Outdoors - The Timberjay

A female common merganser watches over a large group of young mergansers, likely a collection of offspring from several female mergansers on Isabella Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This female was in charge of 14 young ones on this particular day.

We’ve all heard the old African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” but it turns out the same applies to common mergansers. That’s right, these large diving ducks, … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/10/25

Anglers like these on Lake Vermilion would be unaffected by the proposed four-walleye bag limit.

DNR seeking public input on statewide four-walleye limit

REGIONAL—The Department of Natural Resources is once again proposing reducing the state’s walleye bag limit from the current six, to four. Agency officials say it’s a response to … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/10/25

A common yellowthroat calls from an alder thicket. The statewide study determined this colorful warbler is the most abundant breeding bird in Minnesota.

Bird experts outline years-long study of state’s breeding birds

ELY — A pair of ornithologists highlighted their years-long effort to catalog breeding bird species in Minnesota at a Tuesday Group meeting here earlier this month. Gerald Niemi, a retired UMD … more

Stephanie Ukkola | 7/10/25

Forest succession on display

ISABELLA LAKE— You can see forest succession in action here in the aftermath of the Pagami Creek fire, which reset the forest’s clock across more than 90,000 acres back in 2011. While the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/2/25

DNR approves $200,000 grant for Tower area trail projects

REGIONAL— The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has approved a $200,000 joint grant proposal spearheaded by the Howard Wagoner Trails Club, the Prospector ATV Club, and the city of … more

7/2/25

Forest Service responds to questions on BWCAW fee hike

REGIONAL— The U.S. Forest Service has responded to questions posed by the Timberjay last week for its story on proposed camping fee increases for visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area … more

7/2/25

Morning mist on Bootleg Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Hefty BWCAW fee hike proposed

REGIONAL— Campers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness can expect to see less maintenance of portages and campsites this summer as the Forest Service cuts back on seasonal wilderness … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/26/25

Photographing Arethusa, one of the spectacular native orchids found in the Lost Lake Swamp. You’ll want to be dressed for bugs if you’d like to attend this outdoor event.

Orchid walk set for Sunday at Lost Lake peatland

LOST LAKE— Minnesota is home to almost 50 species of orchids and the Lost Lake Peatland, part of the state’s Scientific and Natural Area program, is home to several of them. And you … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/26/25

We’re back, and happy to see our friends and neighbors

Springtime on the island is always busy. There’s boat and docks to be put in and downed trees and other debris from the winter to be hauled out. The cabin is always a mess because I … more

April Wamhoff | 6/26/25

University of Minnesota summer intern Adele Jacobsen holds a sediment core from Wakemup Bay in Lake Vermilion with 200-plus years of accumulated mud. Also pictured are intern Evelyn Yang, (left) and University of Minnesota graduate student Grace Hemmelgarn.

History in the sediment

LAKE VERMILION— A team of researchers was in the area late last week hoping that sampling of lake sediments will allow them to piece together the historic trends of walleye numbers in 15 of the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/18/25

A member of the Minnesota Conservation Corps plants a tamarack to help restore a Minnesota shoreline.

Easy steps for shoreland owners to protect their lake

GREENWOOD TWP- Natural shorelines are essential for preserving a lake’s water quality, and lakeshore owners in our area got a chance to learn some easy and low-cost ways to preserve or … more

Jodi Summit | 6/18/25

The site of the lightning strike that sparked the Horse River Fire shows a white pine ripped apart by the force of the bolt.

It’s a balancing act

THE BOUNDARY WATERS— One of the hallmarks of a federal wilderness is a landscape governed by natural, rather than man-made processes. Here, in the 1.1-million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/12/25

A massive firestorm rolls across the boreal forest landscape near Flin Flon in western Manitoba. To date, this single fire has burned more than 750,000 acres and remains completely out of control. Smoke from this and dozens of other large fires in central and western Canada has been regularly drifting over Minnesota, prompting regular air quality alerts due to the fine particulates.

Canadian fires could push smoke into region all summer

REGIONAL— Residents of the North Country can expect to see more smoky skies this summer if the seasonal forecast offered by Environment Canada on Tuesday holds true. A highly active spring fire … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/12/25

DNR seeking loon survey volunteers

REGIONAL— The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking volunteers to help monitor the loon population in several counties in northern Minnesota, including Cook, Itasca, and Lake … more

6/12/25

An ovenbird comes to check out the sound of an apparent interloper.

Teacher, teacher, teacher!

In my experience, it’s a warm morning in mid-May when one of our largest warblers announces it is back here in the North Country, with its explosive “teacher-teacher-teacher!” … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/5/25

Fire danger was rated extreme earlier in the week as high winds and low humidity ahead of a cold front raised the risk level. Fire danger was rated as high later in the week.

A very dry May contributed to fire risks

REGIONAL— It appears the North Country is heading back into drought status after one of the driest months of May in several years, a pattern that appears to be continuing at least for the first … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/5/25

Crane Lake Visitors Center grand opening set for Friday

CRANE LAKE— The public is invited to attend the grand opening of the Crane Lake Visitor Center, set for this Friday, June 6, from 1:30-5:30 p.m. The event will include a variety of … more

6/5/25

A nice patch of wood anemone, probably the North Country’s most common spring wildflower.

All the little white flowers

For many plants that reside on the forest floor here in the North Country, that period between the thawing of the ground and the bursting of the leaves of the overstory is focused on reproduction. … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/29/25

Anglers didn’t let last weekend’s inclement weather keep them from taking part in the annual fishing contest, now under the managment of Safelite.

Adding up the walleyes for local causes

LAKE VERMILION-Red Lowen was never concerned that a change in ownership of the annual City Auto Glass walleye tournament to Safelite would mean less of a commitment to funding worthwhile causes … more

5/29/25

Practical tips for getting your dog to come when called

Calling your dog and having them completely ignore you is one of the most frustrating situations dog owners face. Whether they’re off chasing a squirrel, checking out a new scent, or just busy … more

Nicole Wiebusch | 5/29/25

Paula, Dave, and Willa Dundas were all smiles as they readied for the 2025 fishing season, now underway.

New digs, same great bait

COOK- The old Northwoods Bait and Tackle served its purpose. But for Paula and Dave Dundas, it was never going to be big enough to hold their dreams. “Well, that’s for dang sure. … more

David Colburn | 5/22/25

Learning to live with heat and wildfire smoke

ELY— When it comes to messaging, timing is key— and it couldn’t have been better for the Ely Climate Group’s presentation here last Wednesday on the human health impacts of … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/22/25

Plenty of camping options, even without a reservation

REGIONAL—With the weather forecast looking prime for the Memorial Day weekend, you may be thinking about a last-minute reservation at a public campground in the area. It’s probably too … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/22/25

Records crushed in Mother’s Day heat wave

REGIONAL— An unprecedented heat wave sent thermometers soaring across northern Minnesota earlier this week, crushing previous high temperature records by double digits in some cases. It was the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/15/25

DNR invites public comment on state muskie plan update

REGIONAL— The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting people to share their thoughts on a draft update of the state’s long-range plan for muskie. “Public input, … more

5/15/25