Given both this blog, and my volunteer work as a naturalist, I am getting lots of questions about the current owl irruption in northeastern Minnesota. With this post, I will try to let the Great Gray Owls answer those questions!

Where is the irruption taking place?

What are the backroads like in Northern Minnesota?

What should I do if I see an owl hunting a railroad right of way?

Will Rich Hoeg (the owner of this blog) share his private local owling locations?

What is the highway speed limit when I need to drive home?

If I get lost, how will I find my way?

If the owl’s answer to this last question is NOT obvious, follow the light house’s beacon!

All of these photographs were taken within the past two days. Rich would like to thank each and every owl which agreed to be part of the answer to your questions about the Northeastern Minnesota Owl Irruption of 2025.

I would like to correct “only” one answer given by an owl. Rich Hoeg will not give out his private owling locations. It is neat that many of you are coming from all around America to enjoy our special wilderness. Great Gray Owls are native to Northeastern Minnesota. However, this winter we have many more owls in our region … both locals and migrants. In my experience most of the migrants tend to start flying north around the 1st of March. Thus, plan trips to our area with that thought in mind.

On a closing note, this morning I was interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio about owls in Northwestern Wisconsin and Northeastern Minnesota. If you would like to read a transcript of that interview, please browse to WPR. Unfortunately I do not believe the sound files of the interview are active anymore.