SPORTS/OUTDOORS

Ice fishing is one of the coolest things you can do during the winter months in Minnesota. It’s like having a huge boat made of ice, which allows you to access every single part of the lake (without the expense or hassle of an actual boat). Way cool, if you ask me!

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has issued its annual ice safety warning for lakes with winter aeration systems.

You ventured out on a candlelight walk in a state park and now want to make your own luminary.

State parks and trails offer more than 30 candlelit events this winter.

Hmong College Prep Academy Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Teams recently kicked off their 2018-19 seasons.

Linda Radimecky holds the key to another world, one that’s accessible only part of the year. Her key has a history that spans thousands of years and two continents. If you’re interested, she’d be happy to share.

You may have seen stories in this paper from Minnesota Parks and Trails about the benefits of walking. But walk where? Consider William O’Brien State Park, which is about an hour north of the Twin Cities and features miles of walking trails along the banks of the St. Croix River.

Register kids ages 6-12 for naturalist-led day camps on no school days throughout the year! Explore outdoors, get messy and learn by doing. Spend days off in nature’s classroom while having fun playing in the park at North Mississippi.

A kind of lull can set in after a holiday celebration. Too much food, too much excitement.

White nose syndrome (WNS) has already killed thousands of Minnesota bats, a fact lost on most people. Why should they care? After all, folklore and popular culture suggests that bats are scary.

The updated 2018 deer season information can be accessed through these links, documents and interactive map on the Minnesota DNR website. Many permit areas across the state have similar or more liberal management designations this year to address growing deer populations.

Nothing can ruin a hunt faster than an accident. Drowning, hypothermia, getting lost, falls from tree stands or just spraining an ankle are among the perils awaiting hunters ill prepared for a trip afield.

If you don’t hunt, you might wonder what’s so appealing about this activity. Why, for example, would anyone sit for hours in a chilly duck blind? Or trudge mile after mile through soggy cattail sloughs?

The humble tennis courts of St. Paul are not often thought of as a breeding ground for premier tennis talent, but such is the story of Vunnisa Vu. Vunnisa, a resident of Roseville and attendee of Roseville Middle School.

Legendary American folksinger Woody Guthrie may not have mentioned Minnesota by name when he penned his classic ode to America’s varied and beautiful landscapes, but he certainly could have, given our state’s wealth of natural beauty and public lands.

To celebrate the season, Explore Minnesota, the state’s tourism promotion office, and Minnesota State Parks and Trails have teamed up to provide a weekly fall color report.

When you look into a clear night sky away from the lights of a city, how much do you recognize? With a flat surface to look from, minimal equipment and a clear night, you can learn the basics of astronomy and eventually may even take pictures of the night sky.

It’s the dreaded mid-summer whine no parent wants to hear, a cross between the sound of a pesky mosquito and a whimpering puppy: “Mom, Dad – I’m bored! What’s there to do?”

Before hitting the water for the first time this spring, boaters should ensure their boats, equipment and safety items are in legal and proper working order, the Department of Natural Resources said.