Ring in spring with a hike in Paddy Creek Wilderness Budding trees are beautiful, falling leaves are better and lazy summer float trips can’t be beat, but winter truly opens up the wonders of nature in Missouri. Animal tracks and birds are easier to spot, and if you...
Outdoors
Tales to Tell
Fishing, hunting and fantastic creatures focus of new book The phrase, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” has an unwritten addendum: “And if the fish gets away, the angler’s likely to lie about it.” For...
Back to the Future
Stone Age tool scores points in state David Lohr’s skill set ranges from Space Age to Stone Age. For 11 years, he was a professor of aviation technology, teaching people how to overhaul jet engines. He also honed his outdoor survival skills, showing people how to knap...
Driftwood Outdoors
Podcasting duo voices passion for the outdoors If you know Brandon Butler and Nathan “Shags” McLeod, you know their love for the outdoors. Chances are if you’ve only ever heard their award-winning, weekly podcast, “Driftwood Outdoors,” then you know all about the...
Wires Over Wildlife
Linda Overton stands in a 30-acre pollinator plot of partridge peas and goldenrod she and her husband, Bob, established on their Grundy County farm. Trees can do a lot to enhance property for landowners in the right conditions. For people, they provide shade and...
The Fine Art of Flintlocks
The arc of Chuck Edwards’ life has always followed twin themes: history and art. A keen eye for detail led him to pursue western art as a portraitist. After firing a friend’s flintlock rifle for the first time, his artistic inspiration changed with a flash and a bang....
Sweet Singletrack
Like a lot of people locked down during Missouri’s COVID-19 shutdown, Wade Gaylord couldn’t wait to get outside. Once restrictions lifted, he loaded up his bike and hit the trail. “I was fortunate to buy my bike off Craigslist just before I got laid off from my...
The Current River Challenge
If you’re looking for an autumn outdoor adventure in the Ozarks, there are lots of possibilities. At the top of the list are two old favorites: a relaxing float with a fishing pole and a walk in the woods amid the changing leaves. And if you just can’t decide between...
Every Kid Outdoors
Family vacations can be big adventures: Big trips, big sights and big costs. It’s not often a fourth grader can foot the bill for part of a group excursion — especially in one of our national parks — but that’s exactly what the Every Kid Outdoors program is designed...
Traditions Worth Teaching
A homesteading family blends old-fashioned practices with a modern twist The fog is still clinging to the pines as the morning sun and Missouri’s infamous humidity begin to rise. Bees are buzzing around the zinnias. There are goats to be milked, tomatoes to can and...