Family-Outdoors

Morel Mushrooms (Photo credit: ~flutterby~ ) The temperature is rising, the fish are biting and the wildflowers along the hiking trails signal that we’re ready for a wide array of outdoor activities at Indiana's 24 state parks and 8 reservoirs. Welcome Back Weekend  is May 3-5.   This is the perfect time to plan for a weekend of wildlife watching, a night by a crackling campfire, and a day or two to relax and escape a hectic world without traveling far from home. Some activities during the weekend include: • Morel Mushroom Festival at Brown County State Park • A “Hound Hike” at Shakamak State Park • Geocaching and evening music at Harmonie State Park • Girl and Boy Scout Badge Day at Monroe Lake • Outdoor cooking workshop at Ouabache State Park • A look back at construction of the dams and reservoirs at Salamonie and Mississinewa Lakes. Check out Welcome Back Weekend programs at your  favorite property ....

Women age 18 and older can learn various outdoor skills during this one-day, hands-on event  Becoming An Outdoors-Woman (BOW), an educational program of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, will host a one-day event to teach women basic outdoor skills Saturday, June 15 at Shawnee State Lake in Topeka. BOW TOO (Taste of the Outdoors) will feature workshops in rifle shooting, archery, fishing, and camp cooking. Cost for the one-day event is $40, which includes class supplies and equipment, as well as lunch. Interested women are encouraged to apply early as the 2013 BOW TOO workshop is limited to 12 participants. For more information, or to register for this event, contact Kansas BOW coordinator Jami McCabe at  kansasbow@sbcglobal.net  or  (785) 845-5052 . To learn more and view pictures of past workshops, visit the BOW Facebook page found under “Becoming an Outdoors Woman KANSAS.” Related articles State Park Becoming ...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Townsquare Media and Sykes are sponsoring the Missouri River SPLASH – a recreation and boating safety event for everyone who enjoys the Missouri River. The event is Thursday, May 16 in Mandan from 3-6 p.m. at Moritz Sport and Marine. Displays, hands-on activities, demonstrations, regulations, registrations and prizes are included. The event is free, and people of all ages are invited to attend. Individuals who bring a completed boating safety exam to the event are eligible to win a prize. State law requires youngsters ages 12-15 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft with at least a 10 horsepower motor to first pass the state’s Boat North Dakota safety course. In addition, some major insurance companies give adult boat owners who pass the course a premium discount on boat insurance. The Boat North Dakota safety course is free and available at the Game and Fish Department. Related articles North Dakota: Tracking...

Pure Michigan Hunt winner Dan Beaudoin  with his massive 6x6 bull elk taken in 2012.  Photo courtesy of Drew Socia./ The hunting industry and sportsmen’s groups are once again stepping up to support hunting and wildlife management in Michigan by contributing to the fifth annual Pure Michigan Hunt. “We have the greatest sportsman groups and hunting industry right here in Michigan,” stated Wildlife Outreach Technician Katie Keen. “It’s great that we can work together to help the resource, as well as making the dreams of three lucky hunters come true.” Every year three winners are chosen by random to win hunting licenses and gear. Each winner is awarded an elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, and antlerless deer license and first pick opening morning at any managed waterfowl area. If the licenses weren’t enough, prize packages donated by sportsmen's groups and the hunting industry have totaled approximately $4,400 in value for each winner. Shotguns, rifles, cro...

ONAWA, Iowa - The public is invited to the 37th Annual Loess Hills Prairie Seminar May 31-June 2, at the Loess Hills Wildlife Management Area, northeast of Onawa. There is no fee to attend. There are more than 40 field sessions and programs covering many topics for participants of all ages. The seminar began in 1977 as part of the Western Hills, now Northwest, Area Education Agency's role in providing education and training for K-12 educators in the areas of conservation, environmental and science education. The seminar is regularly attended by 250 to 300 adults and students each year. Participants may attend all of or any part of the seminar’s indoor programs or field sessions. Registration is necessary only if requesting meals or requesting the Missouri River ecology boat tour. Evening programs are held at West Monona High School in Onawa. Attendees can kick off the seminar by volunteering with prairie management at the Loess Hills Wildlife Management Area by removing shrubs a...

