John Weiss -- Duck opener brings change, uncertainty
Saturday's waterfowl opener will feature a maze, vegetated marshes and three mysteries. The first two we know about already. The maze is the Nelson-Trevino Bottoms, which for the first time in about 50 years will be open to hunting. It's across the Mississippi River from Wabasha and (Thursday, October 1, 2009)

Minnesotan leads walleye tourney
BISMARCK, N.D. -- Minnesota pro angler Tony Renner took the lead Friday in the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour Championship. Renner, of Hutchinson, Minn., and his co-angler, Lowell Joy of Bemidji, Minn., brought in five walleyes weighing 24 pounds, 8 ounces on Friday. (Saturday, October 3, 2009)

Gary Clancy -- Calling squirrels? It only takes two quarters
I'm a squirrel hunter. Proud to be one. Been at it a long, long time -- more than 50 years, if you must know. Been talking to them just as long, too. (Monday, October 5, 2009)

A hit-and-miss day for duck hunters
Stories from Saturday's duck-hunting opener: • Six buddies from Rochester waded across the Whitewater River and came back with 10 wood ducks and two hooded mergansers. "We had them really all around us," said Dayton Root. They saw many before shooting hours; they tried to count but lost track... (Thursday, October 8, 2009)

Haimes, Billings still in the running for Bass Classic
Brent Haimes of Mazeppa and Rick Billings of Rochester will be fishing next August in Michigan or Iowa for a chance to go to a national bass tournament. If they win the Minnesota division at regionals, they go on to a national tournament and a chance to go to the Bass Classic, the Super Bowl of... (Saturday, October 10, 2009)

John Weiss -- Cold, wet and wonderful -- Duck season opens
ELBA -- I could just about smell the rich duck meat simmering in a wine sauce as I slowly, carefully waded through knee-high water, sneaking up to some flooded willows. Behind them were dozens, maybe hundreds of wood ducks, there feeding and resting. I had seen them flutter into that pool in the... (Saturday, October 10, 2009)

Dim prospects for Saturday's pheasant opener
Pheasant hunters in the southeast can take some solace with the weather forecast for Saturday, opening day of the hunting season. The prediction is for highs only in the 50s, after some possible snow Friday night. That means hunters and their dogs won't overheat when walking. (Thursday, October 8, 2009)

Walter Scott -- Paddle boat to the rescue
My brother-in-law, Jose is a fishing fanatic. My grandson, Trevor, is afflicted with the same problem. There is nothing wrong with fishing. I love to fish myself, but when there is not a chance of catching any, what is the point? (Monday, October 5, 2009)

Advice to hunters -- Have nothing to hide when the law arrives
You're out hunting and look around to see a Department of Natural Resources conservation officer coming up to you. What should you do? "Nothing," said CO Joel Heyn of Plainview. Duck hunters who see a CO and begin emptying their shotguns make officers suspicious that they are using lead shot,... (Thursday, October 1, 2009)

Albert Lea artist wins state duck stamp contest
ALBERT LEA -- If you ask Mark Kness what his favorite duck is, he'll most likely answer the wood duck. The Albert Lea artist said he spent about a week on his painting of a wood duck that was chosen as the winning design for the Minnesota 2010 Migratory Waterfowl Stamp (Duck Stamp) contest. (Saturday, October 3, 2009)