Staff Directory 6370590

Dennis Anderson

Columnist | Outdoors
Phone: 612-673-4424

Outdoors columnist Dennis Anderson joined the Star Tribune in 1993 after serving in the same position at the St. Paul Pioneer Press for 13 years. His column topics vary widely, and include canoeing, fishing, hunting, adventure travel and conservation of the environment.


Anderson was born in North Dakota, but grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He has an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Minnesota, Morris and a master's in journalism from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where his focus was communications law.
Recent content from Dennis Anderson
John Weyrauch of Stillwater shot this eight-point buck on Saturday morning, the opening day of the Minnesota deer season, while hunting with Pat Smith

Anderson: Recalling blasts from the past, Bud Grant's partner aims for a memorable deer opener

Accompanying Dennis Anderson, Pat Smith sets a high bar: "A 10-pointer,'' she said.
Whitetail deer

Fewer antlerless permits issued to hunters, but weather, harvest outlook upbeat for deer opener

Cloudy skies, highs touching 50 degrees statewide will greet some 450,000 whitetail seekers Saturday.
Longtime Vikings coach Bud Grant was still hunting ducks in North Dakota in October 2020 at age 93.

Anderson: With Bud Grant gone, his partner recalls good times afield while anticipating Minnesota's deer opener

With Bud Grant gone, his partner recalls good times afield while anticipating Minnesota's deer opener
Deer hunter Drew Swartz stands with his hunting gear and Mossberg 500a 12 gauge shotgun. Though there are ways to economize, deer hunting costs can qu

Anderson: Price of Minnesota whitetail hunting can be dear, but needn't keep hunters on the couch

Some hunters borrow clothing and other gear, bagging limits of fun — and sometimes venison — in the process.
New hunters Mai Moua, 37, and Yee Xiong, 37, of Minneapolis walk up a trail with hunting mentors Neal Jacobson of Andover and Robert Bartels of Watert

Anderson: How a mentoring program is helping underrepresented Minnesotans learn to hunt

Program targets Minnesotans of color seeking to reconnect with the land and the food it offers.
Sarah Strommen, first woman to be named commissioner of the DNR, in her office in St. Paul. ]
brian.peterson@startribune.com
St. Paul, MN Friday, Marc

Anderson: Minnesota DNR commissioner says no plan to raise state park or hunting, fishing license fees

In Q&A, Sarah Strommen also addressed the possibility of Walz leaving, timber management and a carp deterrent.
In Minnesota, wood is gathered, stacked and burned both for heat and for its palliative effects on the psyche.

Anderson: In Minn., gathering firewood and harvesting gardens are autumn rituals for the soul

These outdoor exercises focus the senses and quiet information overloading that too often today quickens the pulse.
Scott Rall stands with his three hunting dogs during the annual Minnesota Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener near Sleepy Eye, Minn. A veritable kennel

Anderson: On Minnesota pheasant opener, dogs and their human partners put roosters to wing

Dry conditions greet uplanders on the season's first day. But even in areas of heavy summer rains, roosters are found.
Lab with pheasant: This scene was all too infrequent this past fall because ringneck numbers were down.

Anderson: As pheasant opener nears, creeping trees threaten grasslands and wildlife they support

Lack of fire on the land fuels spread of redcedar and other trees, crowding out prairie plants and birds.
This photo provided by the National Park Service shows a wolf in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo, Nov. 7, 2017.

Anderson: Yellowstone sees rebirth of wolves along ancient Native American trails

Author Rick McIntyre once watched park's wolves every day for 15 years straight.
Hunter Jared Wiklund looks for birds on the opening day of duck hunting season Saturday, near Wyoming, Minn.

Anderson: Whether ducks were many or few, Minnesota opener produced memories

Minnesota waterfowl opener produces ducks for some, memories for all
Autumn sunrises like these over Buffalo Lake in southern Minnesota have kept duck hunters returning for a half century.

