Ross Bielema - Outdoors

Try fall mushrooms for a wild delicacy

Published by admin on Fri, 10/04/2019 - 12:00pm

As I’ve said many times before, technology and I don’t always get along. Facebook’s been a fun way to reach out to current friends as well as old friends from high school, but it’s also been a colossal time-waster.

Wind, solar energy contribute to bird decline

Published by admin on Thu, 09/26/2019 - 4:53pm

It’s funny and sad when the do-gooders or the animal-rights nuts claim to be doing something great for nature or the ecosystem, but we learn their efforts are actually making things worse.

Most of them think hunting, fishing, trapping and even training a hunting dog to hunt are bad for wildlife, but they have no clue that their shopping malls and gated communities have destroyed vast habitats for both game and non-game species.

September’s the season for bowhunting and fond outdoor memories

Published by admin on Fri, 09/13/2019 - 3:00pm

“Try to remember the kind of September, when life was slow and oh, so mellow….”

If I had to pick a favorite month, it would probably be September. This classic tune written by Tom Jones and performed by a few dozen different bands and singers puts me in an early fall mood. I remember singing this song in fourth grade so many years ago, and it made me appreciate my birth month even more.

New DNR phone app harnesses technology for a better hunt

Published by admin on Fri, 09/06/2019 - 12:00pm

I have a love-hate relationship with technology. Part of me loves trail cameras, Bluetooth (when it works), computers and cell phones. I’d love to tell you I’m writing this story on a manual typewriter similar to the one Ernest Hemingway used, but the truth is that it’s written on a fairly new desktop PC.

Dove, teal and early goose seasons open Sunday

Published by admin on Fri, 08/30/2019 - 8:30am

Wildlife is all around us, especially here in Wisconsin. It can be a blessing and a curse. We love to watch and hunt deer, but we don’t like it when a deer bounces off the grille of our car or truck, causing thousands in damage.

We love to see butterflies flitting in the garden and honeybees pollinating our flowers, but what about those wasps that love to build nests in the most unexpected places?

Fawn survey offers insights into deer survival and predation

Published by admin on Fri, 08/23/2019 - 8:30am

Nature designed a fawn’s spotted coat as the ultimate camouflage. The white spots break up the otherwise solid brown appearance, protecting it from predators.

There’s the challenge of the annual Fawn Survey, which combines the knowledge and expertise of seasoned biologists with the shear enthusiasm and sweat equity of volunteers. Finding the supremely hidden critters is the tough part.

Contests feature the best of Wisconsin’s state parks

Published by admin on Thu, 08/15/2019 - 8:00am

If you enjoy photography, have a favorite state park, or preferably both, there are two contests you’ll be interested in.

The 2019 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Gold Seal Award contest voting deadline is Friday, Aug. 30. Sponsored by this umbrella group for 80 local “friends” groups that supply volunteer support for state park properties, the annual contest aims to spotlight the many different offerings provided by state parks, trails and recreation areas.

Bonus antlerless deer permits go on sale Aug. 19 in Forest Zones

Published by admin on Thu, 08/08/2019 - 1:18pm

Just before a driving rainstorm hit my homeward-bound car Tuesday night, I thought I felt a touch of fall in the air. The temperature was starting to drop and the wind was picking up. I thought about the Scorpions’ classic tune, “Wind of Change,” and longed for those crisp fall mornings in the deer woods.

Accept efficiency of crossbows and stop infighting

Published by admin on Thu, 08/01/2019 - 5:56pm

Have you been shooting your bow or crossbow yet? July slipped away amid a series of rock concerts and a major windstorm. Like Dorothy, I awoke from my dream and discovered I had landed at home, although it was now August. The archery opener is now about six weeks away.

Fish, hike and ride ATV trails for free this weekend

Published by admin on Fri, 05/31/2019 - 3:57pm

Why is something free so much better than the same things for a small cost?

If you are having a yard sale, people might ignore your dime and quarter items, but they’ll flock to the free table or box. At my workplace, we have a large table near the employee entrance that is called the Free Table. Just drop anything there that you want to get rid of and by the end of the day, it’s gone.