Family-Outdoors

Most everyone is familiar with the northern cardinal – beautiful birds with definitive crests, frequent visitors to bird feeders, songsters whose melody is unmistakable and, next to the robin, perhaps the ultimate backyard bird. Cardinals are year-round residents of Michigan, found throughout most of the state, although they are uncommon in the Upper Peninsula. Who doesn’t love a cardinal? Yet there is another “red bird,” an even more vibrantly colored one, that also nests in Michigan. It is similar in size to a cardinal, perhaps just a bit smaller, and it nests throughout the state. Few people know it, fewer still recognize its song, and only a very small fraction of Michigan residents have ever observed its nest. The bird is the scarlet tanager, and males of the species in breeding plumage are strikingly beautiful, bright red over their entire body except their wings and tail, which are black. During the breeding season, they are more brightly colored than cardinals. The song of th...

Three state parks overlooking scenic Iowa rivers are closed after heavy rainfall sent the rivers out of their banks, flooding the parks. George Wyth State Park, in Black Hawk County, will likely be close through the weekend due to flood conditions on the Cedar River. Dolliver State Park, in Webster County, closed at noon Monday, when the Des Moines River left its banks. The river blocked access to the cabins and campground, but the north shelter and south lodge and group camp remain open. Walnut Woods State Park has been closed in anticipation of the City of West Des Moines closing Walnut Woods Drive due to a flood warning for the Raccoon River. Springbrook State Park, near Guthrie Center, is closed due to flood conditions on Springbrook Creek and the Middle Raccoon River. The DNR is contacting all reservations to arrange for a refund. Updates will be provided on the DNR's website www.iowadnr.gov / Destinations / StateParksRecAreas / ClosureInformation.aspx In addition to the...

Summer is near, and South Dakota state parks are offering several ways to enjoy time outside on the first weekend in June. On  June 1  state parks will host several events, including fishing derbies and nature hikes in honor of National Trails Day. National Trails Day Hikes , Parks statewide are hosting hikes on  June 1  in honor of National Trails Day. Take a hike in one of these parks: George S. Mickelson Trail ,  8 a.m. MDT , pre-registration required:   605-584-3896 . Good Earth State Park  at Blood Run,  9 a.m. CDT , pre-registration required:   605-362-2777 Custer State Park , Prairie Trail,  9 a.m. MDT ; Little Devil’s Tower Trail,  1 p.m. MT ; Badger Clark Trail, 4 p.m. MDT . Info:  605-255-4828 Lewis and Clark Recreation Area ,  7 p.m. CDT . Info: 605-668-2985 Kids’ Fishing Derby ,  Oahe Downstream Recreation Area , 10 a.m. - Noon CDT . Kids will have the opportunity to fish and win pr...

  Oklahoma anglers can fish for free during Free Fishing Days  June 1-2 . During these days, a state fishing license will not be required for anglers to go fishing in Oklahoma, whereas in most other cases a license is required. Additionally, an Oklahoma City fishing permit will not be required for fishing those waters where the permit is normally mandatory.      The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's many communication outlets such as its free news releases, Facebook and Twitter accounts and weekly fishing reports are useful starting points for finding fishing information. Every week the fishing report provides a listing of lakes and the current state of angling success at that location. The Department also updates its Facebook page daily with current reports from its own personnel as well as its fans on a range of current outdoor activities.       "If you stay connected with the Wildlife Department through these o...

Click on the links below to jump to the report section that interests you most: Southeast Lower Peninsula Southwest Lower Peninsula Northeast Lower Peninsula Northwest Lower Peninsula Upper Peninsula This coming  Saturday, May 25  is the opening day of bass season on the Great Lakes and all inland waters except Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and the Detroit River which do not open until the third  Saturday  in June. The early catch and release season has been excellent so the opener should be as well.       SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:   Anglers are catching a fair number of walleye in 18 to 22 feet of water between Fermi and the Raisin River buoys 1 and 2. Though most are trolling or drifting crawler harnesses some did better with spoons or body baits. Walleye were caught when drifting crawler harnesses or jigging in 15 feet of water off the Metro Park. Boats launching out of Bolles Harbor are doing well on the nor...