Anderson: Minnesota's disappearing duck camps are a loss to the state's hunting heritage

One Buffalo Lake camp has stayed aloft on wings and memories for 50 years
The assistant area wildlife manager in Tow Harbors, Minn., Bailey Petersen, 37, started hunting after being hired by the DNR in 2009. Now she and her

Anderson: For these Minnesota women, bird hunting wouldn't be sporting without their dogs

For these Minnesota women, hunting birds without their dogs wouldn't be sporting
In early fall, when Minnesota duck season opens, hen mallards (females) can't readily be distinguished from drakes (males). The drake is in front, dis

Anderson: Telling female and male mallards apart in September is a tough problem for hunters to duck in Minnesota

Hen mallards have gone missing, and hunters, along with habitat losses and drought, might be part of the problem.
There is science behind the positive effects of time spent outdoors. The question is how make that happen more fully, for more people and especially t

Anderson: If everyone needs exposure to nature, why aren't some kids in the metro getting it?

Shooting of four kids ages 11 to 13 in a stolen car raises alarms about what's being missed in endless outreach.
Wildlife artist Bob Hautman put the finishing touches on his most recent Federal Duck Stamp entry in his hen-house-turned-studio west of the Twin Citi

Anderson: Wildlife artist Bob Hautman brushes with fame

Entry into another Federal Duck Stamp contest is nigh, a contest that he and his accomplished brothers have won 15 times.
Members of the group Disabled Outdoorsmen MN at Game Fair in Ramsey this weekend include Darren Dorn, left, Nate Sjolin, and Sara Fike.

Group aims to get mobility-challenged Minnesotans outdoors

Anderson: Group aims to get mobility challenged Minnesotans outdoors
A bay of Alaska's Inside Passage as seen from the Anan Wildlife Viewing Area in Tongass National Forest. At 17 million acres, Tongass is the nation's

Anderson: Bears and salmon, life and death in Alaska's summer drama

Traveling Alaska's Inside Passage offers rare views wildlife in real-time at Anan Wildlife Observatory Site.
Trevor Anderson, left, lands a halibut as the sun sets over Alaska's Inside Passage. Terry Arnesen, right, helps land the fish.

Anderson: Stillwater man drawn north to Alaska by way of road and water

Abundant fish, scenery, whales and other wildlife, as well as adventure, attract semi-retired veterinarian to the Inside Passage.
LeRoy Chiovitte holds the walleye he caught on May 13, 1979, on Lake Saganaga.

Anderson: Chiovitte's state record walleye shouldn't be thrown back

The DNR has changed the way it recognizes Minnesota's biggest fish, but the walleye record should still stand.
Justin Wathke holds a walleye caught with the help of a forward-facing sonar unit.

Anderson: Minnesota's muskies are no match for sonar gadget

Minnesota muskies were trending downward before advent of forward-facing sonar, which redoubles the threat to these trophy fish. DNR likely will be slow to act, so anglers must.
Grace Zeller, a Department of Natural Resources helicopter pilot shown on an unrelated flight, helped extract two injured paddlers in the Curtain Fall

Anderson: Anatomy of a nighttime helicopter rescue in Boundary Waters

DNR pilot Grace Zeller recounts sudden involvement in nighttime rescue of injured paddlers below Curtain Falls.
Autumn hunting seasons are months away, but summertime training of retrievers and other breeds benefits both canines and their human companions.

Anderson: With summer training, know a dog's tail is meant to wag

Though hunting seasons are months away, bonds between dogs and their partners are often solidified in June, July and August.
Among ground nesting birds in Minnesota, the pheasant has the largest fan base, thanks to the bird's more than 100-year history in the state.

Anderson: Did June rain wash away Minnesota pheasant nesting prospects?

Poised for a population comeback, Minnesota pheasants see nesting success threatened by rains.
From left, John V. Schanken and his monster in 1929; the Leech Lake muskie haul in 1955; and Jake Skarloken and his likely record northern in May.

