On Wisconsin Outdoors Blog
12/1/2014 Game Pole Empty Following Northern Rifle Hunt
It was a tough hunt with no deer tagged after five days in Vilas County. That’s seven years with no deer hung. Yes, it is that hard in Wisconsin’s north country. Prior to over-harvest of does, hard winters, high predation by bears and wolves, and bottoming out of deer numbers... More
11/19/2014 North Country Is Not Best Choice for Deer Hunt
I am recommending that Wisconsin deer hunters who have an option to hunt in central or southern Wisconsin stay away from Wisconsin’s northland. With a long tradition of hunting the Boulder Junction area in Vilas County, my family will be hunting north. But it will not be an easy hu... More
11/10/2014 More Important Matters
Last in this blog, we’ll get to a detailed story of the buck I was able to tag for those of you who care to read a detailed story. I’m writing a detailed story because tagging a nice one for this hunter feels a bit like the arrival of Haley’s Comet. It has been a long time co... More
11/6/2014 Rutting Buck Tagged
A nice rutting buck cooperated yesterday, November 5, near Fond du Lac and came in at 4:00 pm. I’ll give the details in this place soon. Right now, I have a deer to butcher. In the meantime, here he is. The deer are moving and we’ll be posting some photographs sent by succ... More
11/1/2014 OWO November-December Hits Streets
The November-December issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors is now posted on our homepage and will be hitting the streets across the state beginning Friday. By next week you should be able to find your copy in any Kwik Trip or Menards, but I wouldn’t wait long. Seriously, they do go fast and with mor... More
10/24/2014 Calling Tom, Disarming that Buck
Back in the tree again this week still looking as much for a cover photograph for the November-December issue of OWO as a filled tag, I tried something new as a hunter. Heading north on 45 toward the hunting land, I pulled into a gun shop and figured out that I would be hunting very near the b... More
10/18/2014 On the Fast Track to the Rut
Now it starts. Hang on and enjoy the ride. It’s already mid-October. Over the next few weeks, we’ll all start hearing about those big bucks that became vulnerable chasing does, made the ultimate mistake and ended up wearing a tag. From my perspective, it is the finest time of the y... More
10/10/2014 Seeking Woodie…..
This week, we had the pleasure of Wisconsin Outdoor Writer Paul Smith of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joining us for a wood duck hunt in the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Sheboygan County. Paul is a long-time friend and needs no introduction as a superior outdoor journalist a... More
10/3/2014 Five Greenheads Down
A walk-in hunt to a Wisconsin honey hole The pair of greenhead mallards already streetwise from heavy early season scattergun pressure swung again on the grey September skies and turned into the winds to scrutinize the decoys bobbing on the pothole below. One final time, the mallards took in the ca... More
9/25/2014 One Great Writer…
All the information, photos, media releases, news, fishing and hunting reports, upcoming events, etc. that we can bring you with On Wisconsin Outdoors is important to help you stay up on what’s happening out there. But when it comes right down to the real foundation of publishing an outd... More
9/19/2014 A Thank You to Lynch Truck Center, Going Home Again, and Lethal Golfing
Please welcome On Wisconsin Outdoors’ newest advertiser. Whatever “field” you’re in, Lynch Truck Center will put you in it for less. Lynch has the truck for your commercial or recreational use, and we appreciate that they will be helping to hand you your ... More
9/12/2014 Bears, Deer, Ducks & Doves
A whirlwind week in the world of Wisconsin Outdoors is a good week. Thursday I loaded the old truck with the last of 10,000 papers slated for southeast Wisconsin and placed them on the racks through Madison on my way to the Mike Foss Bear Camp in Bayfield. When I say “old truck&rdq... More
9/5/2014 Great Start to Foss Bear Camp
Despite nasty thunderstorms that shut down the first day of the Wisconsin bear hunt in Bayfield County Wednesday, Mike Foss reported last night that three hunters had already filled tags from his Washburn camp. More than 20 tag holders are taking stands over 30 square miles of rugged Superior ... More
