Points North

Something is killing moose calves deep in the woods of northeast Minnesota. The clues left behind are scarce: flecks of blood, bits of flesh, bone splinters. So to get answers, scientists are turning to dogs.

A teen band in western New York is destined for greatness. Then cracks begin to form, starting with an unwelcome surprise from Lake Erie.

Michigan morel hunter Anthony Williams explains why he keeps his best mushroom spots secret—and why they're one of his family's most treasured heirlooms.

In 1860, the steamship Lady Elgin was struck by a small schooner in Lake Michigan. Around 300 people drowned in the disaster, making it the deadliest shipwreck in Great Lakes history. The tragedy would have a major influence on maritime safety in the Great Lakes.

Stories about a brave fisherman, owl babies, a controversial prison, and old journals brought reporting honors to IPR.

When eight Bigfoot sightings were reported in just five days, northeast Ohio had the country’s attention. What was it like for these small rural communities to be at the center of the Bigfoot universe? And did it change what the people there believed?

Passenger pigeons were once the most abundant bird in North America. But in 1914, they went extinct. Most of their last nesting grounds hugged the Great Lakes. What was it like to experience these birds? And what are we left with when we lose a species?

Owls are elusive birds of the night – part of this mysterious world we rarely encounter. Researchers are learning just how complex an owl’s communication is. We go into the woods to try to experience these birds for ourselves.

On April 3, 1851, a man who escaped slavery to Boston was kidnapped by slave catchers. The Fugitive Slave Act turned cities across the North into hunting grounds. But resistance was growing. In Pennsylvania, William Parker was building a network to fight back.

When Seth Swoboda’s trees started dying, he asked two scientists for help. Their theory: herbicides were drifting onto his private property from farm fields and killing his trees, and it was happening all over. They just had to prove it.