Anderson: Releasing even 'fish of a lifetime' is the ethic guiding many anglers

The "Muskie Rampage," in which more than 160 muskies were caught and killed, was a watershed Minnesota moment.
Catching walleyes on the mid-May opener is one thing. But knowing where to find them and how to hook them in midsummer is a riddle that stumps many Mi

10 tips on how to catch Minnesota's tight-lipped walleyes in midsummer

Anderson: Unraveling the mystery of finding, and catching, walleyes in midsummer
Barred owls are considered a threat to the survival of northern and California spotted owls and are the subject of "lethal removal" by the U.S. Fish &

Anderson: Barred owls targeted for death to save northern spotted owls

The federal plan to shoot 500,000 barred owls to save smaller and less aggressive spotted owls is controversial.
On a beautiful summer evening in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a canoe full of anglers appeared as if a painting.

Anderson: Boundary Waters hits milestone, but its future isn't guaranteed

The Wilderness Act of 60 years ago set about safeguards, and it's high time to recognize that.
As a muskie guide and owner of Blue Ribbon Bait in Oakdale, Josh Stevenson has pursued Minnesota's biggest sport fish since he was a kid.

Anderson: Where have all of Minnesota's muskies gone?

The DNR is initiating a planning process that could lead to a new muskie management framework.
Mel Hayner is a fly-fishing guide and owner of Driftless Fly Fishing Company in Preston, Minn. in the southeast part of the state.

Anderson: Where these guides fish, you should, too

Five Minnesotans offer insights about the career they chose and the waters where they make their living.
Kay Hawley of the Twin Cities, with Ed Tausk, owner of Vermilion Dam Lodge on Lake Vermilion, is hosting the Minnesota Angler Meet-Up on Lake Vermilio

Anderson: More women are out fishing, but where are more kids?

Society benefits when anglers buy licenses, which helps underwrite fisheries management and clean water.
This one had to go back. "Winnie's" 18-23 inch protected slot meant that this 22 inch walleye caught by Steve Vilks on opening day had to go back in t

Anderson: Weather more than walleye was top of mind as we launched the opener

The beginning of our walleye summer with the Minnesota fishing opener wasn't a backdrop we are used to in this state. We worked with it on Lake Winnibigoshish.
Adelynn Petersen, 12, Parker Wiemann, 14, and Katelyn Magnuson, 13, from left, fish for whatever they can catch during the Root River Roundup on Satur

Live: Updates and photos from the Minnesota fishing opener

Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans are participating in Saturday's fishing opener, with walleye the preferred game fish.
From left to right, Terry "Bo" Beaudry, John "Z" Zollars, Bill "Vodi" Voedisch, Herb "Calf Man" Polzin and Dean "Scrawn" Sweeney, shown in 2009, have

Anderson: After more than six decades, the fishing opener still brings them together

Growing up in south Minneapolis, these kids-turned-octogenarians have caught limits of walleyes — and memories.
A scene from Crane Lake on Opening Day 2012. As it did this year, the ice went out early statewide in 2012, but cool weather followed, leading to a pr

Anderson: For opener, fishing will be fantastic — and catching will be great

You heard it here first: Fish will be caught at a fast and furious pace during this weekend's Minnesota walleye opener. The data backs that up.
Hatchery specialist Andrew Scholten points out hatching jars full of walleye eggs during a public open house Wednesday at the Waterville State Fish Ha

Anderson: Building a new Waterville fish hatchery will help shorten the time between bites

With new funding, a long-dreamed-of facility will replace the 1954 Waterville, Minn., hatchery that began as a garage.
Twin Cities angler Cory Villaume bought his first forward-facing sonar unit about four years ago. Here, Villaume's friend, Justin Wathke, holds a wall

Anderson: Trailblazing sonar will be in thousands of boats for opener

The futuristic "forward-facing sonar" is here and becoming much more common in Minnesota boats. One impact: Releasing fish might become necessary as catch rates improve.
Many of the Twin Cities public docks and piers are popular places for fishing and access to the chain of lakes. Marilyn Griffin and Don Anthony took t

Anderson: Celebrate Earth Day by rekindling real connection to nature

People who've been exposed to nature, and value those experiences, can change their behavior toward it. A story about law-breaking duck hunters reaffirms that position.
No Mille Lacs walleye, small or large, may be harvested this summer before mid-August.

