A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
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Mark Cline captured this pine marten at the Sax Zim Bog on an early morning in early December. "A cute little guy, until he bites you," Cline said. Cline was right to be wary. Pine martens are often called the "cutest" predators in Minnesota, feasting on mice, chipmunks, red squirrels, and insects. They also eat berries and nuts. During winter, martens hunt under the snow in tunnels. They also burrow to stay warm, in the tree roots. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,...
The local firearm deer season has come and gone with an increased harvest, but a still downbeat mood. Statewide, hunters shot 152,430 deer — up from 126,531 in 2023. In Carlton County, zones 156 and 183 also saw improved numbers. Zone 156 on the western half of the county saw 1,540 deer taken, including 1,292 adult males, or bucks. That was improved from 1,299 overall and 1,066 bucks in 2023. In zone 183, on the eastern side of the county, surrounding Wrenshall, there were 1,264 deer taken, including 1,076 adult males. Comparatively, totals w...
Prospective cross country skiers and ski jumpers ages 3-18 are invited to join the Cloquet Ski Club, which is based out of the Pine Valley park in Cloquet. Ski jumpers practice Tuesday and Thursday evenings, while cross country skiers meet every Sunday afternoon, weather permitting. Cross country membership including equipment is $50, ski jumping is $75. Membership only is $30. Register online at https://tinyurl.com/Cloquet-Ski-Club. Email additional questions to [email protected] or find them on Facebook @cloquetski...
Kids ages 5-14 can sign up for cross country ski lessons at the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center. Lessons run on Sundays Jan. 5-Feb. 9. Lessons for grades K-3 are 1:30-2:30 p.m. and 1-2:30 p.m. for grades 4-8. Cost: $30 for the first child, $20 for each additional child; use of ski equipment is included with a $50 deposit check. Find registration forms at www.duluthxc.com. Registration and equipment fitting is 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 and 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. Questions? Call 218-626-2532 or email Mary Jane Sorenson at...
The Carlton Soil and Water Conservation District was recently awarded a $400,000 grant to be used for pollinator habitat enhancement. The Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program (HELP) awarded funds this fall to convert 8.2 acres of county-owned and -managed turf grass into a network of diverse pollinator plantings. The restoration of native plants will provide critical pollinator habitat, increase the community's access to natural spaces, and improve the landscape's resilience. HELP grants,...
Milkweed is the only host plant of Monarch butterflies, meaning it's the only plant Monarch butterflies will lay eggs on and the only plant monarch caterpillars will eat. Milkweed also provides a food source for many other pollinators. Plant milkweed in your garden next spring. Photo by Jana Peterson / Pine Knot News...
More than 400,000 deer hunters are preparing for the firearms deer season that opens Saturday, Nov. 9, offering opportunities to spend time outdoors with friends and family, find adventure and put venison in the freezer. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife staff are reporting that there should be good opportunities to harvest deer in most areas, although numbers are still down in the northeastern part of the state. Despite a mild 2023-24 winter, deer populations in the northeast region are still low and will take multiple years...
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources estimates much of northern Minnesota - including Carlton County and the North Shore - is at 75 to 100 percent of peak for fall colors, with Duluth and the surrounding area "past peak," according to its online map. Southern Minnesota remains at 25-50 percent of peak colors. For those looking for communal appreciation of fall colors, Jay Cooke State Park will hold a "falling leaves walk" 9-10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. The DNR is updating its fall color...
I hastily loaded my car and headed west in late September. The trees lining the highways showed hints of fall colors. I cranked up the Jim Croce CDs I've listened to hundreds of times and sang along carefree. The duck opener was on the horizon. The lakes, surrounded by graying landscape, seemed to glow in the dimming light as I approached our Traverse County campsite. When I arrived, I listened to my father-in-law explain how the next morning would work, despite the fact I'd been up since 1...
Natural resource officers with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have reported calls this month about nuisance bears in the area. Cloquet area officer Tony Elwell said, "trash cans need to be secured inside, and all food sources including dog food and especially bird feeders need to be removed completely, or bear problems will continue." Brookston officer Derek Peterlin said that once the attractants are inaccessible, "the bear will likely move on and have no reason to return."...
Hunters reviewing the 2024 Minnesota hunting regulations will find season details in most areas of Minnesota similar to what they were last year, including northern areas with lower bag limits intended to increase deer populations. Here are some key deer season dates: • Deer hunting licenses can be purchased now. • Archery, Sept. 14 through Dec. 31 • Antlerless lottery deadline, purchase your license by Sept. 5 • Youth and early antlerless, Oct. 17 through Oct. 20 • Firearms, Nov. 9, various closing dates. • Muzzleloader, Nov. 30 through Dec...
