Outdoors - The Timberjay

DNR: New wolf plan strengthens conservation

REGIONAL— The Department of Natural Resources has released an update to its wolf management plan that continues the state’s commitment to wolf conservation. The new plan, which … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/21/22 | 4 comments

Alex Hartway, grandson of Leo Wilenius, shot this nice eight-point buck about noon on Monday while hunting on family property in Sturgeon Township, west of Cook.

Harvest down sharply

REGIONAL— Wildlife managers with the Department of Natural Resources had predicted a tough opener for deer hunters here in the North Country this past weekend. It was all that and then some as … more

Marshall Helmberger | 11/9/22 | 4 comments

A trail cam image from last month near Susan Lake clearly shows seven gray wolves in the field of view.

DNR biologists can’t discount the impact of wolves

In a recent article in the Timberjay, we again heard the DNR company line about bad winters and over-harvest of “snow shelter.” Not once did I see a mention of predation … more

Mike Hanson | 11/16/22 | 4 comments

Bear harvest continues to run behind last season

REGIONAL— Hunters in Minnesota had registered 1,864 bears through Monday, Sept. 26, with only a relative handful of additional registrations expected by the time the season ends on Oct. 16. If … more

10/5/22 | 2 comments

Trumpeter swans have become a common sight in Minnesota thanks to a very successful reintroduction program beginning in the 1980s.

It appears drought impacted most waterfowl populations

REGIONAL— Last year’s extreme drought across much of northern Minnesota appears to have impacted waterfowl populations heading into this summer’s breeding season. Based on spring … more

8/31/22 | 2 comments

Study finds link between deer, spread of earthworms

REGIONAL— A newly-published study from the University of Minnesota has found a link between invasive earthworm populations, white-tailed deer and tree harvesting in northern forests.The … more

4/26/23 | 2 comments

Ken Hupila recounts his years as a BWCA guide

REGIONAL— After more than three decades as a wilderness guide in the Boundary Waters, Ken Hupila has more than a few stories and thoughts to share, and you can get a taste in his most recent … more

Marshall Helmberger | 2/15/23 | 2 comments

Deer season ends in disappointment for many

REGIONAL— The story for deer hunters in the North Country didn’t improve during the final week of the regular firearms deer season, which ended Sunday, Nov. 20. Deer registrations were … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/1/22 | 2 comments

A mid-summer buck with a nice rack still developing. Hunters in most of the region will need to see antlers to take a deer this fall.

Fewer doe permits in NE this fall

REGIONAL—More hunters in northeastern Minnesota will be limited to bucks-only this year than at any time in the past several years. Last winter’s tough conditions, with extended deep and … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/2/23 | 1 comment

Arthur Carhart’s traveling companion, Forest Guard Matt Soderback, at a rapids on the Kawishiwi River.

A plan was approved a century ago...the BWCAW was the result

REGIONAL— A recreation plan issued just over a century ago by a then little-known landscape architect working at the time for the U.S. Forest Service, laid the groundwork for a revolutionary … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/7/22 | 1 comment

Vermilion loon count shows decline in adults

LAKE VERMILION— Volunteers here recorded a total of 193 loons during the annual loon count, a hefty decline over last year’s numbers and the lowest overall count in several years. This … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/20/22 | 1 comment

It appears that the area is experiencing one of the best blueberry crops in the past few years. Last year’s drought prompted many plants to kick seed production into overdrive and that means this year’s berry crop is looking plentiful.

Berry Bonanza

After back-to-back berry busts, it appears the summer of 2022 is headed for a berry bonanza, and that’s good news for bears and berry pickers alike. Credit last year’s drought. Just as … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/20/22 | 1 comment

A lynx makes its way through heavy cover.

Consent decree to restrict trapping in lynx zone

REGIONAL— A federal judge has agreed to a proposed consent decree between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) that will adopt new … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/1/23 | 1 comment

A pair of rambunctious fisher kits find a nest box a fun place to play, but researchers found no evidence that adult females used the boxes for nesting with young.