Anderson: Anglers protesting tough new Mille Lacs rules are wrong

Any attempt to muscle the DNR or the governor's office to overturn this year's walleye fishing restrictions not only is a bad look for anglers, but it could backfire and shut the lake down this summer.
The view from the fire tower of Big Bog State Recreation Area toward Upper Red Lake.

Anderson: Courts, not politicians, should rule on Red Lake, White Earth lands

Look to the Mille Lacs case for an example of treaty claims correctly decided by courts, not the Minnesota Legislature.
The DNR rounded up this silver carp among more than 300 other invasive carp in December in Pool 6 of the Mississippi River.

Anderson: Multimillion windfall gets invasive carp deterrent moving

A university invasive carp expert has warned that not taking action means that, sooner or later, breeding populations of the fish will reach the St. Croix River and other Minnesota waters.
A young whitetail deer searches for food as another blanket of snow coats the arrowhead. ] Minnesota -State of Wonders, Arrowhead in Winter BRIAN PETE

Anderson: In NE Minnesota, DNR staff, habitat and deer all decline

A retired DNR wildlife manager says the agency's efforts that encouraged region's whitetails have ended. Read his Q&A with Dennis Anderson about why.
Every spring the Great Blue Herons return to their inner city rookery on two islands in the Mississippi River near Marshall Terrace Park.

Anderson: Appreciating early spring can be antidote for troubled times

Sigurd Olson was right: "Spring is a time of rare transcendent beauty and promise.''
The Manitoba duck licensing scheme

Anderson: Though still winging it, Manitoba has U.S. duck hunters in its sights

Minnesota sends more waterfowlers to the province than any state, but restrictions are changing.
Abby Stone, 27, of Des Moines, Iowa, who learned to hunt pheasants after moving to Iowa from Illinois to attend college, isn't a diehard basketball fa

Anderson: Caitlin Clark isn't the only Iowa woman riding a success streak

A pheasant resurgence is attracting Iowa women who want to be outdoors and harvest their own food. Meet Abby Stone, whose college years included learning to hunt.
For $11, the Ely Steam Sauna offers a true Finnish experience - and a dry towel. Open since 1915, the business might be the longest-running public sau

Anderson: Before saunas got cool, Ely Steam Sauna was already hot

All you need to know about the difference between the century-old sauna — compared to the trendy sauna 'events' being offered around the state — is what $11 will get you in Ely.
Thousands of Minnesota high school trapshooters converged on Alexandria for the state championships in 2023.

Anderson: Lead-ban legislation could set back thriving prep trapshooters

In attempting to do so much with so little explanation, this bill likely would self-destruct — setting back for years more legitimate attempts to limit lead use in Minnesota.
Better habitat, more deer. More deer, more deer hunters, and traditions continue on strong. It's an uncomplicated formula.

Anderson: In north woods deer hunting debate, we're not seeing the forest

We can't drown in the details of northeast Minnesota's deer hunting decline. Let's start by protecting our habitat, so deer there, and deer hunters, can thrive again.
Peter Sorensen sat against the hull of his boat as Jeff Whitty, a research biologist, steered them down the Mississippi River towards their target are

Anderson: Are we going to save Minnesota waters from carp, or not?

