license sales tick up from 2023 ahead of Minnesota’s firearm deer season Read More »

Relationships mattered for retired Minnesota DNR fish manager Jack Lauer

Looking back on his almost 40-year career with the Minnesota DNR, most recently the past 16 years as southern region fisheries manager, Jack Lauer says he viewed the job as more than that of simply a government employee.
“We have really good resources. So, my job wasn’t to be the bureaucrat, but was to be a person who helped preserve what we have in Minnesota,” Lauer said.
Lauer, who recently retired, said he didn’t see his role as the regional manager as one that operated in a vacuum apart from local agencies.

Relationships mattered for retired Minnesota DNR fish manager Jack Lauer Read More »

Deer-removal permits due to crop damage net limited harvests in Minnesota

Recently, in southern Minnesota’s Deer Permit Area 274, a farmer killed five more deer than allowed on his out-of-season deer-removal permit and did not report it to the DNR’s area wildlife office.
As a result, he received a petty misdemeanor citation for violating the permit, and that will weigh against him if he ever applies for a permit to shoot deer causing crop damage in the future.
“That’s the first time we’ve ever had a report of that, and I don’t like to hear that, either, obviously. That’s not what this program is about,” said Dave Trauba, interim DNR Wildlife Section manager.

Deer-removal permits due to crop damage net limited harvests in Minnesota Read More »

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