Outdoors

Peregrine falcons at Mayo Clinic: How the world-renowned hospital came to raise birds of prey
For almost four decades, Mayo Clinic has raised peregrine falcons as part of a national recovery effort to save what had been an endangered species. Now, the peregrine falcon program is a beloved part of the world-renowned hospital's offerings.
Wildfire burning near Burntside Lake outside Ely forces evacuations
The Birch Bay Fire has burned about 25 to 30 acres near the North Arm of Burntside Lake, about eight miles outside Ely. Nine cabins have been evacuated.
Black bears move farther south and west in Minnesota; expert says don't fear
Andrew Tri, bear project leader at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, told MPR News their range has been stretching south and west since the ‘60s and ‘70s, but “markedly so over the last 20 years.”
Environmental cleanup of St. Louis River nears completion
The St. Louis River where it flows into Lake Superior was heavily polluted for decades by a legacy of historic industrial pollution. Now Minnesota is on the cusp of completing the river’s environmental transformation.
U of M researchers to study how forward-facing sonar could affect Minnesota fish
Also known as forward-facing sonar, the technology lets anglers spot and track fish in real time. A team of researchers will study whether live-imaging sonar changes catch rates and what the long-term effects could be for fish populations in Minnesota lakes.
A boat crash in Crow Wing County killed a college student on Little Emily Lake. Later in the day, a separate boat crash on Lake Vermilion in St. Louis County killed one person and injured others.
Some smoky summer days are ahead for Minnesota
Drought conditions are expected to contribute to 12 to 16 days of smoky conditions and four to six days of high ozone levels this summer.
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness marks 50 years with familiar challenges
The challenges of 1976 facing what became Friends of the Boundary Waters Area Wilderness are similar to those faced by the group today after Congress overturned a federal ban on mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Is forward-facing sonar making fishing in Minnesota too easy?
Real-time imaging technology allows anglers to spot fish, track their movement and even watch how they react to a lure. Critics say it crosses an ethical line and worry it could increase pressure on fish populations.