IRON MOUNTAIN—The Boundary Waters Musky Club will be holding the 5th annual Expo and Annual Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Econo Lodge in Iron Mountain. The event will feature a tackle swap, prize raffles and a number of guest speakers. The public is welcome to attend. Free door prizes, including a musky rod and tackle, will be given away.

Erich and Joyce Ziegler look at Afterglow Lake and Resort while skiing the trails. (Ziegler photo)
By Bill Ziegler for the Iron County Reporter
PHELPS, Wis.— Local Northern winters are much too long to stay inside, and one way to enjoy the winter is to get out and explore this area’s cross country ski trails.

Many volunteers helped on construction day. Group representatives that participated included the Boundary Waters Muskie Club, Wildlife Unlimited of Iron County, Guardian Angels Catholic Church of Crystal Falls, supportive anglers of the Michigamme Reservoir, Iron County Sheriff Department public works crew, Iron County Soil Conservation District, and Crystal Falls Fire Department.  Pictured, front  from left, are Larry Lorenz of Koski Corners, Dave Borsch, Floyd Dropps, Ted Sammond, Dave Grondin and Dennis Divoky all of Crystal Falls; back from left, are Matt Stachowicz, John Roberts, John Polich, Justin Gollakner, Derek Stroud, Cody Campbell, Dave Stanek, Ron Curnow, Jerry Weeks, and Dan Surface all of Iron County. Not pictured are Kim and Herb Nylund, Kevin and Heather Fritchie, Dennis Fabri, Duane Lorti, Tom Lesandrini, and Brian Carollo of Cyrstal Falls . (Ziegler photo)

CRYSTAL FALLS—The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host two ice fishing classes in the western Upper Peninsula during the 2013 Winter Free Fishing Weekend, Feb. 16-17.

IRON RIVER—The 13th Annual Forest Club Ice Fishing Derby  will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16 on Sunset Lake. The registration shack will be located in the middle of the lake out from the boat landing. The contest runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Canyon Butler of Big Rapids was travelling to Iron River with his mother, Kelli Harding, to visit his grandmother, Sue Stupp, on Feb. 8. Canyon explained that just outside of the town of Helps, on Highway M69, they passed a school bus with a shattered windshield.

The Ice Hawks under 19 girls team faced off against the mBank girls hockey team from Marquette on Feb. 3 at the ice arena in Caspian. Goaltender Abbie Grubbs kept her eye on the puck to keep Marquette from scoring. On the ice and in action are Megan Miatech (11), Cassidy Hinshaw (25), Jamie Ridolphi (23) and Bryanna Verhoven (3). A good crowd was present to cheer the team on, even though Marquette took the win.

Michigan DNR Conservation Officer Dave Painter was called in when a vehicle struck and killed a wolf on Saturday, Jan. 26. The wolf, weighing around 100 pounds, was hit on U.S. 45 in the Watersmeet area.

MARQUETTE—Atypical winter weather conditions have significantly hampered efforts by the DNR to conduct its bi-annual moose population survey in the Upper Peninsula, Wildlife Division staff said today.

During the seventh annual Camp Gibbs Predator Hunt, Scott Weslin (left) and Kelly Taetsch teamed up for a first place win by harvesting six coyotes. At the Jan. 27 check-in, nine predator hunting teams registered 17 animals, all coyotes.
IRON RIVER—The Camp Gibbs Predator Hunt is growing bigger each year, said organizers during the check-in of the seventh annual event Jan. 27. This year, 51 hunters registered for the event, which ran from Jan. 24 to 27 and was headquarters at Camp Gibbs Recreation Area.