Gov. Walz and the Minnesota DNR continuing to withhold support for an invasive carp block is 'environmentally irresponsible,' says a researcher with four decades of experience.
Lance Woods of Dent, Minn., not far from Fergus Falls, will cross the Iditarod Trail using all vintage gear, including a 1973 snowmobile, 1936 Swedish

Anderson: A new idea using old gear to go big across the Iditarod Trail

No stranger to Alaska, Minnesota adventurer plans will keep things vintage from snowmobile to sleeping bag.
As a young man, Roy Pinder of Spanish Wells in the Bahamas could free dive 70 feet. But on one spearfishing trip, he couldn't evade a shark.

Anderson: In the Bahamas, pursuing dinner can also bring hungry sharks

Bahamas native recounts shark attack that left 400 stitches after a deep dive decades ago.
A great winter driver and ice-fishing vehicle, this 1994 Suzuki Sidekick followed production of its forerunner, the Suzuki Samurai.

Anderson: For anglers on early ice, this is the little SUV that can

On Lake of the Woods, the relatively lightweight, vintage 4x4s are in high demand, even if it's a vehicle you wouldn't want to take on the highway.
DNR invasive carp specialist Brian Glasow held a fish netted near Trempealeau, Wis. This monster is representative of the invasive carp that increasin

Anderson: Invasive carp deterrent possible, and chance to do what's right

The outlandishly ugly fish are moving up the Mississippi River to Minnesota rivers and lakes. Without action, the consequences could be dire.
Walleye fishing on Mille Lacs has been curtailed this winter because of mild weather and weak ice. Extending the season would allow for more fishing,

Anderson: With better ice, should DNR extend winter walleye fishing?

The warmer-than-normal winter created problems for businesses in and around the state's resorts. Now that the ice is good, should the state help them out if the cold weather holds?
The cover of a Kennedy Bros. Arms Co. of St. Paul outdoor gear catalog, which featured a wide range of hunting and fishing equipment.

Anderson: Midwest Mountaineering joins long list of outfitters to close

Kennedy Bros. Arms Co. in St. Paul in the 1800s sold guns to buffalo hunters. They are part of a deep history of Minnesota outfitters here, then gone.
Wildlife artist Jim Killen of Owatonna with his yellow Labrador, Winston. Killen, who died Jan. 6, owned with his wife, Karen, 18 breeds of dogs in hi

Anderson: From canvas to conservation, Jim Killen left his mark

Some of the Owatonna resident's best work was as a conservationist. Killen died Jan. 6 at age 89.

Anderson: Annual DNR roundtable needs action over meet-and-greet

The gathering seems like a missed opportunity to engage Minnesotans in legitimately working toward a future in the outdoors that they want.
An ice crack exposed a gap of open water on Upper Red Lake in December.

Anderson: After multiple Upper Red rescues, sheriff said that's enough

Cold weather is forecast and will make ice daily. But for now, most vehicle traffic is shut down on the big northern lake in Beltrami County.
On an Alaska do-it-yourself caribou hunt taken by Dennis Anderson and three others, long hikes in mountains about 100 air miles north of Fairbanks wer

Anderson: No better time for adventure than now

No better time than now, at the beginning of a new year, to plan an adventure outside of your comfort zone
With four students in a one-room school house for grades K-6, teacher Allen Edman, left, is joined by Alessa Mallett, Rob Shoen, Alyssa Johnson and Ha

Anderson: Christmas at the distant Northwest Angle, where quiet and walleyes rule

Classroom projects for the four grade school students at the Angle's one-room schoolhouse included butchering a deer.

Anderson: Christmas lunch keeps my outdoor allies bonded, even virtually

Hunting and fishing were the reasons this bunch of friends met, and their bonds grew over the years. Some attend in person, some in spirit. I have stories about all of them.

Anderson: Letting everyone use crossbows is wrong for bow hunting

Until this year, only the elderly and people with disabilities in Minnesota could use powerful crossbows to hunt deer. The change was made by the Legislature without public hearings being held.

Anderson: In winter, crappies can't hide from anglers' latest gadget

Crappies prefer deep water in winter. But with new sonar technology, anglers can find, catch and release them, sometimes with deadly results.

