Winter Weather Predictions

By Nick Simonson “Guys, where are we,” this initial inquiry by Dominic Monaghan’s character, Charlie, summed up the question that I and ten million other viewers tried to figure out for six seasons on the TV show Lost. The J. J. Abrams sci-fi series focused on a group of plane crash survivors marooned on a [...]

Mild Fall Hunting

by Doug Leier Each year without even having to review, I can count on a few standard column topics finding their way onto my screen, like spring fishing, deer season questions and answers, and the pheasant outlook. At the end of the year I take a look back at the previous seasons and often look [...]

PLOTS Guide

Doug Leier Over the past two decades the North Dakota Game and Fish Department has emphasized wildlife habitat enhancement and hunting access on private land through its Private Land Initiative. Most North Dakota hunters are familiar with the Private Land Open to Sportsmen program, which provides walking hunting access to more than a million acres [...]

ND Flooding

By Doug Leier You don’t have to live in Minot, Bismarck, Jamestown, Valley City or Devils Lake to have battled through drifts of snow and waves of floods through the past several months. Like many North Dakotans I’ve spent my share of time working in and through these floods since last spring, everything from sandbagging [...]

Minnesota Youth Hunting

Our Outdoors - By Nick Simonson Odds are your introduction to hunting wasn’t like mine.  Sure, I collected the tail feathers and wings from the pheasants and ducks my dad brought home from his hunts when I was too young to go into the field with him.  But with the death of the family dog on [...]

Super Sport License

Our Outdoors By Nick Simonson Many times I think back fondly to reading class in sixth grade at Jefferson Elementary School. My teacher, Mr. Horner, read us a number of exciting books, many with a coming-of-age story behind them, preparing us for our adventure into Junior High the following year. Among the titles was the [...]

ND Non-Game Species

By Doug Leier Biologists categorize more than 80 percent of North Dakota’s wildlife species as nongame, or those that don’t answer to the name of rooster, buck or sprig. And yet, the few species for which hunting or fishing is allowed attract the lion’s share of concerns from people who enjoy the outdoors. This winter [...]

North Dakota Bald Eagles

The recovery of the bald eagle is one of the most visible conservation recovery success stories for our nation. While the plight of whooping cranes and California condors is well documented and well known, these birds have struggled to gain ground and are still rooted on the endangered species list. The bald eagle, on the [...]

Some Things Don’t Change

By Nick Simonson I lifted my right foot as the slight humming noise approached from behind me. A few moments later, I lifted my left foot and hopped a step over to keep my balance. The whir, beep and buzz of the floor-cleaning robot my wife received as a Christmas present continued on as I [...]

Looking Ahead

By Doug Leier Looking ahead to 2011 in the outdoors world is kind of like assessing the preseason prospects of your favorite sports team. We kind of have an idea of what to expect, but unpredictable variables like major storms, timely rains or extended dry periods – or injuries in the case of sports – [...]

ND Trax for your PC

TRAX PC – The Adventure Continues! Kirsch’s Outdoor Products is announcing the immediate release of TRAX PC. This product takes the power of TRAX GPS maps and overlays the GPS sportsman map details on the satellite imagery of Google Earth. “The feedback of the TRAX maps has been amazing,” said Korey Kirschenmann, Owner of Kirsch’s [...]

Hunter Safety

By Doug Leier For many of us, the transition from summer recreation to fall isn’t as gradual as we’d like. Many of my hunting friends are involved in other activities like softball and golf, and the only valid comparison between those and hunting is about the same as the comparison between fishing and hunting: they [...]

20 Years Outdoors

By Doug Leier One of the consequences of having four distinct seasons is that we slot various activities during certain times of year. Spring is big for graduations and a few weddings, while in summer we cram and squeeze in vacations, long weekends and more weddings, along with family and class reunions. This year it’s [...]

Youth in the Outdoors

By Doug Leier The 2009 North Dakota Legislature continued a recent nationwide trend by creating a few new opportunities designed to recruit and retain hunters. A year ago, elected representatives of North Dakota endorsed an apprentice license for hunters who haven’t taken and passed a certified hunter education course. The legislature also reduced the minimum [...]

