MINNEAPOLIS — Todd Finkelson suffers from road rage, though not the kind that typically makes headlines.

Every day, when he drives from his home near Ashby in west-central Minnesota to Fergus Falls, where he works, he keeps a sharp eye on the road — and an even sharper eye on roadsides.

“In that short distance, I can count at least 10 ...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — All was still on the New River near the Davis Seafood fish house. But when 83-year-old William “Buddy” Davis walked out of his home and pulled on tall rubber boots, it signaled the work was about to begin.

Not far from tourist-filled beaches of Topsail Island, the Davis family began preparing for the homecoming of the 58-...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Bill Ness watched two weeks ago as his 5-year-old daughter walked into Pelican Lake in Otter Tail county wearing a full wet suit, with booties.

In less than 10 minutes, the girl’s hands were covered with welts.

The problem: swimmer’s itch.

But not your typical swimmer’s itch, Ness said.

“Comparing what we have to ...Read more

DENVER — Forget the cartoons. All little John Succarde wanted to do on Saturday mornings was watch Chad LaChance.

LaChance’s TV show, “Fishful Thinker,” became a staple for Colorado outdoor enthusiasts after it debuted in 2009. The educational fishing show endeared the Evergreen High School and Colorado State alum to anglers of all ages...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Whose ox is getting gored by federal budget cuts is a hot topic these days, and compared with people who will lose their health insurance or jobs, duck hunters are in pretty good shape.

Mallards and other ducks likely will be fewer this fall than in recent years due to drought on U.S. and Canadian prairies. But a hunting season ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — First detected in Pennsylvania 13 years ago, a fatal, contagious disease affecting deer and elk has yet to be confirmed in Allegheny County. That could change, and soon, as chronic wasting disease continues to spread across the state and was recently detected in an animal in Armstrong County's Freeport — near the Allegheny ...Read more

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Captain Marc Pincus doesn’t think sharks get enough credit.

“They are smart,” Pincus said. “They adapt.”

The owner of Reelin Charters spends his days taking tourists out shark fishing on the waters around Hilton Head Island, where the currents, water temperatures, bait and other factors add up to an area ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Department of Natural Resources roadside counts for August 1980 reported about 105 pheasants spotted per 100 miles driven on long-established southern Minnesota routes. The next year the number jumped to almost 134.

Compared to the five previous years, those were good tallies for Minnesota pheasants. In 1975, only 35 pheasants ...Read more