Minnesota Outdoor News Radio

Tyler Winter, from native Fish for Tomorrow, joins the program to advocate for native roughfish and remind listeners that the deadline to comment on lower limits for those species in Minnesota is Thursday, March 12. Then Dennis Anderson jumps into the show with host Rob Drieslein to promote the March 27-28 Duck Summit in Nicollet, Minn. Tim Lesmeister and Drieslein address controversial Bureau of Land Management nominee Stevan Pearce and the announcement that Rep. Ryan Zinke is not running for Congress again out in Montana. They also discuss the quiet debate over whether America should allow hunters to sell their venison.

The post Episode 582 – MN Duck Summit preview, roughfish public comments, BLM nominee, venison for sale? appeared first on Outdoor News.

Nick Schlesser, Minnesota DNR area fisheries supervisor in Lake City, joins the program to preview walleye and sauger fishing on the Big (Mississippi) River in coming weeks. Then Stan Tekiela jumps into the show with host Rob Drieslein to talk raptors and other nongame topics. Tim Lesmeister and Drieslein break down some of this week’s news headlines, including public lands chatter at the recent Pheasant Fest in Minneapolis, plus shotgun zone meetings, and the Lake Mille Lacs walleye quota and outlook for open water. They wrap up the program arguing about the list of 2026 Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame nominees.

The post Episode 581 – Pheasant Fest recap, Mississippi River ice-out preview, Stan Tekiela on owls, R&R HOF appeared first on Outdoor News.

Old buddy Joe Shead from Two Harbors, Minnesota, joins the show this week to discuss ice fishing and shed antler hunting opportunities. Then Stan Tekiela jumps into the show with host Rob Drieslein to chat about his recent Yellowstone trip and a red fox/long-tailed weasel encounter. Tim Lesmeister and Drieslein break down some of this week’s news headlines, including ice caves on Lake Superior, upcoming fish house removal deadlines, South Dakota pheasant hunting in January, a Wisconsin chronic wasting disease update, and a quick snow-goose hunting outlook.

The post Episode 580 – Pheasant Fest, shed antler hunting, Stan Tekiela on nongame chatter, ice update appeared first on Outdoor News.

This week’s show begins with Matthew Schultz, program manager from Sportsmen For the Boundary Waters, who brings listeners up to date on the latest expectations for a vote in the U.S. Senate on repealing the mineral withdrawal order in the Rainy River watershed near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Then Mike Christensen, director of operations for Pass It On-Outdoor Mentors, shares the history of the youth mentoring group with listeners, plus its plans to expand further into Minnesota and Wisconsin. Tim Lesmeister helps host Rob Drieslein wrap up the program by breaking down some of this week’s news headlines, including native roughfish management debate in Minnesota, Steve Carney’s induction into the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame, and a fun recap of the Westminster Dog Show.

The post Episode 579 – Pending BWCAW Senate vote, Pass It On-Outdoor Mentors, Westminster dog show, roughfish appeared first on Outdoor News.

This week’s show begins with Jared Wiklund, communications director for St. Paul-based Pheasants Forever sharing a preview of the Feb. 20-22 Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic event coming to the Minneapolis Convention Center. Then Karla Bloem, executive director of the Houston, Minn.-based International Owl Center offers insight into what kind of owls you’re hearing outside your window this time of year, plus she previews the center’s Festival of Owls coming March 6-8. Tim Lesmeister helps Managing Editor Rob Drieslein break down news topics including the new 5-fish daily perch limit on Lake Mille Lacs starting this Monday, Feb. 9, plus the Minnesota DNR’s plan to apply new limits to multiple roughfish species and an outlook for the March 27-28 Duck Summit in Nicollet, Minn.

The post Episode 578 – Pheasant Fest preview, nongame chatter on owls, Mille Lacs perch, native roughfish appeared first on Outdoor News.

Managing Editor Rob Drieslein kicks off this week’s show with Brian Knutson from Outdoor News who gives listeners a report from the 2026 Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas. Then Sarah Middleton from the Minnesota DNR joins the show to talk about the agency’s public comment request on how the state can tune up or improve the annual hunting and fishing regulations booklets. Tim Lesmeister and Drieslein wrap up the show with chatter on a host of topics including the U.S. House vote to repeal the 20-year moratorium on sulfide-ore copper mining in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness watershed. They also talk about the Pass It On Outdoor Mentors program expanding into Minnesota, as well as a recap of the recent Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Icebreaker winter rendezvous at Breezy Point last weekend.

The post Episode 577 – SHOT Show, public comment on hunting regs, BWCA and mining, Pass It On in Minnesota appeared first on Outdoor News.

Managing Editor Rob Drieslein kicks off this week’s show with hunting guide and outdoors communicator Durrell Smith from Atlanta, Ga. They discuss Smith’s venture, the Minority Outdoor Alliance, and the organization’s events that it holds across the country. Then Jarrid Houston from Houston’s Guide Service out of the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior, offers insights into ice-fishing on Lake Superior this winter and across the border-country region. Tim Lesmeister and Drieslein wrap up the show with chatter on a host of topics including Southern bass fishing for those desperately seeking open water, a recent report from the National Deer Association, a shark attack in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the recent vote in the U.S. House of Representatives that affects mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The post Episode 576 – Superior ice fishing, Durrell Smith of Minority Outdoor Alliance, House vote on BWCA appeared first on Outdoor News.

Kicking off this week’s show is Managing Editor Rob Drieslein and Editor Tim Spielman who recap the 2026 Minnesota DNR Roundtable held on Friday, Jan. 9 in Brooklyn Center. They break down one of the biggest topics to emerge from the event: the DNR’s formal proposal for a 4-fish statewide walleye limit. Then Glen Schmitt, the man behind the Outdoor News fishing report, provides insight into how the ice-fishing season has gone so far, and he offers his opinion on rapidly evolving forward-facing sonar. Tim Lesmeister helps Drieslein wrap up the show with chatter on a host of topics including the latest CWD totals, the backlog of firearms safety training classes, wake boats, and a $3.2 million price tag for a single bluefin tuna in Japan.

The post Episode 575 – MN DNR Roundtable, 4-fish walleye limit, Glen Schmitt on ice-fishing, techno-talk appeared first on Outdoor News.

Top topics on this week’s Outdoor News Radio broadcast include a Minnesota deer season recap with Managing Editor Rob Drieslein and Editor Tim Spielman. The pair also discuss Spielman’s recent column on party hunting. Then Scott Sparlin joins the show to share efforts to create a Minnesota River Coordinating Commission focused on improving the water quality of the state’s namesake river. Shooting writer Ron Spomer then joins for a SHOT Show preview and to discuss affordable bucket list opportunities for the traveling hunter. Tim Lesmeister and Drieslein wrap up the show with the latest national mountain lion stories, then Lesmeister offers his take on Gov. Tim Walz announcing that he won’t be running for a third term.

The post Episode 574 – Deer hunt recap, Minnesota River cleanup, bucket list trips, Gov. Walz announcement appeared first on Outdoor News.

Top topics on this first Outdoor News Radio broadcast of the new year include ice-fishing tips from Joel Nelson from onX Fish. Then Mark Holsten from MN-Fish talks about the nonprofit’s priorities for the new year and an outlook for the 2026 legislative session. Dan Small previews the upcoming All-Canada Shows in the region. Then Managing Editor Rob Drieslein and Tim Lesmeister devote a segment to talking music and their favorite R-n-R vocalists.

The post Episode 573 – Ice fishing with Joel Nelson, MN legislative preview, sportshow season, music talk appeared first on Outdoor News.