Our Outdoors

By Nick Simonson Time in the field this weekend made me take stock of not only the blaze orange required by the season, but also the camo I had on underneath, and how this pairing is the universal get-up for every hunter in one season or another.  So…still gnawing on my deer tags…a bit of prose for you this week to celebrate it!  You know you’ve missed it! Camo patterns are highlighted by blaze orange options this time of year in the field, and hunters proudly wear both. “There couldn’t be a harder choice Hunting this time of year To […]

By Nick Simonson The warmest deer opener I can recall shows signs that the rut is also heating up.  Here are some of the things I’ve been seeing, showing that despite the weather, deer movement and breeding activity will be picking up soon. A ten point buck pauses to check the wind.  As the rut approaches, mature bucks become less nocturnal and move more during the day, seeking and chasing does. Larger, shredded saplings with significant missing bark and busted branches can signal that a mature buck is in the area.  These rubs are often the first sign that the […]

By Nick Simonson The key to hunting is taking advantage of the time we can get in the field, no matter what the conditions are. It all adds up to many fun seasons and great memories in Our Outdoors! Two on the Tailgate. The author’s 12-year-old lab, Gunnar, looks after the pair of roosters he rousted on a wet and windy mid-afternoon hunt. “It’s well established that I hunt and fish more than most people, and part of the reason for that is my very tolerant spouse.  While bargaining with my wife (and I don’t like to call it begging, […]

By Nick Simonson Sometimes as we get caught up in the routine of fall, the things that seem so normal, so part of what we do as hunters, conservationists and mentors to the next generation, seem so amazing and unique to those who’ve never experienced them.  This season’s annual mentor hunt was a reminder to me of that fact, and without the incredible support of like-minded outdoors enthusiasts and great landowners, kids might just be left wishing for the opportunity long after it’s too late. The Smile Says It All. Providing kids the opportunity to chase wild birds in the […]

By Nick Simonson My favorite places to hunt are those familiar ones, but not everything is the same from season to season.  A look back, and ahead, gives insight into why we hunt the spots that we do…in Our Outdoors. A familiar result.  Adam Marthaler of Prairie du Chien, WI and his lab Kensi picked up this rooster on the north end of a Lyon County, MN Wildlife Management Area. “Things never happen the same way twice,” explains C.S. Lewis, via the great lion, Aslan to young Lucy in the book Prince Caspian.  The Narnia Lucy returns to some 1,300 […]

By Nick Simonson Even in the early portion of the pheasant season the weather can change quickly.  Knowing what kinds of cover birds seek and how to adapt to snow, rain, cold, warming, and hotter temperatures can increase the odds of success. A successful pheasant opener doesn’t just come by chance.  Planning for the start of the season and preparing for the hunt is the best way to get set, and this week’s installment of Our Outdoors sets out some of those things hunters can do to be ready. North Dakota’s pheasant opener started cloudy and cold, a half inch […]

By Nick Simonson A new moon with rise and set at about the same time the sun went down and came up, temperate conditions and light winds set the stage for a weekend of hunting success.  I was more certain and more confident than I had ever been in this young season that I’d see a shooter buck as I headed out to a favorite stand site. So high was my confidence, that I had packed my DSLR camera to take high-quality pictures of my quarry in the field.  I could already see myself, posing behind the tall tines of […]

By Nick Simonson The smile of success.  Being ready for pheasant opener is multi-faceted; having the gear, the physical readiness and the confidence in your shot can come with a little preparation, even in the last few days before the season starts. A successful pheasant opener doesn’t just come by chance.  Planning for the start of the season and preparing for the hunt is the best way to get set, and this week’s installment of Our Outdoors sets out some of those things hunters can do to be ready.   With the opening day of pheasant season just a week […]

By Nick Simonson A Loud Pair.  There was nothing sneaky about the two does that rambled their way to a beanfield around the author’s stand on the first evening of the deer archery season.   It’s tough to beat the excitement of opening day – any opening day – and early fall in the upper Midwest provides a variety of them for sportsmen.  Whether the dates on the calendar set the season for upland birds like sharptail and ruffed grouse and Hungarian partridge, waterfowl such as ducks and geese, or archery seasons for deer, bear and other big game, there’s […]