×

Outdoors Today

Forest findings: Wild turkeys and wild morel mushrooms

WILD TURKEY SEASONS are into full tilt mode. Among the hunters with shotguns or others with archery gear, the statewide take as of mid week was over 7,300. By the time you read this weekend story, statewide numbers will have accelerated. There are several counties along the Mississippi River ...

Fur in the forest, fire in the prairie

BOBCATS are a native wild animal, a feline predator, and we have a small population in Marshall County. They are stealthy and not easily observed. If you were hiking along a forest trail to observe wildflowers, birds, the waking up of all kinds of plants and new tree buds, you are probably ...

Springtime = Big lakes fish egg capture time

FISH EGGS are big business for Iowa fisheries bureau staff members at this time of the year. Adult walleye, northern pike and muskies are spawning. A big part of the process is to capture adult fish and assist new eggs in the hatching process and survival game of life. Natural reproduction ...

Taking taxidermy to the Masters level

If you love wildlife and waterfowl, and have a passion for creating art work to preserve those outdoor adventure moments, then a skilled taxidermist is what you need to have contact with. Mike Stegmann fits that billing perfectly. His work is proven by consistent results of the highest ...

Feeding frenzy on dead fish by gulls and eagles

Welcome to another edition of Outdoors Today. It never fails to amaze this author how a bit of interesting observations can turn into another lesson from Mother Nature’s life lessons book. Today we will explore an example that illustrates life cycles in its own unique way. Last week I ended ...

Pelicans make precision flying look easy

WHITE PELICANS (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) are a normal springtime sighting of big birds as the spring season continues to gather momentum. A bird of freshwater lakes and ponds, this large bird is all white except for its black wing tips and outer secondary feathers. A wingspan of nearly ...