As we continue to slowly but surely inch back towards the weekend, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get into what this beautiful Tuesday has to offer.
Here's what's worth reading about so far this week:
Sounds fun - Vampire bats are set to descend on the southern US and a new study believes they could bring a whole new level of CWD infection 🧛
New license pricing - A new bill might offer resident hunting license prices to out-of-state hunters who are originally from Pennsylvania 🪪
Record breaker - Teen catches monster golden rainbow trout, shattering West Virginia records 🎣
$52 million boost - USDA is ponying up serious cash to help encourage private landowners to allow public access to their land 💵
Watch your step - This could have been so much worse for this caddie 🐍
YAY!
HOW VAMPIRE BATS MIGHT JUST BE THE NEXT BIG THREAT TO U.S. DEER HERDS
In the event that the news cycle hasn’t done enough to get your blood boiling lately, this one featuring some blood-sucking immigrants from the south should do the trick. In addition to dealing with exploding tick populations, a new scientific perspective published earlier this month is sounding the alarm against the threat of vampire bats who are expanding their range north and could have their sights set on infecting US deer herds.
While still hypothetical at this point, the paper, aptly titled “Emerging risks at the vampire bat–prion interface,” goes on to state that these adorable little flying syringes from Latin America are expanding their range northward thanks to slightly warmer winters. Given the fact that chronic wasting disease has already reached southern states like Texas and New Mexico, this seemingly inevitable invasion could serve to create a dangerous new pathway for the deadly disease…
QUICK HITS // FROM AROUND THE WEB
CWD detected in six Ohio counties during 2025-26 hunting season: Positive CWD samples were detected in Allen, Crawford, Hancock, Hardin, Marion and Wyandot counties. A total of 6,617 deer were tested for CWD. Read the full story.
Changes proposed to Pennsylvania hunting license prices: The bill, circulated by Sen. Greg Rothman (R), proposes offering resident hunting license prices to out-of-state hunters who are originally from Pennsylvania. Rothman says the state’s hunter population is rapidly decreasing, and he wants to attract them back into the Commonwealth. Read the full story.
Proposal would allow archery hunting at Saratoga Spa State Park: The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has scheduled a public information meeting on a proposal to allow archery hunting in Saratoga Spa State Park. Read the full story.
Teen catches record-breaking trout during annual West Virginia fishing event: A West Virginia teen caught a record-breaking golden rainbow trout during the state’s 2026 Gold Rush event. Hunter Rohr caught a 28-inch, 11.84-pound golden rainbow trout during the annual Gold Rush event. Read the full story.
Hunter Rohr with his catch | WVDNR
USDA announces $52M to boost public access to private lands for hunting, fishing: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced $52 million to help state and tribal governments encourage private landowners to allow public access to their land for hunting, fishing and other wildlife recreation through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program. Read the full story.
Kodiak, the 27-year-old resident black bear at Grandfather Mountain, dies: The bear — also known as Kody — was euthanized April 24, 2026, after suffering advanced age-related complications, including severe arthritis that had impacted his mobility, park officials said. Read the full story.
THOUGHTS FROM THE STAND // FROM OUR NOTEPAD
The most mature people are the ones who can have the most fun.
No need to lead with; “in my opinion” before stating something. It’s implied the moment you open your pie hole.
Everything good in my life exists because I believed a lie long enough for it to become real.
It is kneeling that finally lets you stand up straight 🙏
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
🐍 Talk about a close call. Watch this caddie casually walk by his buddies filming a rattlesnake without even noticing.
I’m betting he’s watching his step from here on out…
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
My mom was a huge Bowie fan, and as such, I’ve got a little Ziggy Stardust in me. And while he was known for his music and personas, his reading list was almost just as varied. Speaking of books, should you be thinking of giving the ones on your bookshelf a good cleaning every now and then? If the @ symbol has been around since the 1500s, what was it used for pre-internet? If you’re like me, you’ve likely heard of Mahjong but still don’t have the slightest idea about what it is or where it came from.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
Swamp kitty.
📸 : @carltonward
Oh, and one more thing…