Four federal indictments have been filed against a total of 10 individuals in connection with illegal poaching and marketing of walleye and other protected fish on the Red Lake and Leech Lake Indian reservations. All 10 people were charged with one count of transportation, sale, and purchase offish taken in violation of the Lacey Act. The first indictment charges Larry W. Bellefy, age 53, of Bagley; Thomas P. Sumner, age 54, of Red Lake; and Brian W. Holthusen, age 47, also of Red Lake. The second indictment charges Michael D. Brown, age 45, of Cass Lake; and Michael J. Nei, age 48, of Bemidji. The third indictment charges Jerry A. Reyes, age 51, of Cass Lake; and Marc L. Lyons, age 61; Frederick W. Tibbetts, age 65; and Alan D. Hemme, age 55, all of Bena. The fourth indictment charges Larry Good, age 58, of Red Lake. All four indictments allege that the defendants knowingly engaged in conduct that involved the sale and purchase of fish with a market value in excess of $350. The firs...

Roy Lake State Park near Lake City will host the Becoming an Outdoor Family weekend June 28-30. The event is designed for beginning camping families, families that would like to try new outdoor activities, and those who enjoy the company of like-minded families. “Becoming an Outdoor Family is a great opportunity to try different activities, learn new skills, and spend a weekend outdoors with your family,” said Emilie Miller, program specialist for South Dakota state parks. “It’s also a great opportunity to meet other families with similar interests.” Workshop fees are $50 per family. The fee includes instruction in three skills sessions, program materials, equipment use during the workshop, and an electric campsite for two nights. A campsite reservation will be made for participating families, but they must provide their own camper or tent. A park entrance license is required to enter the park and is not included in the registration fee. Session choices include archery, bio-diversit...

People interested in learning to hunt Wisconsin’s largest game animal have until May 24 to apply to participate in a  Learn to Hunt Bear  outing featuring classroom and field instruction capped with a real hunt with skilled mentors. “The Learn to Hunt Bear program represents an opportunity of a lifetime for novice hunters of any age,” said Keith Warnke, hunting and shooting sport coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources. “Working in partnership with many dedicated bear hunters and local conservation organizations, wardens and wildlife managers, successful Learn to Hunt Bear events have been held across northern Wisconsin during the last several years.” In 2012, DNR conservation wardens and dedicated bear hunters coordinated LTH Bear events for 56 participants in nine counties. A total of 42 bear were harvested: 25 over bait and 17 using dogs. Conservation Warden Jill Schartner who organizes the Bayfield County LTH bear event said those who participate in th...

The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission has finalized several elk-hunting seasons for 2013. Archery elk hunters will have 92 “any elk” and 15 “antlerless elk” licenses available for the season. The 2013 Archery Elk Season will run from Sept. 1-30. The Black Hills Firearms Elk Hunting Season will run from Oct. 1-31 for the “any” elk license holders. Antlerless elk seasons will run from Oct. 16-31 and Dec. 1-15. Black Hills Firearms Elk hunters will have 620 licenses available, comprised of 445 “any” and 175 “antlerless" licenses. The Prairie Elk Season will have 45 “any” elk and 51 “antlerless” elk licenses available, which is four less than 2012. Other changes from 2012 are: Boyd County, Nebraska will no longer be part of Unit 30. The season dates for Unit 30A will run from Sept. 1 – Dec. 31. The season dates for Unit 11B will run from Sept. 1 through the Friday before the third Saturday in October (2013 season dates are Sept. 1 – Oct. 1...

Anglers venturing out for the May 4, 2013, opening day of the inland fishing season will find strong fish populations -- particularly for bass -- and will want to use early season tactics to reel them in, state fisheries officials say. “It’s been a long winter and people are eager to get out fishing and enjoy the excitement and tradition of opening day,” says Mike Staggs, Wisconsin’s fisheries director. “The key will be for anglers to use early season fishing tactics since many fish species likely won’t have finished spawning,” he says. Opening day of the 2013 regular inland fishing season follows the coldest March on record and is shaping up as the polar opposite of the 2012 season opener, which followed the hottest March on record. As of April 15, many lakes are still ice-covered in northern Wisconsin and water levels are higher than normal on many rivers, according to U.S. Geological Survey’s  WaterWatch  (exit DNR) website for current stream flows and flood wat...

