Family-Outdoors

After a long, cold winter, Iowa paddlers are itching to get out this spring and enjoy the states many water trails by paddling and fishing. “Many new paddlers don’t realize that even though the air temperature is warm, the water can still be ice cold,” said Todd Robertson, a certified paddling instructor at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “As spring arrives, it takes a while for that water to warm up, making it necessary to have a wetsuit or drysuit and a change of dry clothes in a dry bag in case you dump your boat.” Cold water is not the only danger this time of year. Recent ice breakups have caused many streams to gather downed trees and debris and deposited these “strainers” at the base of bridge pilings and the outside of tight bends in the river. “Having good boat control skills and understanding how to navigate around hazards is crucial to remaining safe while paddling on the rivers,” he said. Safety Tips for Paddling Iowa Rivers  in Early Spring ...

Great Lakes Temperature Map 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 New crayfish regulations go into effect on  April 1 . The regulation states: crayfish species not native to Michigan waters, which include (but are not limited to) red swamp crayfish and rusty crayfish, may not be possessed or used for bait, whether alive or dead, on any waters of this state whether those waters are public or private.  SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA Lake Erie:   Perch are still being caught in the Metro Park Marina. The launch is now open and boats are heading out. Be sure to watch for ice coming down the river. Perch and walleye were caught near the Banana Dike. River Raisin:   Was not fishable. Ice jams down near the mouth were causing water levels to rise over the banks.       ...

White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) CENTRAL Arcadia: March 25. Elevation normal, water 47 and murky. All fishing slow. Report submitted by Shelia Hutton. Draper: March 25. Elevation normal, water 45 and clear. Crappie fair on minnows at 8-10 ft. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by Chad Strang, game warden stationed in Cleveland County. Overholser: March 25. Elevation below normal, water 51 and murky. Catfish slow on cut bait. Report submitted by Jerrod Davis, game warden stationed in Oklahoma and Canadian counties. Thunderbird: March 25. Elevation normal, water clear. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 10-12 ft. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by Chad Strang, game warden stationed in Cleveland County. Wes Watkins: March 25. Elevation 2 ft. below normal. Crappie fair to slow in standing timber at 10-13 ft. on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Mike France, game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County. NORTHEAST ...

Anglers and hunters are reminded to be wary of ground conditions when traveling to and from a favorite fishery or hunting location. Greg Power, fisheries chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said with fishing good statewide, many anglers are taking advantage of late-season ice and early-season shore fishing. “However, travel can be difficult this time of year with the soft conditions,” Power said. “We urge anglers to use common sense when conditions are likely to cause problems with township roads and access points.” Wildlife chief Randy Kreil said spring snow goose and turkey hunters are encouraged to maintain positive landowner/hunter relations. “We ask hunters to be cognizant of these conditions,” Kreil said. “Driving on soft, muddy roads and trails is strongly discouraged.” Hunters are advised to seek permission before attempting any off-road travel on private land. Related articles Ice Awareness for Hunters, Anglers from ND...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia) This month wildlife experts are starting the third annual helicopter survey to assess lesser prairie-chicken populations across the bird's range in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado.      The historic first effort to conduct a large-scale, helicopter-based survey to locate lesser prairie-chicken breeding areas or leks across the High Plains region in all five states occurred March-May 2012 and encompassed more than 300,000 square miles. Several previously unknown leks were detected, despite severe drought across the region. Survey teams also detected leks in Kansas beyond what was thought to be the northern extent of the bird's historic range.      Last year's 2013 range-wide survey revealed population estimates of 17,616, down from the 34,440 birds estimated in 2012. The population decrease was predicted by biologists because of the persistent drought that has plagued the region in recent years.  ...

Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh recently recognized five DNR Parks and Recreation Division employees for going above and beyond the call of duty in  helping to rescue two snowmobilers  who, in late January, had been stranded overnight near the Porcupine Mountains. Four Porcupine Mountains State Park staff – Justin Farley, David Merk, Jimmy Newkirk and Emily Pleiness – and William Doan, Parks and Recreation's western U.P. district supervisor, received DNR Director’s Awards from Creagh at the regular monthly meeting of the Natural Resources Commission, held last week in Roscommon. Upon hearing that father and son snowmobilers from Albertville, Minn., were stranded, the Parks and Recreation group volunteered to head out on snowshoes to search in sub-zero temperatures and blizzard conditions. The lost pair had weathered overnight temperatures of -15 degrees, and overcast skies and whiteout conditions made an aerial search impossible. After several ho...