Here’s to 2010

By Doug Leier The driving theme for the past year outdoors is weather. In fact, any time we’re discussing fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation it’s a safe bet that weather is like flour in a recipe – one of the main ingredients. I’m sure few would argue if I said that weather is a dominating [...]

How Cold Will This Winter Be?

By Doug Leier I’ll precede my annual glance over the shoulder – one last look at the past year’s outdoor topics and issues – with a short holiday guide to the outdoors. What I offer are mid-winter outdoors opportunities, for the hunter, angler or even a parent looking for a vacation diversion or snowy excuse [...]

Tracking Martens, Fishers, and Otters

By Doug Leier The list of creatures and critters I’ve never witnessed in North Dakota is much longer than I’d prefer. While I’ve watched North Dakota prairie chickens, bighorn sheep and peregrine falcons, I’ve yet to see a whooping crane or a live sage grouse, among others. But just because I’ve haven’t seen one doesn’t [...]

The Fifty Pointer

As I joined the mad rush at 5 a.m. on Black Friday with my wife in the aisles of the Virginia, Minn. Target store, I caught the stare of one half-awake fellow in a camouflage hunting coat, pinned down between a cart full of pink baby clothes and a display of 42-inch plasma TVs. His [...]

Thanksgiving Time

Over the years I’ve tried to make this column somewhat seasonal, writing about fishing in the spring and hunting in the fall, and following the latest conservation issues and outdoor topics. Since this column will come out around Thanksgiving, that’s the theme for the week. I’m thankful and feel blessed with the opportunity to interact [...]

I’m Thankful For the Outdoors

Our Outdoors: I’m Thankful By Nick Simonson I’m thankful for Gunnar, And his powerful nose. As he sniffs out the pheasants, From harvested rows. I’m thankful for trap shoots, In June and July. That cut down on fall misses, So I don’t wonder why. I’m thankful for crappies, Dressed in black and green. And bluegill [...]

THE HUNT FOR AMERICA’S BEST TRUCK IS OVER

Silverado is America’s best truck for many reasons. To start, Silverado XFE offers an EPA estimated 21 MPG highway. No competitor has better fuel economy. Not Ford, not Toyota.1 And if you’re looking for the best 4X4 fuel economy, look no further- no competitor offers better available 4X4 fuel economy.2 Silverado comes with another powerful [...]

Not the Same Old Safety

By Nick Simonson Year after year, the approach of the deer firearms opener causes something to stir in the souls of outdoorsmen. Tags are placed in secure spot, the final preparation of shooting lanes occurs in the woods and walking hunters map out their favorite draws, ravines and creekbottoms for opening day. With all the [...]

Respecting Diversity in Hunting

By Mike Taddy As the hot summer days begin to fade away, the increased anxiousness and irritableness of the waterfowler is the one certainty that exists in the North Dakota hunting world. Now, before you go on the defensive because you ’re a waterfowler, please take time to read this with an open mind. North [...]

Pay Me to Be Outdoors

By PJ Maguire Ever since I can remember it has been a dream of mine to have my own hunting and fishing show. The dream has always been to find a way for me to hunt and fish for a living. After many discussions with other outdoorsman I know I am not the only one [...]

New Life on the Prairie (2002)

By Jason Phillips  Just when it seemed like it’s over, the action on the prairie potholes continues….on perch and northern pike that is. Well it looks like old man winter decided to get the last laugh this year and brought us some of the coldest weather of the season…in March. While it is tough to [...]

Hook and Bobber Hunting

By Doug Leier I’ve come up with a new phrase describing how I hunt. Maybe it’s not mine originally, but it effectively describes what I’ve been doing for most of my life. Itxs called hook-and-bobber hunting. My intent is not to degrade how I hunt, or offend anglers who have no desire to use the [...]

Getting Stuck

By Perry Thorvig The little town of Middle River, Minnesota has an annual goose hunting opening day celebration. They sell beer in plastic mugs that say, “If you ain’t a goose hunter, you ain’t sh*t.” That phrase reminds me of the one that my hunting partner Ken Ziegler says about being stuck. He say’s, “I [...]

Fish / Hunt Swap Stories & New Friends

By Chris Hustad   It’s 2:30 a.m. on a cold, April Saturday morning. I’m sucking down coffee to make up for the lack of sleep as I pull out of Fargo. We wandered almost 2 hours from home the night before scouting, only to turn around and do it again 6 hours later. But we [...]