Winter food plots of corn, sorghum, or other grains are used by all kinds of wildlife to help them survive.  This past winter had a couple of heavy wet snows that flattened grass habitats.  Well- designed shelterbelts provide important cover and food plots an additional food source to help pheasant, quail, and other wildlife survive periods of heavy snow. A new special pheasant continuous CRP practice accepting 50,000 acres will be available shortly from USDA that will provide both of these practices (new pheasant SAFE). The new Iowa Pheasant Recovery project is Iowa’s fourth special project under USDA’s CP38 program to address local wildlife habitat conservation needs. The Iowa Pheasant Recovery project was designed for the year-round needs of pheasants – provide severe winter cover, nesting habitat and food – and located in counties with the best chance for pheasant recovery. “There have been few documented cases of pheasants actually starving to death in Iowa,” said Tod...

Hunters and anglers who purchase one of four new licenses will be automatically entered into a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card. The new promotion, called the “Adventure Ready Gift Card Giveaway,” kicks off April 22 with weekly drawings through mid-December. Weekly winner announcements, along with the next week’s gift card sponsor and complete drawing details can be found at  www.iowadnr.gov/giveaway  . Several of Iowa’s hunting and fishing license vendors are providing gift cards, including:  The Baker’s Pantry in Dallas Center, Bass Pro Outdoor World in Council Bluffs and Altoona (10 gift cards), Cadell’s Ace Hardware in Atlantic (two gift cards), Fin & Feather in Iowa City (three gift cards), Four Season’s Bait and Tackle in Le Mars, Hy-Vee in Sheldon, Jerry’s Live Bait in Anamosa, Mills Fleet & Farm in Mason City (10 gift cards), Scheels in West Des Moines (four gift cards), Sportsman’s Warehouse in Ankeny, and Theisen’s in Dubuque. “This is a great ...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia) As the remaining signs of winter melt away and black bears begin to emerge from their dens, homeowners statewide are encouraged to take precautions to reduce the potential for problems with these hungry bruins. Natural food sources are limited at this time of year, and bears are often attracted to bird feeders, garbage cans, grills, or other common attractants found in yards, says Brad Koele, Department of Natural Resources wildlife damage specialist. "Taking steps to remove any food attractants will greatly reduce the likelihood of having problems with bears,” said Koele. “Black bears normally avoid contact with people. However, when food sources are available, bears can quickly learn to associate humans with food and can become a nuisance." Highly habituated bears can be dangerous and may need to be euthanized. “Preventing the problem in the first place is the best solution for both humans and bears,” said Koele. It is illegal to in...

Women seeking to improve their outdoor skills can now register for the 16th annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) summer program, held the weekend of May 31 to June 2 at Big Bay Health Camp, located approximately 30 miles north of Marquette. Sponsored by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, this BOW program offers instruction in more than two dozen types of outdoor activities, including kayaking, wilderness first aid and survival, lake and fly fishing, fly-tying, geocaching, shooting sports, boating and outdoor cooking. Volunteer BOW instructors provide basic and advanced instruction that is uniquely tailored to each participant's individual ability, helping the participants learn the basics in a short amount of time. The $180 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most equipment and supplies. Participants will be housed in a universally-accessible dorm-style facility with numerous amenities, including a pool, sauna, tennis courts, h...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced more than $11.2 million in competitive grants to 15 states for projects to support recreational boating through the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program. The Fish and Wildlife Service will also release approximately $2.4 million to 25 states, commonwealths, and territories willing to match a smaller, non-competitive grant program known as “BIG Tier 1” funding. Grantees use Boating Infrastructure Grant funds to construct, renovate, and maintain facilities with features for transient boats (those staying 10 days or less) that are 26 feet or more in length and used for recreation. Grantees may also use funds to produce and distribute information and educational materials about the program and recreational boating. “These grants, funded by fishing and boating enthusiasts, have helped communities across the nation build and enhance recreational boating facilities that provide recreational op...