Blake Richard
Recent Stories
Fire for fowl
Any woods walker who wanders the trunks this time of year can hear the crunchy needles or leaves beneath them. Before any substantial amount of rain saturates our forests and before any new green growth sprouts to the sky and shades the understory, fire season engulfs our arid and fuel-rich landscape.
Rhinelander team wins dartball state championship
Rhinelander’s McDonald Bus Service dartball team, captained by Jeff McDonald, shot a bullseye — or hit a home run rather — in the 2026 State Dartball Tournament, taking home the Class C championship after defeating Balz Inn of Athens last month at the Central Wisconsin Convention and Expo Center in Rothschild.
General fishing season to open May 2
The wait is over for the anglers who have anticipated getting back on the open water of more than 15,000 inland lakes across the state to cast their crankbaits with the hopes of reeling in a big one. As anglers head out for the general fishing season opener tomorrow, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds residents to check updated regulations for the 2026-27 season. There’s an abundance of lake specific changes across the state, as well as new season frameworks for inland trout and muskie.
Deer management unit 116 CDAC meeting
With the statewide Citizen Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) meetings wrapping up, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Deer Advisory Committee will soon review CDAC harvest quota and season framework recommendations. Towards the end of May, the DNR administration will review harvest quota and season framework recommendations as well, before the final proposal is made to the Natural Resources Board (NRB). The NRB will approve final deer season structures during their scheduled June 24 meeting in Kenosha.
Wisconsin Conservation Congress spring hearings held statewide
The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) held their annual spring hearings on April 13 from 6-9 p.m. in all 72 counties. Public comment was welcomed at the hearing, and questions were taken by a panel of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff and WCC members.
The importance of scouting
Any fundamentally sound duck or goose hunter ought to know the importance of scouting. They know that to have a successful day afield, you have to hunt where the ducks want to be, and the only way to do that is to find them.
DNR reminds public that young wildlife are soon to emerge
In a recent press release, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) described what to do if you encounter young wild animals as temperatures continue to increase across the state. “The public can help keep wildlife wild by observing from a safe distance to provide young wild animals their best chance of survival,” the release stated.
Timberdoodle timeline
On a recent moonlit drive home, the gravel roads wound a reminder around my impossibly cornered eyes of just how chaotic spring can be here in Wisconsin. With an almost 60 degree high before nearly a foot of snow and ice in the forecast, I shouldn’t be surprised.