Feeding Wildlife During Winter

By Doug Leier Nobody wants to see wildlife starve. It happens sometimes, but even in a winter such as this, not as much as most people think. Even in mild winters, Game and Fish is asked about feeding animals, and over time the response to such questions has changed. Historically, winter feeding of wildlife – [...]

Flinch-Free Firing – Rifle Shooting Technique

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson An old neighbor of mine who was just as good at busting sporting clays on the skeet range as he was at busting my chops regarding my tales of fishing and hunting misadventure, asked me what my problem was when he read I didn’t get a deer on opening weekend a [...]

Land Mangement for Hunting

Jeremy Elbert While the recent weather has not given any indication of spring actually becoming a reality, we all know it’s just around the corner. As snow gives way to wonderful green growth and spring gives way to summer, it’s time to start thinking about how to improve our hunting properties. If your list is [...]

Leave Wildlife Alone

By Doug Leier The local game warden’s phone rings a lot this time of year. Game wardens are essentially tasked with enforcing outdoor recreation laws across the state. This includes everything from boat and water safety patrol during high traffic times on lakes and rivers, monitoring mid-winter predator hunters. What you don’t see or hear [...]

A decade ago: the winter of 1996-1997

By Doug Leier The winter of 1996-1997 was a winter for the ages. It started in early November with blizzard after blizzard, snowfall after snowfall, and spread its impact across the Midwest. While it was 10 years ago, the memories remain fresh in our minds, and not many people who experienced it would want to [...]

Deer Proof Landscaping

By Doug Leier One of the more frequent concerns I hear about, from nonhunters and hunters alike, is wildlife-human conflicts. Whether it’s Canada geese in crops, raccoons in gardens or deer in hay stacks, the list is endless. More often than not, those seeking a means of limiting the disturbance of wildlife on their priority [...]

What Defines Success in the Field?

By Doug Leier Quality and success are two of the more difficult terms with which big game wildlife managers struggle. In fact, most every fish and wildlife manager would probably nod in agreement that defining quality and success is a fleeting task at best. That’s because hunters and anglers each have their own version of [...]

Venison Sausage Recipe

By Ken Weinzierl Venison makes great sausage. Many kinds can be made. The obvious question is “What do you need to get started.” First of all, no one can take care of your venison better than you can. When you get your deer home, skin it immediately. This will cool off the carcass. I usually [...]

Take Your Time with Nature

By Doug Leier This time of year my phone just about rings off the hook. People call with all kinds of questions, but the most common is not the most obvious. Where to buy a fishing license? Nope, that’s your local license vendor or online at www.discovernd.com/gnf. How to get a boat licensed? Close, but [...]

Gardening Tips – Keep Deer Off Your Buffet

By Doug Leier With the warmer spring sun greening the earth, that little bit of farmer residing in almost all of us starts to come out. The real farmers are already preparing fields or putting seeds in the ground. Those of us who delight in budding cherry tomatoes at summer’s end are planning arrangements for [...]

Think Before Harassing Wildlife

By Doug Leier Chasing wildlife with a motorized vehicle is unacceptable. In the outdoor world, sometimes a gray area forms the boundary between what is and isn’t ethical. But in the case of people using motorized vehicles to chase wildlife, the boundary is a thick, black, double-wide line because it’s not just unethical, it’s illegal. [...]

A Look Back at ND in 2006

By Doug Leier  This week we’ll take a look back at the outdoor issues and topics that shaped North Dakota in 2006, through interviews with fisheries and wildlife division leaders for the State Game and Fish Department. It’s been an interesting year, with many positive stories to report. At the same time there are concerns [...]

Surviving the Winter

By Doug Leier Humans cope with winter in a number of ways, and looking out at the wildlife world it’s interesting to compare our mechanisms with those of other creatures and critters. Take for instance what we commonly call snow birds, or those folks who spend spring, summer and fall in our midst, but choose [...]

The Next Generation

By Doug Leier A few weeks back a reader sent the following comment to me. Youth hunting is one of my best memories growing up … certainly not the hunting part of it, just being out there with my dad, learning how to hunt. I remember the first deer I “shot” at. I was walking [...]

