Outdoors - Pierce County Journal

My fishing buddy Kailu was born in Hawaii and now resides in North Carolina. He was a worthy fishing companion.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Kailu’s Wisconsin wish

We are at the end of June and I have yet to write a single article about fishing. The reason being is that the foraging and turkey hunting seasons are time sensitive. In other words, I … more

By Dave Beck | 6/25/25

Help endangered pollinator species, like the rusty patched bumble bee, by volunteering and creating healthy habitats.

Help butterflies, bees and other pollinators during Pollinator Week

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages Wisconsinites to help native pollinators during Pollinator Week, June 16-22 and year-round with a few simple lawn … more

6/18/25

Though I didn’t get a turkey, the discovery of oyster mushrooms made up for it.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Stubborn tom leads to discovery

The spring turkey seasons have now passed for another year. I’m not in the woods nearly as often as I am when I have an open turkey tag in my pocket. To be honest, having an open tag … more

By Dave Beck | 6/18/25

Whenever I encounter fawns, I try to get by them as quickly as possible so as not to cause them more stress.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Fawn season

Last week I journaled about my mushroom hunt of the year. I found so many ‘shrooms in one spot that I left more than I picked. After eating those mushrooms, I decided to go out for … more

By Dave Beck | 6/11/25

I lucked out and found the mother lode of Wisconsin’s gold, otherwise known as morel mushrooms.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: Wisconsin Gold

Springtime weather can be fickle and forecasting it can be difficult but not as hard as predicting the peak of the morel mushroom hunting season. Wisconsin Gold (morels) may show up in April if … more

By Dave Beck | 6/4/25

Honest to goodness here is “my view” as I write this week’s column. If you look closely, in the center of the window you can see the moon. If you look directly under the moon, you can see a black dot. That dot is a strutting tom turkey who wants nothing to do with my calls and everything to do with the hen that he has been following for a hundred plus yards from across the crest of the field.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A live episode of OTT

I’ve been doing this writing side job for some 30-plus years, and you’d think that by now I would plan for editorial deadlines. For the most part I do, but every once in a great … more

By Dave Beck | 5/28/25

I won the turkey hunting lottery when I called not one, but two toms into the area of my blind.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: The wait is over

Last week I had just enough time to get in two days’ worth of turkey hunting before I had to submit my weekly homework. It was just enough time to deal with a few birds and to get … more

By Dave Beck | 5/21/25

Dawson Sotona, 6, Spring Valley, caught a 2.57-pound, 20-inch brown trout opening day, making him the Eau Galle Rush River Sportsman’s Club’s youth contest winner.

Eau Galle – Rush River Sportsman’s Club holds 49th contest

The Eau Galle – Rush River Sportsman’s Club held its 49 th annual trout fishing contest Saturday, May 3, 2025 at the Ellsworth Rod & Gun Club. It was cool in the morning and … more

By Lin Linder | 5/21/25

Even though my quest for a turkey wasn’t successful, my foraging bag was filled with young fiddleheads.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A great consolation prize

It’s the tail end of the spring turkey hunting seasons and you haven’t heard much about it because up until now, I haven’t been hunting. Somehow, someway, I seemed to have … more

By Dave Beck | 5/14/25

Extreme Fire Danger warning for Monday, May 12, 2025

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in conjunction with the National Weather Service, has issued a Red Flag Warning for today, Monday, May 12, 2025 from noon to 9 p.m. for the … more

5/12/25

The white plastic tubes help protect this year’s plantings. The next row represents planting from three years ago while the firs in the background are from my first tree planting season in the early 2000s.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: A way to thank Mother Nature

It seems to me like Arbor Day is kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of national holidays in that it doesn’t get a whole lot of respect or attention even though it’s been around for over 150 … more

By Dave Beck | 5/7/25

Outdoor Tales & Trails: The greatest things of Spring

As I sat down to “pen” today’s article I did so with the idea that I wanted to celebrate the greatest days of the outdoor calendar year: when spring has sprung. From that … more

By Dave Beck | 4/30/25

I’ll never forget the first tom I bagged, a 28-pound bird near Beldenville in 1996.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: First turkey harvest has special meaning

It’s a no brainer to give some ink to the spring turkey seasons that are now underway. Being able to hunt in the spring is a welcome event and provides relief in that bow hunting ended … more

By Dave Beck | 4/22/25

Gov. Evers supports International Dark Sky Week in Wisconsin

Gov. Tony Evers has officially proclaimed April 21–28, 2025 as International Dark Sky Week in Wisconsin, joining communities and advocates around the globe in raising awareness about the … more

4/22/25

UW-River Falls has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a 2024 Tree Campus for its dedication to enhancing community well-being through tree education, investment and community engagement.

UW-RF earns 2024 Tree Campus USA recognition from Arbor Day Foundation

RIVER FALLS – The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized the University of Wisconsin-River Falls as a 2024 Tree Campus for its dedication to enhancing community well-being through tree education, … more

4/22/25

If you want to know what it feels like to look for a needle in a haystack take a walk and look for something this small in an area this big.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: lifelong quest

It seems like whenever I am on my computer or phone and have a random thought, a related feed or pop-up appears on my screen like magic. Does that ever happen to you? I don’t remember … more

4/16/25

The cry of a seagull is a cue that the ice is gone for another year.

Outdoor Tales & Trails: We've made it!

Right now we are sort of between seasons. The winter activities are behind us, I hope, and spring is approaching quickly. While I wait for the turkey seasons to arrive, now is a perfect time to … more

By Dave Beck | 4/9/25

Nugget Lake County Park will be the site of the Ellsworth Lions Club fishing contest on June 8.

Free kids’ fishing contest at Nugget Lake County Park June 8, 2025

PLUM CITY– Calling all young anglers! Families are invited to a Free Kids’ Fishing Contest at Nugget Lake County Park on Sunday, June 8, 2025. This exciting event … more

4/3/25

Outdoor Tales & Trails : A wonderful reunion

Last week I had an unofficial class reunion. I need to call it that or I might upset some classmates who weren’t there. This reunion took place while fishing for walleyes on the … more

By Dave Beck | 4/2/25

Joe-pye weed is a perennial native plant that grows up to 6’ tall and attracts pollinators like the northern amber bumble bee (Bombus impatiens).

Order native plants to support Wisconsin's pollinators

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that native plant sales are popping up around the state now through June. By planting native plants in your … more

3/27/25