Study sends fisher biologists back to the drawing board

REGIONAL— Three years ago, biologist Michael Joyce installed over 100 “nest” boxes designed to meet the specific needs of the fisher, Minnesota’s largest member of the weasel … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/15/22 | 1 comment

The white pine’s remarkable legacy in America

REGIONAL— Earlier this week, PBS aired a two-part Ken Burns series, “The American Buffalo,” that recounted the senseless and tragic destruction of an iconic North American species … more

Marshall Helmberger | 10/19/23 | 1 comment

Tasty cranberries can be found in abundance in the right locations in area bogs. Areas with sphagnum moss hummocks and at least some sun are the best locations.

Wild cranberries are ripe in a bog near you

REGIONAL— This year’s bumper berry crop continues, as a bonanza of wild cranberries are just waiting for enterprising pickers who aren’t afraid to get their feet wet. These … more

Marshall Helmberger | 10/5/22 | 1 comment

Anglers gathered around Silver Rapids near Ely during the 2021 fishing opener.

Open water for opener

REGIONAL— Mother Nature delivered plenty of open water just ahead of Saturday’s fishing opener, although lingering ice on some area lakes could keep a few anglers from accessing their … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/11/22 | 1 comment

A DNR x-ray reveals the lead sinker (see pointer) that killed this loon.

Is a state ban the only way to get the lead out?

When we think about the changes we can make to lessen our impact on the environment, tossing our lead-based fishing tackle and making the switch to non-lead alternatives would seem to be well up on … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/27/22 | 1 comment

Brrett Vetterkind, of Somerset, Wis. hoists a 51-1/2 inch musky he caught late last week on Lake Vermilion.

Monsters of the reef

LAKE VERMILION— For years, musky were known as “the fish of 10,000 casts,” but that no longer applies, at least on Lake Vermilion when the musky action heats up.Just ask Scott … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/27/22 | 1 comment

A trail camera documents one of countless interactions between wolves and the recently installed fence encircling the Wes Johnson ranch north of Orr.

RANCH RESOLUTION?

SHEEP RANCH ROAD— For years, cattle rancher Wes Johnson has lost several head of cattle every year to wolves. His 1,500-acre operation, located about 15 miles north of Orr, is a rarity here at … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/31/23 | 1 comment

IMPROVE YOUR ODDS

REGIONAL— With a still-depleted whitetailed deer population across northern St. Louis and Lake counties, hunters will want to take steps to give themselves the advantage when the regular … more

Marshall Helmberger | 11/2/23 | 1 comment

Groomed ski trails are generally in good shape now after clean up in wake of storms.

Area trails still feeling effects of last month’s storms

REGIONAL— Plentiful snow and winter recreation typically go hand-in-hand, but the region is still feeling the effects of two December snowstorms which left area ski and snowmobile trails a … more

Marshall Helmberger | 1/11/23 | 1 comment

Fishing guide Matt Snyder with a 54-inch musky he caught on Vermilion nearly ten years ago. He’s concerned about changes he’s seen in the number and behavior of muskies on the lake.

Different perspectives on Vermilion’s musky outlook

LAKE VERMILION— It’s been good times for musky anglers here this summer, but could trouble be on the horizon? Matt Snyder, a longtime fishing guide who specializes in Lake Vermilion … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/10/22 | 1 comment

A composite image showing a female wolf carrying a dead whitetailed deer fawn back to her pups near Voyageurs National Park.

Study: Human impacts may be helping wolves hunt

REGIONAL— Humans have significantly altered the landscape of northeastern Minnesota and those changes appear to be helping wolves prey more effectively on whitetailed deer and their fawns. … more

Marshall Helmberger | 11/9/23 | 1 comment

Chessica Reichert, of Lake Vermilion, and her son Jace Olson, pose with the eight-point buck Chessica shot in central Minnesota. It was the first buck Chessica shot in ten years of hunting on the property. For the first time in years, the Timberjay received no photos from successful hunters locally.

Deer harvest slips again

REGIONAL— Hunters in the North Country mostly struggled to find deer during the opening weekend of the regular firearms deer season, even as there were pockets of relatively good success. … more

Marshall Helmberger | 11/9/23 | 1 comment