Anderson: They're back. Invasive carp take aim at state's waters again

The DNR will finalize a new plan to deter invasive carp from further infesting the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers. Will it work?
Elly Stortroen, right, 12, of Fergus Falls, Minn., is a fan of blaze pink while deer hunting, while her cousin, Alex Pederson, 15, prefers traditional

Anderson: Hunting in pink is legal, but makes some women see red

The bill legalizing pink clothing was authored by a man who 'thought it might help' attract more women to hunt. Among others, Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, a hunter, was offended by the idea. And the gear can be hard to find, too.
Ted Williams and his then-girlfriend Doris Soule, of Princeton, Minn., after a fine day hunting in 1942.

Anderson: With bat or shotgun, Ted Williams hit home runs in Minnesota

The late Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams said the best year he ever had was in 1938 when he was hunting and fishing — and playing baseball for the Minneapolis Millers.
Women hunters in South Dakota included, clockwise from bottom left, Emilie Hitch, Jackie Taylor, Maija Hoehn, Anne Mezzenga, Danyel O’Connor, Lacy C

Anderson: Minnesota women aim for camaraderie and hit the mark

Ten women who hadn't hunted before headed west from Minnesota to South Dakota to flush, and shoot, pheasants.
Wolves in the northeast have decimated the deer population, which has been hampered in recent years by tough winters as well.

Anderson: The DNR needs to act as wolves decimate deer in Minnesota

Hunters and conservation officers alike in northeast Minnesota have watched as deer populations and deer hunters dwindle. Solutions are needed.
This buck was rubbing its forehead on a “licking branch’’ on property owned by Bill Marchel, who lives near Brainerd. Licking branches, together

Anderson: A dedicated hunter was overdue; then a buck walked up

Minnesota wildlife photographer Bill Marchel can spend years in a bow stand on his property, waiting for a quality buck to pass his way. Here's what happened when it did.
For many of Minnesota’s more than 400,000 firearms deer hunters, campfires and the tales told around them are highlights of their seasons.

Anderson: Going deer hunting this weekend? Here are five keys to success

Understanding whitetail behavior, knowing your gun and — above all — being safe are among the keys to experiencing a memorable Minnesota firearms deer opener.
As the sun sets, Will Smith, foreground, and Dan Gahlon watch redheads, ring-necked ducks, green-winged teal and trumpeter swans trade back and forth

Anderson: Ducks (and ghosts) of Lake Christina revel in its comeback

Central Minnesota's Lake Christina had gone from a natural wonder to a murky cesspool nearly devoid of birds. But technology has brought back ducks — and tales of its past.
Brothers Henry Ernst, 98, left, and John Ernst, 96, of St. Paul still look to the skies each fall for mallards and other ducks.

Anderson: Duck hunters in their 90s still where they want to be — a marsh

Brothers Henry Ernst, 98, and John Ernst, 96, of St. Paul still look to the skies each fall for mallards and other ducks.
Nicholas Sovell, left, held a rooster pheasant aloft that was among 14 birds taken by a group hunting in western Minnesota on a productive opening day

Anderson: The walks weren't wasted on Minnesota's pheasant opener

The DNR's ringneck forecast based on August roadside counts proved accurate, with plenty of birds flushed on Saturday.
In his day, Del the black Labrador saw a lot of open country and loved it all, drake mallard retrieving especially.

Anderson: When a hunting dog's time comes, so does the pain

A black Labrador, Del saw a lot of open country, from shooting estates in England to pheasant openers in Minnesota.
Thanks to thousands of acres of new habitat purchased with Legacy Amendment funds, and thanks also to conservationists’ efforts, the pheasant’s fu

Anderson: State pheasant prospects bright, should get even brighter

Accelerated habitat purchases and pheasant and waterfowl hunters' conservation efforts are helping the state's most beautiful gamebird.