By Nick Simonson All hunters reach a point, whether through the growth of their families or just a sort of natural progression, where they want to see a young person succeed in the outdoors.  Their focus becomes less about their full game bag or taking the biggest buck, to watching a kid take their first…

OUT OF SIGHT. Summer may be waning, but there’s plenty to see (and hear) in the outdoors.  We talk in today’s Three Things about identifying animals by their sounds, plus other tips for a fun time in the wild, no matter the season!   Featured Photo: A doe and fawn are caught in a close…

FINDING FALL. Birds will be making their migratory moves in the coming weeks, with many species already heading south.  We talk about a rare one and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Last of the Loons. Common loons are headed south this time of year. Simonson Photo.   DAILY CONDITIONS: WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast):…

CLOSING IN ON IDEAL. Warm weather and shifty winds will be the story over the next two days, but the back half of the week is looking good for ND hunters and anglers.   Featured Photo: Ole the lab cools off in the shade of the truck following a morning chase after a covey of…

TRIPPY!  Do you have a favorite odd bait with a paint scheme that defies convention?  We have a few, and we cover those fun colors in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo: A wonderbread-colored Reef Runner remains an odd confidence bait in the tackleboxes at DEO headquarters. Simonson Photo.     DAILY CONDITIONS: WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast):…

READY TO GLOW.  Keep an eye upward as you’re out in the field this fall for the changing of the colors on the various tree species in the state.  We talk about how it happens and what to look for in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: A stretch of roadside trees starts to show…

A FAN OF HUNTING. The first traditional upland season opens today, as grouse and partridge hunters take the to field.  Despite lower numbers, the die-hards will be out in the field after these wiley upland birds, waiting for the first laughing or chattering covey to take flight, or the lone boom of a ruffie thundering…

COUNT ON IT.  While the summer roadside count numbers may be a bit disappointing in light of the mild winter and relatively good spring and summer, they do provide insight into what is needed to turn things around for upland game in this state, and we talk about that and more in today’s Three Things….

NDG&F Dept. Press Release North Dakota’s roadside surveys conducted in late July and August indicate total pheasant and Hungarian partridge numbers this fall are similar to last year, while sharp-tailed grouse numbers are down. R.J. Gross, upland game management biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said the survey shows total pheasants observed…

By Nick Simonson The green leaves of late summer around my head stood still in the morning calm to match my statuesque stance on the elevated platform overlooking the field where the set of three does and two fawns obliviously nibbled at the remaining vegetation.  Only my heightened breath, directed out my nose and outlined…

FADING. We’ll touch summerlike temperatures next week as warmth returns to the region and is held in place for a bit after we get through a stretch of 70s.  Savor it, because you know what’s coming!  We look ahead to this weekend and next in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: The last purple asters…

CRAWL TO FALL. Today we continue the progression to autumn as cooler temps dominate under blue skies and light winds.  With a fun find yesterday, we search for salamanders in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Easy, Tiger.  A tiger salamander makes its way through the grass following Monday morning’s thunderstorms.  Watch for amphibians to…

SEEING RED.  Besides last night’s radar, there is a good deal of red on the landscape.  Sumac in draws is starting to turn, berries on buffaloberry bushes are a beacon to birds.  We talk about that and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Rolling in Red. A Buffaloberry bush bursts with late-summer color…

SO LONG SUMMER.  Today’s last shot of 80-plus temperatures for a while will be wiped out by tomorrow’s cold north winds and highs that will struggle to touch 70.  We make the turn into fall and talk wind, wings and what size shot to use in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Shelled. A handful…

By Nick Simonson With ruffed grouse numbers still near their cyclical high this fall, opportunities to chase the thundering wing beats of this popular game bird abound from the aspen stands of northeastern Minnesota to the forests of the Rainy River drainage, to the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Gorge areas of northern North Dakota.  If…

BREAKING DAWN.  The upland seasons are underway, and fall is in the air after last night’s front which brought rains to much of western North Dakota.  We go around the horn in today’s Three Things to get you set up and psyched for more fall fun.   Featured Photo: The sun rises over a cloud…

With the turn of the calendar page to September 1, we’re officially at the start of hunting season as the regular mourning dove opener occurs at first light. Knowing where to go, how to target these birds and what tactics that pay off in the field will help make the start to fall a very…

A LITTLE LATE?  Like today’s post, the insects in today’s featured photo might be a bit late (or just in time).  We were out on stand early and there was TONS of sunrise activity – between pheasants turkeys and two handfuls of deer running around – we’re excited to be back in fall mode! We…

WELCOME TO FALL! The season unofficially begins for avid outdoorsmen at noon today as we kick off the 2018 deer archery season.  Winds will be shifty in the morning followed by strong gusts behind a light front.  Play the breezes and dress lightly, as temps will touch 80 today – we talk about that and…

By Nick Simonson Summer, as it so often does, has flown by in a blur of green and warmth, punctuated by memorable days on the water with snapshots and postmarks of places fished. The season seems to disappear doubly quick when we get a late start and a transition from winter to warmth in a…

SOUTHERLIES. Our warm up continues into today before winds turn to the north tomorrow.  We talk about the power of south winds and how to play any breeze in the upcoming bow season as part of today’s Three Things.     Featured Photo: Ears Up! A doe perks up on trail camera in a crisp…

COLD RAIN. It’s looking like an indoor day today as cool, cloudy and drizzly conditions blanket the state.  Perfect timing for you to gear up for the upcoming openers and get set for a new season.  We talk about some autumn highlights in today’s Three Things.     Featured Photo: Won’t be long. September’s first…

BOAT TO BOW. Nah, we’re not doing yoga today, but we are talking transitions to fall.  Get those last few fish over the gunwale and send those last few arrows into a favorite foam target as we prep for what’s to come in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Kick back and relax.  Salmon trollers…

HOT STEPPER? Weird weather and dry conditions are topics of discussion today as we look through the week toward Friday’s bow opener.  Will this be the chill that helps get deer moving, or will things get warm again for a sweltering sit at the start of the season?  We’ll see, in today’s Three Things.  …

By Nick Simonson Do you hear that tick-tick-ticking? It’s either the second hand of the hall clock marking off the moments until deer seasons open up around the region or it’s the beginning of field combat between this year’s herd of whitetail bucks in an attempt to establish dominance. From Sunday morning hunting shows to…

By Nick Simonson With the opening day of both sharptailed grouse and Hungarian partridge seasons set for Sept. 8, it won’t be long until the prairies and breaks of North Dakota are once again patrolled by the orange-and-brown-clad hunters out in search of the season’s first upland opportunities.  While not as widely pursued as ringneck…

A FULL WEEKEND!  With the full moon firing up and inline with other major celestial times, fishing should be fantastic.  We talk about moon influence and more in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo: The moon nears its full phase, which should kick off a late season feeding frenzy on area waters! Simonson Photo.   DAILY…

By Nick Simonson While sitting in the waiting area of the dentist’s office last week, wistfully staring at the nice day setting up outside and dreading the usual scraping and poking to come, a quote flashed on the screen of the television on the wall.  Fittingly, it had been awhile since I had read it…