Fall Hunting Predictions

By Doug Leier Football previews with prognostications and predictions for the upcoming season are starting in earnest. Based on drafts and off-season transactions, “experts” are predicting which teams will flourish or fail. While most hunting seasons are at least six weeks away, biologists and wildlife managers can also make calculated estimations as to how well [...]

Hunting Accidents are No Joke

By PJ Maguire   Honestly I have wanted to write this column since the Cheney quail-hunting incident. Several things have made me delay it. One, I needed to collect my thoughts about exactly what I wanted to say. Two, I wanted the media coverage of the event to blow over. Accidents happen. I do not [...]

The Future of Hunting & Fishing in North Dakota

By Doug Leier We will guarantee you a more successful pheasant hunt, and at the same time, help improve your fishing. All you have to do is read this column. I’d venture to say that introduction would generate more interest than if I simply described how to maintain healthy grasslands and protect clean water. However, [...]

Wildlife and Winterkill

By Doug Leier For many people this seems like clash of two different worlds, of poor little critters struggling to find food and stay warm during long stretches of frigid temperatures and blanket on top of blanket of snow. It just so happens that those blankets of snow might actually help some native prairie wildlife [...]

Steel Shot Review – Shotgun Pattern Information

Just as each waterfowler has their favorite techniques to pursue waterfowl they also have their preference of shotgun shells. The selection is generally made based of several different factors that include: manufacturer reputation, availability, cost, past experiences, etc. Although each of these may hold some validity the best way to determine which is best for [...]

Cooperative North American Shotgunning Education Program (CONCEP)

By Kevin Hayer Last spring I was invited to a CONCEP nontoxic shot seminar presented by Tom Roster and hosted by the N.D Game & Fish Department. CONCEP is short for Cooperative North American Shotgunning Education Program which is an international education and research program. CONCEP is supported by multiple Game & Fish agencies including [...]

The Realities of a Hunting Bounty

By Doug Leier The shear principle of wildlife management makes it a work in progress, much like any other modern process of continued evaluation and testing and trying. What was considered acceptable yesterday may fall into the realm of objectionable in short order. Such is the case with bounties. Bounties, whether for gophers, skunks, rabbits [...]

North Dakota Map

Click on North Dakota Map for a larger image. North Dakota State Maps North Dakota Lake Contour Maps Extensive ND Game & Fish Map – NEW North Dakota State Wildlife Management Areas Map North Dakota PLOTS Map North Dakota Road Condition Reports North Dakota Road Construction Map North Dakota County Map Snow Line and Depth Maps MapQuest [...]

Recapping 2007 in North Dakota

By Doug Leier Over the last five years or so, I’ve written many times that we are living in an era that most anyone else with an outdoors interest will remember as the good old days, at least as far as hunting goes. As I look back at the last 12 months, it seems that [...]

Sunrise, Sunset

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson Most anglers are told from an early age that the best times for fishing are dawn and dusk. While these hours of varying daylight provide another transition that fish key in on, the this adage might simply be to get anglers to appreciate moments in the outdoors that many are not [...]

My Favorite Things

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson Smallies on orange jigs and crappies on minnows, Waking up to the lake sitting calm out the windows, Shore lunch fillets as the hot oil sings, These are a few of my favorite things. Black striped largemouth and polka-dot gators, Fishing spring walleye in holey green waders, Being outdoors, where the [...]

Hunting Starts with Google Maps

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson   One winter night, as a young boy, I sat on the couch with my dad watching college hockey. I must have been about seven- or eight-years-old at the time. During the highlights of the first intermission, my dad turned and said to me “would you like to draw a map [...]

Making Your Own Luck

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson   Revolutionary baseball businessman W. Branch Rickey once stated that luck is the residue of opportunity and design. Considering his resume, the adage must be true. By looking beyond the status quo, Rickey capitalized on opportunities that others missed due to narrow-mindedness; most notably, signing Jackie Robinson and later drafting Roberto [...]

Dream Job

By PJ Maguire     If you were like me, you would like to have a job that allowed you to spend the workday in the outdoors. Most of us have been told that the most successful people in this world have jobs that they love. It would be pretty sweet to find a career [...]

