With Christmas on the horizon, many of us are thinking about gift giving. In this month's installment of Field Notes , Susan Knight discusses the virtues of coal (just in case you get some in your stocking). Christmas is coming. Are you worried about what you might find in your stocking? I am hoping for chocolate and gummy bears, but a nice lump of coal might not be too bad, either. Coal burning is now considered an environmental scourge. But the phenomenon of coal itself is fascinating and in

Not all of our history includes fond memories. This week on a Northwoods Moment in History , Gary Entz reminds us of the way Native Americans were treated in the Great Lakes Region in the 19th century, and of a man named of Simon Kahquados. The Potawatomi have lived in the Great Lakes region for more than four centuries. The tribe originally held territory in Michigan but relocated to the Door County Peninsula in Wisconsin due to pressure from the Iroquois during the Beaver Wars of the 17th

On Thursday, December 6th, Finns around the world celebrated Finland’s Independence Day. The day marks Finland’s declaration of independence from Russia in 1917. It’s a holiday that we also celebrate here in the Northwoods, because of how much Finnish heritage we have. At Ponsse North America in Rhinelander they celebrated the day as well, since Ponsse was started in Finland. Mackenzie Martin has the story. Between 1870 and 1930, most Finns migrating to the U.S. landed in an area known as the

Cougar sightings here in the Northwoods are never met with enthusiasm. There was a time, however, when Wisconsin had a well-documented cougar population. In this week’s episode of Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist examines the Wisconsin Puma. When my kids were younger, my wife would read a chapter from a book to them at bedtime to help them settle in and get ready to go to sleep. One of the books she chose was Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. While Wilder is commonly

Homesteading is a way of living your life with the goal of being more self-sufficient. In Rhinelander, there is a Homesteading Club that meets at least once a month. Mackenzie Martin has the story. The origin of homesteading comes from the Homestead Act of 1862 where land was given to families in an effort to encourage western migration, but some say it stands in for more of a mindset today. Still, when you ask a room full of people at a Homesteading Club meeting what homesteading is and why

This week on A Northwoods Moment in History , Gary Entz tells us about a late Three Lakes resident whose photograph hangs in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Many people who grow up in the Northwoods think about warmer climates and perhaps a bit less snow shoveling when pondering retirement. For people who grow up in other regions, however, the quiet solitude of the Northwoods can seem like the ideal place to settle down and relax while enjoying retirement. It is not an unusual occurrence, and

Should you eat the meat of a deer with Chronic Wasting Disease? In this week's episode of Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist shares some information to help those facing this difficult question decide for themselves. In the course of my day job, I get a lot of questions, some of which are frequently repeated, but they rarely yield a useful answer. Normally I have to respond with “It depends.” In fact, most of the questions I get throughout the year are quite situational. “what should I do

Many artists have a muse, something that is a huge source of creative inspiration for them. Peg Sandin is an artist based in Ironwood, MI, and her muse is Lake Superior. WXPR's Larry Lapachin has the story. Lake Superior welcomes many visitors to its shores. Some are captivated by the unpredictable vastness of water that stretches to the horizon, while others are enamored with its soaring cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. Still others find solitude in sifting through rocks along the beach,

This week on A Northwoods Moment in History , Gary Entz tells us about the Rhinelander actress who captured the hearts of movie-goers in the 1930's. In May 1937 a Western called “The Cherokee Strip” opened at the State Theater in Rhinelander. The movie is largely forgotten today; but at the time it was a huge hit with Northwoods residents. The Rhinelander High School Booster Club sponsored ticket sales for the film, and State Theater advertisements for the movie gave top billing to one of the

Sometimes being responsible means changing how you do things, even if it means paying more for it. In today’s Wildlife Matters , the Masked Biologist talks about the dangers of using lead ammunition while hunting. I am an advocate for responsible stewardship. It is important that we as humans acknowledge the choices we make in our everyday lives impact wildlife, often in negative ways. When I have the opportunity, I will bring to your attention opportunities to make small changes in your