Fluke fishermen only need "conditions" to put together a catch in most of the traditional spots now.

The necessary conditions include water temperature in the 60s, and preferably rising, a moderate drift, light winds, and a relatively calm sea.

Capt. Ed Bunting Jr., skipper of the Sea Horse out of Atlantic Highlands, has had those conditions on a number of trips lately, and has landed good catches.

It's a sport that relies on precision, accuracy and concentration. It includes competitors from all over the country, and the participants are willing to spend their own money to travel and compete.

Though skeet shooting is relatively obscure, the sport has a loyal following in Delaware.

"I really enjoy it," said Wilmington resident Mike Stasio, who has been shooting for about 20 years. "It's different from other sports in that we all go out there and push each other. We hope we all excel."

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against a Wyoming rancher who sued government employees in a dispute over federal access to a road on his land.

Harvey Robbins of Hot Springs County, Wyo., accused half a dozen employees in the Bureau of Land Management of trying to coerce him into granting an easement on a road leading to the Shoshone National Forest.

In a 7-2 ruling, the Court said that Robbins could not sue under the Fifth Amendment.

HELEN, Ga. — A 300-pound black bear raided a family's campsite, and the father saved his sons from harm by throwing a log at the beast, killing it with a single blow.

Chris Everhart and his three sons were camping in the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia when the encounter happened Saturday. The bear took the family's cooler and was heading

Iowa-  A national campaign is underway to get Americans to spend this Saturday night out camping. The campaign called the Great American Backyard Campout is sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation and endorsed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

"We want Iowans to go camping, preferably in a state park, but if not, we would be happy if they stayed in a county park or even in their backyard. We just want Iowans to get outdoors and camp," said Michelle Wilson, with the Iowa DNR. "There are a lot of activities going on in state parks every weekend and during the Great American Backyard Campout day we will have interpreters in 20 of our

POLSON, MO- Pirates appear to be at work on Flathead Lake.

They row in under cover of darkness, loot boats that are moored at docks in Polson Bay, then row back out into open water before firing their engines and disappearing into the night without turning on their running lights.

There are lots of newborn bison and other wildlife at the National Bison Range these days, range managers say, but if you're headed that way pack some extra cash.

As of July 5, access fees for the scenic drives through the refuge are going up.

In 2006, more than 87 million Americans age 16 and older hunted, fished, or observed wildlife. They spent $120 billion that year pursuing those activities -- an amount roughly equal to America's total spending on all spectator sports, casinos, motion pictures, golf courses, amusement parks, 

OLYMPIA (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)- Starting July 1, the Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force will assume management of the Mayr Brothers salmon hatchery, formerly the Wishkah River hatchery, on behalf of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). 

Founded in 1980 as a cooperative effort to address declining salmon and steelhead runs in the Chehalis Basin, the task force funds and sponsors numerous enhancement projects to restore 

SALT LAKE CITY — Work to improve the area near Temple Square isn't the only new and exciting development in downtown Salt Lake City these days: Utah's famous peregrine falcon pair is back and nesting again.

The pair has hatched four baby peregrines. In a few days, the five-week-old peregrines (called eyases) should be making some of their first harrowing flights in the downtown area.

OLYMPIA (WDFW) - Women can learn the basics of fishing, hunting and other outdoor skills in a September weekend workshop that includes several sessions led by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) experts.

Scheduled for Sept. 14-16 at Camp River Ranch in Carnation (King County), the annual workshop is coordinated by Washington Outdoor Women (WOW), a non-profit program dedicated to teaching women outdoor skills and natural resource stewardship. WOW, now in its tenth year, is an educational outreach program of the Washington Wildlife Federation.