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Rob Drieslein

Outdoor Insights: Fishers rebound in Minnesota, and making up for lost time in the hunting woods

Featured, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting, Opinion /

An update to the 2024-25 trapping season has piqued my interest: Minnesotans can now trap fishers statewide. Dedicated readers of this space have seen trail camera images that my dad has obtained of fishers on his property in southeastern Minnesota the past few years.
A valuable furbearer, fishers were nearly extinct in Minnesota by the early 1900s, but they’ve staged a comeback in the forested region, and in the past 20 years, they’ve shown an increasing adaptability and tolerance of people.

Outdoor Insights: Fishers rebound in Minnesota, and making up for lost time in the hunting woods Read More »

Outdoor Insights: New nonprofit, the Outdoor News Foundation, working to create permanent outdoor enthusiasts

Featured, Featured, Featured, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing, Home Page News, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, National Fishing, National Hunting, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin /

For years, you’ve read about declining hunting and fishing license sales and the ramifications that holds for the future of natural resources management, not to mention the potential loss of the outdoors pastimes we hold dear.

Outdoor Insights: New nonprofit, the Outdoor News Foundation, working to create permanent outdoor enthusiasts Read More »

Outdoor Insights: Here’s why renewing Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund matters this November

8 Comments / Discussions, Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion /

In addition to the people and parties seeking your support on Nov. 5, there’s a constitutional amendment that this outdoors scribe considers nonpartisan. If it passes, Amendment 1 would extend dedication of 40% of state lottery proceeds to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for 25 years. Here’s exactly how it will read on your ballot.

Outdoor Insights: Here’s why renewing Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund matters this November Read More »

A quick chat with Scott Hed, a man front and center in battle over Alaska’s Bristol Bay

Home Page News, National Fishing, Nature Page & Night Sky, Quick Chats /

Some of North America’s most effective conservation advocates rarely see their name quoted in the pages of Outdoor News. They’re the men and women who criss-cross the continent, appealing to donors, pitching their mission to sporting clubs, or requesting 90 seconds of a key politician’s time.
They eschew the limelight while quietly plugging away on their laptops in the dark corner of an airport while awaiting a red-eye, or negotiating an endorsement via cell phone while catching an Uber ride. Hailing originally from a small town in southern Minnesota, Scott Hed is one of those people, and he might be the most effective conservation advocate you’ve never heard of.

A quick chat with Scott Hed, a man front and center in battle over Alaska’s Bristol Bay Read More »

Outdoor Insights: Mallard trends disturbing at best in Mississippi Flyway

2 Comments / Discussions, Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting, Opinion /

Overall, continental duck numbers are down from historic highs (highs that many waterfowlers consider paper ducks) although they showed a 5% increase from 2023. Wigeon and green-winged teal showed the biggest increases from last year.

Outdoor Insights: Mallard trends disturbing at best in Mississippi Flyway Read More »

Outdoor Insights: Fish and Wildlife Service finalizes plans to kill thousands of barred owls

Leave a Comment / Discussions, Featured, Hunting, Minnesota, Opinion /

In mid-July, I wrote in this space about a federal proposal to cull barred owls in the Pacific Northwest in the name of saving spotted owls. Last Wednesday, Aug. 28, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized its plan to kill up to 450,000 barred owls during next three decades in several western states.

Outdoor Insights: Fish and Wildlife Service finalizes plans to kill thousands of barred owls Read More »

Is 2024 the worst year ever for Minnesota wild rice?

Featured, Home Page News, Minnesota, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

Minnesota’s wild rice harvest season officially opened Aug. 15, but late ripening of 2024’s thin crop means actual harvest only began last week.
Blame it on high water during a critical time in the aquatic plant’s natural development, but 2024 might just be one of the worst years ever for wild rice. Ann Geisen, wildlife lake specialist for the Minnesota DNR’s shallow lakes program, monitors wild rice reports from central Minnesota. She described the status of the state’s wild rice crop as poor and said harvesting has been challenging for ricers thus far.

Is 2024 the worst year ever for Minnesota wild rice? Read More »

Volunteers improve remote Wildlife Management Area on Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion

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

More than 50 volunteers tackled a border country landscape last Saturday in the name of improving access to state public lands. The project unfolded on the 42.16-acre Pine Island Wildlife Management Area, which exists on an island in the eastern portion of Lake Vermilion in St. Louis County.
Coordinating with the Minnesota DNR’s Tower-area office, Minnesota-based Sportsmen For the Boundary Waters has adopted the WMA for the next two years.

Volunteers improve remote Wildlife Management Area on Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion Read More »

Outdoor Insights: Minnesota DNR takes first step in evaluating how live sonar is affecting an important Minnesota sportfish

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

Has the DNR taken a step toward addressing the great 21st Century live-sonar fishing debate?
Per an agency press release in the Aug. 9 edition of Outdoor News, the DNR is requesting public input on several proposed experimental and special fishing regulations for the 2025 fishing season. Among them is a proposal to lower the crappie limit to five daily on seven lakes in Otter Tail County and one in Lac qui Parle County.

Outdoor Insights: Minnesota DNR takes first step in evaluating how live sonar is affecting an important Minnesota sportfish Read More »

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