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Tori McCormick

Minnesota duck numbers up during spring survey, but bluewings take dive

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

Despite a historically-low estimate of blue-winged teal, Minnesota’s total duck abundance (excluding scaup) was 8% above last year’s estimate, according to the results of the 2025 Waterfowl Breeding Population Survey conducted in May by the Minnesota DNR.
“These results were about what we expected,” said Nate Huck, Minnesota DNR migratory gamebird consultant.

Minnesota duck numbers up during spring survey, but bluewings take dive Read More »

Minnesota’s spring count of ruffed grouse dips, expectedly

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

The 2025 statewide population index of Minnesota’s most iconic game bird – the ruffed grouse – is lower than last year, according to the results of the Minnesota DNR’s annual spring survey.
Ruffed grouse drumming counts were 1.8 statewide, down from 2.3 drums per stop last year. The drop was not unexpected, DNR officials say, because 2024 was the highest 10-year cycle population peak for ruffed grouse since 1972.

Minnesota’s spring count of ruffed grouse dips, expectedly Read More »

A pup’s good joint health is a life-long commitment

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

The arthritis in the front right elbow of my late black Lab developed slowly, then seemingly all at once.
Buddy was nearly 9 years old, a seasoned waterfowl and upland hunter with countless days afield and dozens of retrieves and flushes on his resume. But his steady limp shook me to my core – and out of my denial. His new normal required me to think anew about how I was going to care for my beloved animal as he entered the winter of his life. The signs of his physical decline were, suddenly, everywhere.

A pup’s good joint health is a life-long commitment Read More »

Southwestern Minnesota Pheasants Forever chapter celebrates 50 land acquisitions

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

Since its inception in 1984, the Nobles County Chapter of Pheasants Forever in southwestern Minnesota has been all about the dirt.
That is, purchasing parcels of land with the express purpose of raising ring-necked pheasants and other wildlife and having those acres open to public recreation, most notably hunting. Last Friday evening, chapter members, local elected representatives, and others raised their glasses and champagne-toasted the chapter’s 50th land acquisition.

Southwestern Minnesota Pheasants Forever chapter celebrates 50 land acquisitions Read More »

What does the new federal spending law mean for conservation?

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

After months of negotiations and sometimes-bitter infighting within his own party, President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025 signed into law a massive spending and tax bill that includes funding for a popular walk-in access program and sets the table for future farmland conservation measures.
The nearly 1,000-page bill, which the White House dubbed the “One, Big Beautiful Bill” Act, spends trillions on tax cuts, border enforcement, and national defense. But the bill also has provisions for habitat and hunter access, which some conservation group officials characterized as good news for sportsmen and women.

What does the new federal spending law mean for conservation? Read More »

Southeast Minnesota streams get a flushing; outlook is good

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

Despite the past week’s rainstorms that swelled and muddied rivers and streams and rendered them temporarily unfishable, stream-trout fishing across Minnesota has been good so far this year entering the July 4th holiday weekend, state officials and guides say. 
Minnesota contains hundreds of miles of managed trout streams and a variety of scenic terrain where they can be found – from the North Shore of Lake Superior to the Driftless Area of the southeast.

Southeast Minnesota streams get a flushing; outlook is good Read More »

Minnesota conservation groups seeking improved feedlot rules with water quality, fish habitat at stake

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

State conservation and environmental groups, including Minnesota Trout Unlimited, the Izaak Walton League, and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, are urging the public to comment on new state feedlot rulemaking that could overhaul how livestock manure is stored and spread on Minnesota agricultural lands.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is collecting public input to update the state’s feedlot rules for the first time in 25 years.

Minnesota conservation groups seeking improved feedlot rules with water quality, fish habitat at stake Read More »

Minnesota DNR mulls turkey zone changes to obtain better population information

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

If you’re basing your outlook strictly on harvest, the last two spring turkey-hunting seasons in Minnesota have been the best in recorded history. In 2024 and 2025, spring hunters bagged 16,714 and 16,918 turkeys, respectively. 
“I would argue that the last two springs are the two best seasons we’ve had since the season opened in Minnesota for wild turkeys in 1978,” said Nate Huck, Minnesota DNR acting resident game bird consultant.

Minnesota DNR mulls turkey zone changes to obtain better population information Read More »

Minnesota DNR completes spring waterfowl survey amid tough conditions

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

When Minnesota DNR officials fly the annual spring waterfowl breeding population survey – one of the state’s longest-running wildlife inventories – it rarely goes off without a hitch.
This spring was no different.
“We had a little turbulence, you could say, but we finally got it finished,” said Bruce Davis, supervisor for the Minnesota DNR’s Wetland Wildlife Populations and Research Group in Bemidji, who flew this year’s survey.

Minnesota DNR completes spring waterfowl survey amid tough conditions Read More »

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