By Nick Simonson   January in the upper Midwest is the sportsman’s most challenging month. Major hunting seasons have ended, the flash of fins from early ice begins to slow down as the winter doldrums set in, and typically the temperatures are the lowest of the year and the conditions are the most challenging.  Add…

GOOD GRASS.  We cover CRP-related news as we hit the midpoint in the program’s sign-up period. From the impact of surrounding habitat to the mixes for sale and advice on the ground for landowners, there’s lots to digest in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:   TALL STUFF.  Good grass mixes on CRP acres make great habitat. …

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Outreach Biologist   Now is the time to start thinking about hunter education, not next fall.   If you’re planning to hunt out of state, check if you may need certification. If you have a child, friend or relative who will need a hunter education certificate in order to purchase a North Dakota hunting…

BRRRRRR!  We’re in the trough of this week’s cold weather as temps struggle to get near 0 and wind chills are notably harsh.  We’ve got the news you can use to get your fish up and your spirits as we check in on issues at home and abroad with barotrauma, Sunday hunting and fishy process…

THE COOLDOWN.  While not as brutal as last week’s forecast had it, today’s dip into sub-zero territory will be notable.  We take a look at the week to come and perhaps some relief toward the end of the month along with some ice fishing and shooting sports news in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  A…

TACKLE IT!  We’re in full-on tackle crafting mode.  From dry flies and streamers to crappie jigs and smallie bucktails, we’re putting things together this month to get ready for spring.  While it might seem a ways off, the days blur together quickly.  We’ve got hook-related tips to get your efforts off the ground in today’s…

JANUARY JABS.   Oofda!  January’s hallmark cold is taking hold over the region as we look ahead to a bitter week and what appears to be a chilly back half of the month on the horizon.  Luckily we have hunting memories to review and lure-making projects to put up during this time as part of our…

By Nick Simonson With a mission to preserve, enhance, restore, and manage wetlands, associated wildlife habitat, grasslands, and riparian areas in the state, the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust (NRT) is tackling those lofty goals with precision programs that help not only create and improve those wild spaces, but also assist farmers and energy producers…

MODERATING?  The weekend won’t be as cold as previously predicted, but our harsh stretch still looks to be setting up for next week.  We’ve got news from cold to hot in today’s Outdoors Roundup and check out some awesome photos taken around the state. Featured Photo:  HOT FLY.  Add some color to your cold-weather stretch…

By Nick Simonson   With the end of fall hunting seasons and significant snow on the ground, many sportsmen are looking to cure an itchy index finger that can’t be satisfied with the snap of an ice rod.  Luckily, throughout the northern plains, plentiful opportunities for coyote hunting exist through the cold weather months, and…

FRIDAY FREEZE.  Today begins the preface to a very cold stretch headed our way after the weekend, and while temps will be chilly over the next 72 hours, they’ll pale in comparison to what’s coming next week.  We’ve got more on the dip into the deep freeze, some migratory bird protections and a missed eclipse…

By Nick Simosnon   Give or take, it’s about 250 days until upland seasons open again.  It’s really 253, but at this stage in the beginning of the long wait until that semi-warm, dew-covered morning in mid-September brings the first chuckling grouse flushing from some CRP along an alfalfa field, rounding down is the best…

C WHAT I MEAN?  You’ll get the theme today as we check out conservation options, a chilly spell headed our way and some serious penalties for cactus poachers via the FWS in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  COLORFUL CREATIONS.  A page of woolly buggers are ready to roll as part of a just-filled fly box….

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Outreach Biologist Anyone who has hunted in North Dakota for any length of time might receive a post-season survey in the mail from time to time. And right now is one of those times to watch for a survey, as pheasant and archery deer seasons, among others, closed on Jan. 5….