Chasing Wildlife

By Doug Leier Survival during a typical Midwest winter is more like rolling with the punches than simply fighting the elements. Give yourself credit for acclimating and changing with the weather. Generally speaking, in North Dakota we always have – like it or not – a time to fish through the ice. In some years [...]

Mountain Lions in North Dakota

By Doug Leier I can honestly say, with a straight face a decade ago I’d have never guessed mountain lions would generate as much interest and discussion in North Dakota as they currently generate. And most would agree. Which proves the foundation of science is pretty accurate in the generalization we’re always learning. We’ve never [...]

How Do You Get a Job as Game Warden?

By Doug Leier One of the more common questions asked of any Game and Fish employee, whether it’s over the phone, through friends, via e-mail, or at the grocery store, is: “How do you get a job as a game warden.” I get variations of this comment frequently when the topic of my occupation comes [...]

ND Fall Hunting Outlook

By Doug Leier From ducks to deer, the 2007 fall seasons should put a smile on the faces of hunters young and old. Across the board, healthy wild game populations are the byproduct of good habitat combined with a series of mild winters. Here’s some comments by North Dakota Game and Fish biologists as they [...]

Hunting Podcasts – Fishing Podcasts

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson     Every so often, technology revolutionizes the way we communicate, and one such innovation of recent note is growing not only a large subscriber base but also encouraging people to put themselves out there: providing tips, stories and news in all arenas. From ESPN to CBS, all of the major [...]

Attitudes on Hunting

Jon Mitzel A short trip through a sporting goods store or catalog will reveal an awful lot of products for sportsmen… stuff we couldn’t have dreamed about even a decade ago. It’s designed, I guess, to make our hunting adventure easier and more successful. Manufacturers of outdoors products, since the beginning of time, have been [...]

High Anticipation

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson There’s one thing I’m really good at: enjoying the outdoors. While my columns might come off as offering sage advice based on decades of experience, they are usually little more than personal observations about the natural world and what I do right (most of the time), and what I do incorrectly [...]

Hunting & Fishing Trends

By Doug Leier I  grew up without cable television and was never really into video games. We had about three television channels and seldom watched much for that matter. In the mid-1980s video games were just taking off, and thankfully the quarter required pay to play was not really easy to pry out of my dad’s [...]

Doing Nothing Is Not An Option

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” This quote by Edmund Burke sums up why oftentimes the world is in such chaos. The tides of many matters, whether it be the rise of Nazi power in Europe in the mid-1900s or the civil [...]

Looking Forward in 2007

By Doug Leier  I’ve always hesitated when it comes to making predictions, especially regarding hunting, fishing or trapping issues and seasons. However, I am not averse to letting others share their thoughts on what we might expect in 2007. This week, we take a look ahead at what will likely be significant issues within the [...]

Look Into Your Life’s List

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson     The past year has been filled with exciting fishing experiences and great memories. There was a stellar opening day for big bass near Detroit Lakes, Minn., my first white crappie ever caught on Jamestown Reservoir, and my largest walleye to date – just a hair over 29 inches – [...]

Giving Thanks

By Doug Leier I’m a thankful and appreciative kind of guy. I’ve always tried to see Lake Sakakawea, for instance, as the glass that’s still half full. As we advance past Thanksgiving into the holiday season, there’s reason to give thanks for hunters, anglers, trappers and all who enjoy spending more time outside than in. [...]

Time for the Game Warden Exam

By Doug Leier “The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has scheduled an examination to select candidates for the position of district game warden.” I read the lead sentence to this news release recently and couldn’t help but recall a decade-plus ago when I read the same announcement. The exam was scheduled for mid-December 1994, [...]

A Game Wardens Life

By Doug Leier Game wardens should get more credit for the work they do. There’s no two ways about it. For a short time I was a district game warden for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, so I say this with first-hand knowledge. Even as an outreach biologist I’m still peppered with stories [...]

A Visit with a Local Game Warden

By Doug Leier Mark Pollert has served the hunters and citizens as a game warden for over fifteen years. Not the longest by any stretch but enough that he can easily relate what some of the most overlooked problems are– which field violations have decreased, those on the rise and some of the most misunderstood [...]

