Wednesday, June 10th, 2026
My Account

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Main Menu
Menu
Search
My Account
Wednesday, June 10th, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Main Menu
Menu
Subscribe to Outdoor News

Patrick Durkin

Wisconsin family deer camp carries 50-year heritage

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

The Welke family’s deer camp moved from the scrub oaks of northern Marinette County, Wis., to the stately oaks of north-central Crawford County over the past 50 years.

Somewhere along the way, Carl and Kurt Welke swapped their Winchester 94 lever-actions for Model 70 bolt-actions. Even so, they still wear wool while hunting deer, playing cribbage and processing venison each November.

Wisconsin family deer camp carries 50-year heritage Read More »

Necropsy finds Wisconsin cougar killed by bowhunter was healthy, well fed

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

A necropsy on the cougar killed in mid-November by a bowhunter in Wisconsin’s Buffalo County found the cat was healthy, well fed, and carrying good fat reserves, according to the state’s large carnivore specialist.
“It had eaten within the past day and knew how to make a living,” said Randy Johnson, of Rhinelander, the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) large carnivore specialist.

Necropsy finds Wisconsin cougar killed by bowhunter was healthy, well fed Read More »

Wisconsin bowhunter acted reasonably in killing cougar

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

Benjamin Karasch, of Eau Claire, is the bowhunter who killed a mountain lion Nov. 11 in Buffalo County, Wis., after it spotted him atop his ladder stand and stalked to within 13 yards.
Fearing the cougar was about to attack, Karasch, 39, arrowed it. Wisconsin’s last documented cougar kill was in 1908, 115 years ago. Wisconsin lists cougars as a protected species, but allows people to defend themselves or protect their property if they fear the animal is about to cause harm.

Wisconsin bowhunter acted reasonably in killing cougar Read More »

Wisconsin legislature sits indifferent as CWD infects 60% of counties

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

Wisconsin welcomed the deer herds of Polk and Trempealeau counties to its CWD-tainted roster in late October, leaving only 29 of the state’s 72 counties with no verified cases of the fatal disease in wild whitetails.
That’s one advantage of Wisconsin’s voluntary testing program: We can pretend CWD exists only in the 43 counties where it’s been documented, thanks to the 30% of hunters who have gotten their deer tested over the years.

Wisconsin legislature sits indifferent as CWD infects 60% of counties Read More »

Wisconsin hunters gather for ruffed grouse at Northwoods’ ‘Checkpoint Charlie’

Featured, Features, Hunting, National Hunting, Wisconsin /

Tom Heberlein has long trimmed two faint trails through the back end of his Northwoods forty to ease access to the Chequamegon National Forest’s deer, ruffed grouse, snowshoe hares, and even beavers.
In turn, when visitors step from those public forests onto Heberlein’s turf, they don’t find a “No Trespassing” sign at the border. They do, however, find a stark sign with block letters reading: “YOU ARE LEAVING THE AMERICAN SECTOR.” The same message repeats below in Russian, French, and German.

Wisconsin hunters gather for ruffed grouse at Northwoods’ ‘Checkpoint Charlie’ Read More »

Time for Wisconsin Natural Resources Board nominees, senators to play wolf trivia?

Featured, Opinion, Wisconsin /

Who would have thought demonizing wolves is so vital to Wisconsin that state senators would torpedo the Natural Resources Board just so it can’t vote on a wolf-management plan that differs little from the state’s plan for managing black bears?
The Senate’s Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage voted 3-2 Sept. 28 to reject four of Gov. Tony Evers’ five NRB nominees. If the full Senate rejects those nominees before the NRB’s Oct. 25 meeting, it would leave three NRB members – Bill Smith, Marcy West and Paul Buhr – without a quorum. They could hold a meeting, but couldn’t take any action.

