HUMP DAY.  Make it through today and things start to warm up toward the weekend.  Don’t get too comfortable as another cold bump comes on Saturday.  We check out the ice today and reports from a North Dakota insider with the US FWS in today’s Outdoors Roundup.

Featured Photo:  First Dog.  DEO celebrates the life of Gunnar, who at 15½ years has passed on to the golden fields of the great beyond. Simonson Photo.

 

WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast):
Today:  Wed 12/11 – Still Chill – Hi 3, Lo -8, Wind SE@7
Tomorrow:  Thu 12/12 – Warm Up – Hi 17, Lo 6, Wind S@8

 

SOLUNAR (Bismarck Times):

Sunrise        Sunset
8:17AM        4:54PM

Moonrise      Moonset       Overhead               Underfoot
4:49PM        7:33AM        Fol. Day           12:13PM

 

Moon Phase:  Waxing Gibbous (99% Full)

 

EDGE HOUR:    4:30-5:30PM.  Dress warm and grab the almost full moon rising with sunset in today’s Edge Hour.

DAY RATING:

 

OUTDOORS ROUNDUP:

ICE AWARE.  Officials are cautioning anglers to allow this cold snap to better seal up lakes across the region as KVLY reports the death of an ice fisherman who fell through the ice on a small lake near Medina.  Excess water in many drainages along with inconsistent temperatures and heavy snows have hampered good ice formation in recent weeks.

RULE THE DAY.  The NDG&F Dept. also advises ice anglers to be aware of regulations for the hardwater season.  From the shift in number of poles to overnight angling and its impact on limits, the agency has all the changes for the winter fishing season.

DIRECTION.  ND Native Madison Fladeland shares her summer working with the US Fish & Wildlife Service as part of the agency’s Directorate Fellowship and all of the projects it entailed. The Open Spaces blog has a good deal on all that’s happening with the federal agency.