Northern Wilds - Explore the Northern Wilds

Points North: On Deer Deficits and Dead Dogs

Shawn Perich — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:08:41 UT

When it came to northern Minnesota deer hunting, my father believed you took the good and the bad when it came to deer abundance. If Old Man Winter is kind for a year or two, whitetails are likely to be numerous in November. But in years when deer are decimated by snow and cold the previous winter, you have to hunt for your venison.

"When there's lots of deer, any jackass can shoot one," Dad would say. "And after a couple of good years, those jackasses expect to find a deer behind every bush, but it just doesn’t work that way in the woods."

Arctic Sport Mid Muck Boots

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:05:28 UT

When I used to think about rubber boots, four things came to mind: waterproof, clunky, ugly and no traction. Except for being 100% waterproof, these Arctic Sport Mid Muck Boots couldn’t be further from that notion. Not only do these boots fit well on my feet, but they have excellent traction -- I don’t feel like I’m going to slip and slide while out walking my dog. Comfortable, easy to take on and off, and very warm, these boots have become my go-to pair as I head out the door.

ClipLit

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:04:23 UT

Long winter nights leave all of us fumbling for keyholes. ClipLit from Nite Ize, Inc. attaches to your key ring to provide a ready source of light. About the size of a quarter, Clip Lit has a built in carabiner you can snap to zipper pulls, backpacks, key rings or any place you need a small light. A small lithium battery provides 24 hours of continuous power to the LED.

Otter Box

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:03:20 UT

Everyone “otter” have an Otter Box. The company makes a selection of waterproof containers for carrying just about anything you want to keep safe and dry. The Otter Box 2500, shown here, has plenty of room to carry a cell phone, pocket camera and other small items. It’s convenient to keep in the cab of a pickup.

Jetboil Sol Advanced Cooking System

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:01:56 UT

The aforementioned qualities in the Jetboil Sol Advanced Cooking System makes super-economic use of fuel, with the smallest fuel canister (100 g) cooking about three days’ worth of breakfast, coffee and dinner. The stove includes a locking pot support that allows you to use larger pots and pans. All components, including the fuel canister, stow away nicely within the lightweight aluminum cooking vessel.

Goodbye Girl Ponytail Hat

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:00:54 UT

Ibex Breakaway 2 Pant

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:59:46 UT

I can stop looking—I’ve finally found THE cross-country ski pant. The Ibex Breakaway 2 Pant blends new soft shell technology with the old-school standby: temperature regulating and stink-fighting wool. These formfitting pants feature Climawool softshell panels on the front (a stretchy, breathable, wind- and water-resistant blend of nylon and wool), while the back is a plush wool knit. So far this winter I’ve used them in a range of conditions across the upper Midwest.

A View of the Lake

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:58:10 UT

An urban immigrant to a lake home in the small North Shore community of Schroeder, the author writes short vignettes about her new lifestyle. Walks in the woods, kind neighbors, cold weather and picking berries are among her topics.

Growing Shrubs and Trees in Cold Climates

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:56:26 UT

A hefty compendium containing more than 950 varieties of trees and shrubs for cold climates, this book has a clean layout that makes it remarkably easy to use. Color photography shows the flowers and foliage of many varieties. Specific information about how to plant and care for each variety is included, as well as a general section with chapters for planting, propagation, pests and other topics. Backyard horticulturists throughout the Northern Wilds will find this is the gold standard for information about trees and shrubs.

Amazing Gulls: Acrobats of the sky and sea

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:55:20 UT

Marlin Bree finds wonder in a bird many folks take for granted. This tribute to gulls looks at their natural history, interactions with humans and the lore associated with the birds. With photos and drawings on every page, Amazing Gulls is a visual delight. Although by no means a traditional bird guide, anyone who enjoys birds will like this book.

Points North: Come on up, the winter is fine

Shawn Perich — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:07 UT

On a recent morning I stepped out with the dogs at daybreak. Beneath a clear, dawn sky, the air was crisp and calm. When we came inside 20 minutes later, I thought it was pretty nice outside. Glancing at the thermometer, I saw it was 16 below.

While the rest of Minnesota has experienced a warm, snowless winter, up here at the Tip of the Arrowhead, we've had snow and cold temperatures. True, even our weather has been unusually mild, but proximity to Lake Superior and the Canadian border means we get always get a real winter with snow and ice and below zero temperatures. That's why moose live here.

Points North: New Hunter-Gatherers Need to Know the Conservation Story

Shawn Perich — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:57:06 UT

Recently, a chef who wrote a book about hunting and cooking was interviewed on Minnesota Public Radio. She talked about making a recent trip to Colorado to do a cooking demonstration. While there, she was taken fly-fishing on a local river, where the guides and other anglers refused to keep fish for her to use in her demonstration. She told the MPR interviewer she was miffed by their catch-and-release ethic.

"I don't believe in catch-and-release," she said. "It's playing with your food."

Points North: DNR Roundtable Checks the Pulse of Outdoor Issues

Shawn Perich — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:27:39 UT

For more than 20 years, the Minnesota DNR has kicked off the New Year by hosting a Roundtable for groups and individuals interested in fishing, hunting and conservation. For years, the event was intentionally held outstate in St. Cloud, but it was moved to a metro location a few years ago. This year, for the first time, the Roundtable was held in St. Paul, just a stone’s throw from the DNR’s central offices and the State Capitol.

The tone and content of the Roundtable varies somewhat from year to year, but it is fair to say the event is a finger on the political pulse of Minnesota outdoor issues. The big news at last weekend’s Roundtable was the announcement of a new wolf hunting and trapping season beginning this year. After nearly four decades of federal protection, Minnesota wolves are scheduled to be removed from the Endangered Species List on January 27.

Points North: Wolf Hunting Makes An End Run Around Public Discourse

Shawn Perich — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:30:59 UT

Last July, Minnesota's state government shut down when the Governor and Legislature couldn't agree on how to balance the budget. Our duly elected met in St. Paul, presumably to resolve budget issues and reached agreement on, of all things, wolf hunting. While taxpayers worried about such mundane topics as public school funding and rising property taxes, lawmakers made sure the state could open a wolf hunting season as soon as the animals were removed from the federal Threatened Species list. In recent news reports, DNR officials have said they may hold a wolf season as soon as this year.

The hunting authorization alters Minnesota's existing wolf management plan, which called for a moratorium on hunting and trapping during the first five years of state control. The moratorium was recommended by a citizen's committee convened in the late 1990s to provide balanced public input to the DNR's wolf management plan. As a member of the citizen committee, I can say killing or not killing wolves was the core issue we confronted.

Points North: Canadian North Shore Community Questions Nuclear Waste Storage

Shawn Perich — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:00:02 UT

Will a nuclear waste storage facility be constructed in the Lake Superior Basin? The answer is: possibly. Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is presently looking for a site to construct a storage facility where nuclear waste will be buried in rock 500 meters to one kilometer underground. Based on geological features, areas near Lake Superior are suitable for such a facility and some communities on the Canadian North Shore have expressed interest in the project.

Recently, officials from Nipigon, Ontario, traveled to Toronto and met with representatives of NWMO for a detailed briefing and a tour of the Pickering Waste Management Facility where nuclear waste is currently stored on an interim basis. The visit was called a “Learn More Opportunity.” Mayor Richard Harvey emphatically states this does not mean Nipigon tossed its hat in the ring as a potential nuclear storage site.