Campers looking to reserve a campsite at an Iowa state park with electricity for Memorial Day weekend are nearly out of luck. To date, Clear Lake State Park has one site, Marble Beach has two and Pilot Knob has “This goofy spring weather we’ve had has not been very inviting for campers to head to our parks. As great as last spring was, this year has been almost the opposite which has made campers anxious to get out and sites for Memorial Day weekend that much more in demand,” said Kevin Szcodronski, chief of State Parks Bureau for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “Our parks have a lot to offer like wildlife viewing, fishing and the trails, which are great venues to get some exercise while enjoying the outdoors,” he said. Memorial Day weekend has traditionally been the kick off to summer with campgrounds filled to capacity. Campers without sites should arrive as early as possible and may want to have a back up park in case all the sites are taken. With many campers held at ...

Fishing on Lake Oahe is heating up, particularly in the upper reaches of the big lake. Questions regarding walleye limits have accompanied the increased fishing activity, especially because they differ from walleye regulations in other waters. “Lake Oahe has a walleye harvest limit that is unique from the rest of the state, with a daily limit of eight,” said Mark Fincel, senior fisheries biologist for the Game, Fish and Parks Department. “Of those eight fish, no more than four walleyes may be 15 inches or longer – and of those four, only one may be over 20 inches.” The Lake Oahe regulation adds the potential to harvest four more walleyes in addition to the standard statewide daily limit of four walleyes, which is in place on all other waters of the state, combined. That leads to the question of how an angler might combine a day of fishing on Lake Oahe with another body of water. The walleye regulation on Lake Oahe is considered additive. That means anglers can harvest a four-fish lim...

Results from North Dakota’s spring sage grouse survey indicate the number of strutting males observed remains well below management objectives. Therefore, the sage grouse hunting season will remain closed in 2013. Aaron Robinson, North Dakota Game and Fish Department upland game bird biologist, said biologists counted a record low 50 males on 11 active strutting grounds earlier in May. Last year, 72 males were “The most plausible reason why the population declined so dramatically this year was the severe drought the southwest experienced last summer,” Robinson said. “Sage grouse live in very arid dry areas, and in severe drought and heat, chicks are not able to find insects, which account for almost 100 percent of their diet while they are growing. This vital source of protein is necessary for development of young chicks and drought typically reduces the availability of insects.” Due to the abnormal rainfall and dry conditions from last summer, Robinson said the potential for a succe...

South Dakota youth will have numerous opportunities for hands-on experience with outdoors and conservation projects thanks in part to grants from the Tony and Dar Dean Outdoor Education Fund. Four projects will receive financial support from the fund this year. The fund was established following the 2008 death of well-known outdoor broadcaster and writer Tony Dean of Pierre. The program honors both Tony and his wife Dar Dean. She is an outdoor enthusiast with a strong commitment to getting youth involved in outdoor and conservation activities. The four programs which will receive grants this year are: · The South Dakota Wildlife Federation Youth Conservation Camp Wilderness Day on the Prairie has been awarded a $1,300 grant. The Youth Conservation Camp allows youth to experience many aspects of the outdoors. The Wilderness Day on the Prairie portion of the camp will be held at French Creek Campground in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands near Hermosa. Participants will lear...

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) today approved a limited public wolf harvest in three distinct regions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The decision followed a process of dedicated conversation with the public and experts, along with a thorough review of the pertinent science. "The recovery of Michigan's wolf population has been a remarkable success story," said Natural Resources Commission Chairman J.R. Richardson. "Today's decision by the NRC supports ongoing scientific management of this game species, just as voters intended when by an overwhelming margin they approved Proposal G in 1996. The public harvest proposal approved by the commission ensures the long-term presence of wolves while providing a valuable tool for managing conflicts between wolves and human populations. This is a thoughtful, science-based decision." The commission adopted the regulations during its regular monthly meeting, held in Roscommon. The regulations establi...

To kick off summer, the Department of Game, Fish and Parks is encouraging families to spend the weekend outside during the Parks' Open House Weekend and Free Fishing Weekend  May 17-19 . During the annual three-day event, anglers can fish without a license anywhere in the state, and entrance fees are waived for all visitors to South Dakota's state parks and recreation areas. Camping fees still apply. Fishing regulations and limits apply. Open House Weekend coincides with National Kids to Parks Day and special events are planned for parks across the state in an effort to get kids outside to discover the history, nature and adventure right around the corner or just across town. Use Your Senses Scavenger Hike ,  Oakwood Lakes State Park  near Bruce, 8 a.m. Friday, May  17 to 8 p.m.   Sunday, May 19 . Info:  605-627-5441 Night Sky ,  Newton Hills State Park  near Canton,  May 17, 10 p.m. CT . Info: 605-987-2263 Kids Butterfly ...