WEDNESDAY WINDS.  We’ll see a shift in the wind as we catch the edge of a little snow system to the north of us, but amounts are not expected to be significant.  We cover the lifting of glasses, the picking up of garbage, and just a little postseason observation in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo: …

GET A GRIP.  With this weekend’s temperatures and sometimes sunny conditions allowing for a bit of a melt and the cool down on the way today, things may be a bit slick out there.  Whether you’re walking your dog or getting on the ice, we’ve got some good grip suggestions in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured…

DEO Release Outdoors writer Nick Simonson was recognized with the Communicator of the Year Award at the North Dakota Wildlife Federation’s (NDWF) 85th annual convention in Bismarck on Sat. Jan. 4.  The honor was issued for his work across multiple media platforms in spreading the hunter and angler message to people throughout North Dakota. Simonson…

FIN.  Welcome to the first day of the off season for upland and deer.  While it’s never fun, packing up a season’s worth of gear is an important step in making sure next autumn is even better.  We have some quick hints for a successful stowaway as you enter the off season in today’s Outdoors…

HOWLIN’.  Winds will roar overnight into the morning as Sunday starts out gusty as all get out. By evening things will settle down, and we’ve got the information you need to stay ahead of what’s coming up out there in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  A rooster makes his way through the snow.  The upland…

By Nick Simonson   Time on the ice is enjoyable in part due to the conditions faced, the challenges overcome and the understanding of the efforts it sometimes requires to find fish and catch them.  Through experience the climb up the icy learning curve provides little shortcuts, suggestions and whispers from the fishing universe that…

TALE OF TWO DAYS.  Saturday will be the calm, mild, melting day of the week.  But light breezes will give way to a very gusty overnight as winds soar up over 50 mph.  We take a peak at your weekend weather and get you caught up on the ins-and-outs of wildlife management, the upcoming CTL…

By Nick Simonson Building on the classic Blonde streamer made popular by fly fishing forefather Joe Brooks, the Marablonde is a crappie-catching machine which substitutes marabou feathers in for the standard bucktail used to tie the original pattern.  With its soft, pulsating tail and wing along with a flashy body, the Marablonde is an easy…

FAST FRIDAY! Whew – just in time, it’s Friday again!  We’ve got a wrap-up from around the region in today’s Outdoors Roundup.  There we cover a simplification of turkey tags in Minnesota, an emergency plan underway in Wisconsin and the noted spread of CWD in Montana.  A good Saturday is setting up for your weekend…

By Nick Simonson   On the slope to the farmstead and the western horizon, the reason for the lack of flushing pheasants became clear.  A golden wall stood at the end of the snow-filled drain where the mostly frozen creek flowed down to the small impoundment where my lab Ole and I started our final…

FEELS LIKE MONDAY?  Shake off that holiday hangover and get back to it, but know that it’s Thursday and the weekend is in sight once again!  We’ve got some cool sky news and some lake updates that will help you find success in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  IN THE HOLE.  A panfish comes up…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. The turning of the calendar has many of us reflecting on the past year. The outdoors is no different. Here’s a few highlights from the State Game and Fish Department in 2019.   The Fish Department’s 72nd annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of 3.4 million birds,…

A FRESH START!  Welcome to 2020!  A whole new 365…er, 366 with it being leap year…sits before you!  So, you even get an extra day to make the most of your time outdoors!  We review upcoming Hunter’s Education alerts, take a peak at the first week’s forecast and check out the Winter Severity Index at…

THAT’S A WRAP!  Welcome to the final day of 2019!  It’s been a wild year with lots of great stories, challenging conditions (including this most recent snow storm), and battles for the future of hunting and fishing in North Dakota.  We cover all of those items and more as we look back on some of…

COUNTDOWN.  A few hours remain in 2019 and we’re also counting down the days left in some of our favorite hunting seasons.   What’s more, we’re counting up the recent snowfall totals and tallying the birds seen as part of the nationwide Christmas Bird Count.  All that an more is in our Outdoors Roundup for this…

By Nick Simonson   There’s an old Irish proverb that wishes good luck to the traveler by stating “may the road rise to meet you.”  For anglers, especially those on the ice, it should be more like “may the fish rise to meet you.”   Presentation is one of the key factors for consistently catching…