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Fall is also my absolute favorite time to visit the BWCA.  The summer bugs have hit the road, the walleyes get shallow, the temps are perfect for portaging, and the colors are postcard-worthy everywhere you look.  If you’re willing to beat some brush, you can find Ruffed and Spruce grouse in there while being among very few other hunters.  The Boundary Waters is an Autumn-lovers paradise, to be sure.

Congratulations to Kaarin Birch as the lucky winner of the custom Sanborn, Trampled by Turtles, and SFBW canoe raffle! 

The partnership brings together three iconic Minnesota-based entities to create a functional and reliable pack that caters to outdoor enthusiasts and music lovers alike. Combining Frost River's expertise in crafting rugged and durable outdoor gear, SFBW's commitment to conservation, and Trampled By Turtles' passion for the great outdoors, the Sportsman’s Pack is a testament to the shared love for nature and adventure.

A decision by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources adds uncertainty to regulators’ role in deciding the future of copper-nickel mining in the watershed of the Boundary Waters. Now, the state legislature has the power to change the underlying laws that protect the BWCA.

As the state of Minnesota moves forward with a conservation framework that allows for the protection of our public lands and waters, as well as the responsible development of iron ore, taconite, logging, and other industries that have existed in Northern Minnesota for generations, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters remains committed to protecting the integrity of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its watersheds for huntable and fishable populations of fish and wildlife, now and forever through advocacy and education.

Today, in honor of Sigurd F. Olson’s 124th birthday, learn about Sig’s legacy to the Boundary Waters and make a gift to Sportsmen for the BWCA to ensure his legacy lives on. Sigurd F. Olson was a writer, conservationist, and wilderness advocate who played a significant role in protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA). Through his writing and advocacy, Olson helped to raise awareness of the value of wilderness areas and the need to protect them for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.

At the beginning of 2023, thanks to the conservation efforts of hundreds of thousands of people and years of tireless advocacy, we saw monumental protections announced across the country for three of our most iconic wild landscapes in the Boundary Waters, Bristol Bay, and Tongass National Forest. Thank you again to everyone that has stood shoulder to shoulder with us for years in defense of the Boundary Waters, each conservation group who has taken action to prioritize Boundary Waters protection, and our volunteers, donors, and supporters who have been on this journey every step of the way.

This legislation would ensure permanent protection of the Boundary Waters from any future sulfide-ore copper mining mineral leasing in the Rainy River Watershed of the Superior National Forest while excluding sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, and taconite mining, and also allows for the continued use of the Superior National Forest for ongoing mining and logging operations.

While there is the opportunity for ice fishing walleye, northern pike, and crappies within the wilderness, the most exhilarating species to fish for, in my opinion, is trout. These energized fish will give you a fight through the ice unmatched by any species within the state.

As federal agencies complete another environmental review of proposed actions in the watershed of the BWCA, it's more important now than ever that supporters of the Boundary Waters let their members of Congress know: Now is the time to permanently protect America's most visited Wilderness.