Remember to Get Kids Involved

By Doug Leier It’s the backside of August and two of my favorite pastimes – hunting and football – are about to mix like peanut butter and jelly, or better yet, sausage and sauerkraut for this full-blooded German. While hunting, fishing, trapping and other outdoor activities are my profession, football, among other sports, is a [...]

To Hunt or Not to Hunt?

By Doug Leier I’m secure enough to proclaim I’m not much of an expert at most things. Regardless of the topic or subject at hand, there’s always going to be someone who knows more or has done it better. That doesn’t bother me. Save for having a pretty good idea on how to get kids [...]

Do Not Disturb

By Doug Leier I  wasn’t the only kid to happen upon a killdeer, unknowingly near her nest, eggs, or recently hatched chicks, and witnessed the “wounded” or “lame” appearing mother hopelessly limping, drawing me away. I even recall trying to catch that bird, or at least following the lead, not realizing I was reacting in [...]

The Journey Towards an Outdoors Career

By Doug Leier Between the phone and my email inbox, I get a lot of questions. This time of year, the most popular are: “Where are the fish biting?” and “How are the pheasants doing?” The answers are: “Beneath the ice;” and, “Pretty good, but a few weeks of winter still remain.” Another frequent question [...]

Surviving Winter

By Doug Leier Ice fishing, spearing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling – there’s an array of activities that help humans bridge the gap from winter into spring. With modern amenities and a little preparation, we can pretty much handle any cold or snowy weather thrown our way. That’s not necessarily the case for North Dakota’s wildlife. Our [...]

Outdoor Diversity

By Doug Leier I’ve written extensively on the rich diversity of natural resources that make North Dakota a great place to live if you like the outdoors, or even if you don’t. And who would argue. Within our borders we have opportunities to snag paddlefish, and hunt prairie chickens, sage grouse, sandhill cranes, elk, moose [...]

Fall Hunting Preview

By Doug Leier My phone has been ringing off the hook of late with calls from people inquiring about our upcoming hunting seasons. Evidently, I’m not the only one looking forward to the crisp autumn mornings ahead. Email, phone calls and casual coffee conversations are all bearing the same theme: “How’s hunting going to be [...]

Crane Hunting Season Is Upon Us

By Doug Leier By this time every fall, most hunters can recite opening dates for deer, pheasant and waterfowl seasons. People need to know these things to schedule vacations and coordinate plans with the crew. Some will forget their significant other’s birthday before they forget the date pheasant season opens. But I’d venture to guess [...]

Outdoors and Technology

By Doug Leier Think back to your last trip outdoors with friends. Chances are, somebody brought along a cell phone. Another buddy maybe packed hand-held radios, and it wouldn’t be surprising if someone had a GPS unit mounted on the pickup dash or stored in a tackle box or backpack. As recently as 10 years [...]

Why Do I Hunt?

By Doug Leier I  never try to convince anyone the great hunter or even the lesser hunter for that matter. Fortunately, in this day and age, what fills the deep freeze is not the sole measure of hunting prowess. There really are no good or bad hunters, except for those who purposely break the law. [...]

California Hiking Vacation

By Chris Hustad I  took my first step out of our rented Jeep Cherokee, onto a small, gravel parking area off of a back road in the mountains. The redwoods surrounding us gave off an unfamiliar but refreshing scent. In the distance we could hear the rushing sounds of a mountain creek, flowing heavily from [...]

Hollywood’s Influence on the Outdoors

By Doug Leier Humans are humans, and animals are … not human. And yet, in so many movies, television programs and books, animals are given characteristics such as human speech, movement and emotion, that it’s hard for some people to separate the entertainment world from the real world. For many centuries, North Dakota’s native peoples [...]

The 5 Stages of a Hunter

Hunters change through the years. Factors used to determine “successful hunting” change as well for each hunter. A hunter’s age, role models, and his years of hunting experience affect his ideas of “success.” Many hunters may fit into one of the following five groups. In 1975-1980, groups of over 1,000 hunters in Wisconsin were studied, [...]

Enjoying the Fall

By Doug Leier I’ve realized there will only be one 2008 pheasant season, deer opener, one 16 1/2- day deer season and so on. I’m looking at my time outdoors with bit broader focus, not dwelling on a missed shot at a buck or doe in years, or coming up empty after trudging through a [...]

