Warmer Spring Waters Mean it’s Time for Bluegill Action
There’s a simplicity to bluegill fishing that never gets old. I’ve spent plenty of time chasing larger fish in deeper water with more complicated setups, but when the bluegills are biting, I find myself reaching for an ultra-light and a box of worms. With a small hook, split shot, and a slip bobber, you’re in […]
Foraging for morel mushrooms is a hunt for all to enjoy
Walking a small pedestrian street in Lucerne, Switzerland, I was stopped in my tracks. Not because I saw another unimaginable work of an ancient stone mason or because I caught the delicious smell of fresh bread being baked. I lost my breath for a second because there, in a basket mixed with an array of […]
The Arrival April Brings Many Midwestern Outdoors Opportunities
If we operated on an annual outdoor calendar, April would be the first month of the year. Trees begin to bud down south, and all the ice is gone except for the furthest northern reaches of our region. Turkeys are gobbling, and fish are hungry after a long winter in cold water. With many states […]
Fishing Patoka Lake as Spring Arrives across the Southern Midwest
Spring arrives across the southern Midwest in waves. First come the warmer afternoons and the smell of fresh earth in the woods. Then the dogwoods bloom and gobblers start sounding off from the ridge tops. Morel mushrooms return to the landscape, and somewhere in the middle of all that, the crappies begin moving shallow. At […]
Hunting with a Camera on Wildlife Photography Adventure Trips
Wildlife photographer, Russell Graves, is known to many as Mr. Texas. It’s a fitting name for the lifelong Texan who has spent four decades capturing the spirit of the state’s rural people and places. His photography adventures haven’t stopped at the state border, though, as Russell’s work has taken him across the globe, and now […]
Now is the Time to Prepare for Turkey Season
Turkey season is approaching fast. Across the Midwest, most turkey hunters are less than two months away from early morning drives fueled by gas station coffee. If things go well, strutting gobblers will send chills down our spines on opening day. For me, there is no rush in the outdoor world like the one felt […]
Missouri Trout Fishing Opener Delivers Fellowship of Fishing
Missouri’s opening day of trout season at the state’s four trout parks is an anomaly in the world of trout fishing, and that’s what makes the day so special. In a sport often defined by solitude, silence, and strict catch-and-release ethics, Missouri has created something entirely different. At Bennett Spring State Park, Montauk State Park, Roaring River […]
Ice Fishing the Hot Walleye Bite at Devils Lake
Ice fishing isn’t something I do too much of, but over the past couple of years, I have caught the bug. Two years in a row, I’ve headed up to Devils Lake to fish with McQuoid Outdoors. I wanted to catch a 15-inch yellow perch. That goal eluded me, but we caught more walleye through […]
West Virginia’s New River Region offers hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation
The New River Gorge is ancient and looming in a way that makes you feel small and insignificant. It’s hard to explain until you’re at the bottom of the gorge staring up to surface level, realizing how many hundreds of millions of years it took for the scene you’re staring at to develop. The region […]
Leaders convene at SHOT Show bring messages of economy and empathy
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is the trade association for firearms, ammunition, and other related products and services. Each year, NSSF hosts the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) in Las Vegas. This year, over 2,800 exhibitors from around the world showcased products, with over 54,000 industry professionals in attendance. SHOT Show […]