By Nick Simonson   Pheasants Forever (PF) and pet food producer Purina have partnered on an ambitious three-year, 30,000-acre incentive program directed at landowners in the prairie pothole region of southwestern Minnesota, north-central Iowa, and those parts of North Dakota and South Dakota located east of the Missouri River.   With the ultimate goal of adding…

FINE FRIDAY.  Before our weekend washes away, get out there and enjoy today!  Light winds, a high around 60 and sunny skies will be your last feel of spring’s nicer side before things get a little dicey tomorrow.  We’ve got birds, bees and blustery conditions on tap in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  Milkweed is…

By Nick Simonson   This week marks an important point of return.  I don’t know if that’s a real term, but it’s far less ominous than “the point of no return,” which has had its share of dramas, dark songs and thriller type novels written about it.  The point of return, however, is that point…

SO FULL.  It gets a little chilly but the full moon will make it work today.  We’ve got updates on land access in North Dakota, tweaks to the Duck Stamp contest and some questionable May conditions in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  Round About. The full moon will provide some power against a tough weekend. …

NDG&F Dept. Release   North Dakota’s 2020 deer season is set, with 69,050 licenses available to hunters, 3,550 more than last year.   In total, any-antlered licenses increased by 1,500 from last year, any-antlerless by 1,600, antlered whitetail by 250, antlerless whitetail by 200, and antlered and antlerless mule deer licenses remained the same.  …

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept.   The course of life can change in subtle ways, and one seemingly small “what if” can make a huge difference. One of those for me occurred at the time I graduated from college.   I was scheduled to complete my degree from North Dakota State University in December. At…

TAKE IT IN!  Today is a pick of the week kind of day with temperatures warming into the 60s during this cooler stretch and light winds fostering any kind of outdoor activity you want to take on!  We’ve got an under-the-radar update on the upcoming deer license lottery, tips for stocked trout hitting area waters…

MEH TO MARVELOUS.  Get through today and Wednesday with its clearer skies and calmer conditions is your reward!  Things are getting back to normal on the landscape as we check out the NDG&F decree of open C&R paddlefishing along with dark skies and bad photos in our Outdoors Roundup! Featured Photo:  Range Watch.  We’re waiting…

DON’T THINK, FEEL.  You certainly can sense spring in the light rains, shifting winds and general buzz in the air, even with today’s cooler temps and precipitation.  We’ve got more on the birds that make the season feel right, the extension in daylight that comes with it and a way to clean out your winter…

THE VIEW AHEAD.  We know, we shouldn’t be thinking about hunting season yet but we are.  We’ve got a look ahead at the likely drop date for deer lottery applications, some quick trail cam tips and a cooler forecast for your first full week of May in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  SCENT CHECK. A…

By Nick Simonson As we say farewell to the fly-tying season – not saying we won’t sneak a new pattern in here and there as the openwater bite dictates this spring and summer – there’s one last super streamer to add to that catch-all fly box for bass, panfish and anything that snacks on minnows. …

SOME SATURDAY!  Pleasant temperatures and moderate winds will make today your best bet to get on the water this weekend.  We get good news on many fronts this week following the start of the Governor’s phased reopening including shooting sports facilities, a new fundraiser from PF and a top young South Dakota artist’s success. Featured…

By Nick Simonson   Few deals can top a two-for-one special and the same can be said for lakes that provide a two-tiered fishing option. Whether it’s perch and walleyes, bass and bluegills or pike and perch, these common predator-panfish scenarios can be found throughout the region offering up two popular angling targets in the…

HAPPY FRIDAY!  Birds are chirping, temperatures are warming and things are looking pretty good for the weekend as we get set to start May! We’ve got more on why you hear that loud chorus in the morning along with spawning factors for fish and a watch for ANS with the NDG&F as part of our…

