Outdoors - Pierce County Journal

While walking in the woods after the last snowfall, I came upon clues that a bird of prey had gotten its dinner.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A scene in the snow

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I don’t have to add a single letter for this one. That being said, less is sometimes more and that’s why this week I am going to come in under … more

By Dave Beck | 4/17/24

I strapped on my waders to give otter and beaver trapping a try this winter.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A late winter diversion

Before I jump ahead into the spring fishing and turkey hunting seasons I want to recap the trapping season, specifically beaver and otter. My trapping roots go back to a time and place a long … more

By Dave Beck | 4/10/24

Frying fish in the garage takes preparation and time but is well worth the wait.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Preparing for a fish fry

During the Easter season, a Friday night fish fry was mandatory, but over the years it turned into a simple pleasure. I even grew fond of my garage smelling like a Wisconsin supper club. … more

By Dave Beck | 4/3/24

Never try to care for a wild animal yourself. If you find a wild animal that appears sick or injured, leave it alone and keep children and pets away to reduce stress on the animal.

Keep wildlife wild: Know what to do if you encounter baby wild animals this spring

MADISON – As warmer spring weather approaches, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds the public that wild animals and their young will be on the move across … more

3/27/24

Even though this is the craziest shed hunting season I’ve experienced in 30 years, I found these a couple of days ago.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A hard head

This has been the craziest shed antler hunting season I have ever experienced and that’s saying something since I found my first horn 30 years ago. There are several reasons for this being … more

By Dave Beck | 3/27/24

City of RF receives DNR Urban Forestry grant

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the second round of Urban Forestry Grant Program recipients for the 2024 grant year. The program helps fund projects … more

3/20/24

My strategy at the Muskie Expo each year is to walk the floor, note the hotspots, and return for a closer look at those that catch my eye.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: The ‘lure’ of musky baits

Before we slip too far away from the dock, I want to back up the boat a little and recap the Muskie Expo. Like every show I have been to, it was great and it was expensive. My defense is … more

By Dave Beck | 3/20/24

Swamp Runner II is back in action on the river after a makeover.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Swamp Runner II is back in action

A year or so ago there was a show on the Outdoor Channel called “Das Boat.” A quick internet search brought me to the conclusion that it was just another way to say “The … more

By Dave Beck | 3/13/24

In Spring 2023, flooding Mississippi River waters closed many streets in Bay City.

Upper Mississippi flooding unlikely after relatively dry winter

Unless thunderstorms dump rain on the Midwest in the coming months, there's little chance of spring flooding on the upper Mississippi River this year, forecasters say. That news is likely to … more

By Madeline Heim, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | 3/6/24

To figure out if spongy moths are on your property, look for their egg masses, which will look like tan-colored lumps about the size of a nickel or quarter.

DNR encourages property owners to make Spongy Moth treatment plans early

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages property owners to examine their trees for spongy moth egg masses and determine whether control measures are … more

3/6/24

Justin Buchholtz of Menomonie is the owner and proprietor of Haymaker Lures. He will have a booth at the Minnesota Muskie Expo this coming weekend.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: MN Muskie Expo!

The Elmwood-Plum City Wolves defeated the Assumption Royals in Round 1 of the regional playoffs on Tuesday 74-72, but then were eliminated in overtime on Friday night by the Cochrane-Fountain City … more

By Dave Beck | 3/6/24

I thought this photo caught on my trout cam of a beaver sneaking up behind a raccoon would get thousands of views.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: What readers want

The plan when I started writing for the PCJ was to foster a partnership with online media and Facebook using it to drive business towards the “hold in your hand” newspaper as well as the … more

By Dave Beck | 2/28/24

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Trout cam captures visitors

My trout cam has caught some interesting visitors near my traps, such as a turkey, raccoons, coyotes and bucks. Last week was about river otters, how I graduated with a YouTube degree in otter … more

By Dave Beck | 2/21/24

Two otters stop alongside the trout stream long enough for me to get a trail camera photo of them.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Revere the otter

After a successful fisher trapping season, I discovered that I had received two otter tags. I needed to look into it and figure out of if it was something that I really wanted to … more

By Dave Beck | 2/14/24

I found this deer shed while walking back to my truck after a late-season bow hunt.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Shed hunting season begins

Recently bow season ended in our area and that signaled the unofficial start of a new season: Shed deer antler hunting season. I consider this a great way to get myself through winter on to … more

By Dave Beck | 2/7/24

This photo was taken in the same spot on the Mississippi River in 2019 and 2024. This year the river is frozen over.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: An interruption to walleye season

Today’s topic could easily be a “Where’s Dave” contest as well a “Then And Now” scenario. Back in March 2019, I was fishing down in Red Wing and headed to the … more

By Dave Beck | 2/1/24

I’m sure these tom turkeys are looking forward to April just like me, but for different reasons.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Aleady looking forward to spring

This week is historically the coldest week of the year, give or take a day. For that reason and to fight off cabin fever I think it’s important to focus on something better and warmer … more

By Dave Beck | 1/25/24

This stealthy bobcat was behind me while I was in the tree stand late season bow hunting.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A stealthy visitor

The Wisconsin late archery season in our area is open until the end of the month. When I have gone out it has been with the intent of harvesting a doe but full disclosure, I have only gone out … more

By Dave Beck | 1/17/24

The fisher is an animal I have to admire and respect greatly. It fears nothing and spreads its scent around food caches to ward off other predators.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Surf & turf for the fisher

Two weeks ago, I told you about the archery buck I bagged. One week ago, I told you about the fisher that kept feeding off the deer carcass that I purposely left in the woods for the … more

By Dave Beck | 1/11/24

These are the visitors that enjoyed dining on my deer carcass. The fisher made it known he is the king of the predators.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Dining on the trail cam

Last week was about the archery buck I harvested and that’s where we pick up with today’s story. I loaded the buck up and went to a corner of the woods where no hunting takes place … more

By Dave Beck | 1/3/24