Ross Bielema 20 March 2023

Spring hearings to address outdoor issues

The results of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt around the world, including here in Wisconsin, where April’s combined Conservation Congress and Department of Natural Resources spring hearings will be held virtually. These hearings give hunters, anglers and other wildlife lovers in all 72 counties the chance to voice their opinions on a number of state fish and wildlife proposed rule changes as well as proposals by America’s only grassroo
Ross Bielema 8 March 2023
Radio personality prefers teaching over trophies
Marc Drewek, a weekly outdoors radio show host for more than a dozen years, has an enviable number of big bucks under his belt and still enjoys chasing them with bow, muzzleloader and rifle. Today, he’d rather teach newcomers about hunting through the state’s Learn to Hunt program or on his own. “I was deer hunting when stands were little wooden planks in the trees,” said Drewek, 63, as he spoke to members of the Clintonville Bow Hunters Club on
Ross Bielema 16 February 2023
Warm weather has sturgeon spearers sweating
Chris Lee had a plan, but there was a ticking time bomb of sorts that was putting added pressure on him and thousands of other sturgeon spearers this season. While the rest of us were enjoying record warm temperatures, those spearers on Lake Winnebago and the upriver lakes were sweating for a different reason: The ice their cherished sport depended on was quickly deteriorating. While most spearers want a big fish, especially one in the elite 100-
Ross Bielema 7 February 2023
Ways to fight cabin fever, retain winter sanity
In “The Shining,” one of my all-time favorite horror movies, it becomes crystal clear that Jack Nicholson’s character has gone stir crazy when his wife checks to see how his novel is going and finds dozens of pages all typed with “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Wendy Torrance, played by Shelley Duvall, then goes on high alert to save herself and her son from her ax-wielding husband at the snowed-in Overlook Hotel. Anyone living in W
Ross Bielema 23 January 2023
Shotgun brings home turkeys, tragedy
It was the most difficult gun I’ve ever cleaned. Now, I’ve probably cleaned guns 5,000 times over the years, and it’s never a fun task, but most of the time, it’s just tedious, not difficult. The only problem I had was removing the barrel of the 20 gauge Browning Gold Hunter, a semi-auto camouflage shotgun owned by a friend.
Ross Bielema 21 December 2022
Company helps hunters hear their prey again
For hunters, shooters and other outdoors enthusiasts exposed to frequent gunfire or other ear-damaging noise, holiday “Jingle Bells” could eventually become a “Silent Night.” Some of us older hunters and shooters have already noticed a bit of high frequency hearing loss, when we ask our spouses or other family members to repeat themselves or turn up the TV.
Ross Bielema 6 December 2022
Calendar art features dazzling trail camera photos
I have a love-hate relationship with trail cameras. Checking their SD cards is like an early Christmas — opening those images on my point-and-shoot camera in a hunting blind brings the surprise gift of the local bucks, does and even an occasional coyote or raccoon that pass by. I’ve had more than my share of issues with these magical little hunting tools.
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