By Nick Simonson   I’ve been on  both sides of the wind in many of my outdoor adventures but none more notable than last week, when the well-worn mooring rope on the cleat of my boat broke and my boys and I had the stunning experience of heading down from the parking lot to the…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept.   Once ice starts to inch away from shorelines each spring, the business of managing North Dakota’s fisheries hits full stride rather quickly. Nets go in select waters for pike and then walleye spawning. Distribution of catchable trout to community fisheries begins, and the development crew hits the road to…

STARTING LINE UP.  As you get ready for the weekend and more great fishing, it’s time to inspect your reel and update your line.  We’ve got the info in our Outdoors Roundup on what spools to stash in your tacklebag to help keep you on fish. Featured Photo:  FRESH.  A recently spooled reel filled with…

AWESOME.  Grab today and run with it as calm and temperate conditions take hold before gusts rise again.  We’ve got all the numbers on that plus a scary forecast, how to give fish the slip and what NWF has for getting people back to work.  That’s all part of today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  CALM. …

GRAY & WHITE.  Expect some cloud cover today, as rain chances move in this afternoon but it won’t be a washout. We’ve got more on that along with fun games for kids and a look at a couple rare regional fish species in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  WHITE & BRIGHT. A white crappie falls…

MONDAY MEMORIES.  Warm temperatures, easy breezes and overall good conditions will highlight the start of the week.  If you’re at home teaching classes, or working, consider this your field day!  If you can’t get out, we’ve got some fun web wanderings including ways to socially distance on the water, how to do it quickly and…

SUNDAY MAGIC.  Make it happen today as mixed skies and south winds warm things up to 70 degrees.  We’ve got updates on access to ND’s lakes and rivers along with fishing pier conditions from the NDG&F, increasing daylight and a pretty good looking week ahead in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  Color/BW. A rainbow trout…

By Nick Simonson   Spring is the time of the year that many die-hard anglers have in the back of their mind as the opportunity to catch the biggest fish of the season and possibly their lives.  Regardless of whether they’re on the tail end of the pike bite through the ice or the first…

SPLIT SATURDAY.  We’re working through a little morning rain and getting setup for a good weekend.  In the meantime we catch up with organizations across the nation to see what’s happening in conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife and wild places in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  WAITING ON GREEN.  Grass is starting to grow…

By Nick Simonson   Wedged into the narrow corner under the removable jumpseat in the big boat which had just come out of storage this weekend, I struggled to aim my headlamp and balance the beam from my phone light at the connectors on top of the battery terminals, the snap of electric sulfur and…

WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND!  Things will cloud up and some moisture is in the mix tonight and tomorrow but it won’t be a wash out. Sunday is looking great for time outdoors or on the water. We catch up with state, national and world conservation updates in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  A MIX. There’s…

WHAT’S NEW?  Besides the moon, which will help with your fishing exploits here at the end of the week, there’s lots of news from around the region including stopped spawning efforts in South Dakota, grizzly bear interactions in Montana and some tips to keep trespasssers at bay from QDMA.  All of that is part of…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept.   My first North Dakota bear observation was in the Turtle Mountains north of Dunseith, in an area where it likely would not surprise you to see a black bear. The first eagle I witnessed in the wild was years ago in Logan County, at a time when you’d stop…

PICK UP MAN.  Make today about gathering garbage, cleaning up your neighborhood and helping make things better for people and wildlife – because it’s the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day.  We cover that, NASP numbers and some big awards for conservation efforts in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  KEEP IT CLEAN.  A clean flowing stream…

PLAY HOOKY.  Literally.  As in bait your hook and get out of whatever you’re supposed to be in today, because it is going to be nice.  We’re talking “best day of the year” thus far. We’ve got more on the fantastic forecast below, plus some great funding news from the NDG&F, non-lead options from NWF…

MONDAY MOVING.  The wind will pick up again today bringing gusts of 40 mph or more to the region. We check in on big pike, a unique deer hunting option and a sure sign that spring is here to stay in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  VERDANT. While we’re a month or so off from…