Here's how to pick the right shovel, from the classic to the crack-jumper, back-saver or the plow.
More from Outdoor Activities
Long in the making, new extension of popular Gateway State Trail gets the green light
Called a win for recreation, the new addition will connect Scandia to William O’Brien State Park.
December 17, 2025
‘Butcher bird’ strikes again
Plus, life in the tropics, a test for seed freshness and “tin horn” nuthatches heading our way.
December 17, 2025
Anderson: A trigger once pulled can never be unpulled — a lesson some hunters learn the hard way
Some hunters drink or otherwise cause their own problems. Others are unprepared for dizzying effects of “buck fever.”
AuthoredDennis Anderson
AuthoredDennis AndersonDecember 13, 2025
A fire warning for an e-bike battery was issued. It was too late for a St. Paul couple.
Matt Privratsky said his home caught fire when a Rad Power e-bike battery overheated.
December 7, 2025
Anderson: Wolves, eagles, rodents — gut piles left behind by successful deer hunters draw big crowds
A U of M study involves camera-toting hunters who document what happens to awful “offal” — or gut piles.AuthoredDennis Anderson
AuthoredDennis AndersonDecember 5, 2025
Minnesotan’s Ice Mile swim illuminates a new level of extreme
The sport is no stunt, as swimmer Mackenzie Koeck and her support crew learned in the yearlong runup of preparation.
December 5, 2025
How and where to spot owls in the metro area? Listen up.
Plus homely cardinals, missing goldfinches and a life-and-death battle between a hawk and a snake.
December 4, 2025
Editor's Pick
‘Bud’s Landing’ drew duck hunters for decades with a safe harbor and 3.2 beer. Now it’s giving way to canoes and kayaks.
Waterfowlers disheartened by a $4.6 million plan that cuts them out of a Dakota County site they’ve used for decades.
December 2, 2025
Birders flock to Bemidji for rare ‘accidental’ sighting
A common eider has been spotted in Bemidji. The species visited Duluth in 2014, but it hadn’t previously been in Minnesota since 1966.
November 25, 2025
Bike advocates and cops issue pre-holiday plea: Don’t buy ‘e-motos’
Marketed as e-bikes, some overpowered models are illegal in Minnesota and considered a safety threat.
November 22, 2025
Anderson: Hunter’s ‘selfless act’ of saving a friend’s dog was his last
Chris Hendricks had twin loves: His job at Polaris, and seeing ducks over decoys.AuthoredDennis Anderson
AuthoredDennis AndersonNovember 21, 2025
Anderson: Minnesota forest management dispute hinges on age of aspen when it’s cut
Forest industry rep Rick Horton pushes back on criticism over logging practices.AuthoredDennis Anderson
AuthoredDennis AndersonNovember 20, 2025