There was a spectacular show in the night sky Sunday and early Monday morning across Carlton County as the Northern Lights appeared along with the Perseids meteor shower. This is from St. Louis River Road north of Cloquet....
Frequent photo contributor Will Stenberg found a black-capped chickadee hanging out for some food Saturday near his home. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, insects, especially caterpillars, make up most of a chickadee's diet in the summer. In winter, they consume seeds and berries. This one may have been collecting for a wintertime store....
The old saying goes that water holds memories, and if that is true, the beach at Moose Lake city park holds its fair share of mine. Moose Lake was one of the campgrounds we would hit almost every year as I grew up. Now we bring our children to the same hallowed haunt where I spent many a summer day playing with my best friend, Kyle Burggraff, my sister, Hailey Graves, or any of the other family friends that joined us for the journey. If you are looking for a day trip or even to spend a few...
The berries provided the red and blue, while clouds were the white on the Fourth of July at the berry fields at Farm LoLa in rural Wrenshall. Farm manager Brett Amundson works the busy stand in the middle of the honeyberry fields. Lucie Amundsen helped a curious young customer. The farm is among many in Carlton County bursting with berries this month, with blueberries next. By the afternoon on July 4, the strawberries had been picked out. Call ahead if you want to go out to area farms, because...
Dan Malkovich spotted a turtle on a trail in late June. "After all the rain ... Little Otter Creek had flooded the Munger Trail near Carlton, and I was walking my bike through ankle deep water when I spotted this painted turtle." Will Stenberg captured a white admiral butterfly on wild parsnip along the Grand Portage trail in Jay Cooke State Park on July 1. He also found lady sippers there on the Fourth of July. Do you have cool photos to share? Send them to news@PineKnotNews...
Join the Carlton County Master Gardeners for its signature event of the summer. This year’s garden tour will showcase five gardens in the Cloquet area. Highlights of the tour will include a small-space garden with a children’s area; a garden where a resident grows garlic and herbs and harvests maple syrup; stops at a beekeeper and a berry farmer; a community garden; and, as always, lots of perennials and garden art. The free, self-guided tour runs 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, rain or shine. Maps will be available after July 9 at the Ext...
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has added Aitkin County in a deer feeding and attractant ban to reduce the risk of chronic wasting disease spread, following CWD detection in two additional wild deer near Grand Rapids in fall 2023. Feeding deer and using deer attractants is now banned in 24 Minnesota counties where disease surveillance efforts indicate a greater risk of CWD spread. The feeding and attractant ban is now in effect in Aitkin, Beltrami, Carver, Cass, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston,...
Photographer Will Stenberg captured a bluebird, above, and waxwing doing their thing last week near his home in Twig. The male bluebird was doing some birdhouse cleaning while the waxwing went for a juneberry....
It looked like Cale Prosen was going to end his 42-day kayaking trip around Lake Superior paddling in pouring rain through the Duluth Ship Canal. But the rain lifted and, just like that, part of a rainbow appeared on the horizon. "There are some gnarly currents," the 20-year-old told his dad, who was standing above him on the Aerial Lift Bridge, as the waves roiled between the concrete walls of the canal. Cale handled it easily. After all, he'd had six weeks of practicing navigating in his sea...
Unrelenting rainfall this past spring has culminated in historic flooding across the state, especially during the first weekend of official summer last week. Carlton County was not spared, but while water levels were high and rapidly moving water posed a risk, the area was spared any major damage. The St. Louis River in Scanlon crested at just more than 11 feet Monday, and slowly receded as the week went on. Carlton County Emergency Management director Marlyn Halvorson said close monitoring...
Frequent photo contributor Will Stenberg from north of Esko captured the moment a dragonfly landed on a lady slipper while out taking shots north of Deer River June 20. Do you have some cool nature and people photography to share? Send it to us as [email protected]....
Sisters Addy, Lily and Nova Haglund of Esko play "sharks" in the water at The Beach at Pinehurst Park in Cloquet Tuesday as nearly 500 people come to cool off with temperatures in the low 80s....
Storm chasing is a dangerous and unpredictable hobby, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. For me, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of chasing a storm cell and trying to capture the perfect shot. I had the opportunity to do just that when a severe thunderstorm warning was issued June 12 for our area. I grabbed my camera and headed out into the field, hoping to get a glimpse of a tornado or just amazing cloud formations. As I drove, I watched the storm clouds build in the distance. T...
This time of year the Golden Gates of Summer swing wide open in the Davey house. School is out for our girls and me, with one question looming high above all else: Now what? For us, that answer is, and always has been, camping. We kick off our summers with a low-maintenance, activity-filled trip to the Hayward KOA. This isn’t your scout camp of yore. It’s easy. It’s fun. And if you need to check those imaginary boxes of what is and isn’t camping, you can always yell at each other while backing i...
