Blake Richard
Recent Stories
Bear down on tag donated to the Northwoods Youth Deer Hunt Challenge
With his donated tag from the Northwoods Youth Deer Hunt Challenge (NYDHC), eighth grader Jase Kutschenreuter harvested a 543-pound bear on Sept. 9 — opening day of bear season. It was a new experience he and his dad shared, along with many others who helped set Jase up for success.
Hardwoood Hearings
For the sun being on the other side of Earth, the night was bright. My shining headlamp would’ve only been dwarfed by the lunar illumination, so I left it off. Even my truck headlights I could’ve gone without, but figured it would be best to risk breaking a leg instead of getting in a car accident.
The fast and the fiery
A wildland fire that ignited roughly half a mile south of U.S. Highway 51 near Manitowish on Sept. 12 burned an estimated 81 acres as of Sept. 15.
Youth waterfowl hunt dawns this weekend
The statewide youth waterfowl hunt runs Sept. 19-20 and is open to hunters age 15 and under. Since its inception in 1996, roughly 2,500 to 3,000 youth have participated annually in the youth waterfowl hunt.
Cast of color for fall muskies
Fall brings a diversity of hunting opportunities to the state, but there’s still time to catch that big fish you were pursuing this summer. With the falling water temperatures, it might be time to get after Wisconsin’s state fish before the ice comes.
Hardwoood Hearings
Looking up, it didn’t feel so far. Looking down, the surface seemed to be a dreadful distance away. But that was then, and this is now.
Bear season breakdown
Wisconsin is often a nationwide leader in black bear harvest, which can make a bear tag one of the most prized opportunities in the state. This year, a modern lottery system (which began in 1986) record of 15,245 tags were issued across six black bear management zones. There were 34,563 applications, with nearly half coming from bear management zones A and B.
Tire grit finding the weeds
“Drop your line, and we’ll hook up” was a maiden tackle box of words I heard Dave Lang, 84, say as I got his voicemail the first time I tried to contact him. Through a couple more calls and visits with Dave and his family, we eventually made it out to do what Dave Lang does best: drop his line and hook ‘em up.
Deer archery and crossbow opens Sept. 12
The statewide archery and crossbow deer season begins tomorrow, Sept. 12 and concludes Jan. 3, 2027. On the Fall Hunting Forecast webpage distributed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), interim deer program specialist, Derek Johnson, said “the deer herd going into the fall looks to be strong and healthy” for the Northern District.