Focusing on Young Hunters

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson   Thirty, The Big 3-0, three decades of (in)experience under my belt. September 18 marked my thirtieth birthday. I remember when that seemed like “a long time from now” but it is, all of a sudden, the here-and-now. To tell you the truth, I don’t feel much different than I did [...]

Undue Burden – Interesting Facts About Wolves

A review by Chris Hustad about a new DVD  I have to admit on the surface, I knew very little about the wild wolf situations taking place across many states in the United States. I knew there was a conflict, but I was completely unaware of what was the real issue. I can say after [...]

Get Involved in the Outdoors

By Doug Leier I’m not sure how old I was when I accompanied my dad to my first wildlife club meeting of many. To be honest, I’m not sure if it was his suggestion, my request or mom’s way of getting me out of her hair for a few hours. Whatever the case, something stuck [...]

2008 Goals for the Outdoors

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson     The changing of the calendar on the wall brings with it a flood of memories and prepares me for opportunities that lay ahead in the coming seasons. Unlike the perennial goals of losing weight or eating better, my resolutions focus on raising the bar and undertaking new challenges on [...]

Recent Sightings of a Large Cat

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson “From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the night, dear Lord, deliver us.” This Celtic folk prayer calls down God’s protection from all things unseen and unknown that lurk in the back of our minds and in the shadows of our backyards. This time of [...]

RAP Hotline – Report All Poachers

By Doug Leier As a young deer hunter on opener morning one year in the late 1980s, I was out scouting the landscape as day broke in south central North Dakota. It wasn’t so much to watch for deer moving around as it was to just scan the field and let my imagination paint scenarios [...]

The Hunting Heritage

By Doug Leier Hunting and outdoors circles the past few years have been abuzz with rather subjective terminology. At the coffee shop or gas station, topics such as hunting pressure, fair chase, ethics, hunting heritage and the essence of the hunt often lead to lively conversation and the need to make another pot of coffee. [...]

FFA – More Than Cows and Plows

By Doug Leier I  didn’t grow up on a farm, but anyone who is raised in a small town across North Dakota is likely influenced by those who have toiled in the soil for a few years or even generations. While I was not technically a farm kid, that didn’t deter me from taking an [...]

The Legislative Process

By Doug Leier The legislative process in North Dakota only takes place every two years. With that in mind, all hunters, anglers, trappers, and anyone who spends time outdoors, needs to engage in the process now, rather than later this year after those bills become law and changes in how you spend time outdoors have [...]

Wishing for Snow

By Doug Leier The middle of winter generally finds me wondering more than wandering. Oh, I still get out, if even for a Sunday afternoon drive just to make sure it’s all still there. If you haven’t tried it, take a drive past some of the haunts you hunkered down in last fall. There’s nothing [...]

Hunter Education Course – Time to Go

By Doug Leier January is the time to think about fall hunting. No, I’m not falling ill with cabin fever and haven’t spent too much time in the ice shack without ventilation. I’m anxious about the beginning of spring snow goose hunting, but that’s not exactly what I’m getting at. My point in thinking about [...]

Looking Forward in 2007

By Doug Leier I’ve always hesitated when it comes to making predictions, especially regarding hunting, fishing or trapping issues and seasons. However, I am not averse to letting others share their thoughts on what we might expect in 2007. This week, we take a look ahead at what will likely be significant issues within the [...]

What is Hunting?

By Doug Leier State Century Code has defined hunting in North Dakota. Albeit for legal purposes, the definition is rather cumbersome, but NDCC20.1-01 and section 21 defines hunting as: “shooting, shooting at, pursuing, taking, attempting to take, or killing any game animals and game birds; searching for or attempting to locate or flush any game [...]

Late Season Hunting Is Upon Us

By Doug Leier For many hunters November is a peak and valley, the best of times and the worst of times. As North Dakota’s popular deer gun hunting season opens and closes, thousands of hunters begin and end their hunting activities within the 16 ½ days the regular season takes place. While most of the [...]

A Tough Call in the Fall

Did you ever have to make up your mind? Those words from the Lovin’ Spoonful seemed to run through my head most every afternoon during this season. Of course they are sung quietly in my off-key karaoke voice as I face the dwindling hours of the work day. Decision time: what to do…what to do? [...]

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