Family-Outdoors

Example of Alaska land owned by people of United States eligible to be transferred to state government and eventually to private ownership  Stung by a recent vote in Congress, national conservation groups are mustering opposition to the increasing call from many western states to transfer federal lands to state control. The U.S. Senate last month narrowly approved a budget amendment sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that could set the stage for future legislation to sell or transfer federal lands to state or local governments. Read More

Fish Point State Wildlife Area, located in Unionville, juts out into the Saginaw Bay. Because of the tremendous variety and abundance of waterfowl found here, the Fish Point area has been called the "Chesapeake of the Midwest." During spring and fall migrations, the habitat and food resources at this site attract thousands of ducks and other water birds. Dabbling and diving ducks, along with Canada geese, are plentiful across the area. Mallards are the most commonly harvested duck, with a good number of green-winged teal, wood ducks, widgeon, pintails, gadwall and black ducks being taken as well.   Waterfowl hunters who want to hunt Fish Point must enter the Managed Hunt drawing. Drawings occur at 5:30 and 11 a.m. daily during the hunting season for the morning and afternoon hunts, respectively. If hunters miss a draw, they are allowed to take a leftover spot if available. There are 63 hunting zones, covering flooded agricultural fields and cattail and emergent m...

Logo of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) More than 200 blockages in the nation’s major natural resource “arteries” were removed last year thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Passage Program. Working with numerous partners, the program improves fish passage, local economies and public safety by ridding the nation’s rivers of derelict dams that no longer serve a purpose. “Free-flowing, healthy rivers and streams are vital to our nation. Many species of fish, wildlife and plants depend on the natural ebb and flow of rivers at critical stages of their lives,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “I’m pleased to report last year the Service and its partners reconnected more than 2,500 miles of streams and 36,000 associated wetland acres, providing opportunities for aquatic populations to increase and become more resilient in the face of greater environmental pressures.” Estimates show there are approximately 74,000 derelict dams...

Bald Eagle (Photo credit: Pen Waggener ) Bald eagles are migrating back to Minnesota and may be seen in large numbers across parts of the state over the next few weeks, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “It’s definitely time for folks to keep their eyes out,” according to Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer, DNR regional nongame wildlife specialist. “Usually we see these bigger pulses of migrating eagles a little later in March, but it appears that timing may be early for a lot of natural events this year due to the mild winter.” Only two states, Florida and Alaska, have greater nesting populations of bald eagles than Minnesota. In 2005, researchers estimated there to be more than 1,300 active nests in this state. Fall migration typically occurs as lakes and rivers freeze over, since most eagles prefer a diet of fish. Bald eagle wintering grounds typically contain open water, ample food, limited human disturbance and protective roosting sites. Gelvin-Innvaer said th...

I do not know who lived here. Twenty-five years ago, when I was a college kid and had no idea I'd be living very close to this old place, I would hike around it, and sit in the woods, and wonder about the prior occupants. At that time, there was still the remnants of the old house and you could find pieces of the family's pottery. Whenever I am in a place like this, where people have come and gone, I wonder what the dreams of these people were. Were they like me? Did they ever wonder if years after they were gone, would someone traipse across their land and wonder about them? Did they figure their mark on the land would be more permanent - the start of something big? I left Missouri and went to Alaska and then Colorado with my wife. We had kids and built a life together and had some good adventures and plan to have more. A dozen years ago, we moved into the home that my wife's parents had built as a vacation getaway. It is perhaps 250 yards from the place y...

I have mentioned in my bio that I grew up in Alaska . This kind of happened in two phases. I graduated from high school in Sitka , a small island town in the SE panhandle. It is a vastly different area than where we lived later. There are no roads in or out but in other respects is sort of a typical small town, sav e its immense beauty. From there I went off to college at the U. of Missouri-Columbia and then returned to teach in the interior/southcentral Alaskan area of the Copper River . Wildlife, including bears, was an every day aspect of existence in this area. The area was vast and ruggedly beautiful. Life around the Copper River is not for the timid, especially in the winter months, when temperatures dip to minus 60 F. Hunting and fishing are integral parts of most every resident's life in this area. For the period of time we were there, rarely did we consume store-bought meat or fish. One source of salmon is the fish wheel . The awesome beauty of Alaska is as va...

Image by 50%ChanceofRain via Flickr I sure don't want to present myself as the expert on this area. I have been to this park probably five or six times. Of the parks, I do enjoy it the most, especially when I can get there on a weekday. A week or so ago, I fished it with my younger son, he concentrating on the bait area while I stayed exclusively in the "fly area." I put fly area in quotes, because if you are not familiar with the park, spin fishing is also allowed here, but there are restrictions regarding terminal tackle allowed. Generally speaking, there is no negative interaction between spin and fly fishermen here as I have heard there can be in some places. Some of the spin fishermen here have shared pointers with me that even though I am using a fly rod, I have found very helpful. The caveat I will throw in is that there seems to often be a lack of stream etiquette in the parks. This lack of etiquette seems to be equally displayed by spin and fly fishermen. ...

Let me be honest about something. I was born in Colorado and raised in Alaska - I should have been an outdoorsman already but I wasn't. Somewhere along the line my boys became enthralled with the idea of hunting and fishing - the outdoors in general. It was constant pressure to go here or there hunting or fishing, and oh heavens the money we have spent on rifles, fishing gear, tents, travel, guides,... I was gradually tiptoed down the path of becoming an outdoorsman because I had to be one. What a fiasco it has been at times. If I knew anything about hunting it sure wasn't anything about how it was done in the Ozarks of Missouri. If I knew anything about fishing, it was salmon, halibut, and trout. Ten years ago I couldn't tell you the difference between a smallmouth and a largemouth bass. Together, my boys and I, we have come quite a ways but I am certain there have been times when they wondered whether their fearless leader was ever going to lead them to harves...