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) MADISON - The  Public Access Lands Atlas of Wisconsin , recently released by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, is now available for purchase through The University Book Store. The atlas highlights the significant increase in public access to Wisconsin lands made possible through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, as well as other lands open to the public for outdoor recreation. The University Book Store's digital storefront provides a web-based option for those interested in purchasing a  Public Access Lands Atlas of Wisconsin . The original atlas, with 441 maps, two indexes and a glossary is available for $89.95. Separate atlases for each of Wisconsin's 72 counties are also available for $24.95. Lastly, a DVD with more than 450 pages of public lands access data is available for $5.95. A  mail order form [PDF]  is available also on the  University Book Store's  website (exit DNR) for people who wo...

Michigan is starting to see the first signs of spring, and camping season is not far behind! The online reservation system for Michigan state parks and harbors is now accepting reservations through August 2014. Campsites and harbor slips both fill up quickly as the weather gets warmer, so state recreation officials recommend making spring and summer plans now to avoid the last-minute rush. Reservations can be made online at www.midnrreservations.com  or by calling 1-800-44-PARKS  (1-800-447-2757 ). “We want our guests to have the best possible experience with Michigan’s award-winning state parks, starting from the moment they make their reservation until they leave our parks with cherished memories,” said Ron Olson, chief of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Recreation Division. The DNR upgraded to a new, improved campground reservation system on Nov. 1, 2013. The system features site-specific reservations all season long, broader search capabi...

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) North Dakota’s 2014 bighorn sheep, elk and moose proclamation is finalized and most season information is the same as last year. The bighorn sheep season will have five licenses available, one more than last year. Licenses in Unit B1 increased from one to two due to skewed male-female ratios caused by declining numbers of females. Unit B2, which was created to prevent overharvest of Sully Creek rams, has been immersed into B1 due to low numbers in the area. Similar to last year, collared rams may not be harvested in Unit B3. The season length has been extended to two months, and the new opening date corresponds with the peak of the rut to improve prospects of finding mature rams. A total of 261 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, the same as in 2013. A total of 937 elk – including 701 adult cows – were taken out of the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park during the National Park Service’s reduction effort from 2010-201...

Youths can log on to  wildlifedepartment.com  any time through  April 18  and apply completely online for the 16th Annual Wildlife Youth Camp.        The weeklong event is slated this year for  June 22-27  at Oklahoma University Biological Station at Lake Texoma. The camp is run entirely by employees of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and aims to teach youth about the rewards offered by a career in wildlife - be it as a game warden, fish and wildlife biologist or even a communications or education specialist.      The free camp increases awareness of conserving and managing Oklahoma's wildlife resources through courses on wildlife-related career opportunities, rifle and shotgun training, archery, wildlife identification, wildlife law enforcement, fishing, fisheries management, ropes, swimming, turkey and waterfowl hunting, management and law enforcement.      "We urg...

The 2014 spring wild turkey lottery has been held and hopeful hunters can check  individual results  by accessing the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at  gf.nd.gov . More than 600 licenses remain in 11 units. The governor’s proclamation allows a maximum of two licenses, and hunters who did not apply in the first drawing are also eligible. Licenses remain in unit 06, Bowman County; unit 13, Dunn County; unit 19, Grant and Sioux counties and portions of Morton County; unit 25 McHenry County and portions of Pierce and Ward Counties; unit 31, Mountrail County; unit 40, Rolette County and portions of Bottineau, Renville, and Pierce counties; unit 44, Slope County; unit 45, Stark County; unit 47, Eddy, Foster, Kidder, Sheridan, Stutsman and Wells counties; unit 51, Burke County and portions of Renville, Bottineau and Ward counties; and unit 99, Mercer and Oliver counties. Licenses are issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning  March...