Its that time of the year when we take a look at the past with an eye on the future.
The year 2014 delivered a lot of interesting news for outdoorsmen, yet it also left a lot of unfinished business on the table. With that in mind, heres a look at issues from last year that we can only hope will be resolved in the coming months:
Will the Michigan DNR continue to drag its feet in the development of the new Eagle Lake public access and keep us from using it this summer?
Is it really possible that Hoosier bluegill anglers will be fishing for a 25-fish bag limit later this year if the DNR completes the approval process before the end of summer?
Ditto on the 16-inch walleye size limit proposed for northern Indiana, to include the St. Joseph River.
Will we be fishing open water by early April or could we have another loooong winter?
Can we expect a repeat of last year when steelhead poured into Indianas St. Joseph River in early spring and provided a good fishery in South Bend and Mishawaka?
Where are all the coho that Indiana has been stocking in the St. Joseph; ones that we thought wed see in the fall runs?
Will state government continue to cheat Hoosier sportsmen out of Fish and Wildlife services and badly needed scientists for which we pay for in license fees?
How many more experienced biologists will flee Indiana and not be replaced?
Do politicians really care what sportsmen need or think?
Do wildlife managers in Michigan and Indiana really know whats happening to our deer herds?
Can Michigans fabulous smallmouth lakes remain as good as they are if the state liberalizes its bass season?
Is there any chance that Michigan will rethink its unfair non-resident licenses in the wake of sagging sales?
How long before humans come under attack from a burgeoning northern Michigan wolf population now that a federal judge denied the DNR its right to manage wolves with lethal means?
Will Lake Webster return as one of the Midwests best muskie lakes?
Given the continued increase in keeper-size walleyes being caught in Indiana, can we expect to see more in catches this year?
Has the Indiana DNRs seemingly ridiculous slot limit on St. Joseph River bass diminished the population of smaller fish, especially smallmouth?
Do any wildlife managers have a handle on how badly the flourishing coyote population is decimating our small game communities?
Will the DNR in both states ever have the guts to stop the destruction of fish habitat caused by overzealous lake associations with their aquatic vegetation eradications?