Time for Wisconsin Natural Resources Board nominees, senators to play wolf trivia? Read More »

Colorado elk bowhunt proves fun, yet deflating after vandalism

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

As an out-of-state visitor who pays nearly 10 times more than a resident to bowhunt Colorado’s elk, you’d appreciate a little local gratitude for your $851.24 subsidy of the state’s wildlife-management program.
But you’d be pitifully naïve to expect it. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised to find no thank-you note beneath my truck’s windshield wiper Sept. 21 when returning to the trailhead near Steamboat Springs after a 15-day backpack trip into a wilderness area. Lack of appreciation is nothing new. Some Western hunters will forever complain of nonresident “crowding” each autumn, even though all U.S. citizens share equal ownership of the West’s vast federal lands.

Colorado elk bowhunt proves fun, yet deflating after vandalism Read More »

Bowhunting well-represented by pioneers like Jim Dougherty

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

Many folks don’t know that until 50 years ago, Wisconsin’s cars and trucks killed more deer by accident than bowhunters did on purpose.
In fact, some of us can remember when our whitetails were few in number, bows were one-string novelties, and cedar arrows far outnumbered aluminum. We even thought fiberglass hunting shafts were revolutionary luxuries in 1973, and had no idea that carbon/graphite arrows would start their ride to dominance in another 15 to 20 years. Meanwhile, bow-killed deer were considered feats of luck or incredible skill, and bowhunters were forever trying to earn respect for their craft and its equipment.

Bowhunting well-represented by pioneers like Jim Dougherty Read More »

Fast action saves truck from boat ramp plunge into Madison’s Lake Mendota

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

Good fishing stories write themselves after you futilely search Madison’s Lake Mendota for suspended walleyes and return instead with 10 nice bluegills in the 9- to 10-inch range.
But bluegills were just the postscript to the tense tale Joe Ballweg, 65, told his wife Aug. 21 after returning home to Prairie du Sac, Wis. If not for his quick thinking and flawless moves while launching his boat that morning, Ballweg might have ended the day shopping for a new truck, not cleaning a big catch.

Fast action saves truck from boat ramp plunge into Madison’s Lake Mendota Read More »

GET THE OUTDOOR NEWS DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Sign up for the Outdoor News Weekly Newsletter and get 2 months of FREE access to OutdoorNews.com – packed with hunting, fishing, and conservation news. No Catch.

This offer includes digital access only (not the printed edition)

Email Address(Required)
Password(Required)
Name
What outdoor activities interest you?(Required)

PLEASE READ

Accessing Your Full Subscription Just Got Easier. Introducing Single Sign On.

 We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Click Continue below.
  2. You’ll be taken to the OutdoorNews.com sign-in screen.
  3. Don’t have an account yet? Create one—it’s quick!
  4. After signing in, click the E-Edition Login button again. When the pop-up appears, just click Continue.
  5. You’ll either:
    1. Land on the e-edition selection screen (you’re in!)
    2. Be sent to a help page if we didn’t detect a subscription.

If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.

One login. Every edition. Easy.

Let’s get you reading!

Continue...

PLEASE READ

 We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.

Here’s how it works:

• Click Continue below.

• You’ll be taken to the OutdoorNews.com sign-in screen.

• Don’t have an account yet? Create one—it’s quick!

• After signing in, click the E-Edition Login button again. When the pop-up appears, just click Continue. You’ll either:

  1. Land on the e-edition selection screen (you’re in!)
  2. Be sent to a help page if we didn’t detect a subscription.

If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.

Continue...

Help Shape the Future of OutdoorNews.com!

We know you love the outdoors—now we want to make OutdoorNews.com the ultimate destination for all things hunting, fishing, and conservation.

Take our brief 3 minute survey to share your thoughts, and help us build the best outdoor website on the planet. As a thank you, we’ll send you a special offer!

Together, we can make OutdoorNews.com even better.

Take the Survey

Introducing The Outdoor News Foundation

Donate Today

For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month!

Sign Up Now

Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other promotions. $1 per month for 6 months (you will be billed $6) and then your subscription will renew at standard subscription rates. For more information see Terms and Conditions. This offer only applies to OutdoorNews.com and not for any Outdoor News print subscriptions. Offer valid thru 3/31/23.

Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? Click here to login.