In the event that the weekend wasn’t quite long enough for you, here’s to hoping that your favorite dispatch from the outdoor world can give you 5-or-so minutes to prep yourself for yet another week.
So, without further ado, let’s grab that coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get caught up on the outdoor news and views from the past few days.
Here's what's worth reading about today:
Let e’m hunt - Additional access could shore up Hawaii’s axis deer issues 🌺
43 captures - Michigan officials are planning to snag 43 moose for UP study 🫎
Bonus birds - Pennsylvania set to release 8,400 more pheasants for season finale 🐓
Poached bull - Montana FWP looking for answers for illegally killed moose outside of Bozeman 👮
Brumating bros - Ever seen how alligators survive freezing temps?
ACCESS, ACCESS, ACCESS
$50 PER TAIL INCENTIVE HELPS MAUI FIGHT AXIS DEER BUT EXPANDED HUNTING ACCESS COULD SEAL THE DEAL
In the sun-soaked paradise that is Maui Nui, a quirky import of just ten animals from India and Nepal, has exploded in numbers due to a lack of natural predators and limited hunting pressures. With the area’s axis deer now numbering over 26,000 on Maui alone (with a suspiciously high female ratio that screams "rabbit-level reproduction"), these graceful invaders are munching through native forests, watersheds, and farms while racking up more than $1 million in annual crop damage alongside threats to native forests, watersheds, human safety, and public health.
To combat this, Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources launched the Landowner Incentive Program in 2024, a targeted initiative aimed at reducing deer numbers to sustainable levels. The program, now in its renewal phase with applications open until February 15th, offers a straightforward incentive of up to $50 per axis deer tail submitted as proof of removal.
Yet, despite the initial success of the bounty, experts and locals agree that the program's impact is hampered by the fact that the majority of axis deer tend to congregate on private lands where public hunting access is often restricted…
QUICK HITS // FROM AROUND THE WEB
Alaska Board of Game approves limited mountain lion hunt, rejects Zarembo Island elk proposal: The board took two different but related approaches to proposals involving rare or limited wildlife populations, approving a narrowly tailored change for mountain lions, while rejecting an expansion of elk hunting on Zarembo Island. Read the full story.
Researchers to capture 43 moose in Upper Peninsula for population study: Researchers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and Northern Michigan University are preparing to capture up to 43 moose this month for the second phase of a population study in the Upper Peninsula. The collaborative effort aims to determine why the region’s moose population has remained stagnant for decades. Read the full story.
8,400 Pheasants to Be Released for Final Weeks of PA’s Pheasant Hunting Season: For the second consecutive year, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will be releasing approximately 8,400 pheasants, mostly hens, to provide additional hunting recreation in the last two weeks of pheasant season, which runs through Feb. 28. Read the full story.
Montana FWP looking for information on bull moose shot and killed north of Bozeman: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game wardens are looking for information on a bull moose shot and killed along the Middle Cottonwood Trail north of Bozeman late last month. Read the full story.
The poached moose | Montana FWP
SB 433 Defeated: Sportsmen Block Broad Ban on Hunting Bows and Knives: Last week, SB 433, the broadly written bill that would have criminalized the essential tools used by Hawaii’s hunting community for generations, was indefinitely deferred by the Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs committee. This means the bill is defeated for the year. Read the full story.
Montana landowners invited to join 2026 hunting access programs: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has opened applications for landowners interested in allowing public hunting access on their land or providing access to public land through private property. Read the full story.
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
🥶 Yes, he's still alive. Alligators survive extreme cold through a process known as brumation in which they allow their bodies to freeze in this ice while leaving just their nose exposed.
Me? I ain’t about that brumation…
MONDAY MEME // ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
My daughter loves to surf and I’d be lying if I told you that the thought of sharks never entered my mind. And while I know statistically the odds are in her favor, reading about the 9 deadliest shark attacks in history still makes me slightly uneasy. There are two very different ways to rest the mind. One is to consume mindless, screen-based media. It’s easy, low-effort, and immediately satisfying. But it rarely delivers lasting benefits. The other is to do nothing—to sit with boredom and see where it leads. It’s uncomfortable at first, but it often takes us somewhere useful. The watch choices of Magnum PI, James Reese, Danny Archer and a few of our other favorite fictional characters. And what did America’s first bourbon taste like?
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
Feeling very muley on this particular Monday.
📸 : @ben.j.photo
Oh, and one more thing…
