Sports Features Ross Bielema 10 October 2025

Big bruin creates happy 9/11 memory for fire chief

The brotherhood of firefighters is legendary, and never was that bond shining stronger than in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of 343 New York City firefighters.

That anniversary remains a bittersweet one for all firefighters as they recall the disaster but also the heroics displayed on an epic scale.

Community Ross Bielema 26 September 2025
Tuning archery gear can be almost as fun as bowhunting

My wife and I celebrated our 27th anniversary Sept. 19. We (she) decided to celebrate our mostly blissful, sometimes tumultuous years together (9,862 days) not by traveling to a warm beach or remote tropical paradise but by sharing her dad’s lakefront cabin (Wausau home) on Lily Lake near Pickerel.

Sports Community Ross Bielema 11 September 2025
Follow the science with annual wolf hunts


Most wildlife experts and sportsmen agree the best way to protect a species is to make it a game animal. State biologists will analyze the species, conduct various population estimates and set hunting limits to ensure that species doesn’t drop below a certain level. Although non-game species in general are protected from hunting (such as songbirds), their numbers are not as closely monitored.

Community Ross Bielema 27 August 2025
September starts autumn’s hunting magic

The cool snap in the air and subtle sights and sounds of fading summer mean my favorite time of year is approaching.

Chances are that if you love hunting as much as me, it’s your favorite season, too.

Community Ross Bielema 13 August 2025
Mild winters mean plenty of fall venison

Ross Bielema 14 July 2025
Panfish don’t get the credit they deserve
Ask 100 anglers what they think of when the term “gamefish” is mentioned, and you’ll probably get one of four answers. Nationwide, it’s going to be the largemouth bass. Ol’ bucketmouth has more than his own cheering section. Ray Scott founded the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, and about a half million members spend most of their free time chasing bass.
Ross Bielema 15 June 2025
Bowhunting heirs visit museum to share memories
As I grow older, I find myself drawn to earlier and simpler times. Cell phones are everywhere, and we can now make calls anywhere, including our cars or even the bathroom. I remember the old Ma Bell phones that were built like anvils and almost as heavy. We paid high prices for long-distance calls, but local calls were almost free. You didn’t have a choice of carriers. It was AT&T or nothing. Are cell phones better?
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