8/29/2014 Ducks, Self-Made Hunting Videos and a Mostly-True Outdoor Book
I will be heading to the north country over the Labor Day Holiday. My beautiful wife, Lori thinks we are spending a long and romantic weekend together, and we are. Unless she wakes up and finds that I briefly exited our honeymoon cabin for the honeymoon duck blind. Or, if she chooses not to wa... More
8/22/2014 OWO September-October Issue Ushers in Hunting Seasons
May I take a break from editing the September-October 2014 issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors ready to hit the shelves across Wisconsin August 29 to focus on this week’s Blog? What should we talk about? I know! How about the September-October 2014 issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors?&... More
8/15/2014 DNR and Other Outdoor News
First, we had a great time in our booth with Kwik Trip Outdoors at DeerFest August 8-10. Thanks to all of you who stopped by to win a great prize from Kwik Trip Outdoors or to pick up an issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors, or meet OWO fly-fishing expert John Luthens or OWO firearms expert S. Wilkerson.&... More
8/9/2014 See you at DeerFest August 8-10
But, before we jump into DeerFest, OWO writer and Super Bear Guide Mike Foss is on a bear that he believes will go 700 pounds by the September season. He places it at 600 pounds or better now. We’re in production for the September-October issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors and you will read ... More
8/1/2014 So Close… Hunting Seasons and Application Deadlines
The hunting seasons are so close. So let’s make this Blog short and sweet so that you don’t fail to apply for a tag tomorrow and miss an opportunity to participate in a season that might be very important to you. August 1 is the deadline for: Fall turkey hunting applications Goose... More
7/25/2014 A Thank you To Bucky’s…and to all of our Advertisers & Distributors
Yesterday, my wife, Lori returned home from a trip to Mukwonago and Bucky’s Fine Meats & Sausage with the hot venison beer sticks, brats and Italians we had ordered a few weeks ago. A doe had been hit by a truck near my home. After the New Berlin cops came and ended its suffering, I took... More
7/18/2014 When Mother Nature Rains on the Blue Gill Parade
This battle was personal, a stubborn battle between Mother Nature and top guide and On Wisconsin Outdoors writer Dave Duwe. Would Mother give up the gills on Delavan Lake Sunday to the persistence of Duwe, or would she keep the stingy hold on the 20 fish we were asking for by sending plummetin... More
7/11/2014 Have you visited Ashland or fished Chequamegon Bay?
If you have, you won’t need an invitation to return. If you have not, I strongly recommend that you get it on the calendar today. My first trip to Ashland with famed fishing guide Roger LaPenter to target Chequamegon Bay’s monster smallmouth was probably 10 years ago. I’ve re... More
7/7/2014 Back in the Saddle
My apologies for failing to post the Mike Foss bear dating video to date. It’s done and has been sent to our great graphic designer for posting. Ali Garrigan has been on an earned vacation over the week of the 4th. After filming the introduction to the bear video with Jim Olsson, I... More
6/27/2014 So You Like to Fish Wisconsin?
Before we dive into the Wisconsin water, here’s a brief update on the Mike Foss black bear courtship and mating video we talked about in last week’s Blog. I will be traveling to OWO writer Jim Olsson’s studio today to film the introduction. You probably watched the Olsson crew&rsqu... More
6/20/2014 The Courtship of the Wisconsin Black Bear
Incredible Mike Foss Bear Mating Video to Be Unveiled on “On Wisconsin Outdoors” Website Last week, this “On Wisconsin Outdoors” blog cast the spotlight on the work of Mike Foss and Northern Wisconsin Outfitters. The Washburn, Wisconsin-based bear guide and OWO writer ... More
6/13/2014 Guide Foss Can Bear-ly Stand Broken Ankle
Dedicated Bear Guide Mike Foss broke his ankle in a pick-up basketball game recently, just when his scouting and first teaser baits of the young season were already drawing in some monster bears reminiscent of the legendary Snaggletooth. Mike Foss’s early scouting has already put hi... More