Hunting

Since its inception, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters has worked tirelessly to protect the outdoor opportunities we have all come to cherish in Minnesota’s Arrowhead region through three presidential administrations.  We’ve seen everything from permanent protection legislation to mining lease reinstatements, regulation changes and interpretations, positive stewardship initiatives and negligence, and every manner of opinion and political movement. 

A new administration is about to take the helm of our great nation. I’m not here to discuss the merits of political parties or politicians. I am here, however, to acknowledge the very real possibility that the 20-year mining withdrawal that was put in place to protect the Boundary Waters from toxic pollution is now in danger of being reversed.  Whoever you voted for, as outdoors-people, it is now our responsibility to make sure the habitat upon which we all rely is protected to the best of our ability and to hold our elected officials accountable for the decisions they make. We at Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters are here to do just that. 

This October, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters is honored to announce a partnership with North of North Wilderness Resort. Located 10 miles outside of Ely, nestled on the shores of beautiful Birch Lake, North of North is truly a resort like no other.

Grouse season is upon us! The leaves are starting to change, the evenings are getting cooler, and there are grouse around every corner in the Northwoods. Here at Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, we live for this time of year. Among the myriad of tasks that go into working on behalf of the Boundary Waters region, nothing keeps the fire burning like a limit of birds, fellowship with old and new friends, and feasting on wild game.

Looking to the future, SFBW has a few more tasks on the Pine Island WMA. This winter will tell the tale of how much work we’ll need to do in the Spring. First, we need to understand how well the trees we planted will fare between wildlife browsing and tough conditions. We fully intend to plant as many supplemental trees as necessary in the Spring.

Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters is excited to announce our latest partnership with Boundary Waters Outfitters based out of Ely, Minnesota!

Through support from onX’s Access and Stewardship Program, the Tower Area MN DNR & MeatEater, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters is working to create, conserve, and restore wildlife habitat and access in the Northwoods of Minnesota. This summer, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters (SFBW) has adopted Pine Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on Lake Vermilion. The Pine Island adoption is the first project of SFBW’s Stewardship and Habitat Initiative, a program SFBW is excited to implement in multiple spheres in and around the Boundary Waters with partnering agencies, conservation organizations, and outdoor industry leaders.

Forest Service clarifies dog leash law for BWCA hunters: On July 10th, 2024, the United States Forest Service released a press statement to address growing concerns regarding new language that would change how people recreate with their dogs in Superior National Forest. Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters quickly became involved, working with the Forest Service to gain as much clarity as possible.

On Tuesday, April 30th, despite our efforts in Washington D.C., the U.S. House passed H.R. 3195, The Superior National Forest Restoration Act, which reverses critical Boundary Waters protections. In two

If you’re one of the thousands of anglers who take to the Boundary Waters every year with a fishing rod in tow, you know what everyone else is missing. I recently met with Steve Renneberg of Arrowhead Outdoors in Ely, Minnesota, to talk Boundary Waters fishing. While the minnow tanks bubbled and eager hunters and anglers trickled in and out, we talked for nearly two hours, constantly returning to the same conclusion: fishing in the Boundary Waters is downright incredible.