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A bald eagle uses its wings and powerful legs to peel off the hide of the deer carcass.
Trail cam tells the tale
The blood on my snowshoe trail the other day, right behind our house, was the first clue that something had happened overnight. By the time I saw it, our dog Loki was already a step ahead of … more
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Trail camera footage of the Shoepack Lake pack walking along a sandy beach in Voyageurs National Park in the fall.
When humans kill wolves, packs suffer the consequences
REGIONAL— A new study citing data from five national parks, including Voyageurs National Park, has concluded that human-caused mortality among gray wolves has a detrimental effect on both the … more
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A DNR crew member operates the recently-purchased air boat on Big Rice Lake. Cutting blades that hang out the back below the water line, slice off the leaf stems of the pickerel weed, setting the stage for a possible recovery of wild rice.
Big hopes for Big Rice
BIG RICE LAKE— For much of this summer, the roar of an airboat engine has regularly broken the sounds of nature that normally dominate the shores of this remarkable lake, tucked away in the … more
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Julie Grahn, of rural Cook, captured this image of a mink who was recently hunting along the icy edges of the ice-covered Sturgeon River. Grahn, who posted the photo on the Ely Field Naturalists listserv reported that the mink seemed as curious about her as she was about it, which gave her the chance to put her photography skills to use.
The stink about mink
I was about nine years old the day my father sent me running in shock over a smell I had never imagined possible. We were both in the basement and I was watching him skin a mink that he had shot … more
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Mosquitoes and black flies have emerged in large numbers already this spring, testing the willpower of area residents. The deer flies should be emerging soon, and will add further to the hordes of biting insects.
Is an insect apocalypse just ahead?
REGIONAL— Are we headed for a mosquito apocalypse here in the North Country? Perhaps a black fly bonanza? Or a deer fly debacle? Maybe all of the above?In fact, the circumstances appear to have … more
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Like most female aspen in our area this year, this big-toothed aspen has put its energy in the production of seed catkins, which are contributing to the abundance of aspen fluff this spring.
When it snows in June
If you’ve noticed more of that white fluff in the air in recent days, you’re not alone. It’s the fluff that female aspen trees produce in order to disperse their seeds and … more
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A tough season ahead?
REGIONAL— Deer hunters will have their work cut out for them when they head to their stands for Saturday’s opener of the regular firearms deer season. “It’s going to be … more
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The Canada jay population, otherwise known as gray jays and timberjays, appears to have been declining the past few years here in the North Country.
Canada jays may be a victim of a warming climate
Another one of northern Minnesota’s iconic wildlife species appears to be in trouble, a likely victim of a changing climate. Area Christmas bird counts around the region have confirmed an … more
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With good numbers of drumming grouse this spring and a warm and dry June, the fall ruffed grouse outlook appears strong.
“It should be a phenomenal season”
REGIONAL— The 2023 ruffed grouse season looks to be one of the best in northern Minnesota in years, thanks to what appears to be outstanding reproduction thanks to a warm, dry month of June. … more
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Ben Burns, age 16, and his father Steve pose with the nice bear shot by Ben earlier this month as clients of the Udovich Guide Service.
Bear registrations down significantly
REGIONAL—Bear registrations through the first 11 days of the season were down 30 percent this year, as hunters were hampered by plentiful natural bear foods and the record heat that settled in … more
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The snowmobile bridge over the East Two River in Tower as it was as of mid-November. The missing and rotted decking and collapsed guard rail have since been replaced.
Aging bridges pose challenge for clubs, DNR
REGIONAL— The state of Minnesota, with help from local clubs, maintains more than 22,000 miles of snowmobile trails across the state, and that means countless bridges that cross streams, … more
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Looking up through the frosted branches of a grove of giant aspen on an island far out in the middle of the Lost Lake Swamp on a rare sunny day last month.
January was mild, and among the gloomiest ever
REGIONAL— This week’s cold snap was, for the most part, a return to normal for late January in the North Country after an exceptionally mild and remarkably gloomy January.Consistent, deep … more
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VNP study records cougar on trail cam
REGIONAL— A study of wolves in and around Voyageurs National Park has captured several seconds of video of a cougar walking at night through a portion of their study area. The Voyageurs Wolf … more
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Six Ely area students had the chance to canoe in the Boundary Waters recently, thanks to a grant from the Friends of the Boundary Waters.
Ely students experience the wilderness in their backyard
THE BOUNDARY WATERS— While all kids who grow up in Ely live on the edge of America’s most popular wilderness area, it doesn’t mean they all get to experience the wilderness … more
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A female belted kingfisher sits on a birch snag in a beaver pond. Note the rusty-orange coloration on portions of the bird’s breast. In the vast majority of bird species, it is the male that is more colorful, but the belted kingfisher is a notable exception. The females are also equally noisy and nearly as aggressive in defending their territory as males.
Kingfisher, noisemaker
No one would ever call a belted kingfisher shy. Their piercing rattle-like call is among the loudest of any bird in North America and it’s commonly heard here in the North Country, particularly … more
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Harvest totals collapse in parts of the region
REGIONAL— Deer hunters across the North Country are reporting seeing fewer deer and hearing fewer shots than at any time in recent memory, and that perception is bolstered by some of the lowest … more
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A snowshoe hare stands at alert.
Why the hares are happy
This year’s early deep snow has made an otherwise mild winter tougher than it might otherwise have been for deer and some other wildlife. But the dense 18-20-inch blanket, and more that fell on … more
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The drought map issued July 13 by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Dry conditions continue to worsen
REGIONAL— Drought conditions continue to build across Minnesota, including here in the North Country, despite some recent rains. That’s according to the National Weather Service Office in … more
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A young bear looks down from a high perch in an aspen tree.
Bear registrations drop sharply, as anticipated
REGIONAL—Fewer bear hunters are reporting success this year as abundant wild food sources appear to have given the advantage to the bears. As of Sept. 13, hunter registrations statewide … more
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Grouse numbers should be above expectations as high spring drumming counts combined with what appears to have been good breeding success in the northeast, should yield plenty of action for grouse hunters. The season gets
Grouse outlook favorable
REGIONAL— The explosive flush of the ruffed grouse will be on the minds of hunters starting this Saturday as the 2022 season gets underway. Ruffed grouse are among the most popular game birds … more
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Croy Colbert and his little brother Canon with Croy’s deer.
Thoughts from the deer blind, hunting with my sons
As I sit in my deer blind this brisk Nov. 18 morning and read a recent edition of the Timberjay, I thought I would share my son’s deer hunt from the previous weekend. On Saturday, Nov. 12, … more
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Oversight board says game and fish fund not sustainable
REGIONAL— A citizens panel that oversees the Department of Natural Resources’ Game and Fish Fund is once again raising concerns about the fund’s lack of sustainability as revenues … more
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April Wamhoff
It’s February and I’m getting tired of winter
I would not want to be a weather forecaster. Nope. They get blamed for bad weather, even when they are right about the forecast. And they never get credit when there is good weather, and they do … more
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Deer peer over a tall snowbank in Tower, where large numbers of deer congregate in winter.
Tough weeks still ahead for whitetails
REGIONAL—The longer days of late February are a reminder that spring is at least somewhere out on the horizon, yet it’s often the toughest time of year for wildlife like whitetail deer. … more
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Gardening on “The Rock”
When I affectionately say that I live on “the rock,” I don’t think people realize that I seriously mean that there is an abundance of well, rock, and a real lack of soil. Anything … more
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