Outdoors - Pierce County Journal

Dave Beck and his elk hunting brothers – some are biological brothers, some are unofficial Becks.

The closer we get to the fall hunting seasons the more anxious I am for them to arrive. For that reason and many more, it’s easier to go looking for them instead of waiting for … more

By Dave Beck | 9/18/24

My electric bike has found many uses, including elk hunting, morel mushroom picking, trout fishing, transportation to my turkey blind and more.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Goodbye Green Machine!

I’ve had my old ten-speed bicycle for a long, long time. Case in point, I can’t remember the bike that I owned before that one. I couldn’t begin to guess how many miles I put on the … more

By Dave Beck | 9/11/24

Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive species of wood-boring beetle that consumes tissues under ash tree bark, killing the tree.

Invasive species continues to raise issues for RF’s ash tree population

RIVER FALLS — The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees in North America, according to the USDA, and Pierce County is no … more

By Andrew Harrington | 9/11/24

Captain Guff led us on a successful crappie run for the 2024 Crappie Classic.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Crappie Classic 2024

Growing up on the banks of the Mississippi River was like having a playground with endless opportunities. Exploring those banks was a treasure hunt for unique pieces of driftwood and fishing … more

By Dave Beck | 9/4/24

Saxton Pope and Arthur Young became legends in bowhunting, hence the term “Pope and Young buck.”

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A history lesson

The summer evenings are now cooling to the point that a sweatshirt is needed. If you’re a bow hunter, our time has come. As you read this, our target bucks are getting close to … more

By Dave Beck | 8/28/24

A bobcat is seen on my trail cam and wouldn’t you know it, I drew a bobcat tag this year.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Everything’s coming up Dave

Every year around the end of January the Wisconsin DNR sends out a yellow postcard to inform all successful turkey hunting applicants that they have received a spring tag. The timing is good in … more

By Dave Beck | 8/22/24

Oyster mushrooms are delicious on their own, in a salad or on a sandwich

Outdoor Tales & Trails: The delectable oyster mushroom

Back in May OTT celebrated Forage Month. I wrote about morels, of course, as well as fiddleheads, pheasant tails, ramps, watercress and I think a couple others that escape me right now. The … more

By Dave Beck | 8/14/24

I spent a lot of time as Brent’s net man and personal photographer, but seeing all those fish was worth it.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: The whole musky truth

Last week was about my Canadian fishing outing and how the Department of Ministry (Canadian game wardens) supplied my fishing cronies and me with enough walleyes for a huge fish fry. This week … more

By Dave Beck | 8/9/24

My friend Brent and I had a nice chat with Canadian Ministry Department officials while on a fishing trip near Kenora, Ontario.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A Canadian adventure

I have good news and bad news. What would you like first? Okay, good news first: I went on a Canadian musky fishing trip. The bad news: I’m back from the Canadian musky … more

By Dave Beck | 8/8/24

Big River Rich recruited me to help out with some food plots, even though I come from a long line of nonfarmers.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Dave as a farmer

I know it’s the heart of the fishing season, but I wanted to circle back to planting season, specifically May 24. I was recruited by Big River Rich to help out with some deer food … more

By Dave Beck | 7/26/24

My go-to for taking scales off of panfish.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Replenishing the fish supply

My game plan during a recent fishing outing was pretty simple: replenish my fish supply. I realized that I had made a slight miscalculation regarding my fish inventory because my freezer was … more

By Dave Beck | 7/17/24

CWD has been found in a deer in Pierce County.

DNR to host CWD public meeting in Pierce County

SPRING VALLEY  – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will host a public meeting with the Pierce County Deer Advisory Council to provide information on chronic wasting disease (CWD) … more

7/17/24

Shore Lunch Beer Batter and Mies All Purpose Fish Batter are the two top brands, in my book.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: The 411 on fish batter

Two weeks ago I was watching a midday Twin Cities news/variety show. Now that’s not something usually on my plate but a promo teaser caught my eye. They were going to cook a Midwestern … more

By Dave Beck | 7/11/24

My confidence grew slightly about my fly fishing abilities after hooking this brown trout in the Rush River

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Fly fishing the Rush is not easy

Last week I told you all about my spinning rod trout fishing victory on the Rush River. It was a great night and I caught a bunch of trout (by my standards). I left brimming with … more

By Dave Beck | 7/3/24

Severe flooding along the Mississippi River has prompted City of Cottage Grove officials to close the bridge and causeway leading to Lower Grey Cloud Island.

Severe river flooding leads to bridge and causeway closure in Cottage Grove

Due to recent heavy rainfall and rising river levels, the City of Cottage Grove has announced the closure of the bridge and causeway to Lower Grey Cloud Island to ensure public safety. This closure … more

6/28/24

When my Grandpa Wally died, my brother and I bought his entire lure collection at auction and split it down the middle.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Trout fishing novice or expert?

I’m still waiting for the water to warm up and for the muskies to get more active but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been fishing. I’ve been on a trout fishing binge, that … more

By Dave Beck | 6/27/24

Winners of the Prescott Community Club’s 27th annual Kids Free Fishing Contest, which took place June 1.

2024 Prescott Community Club fishing contest is success!

PRESCOTT – Fun was had by all at the 27 th annual Prescott Community Club's Kids Free Fishing Contest on Saturday, June 1. The young anglers and their friends came early for the best fishing … more

6/26/24

I am an official Wisconsin Certified Trapper and I couldn’t be prouder.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Officially a trapper

I know that we are in the heart of the fishing season and I should be telling you all about the fish that I have been catching, or at least trying to catch, but I am interrupting it to make a MAJOR … more

By Dave Beck | 6/20/24

Dawson Sotona, age 5, Spring Valley, was one of the youth winner’s at the Eau Galler Rush River Sportsman’s Club’s 48th annual trout fishing contest May 4. The fish weighed 1.65 pounds and was 16 inches long.

Eau Galle Rush River Sportsman’s Club: 48 years of trout contests

It was a beautiful day on May 4, 2024 for the opening day trout fishing contest at the Ellsworth Rod & Gun Clubhouse. It rained all day. Without the nice warm place to go into, it would have been … more

By Lin Linder | 6/12/24

An engineering technician from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) stands on the rim of a sinkhole in Pierce County.

Pierce County Land Conservation Department developing sinkhole map

ELLSWORTH - Sinkholes develop when the ground collapses into cracks and caverns that have formed below the ground surface. Formation of sinkholes is common in western Wisconsin because of the readily … more

6/12/24