B.C. Hunter Sues Conservation Officer Service for Defamation Over Social Media Post 👨‍⚖️

The weekend might not be here just yet, but your favorite dispatch from the great outdoors is. 

So grab your coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and let's get caught up on the outdoor news and views from the past 24-or-so hours. 

Here's what's worth reading about today:

SEE YOU IN COURT
B.C. HUNTER SUES CONSERVATION OFFICER SERVICE FOR DEFAMATION OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POST

A British Columbia hunter is hauling the province's Conservation Officer Service to court, alleging that a 2022 Facebook post defamed him by misrepresenting a court sentencing order and causing significant damage to both his reputation and his business.

Richard Dawson Smith, owner of BND Productions and an author of other hunting-related content including a book, filed a notice of civil claim on December 2nd, in Prince George Supreme Court. As part of his filing, he is suing the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS), and four unnamed conservation officers for defamation. Smith is seeking damages exceeding $800,000, plus a court order to remove or correct the offending post.

The case traces back to November 2020, when Smith pleaded guilty to hunting on cultivated land— an offense under Section 39 of B.C.'s Wildlife Act. This prohibits hunting or trapping on or over private agricultural land (such as crop fields, orchards, or grazed pastures) without the landowner's consent…

🔫 Jelly Roll Pushes for 'Path to Redemption' on Felon Gun Bans: 'I Want My Right to Hunt Back'. Country music star Jelly Roll (real name Jason DeFord) is pushing for a "path to redemption" for felons facing lifelong gun bans, drawing from his own turbulent past. Convicted at 16 of aggravated robbery and drug possession with intent to sell, he served over a year in prison followed by seven years of probation, which permanently stripped him of firearm rights. In a December 2025 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Jelly Roll shared that he's up for a pardon from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee this month, but the state's zero-forgiveness stance on violent offenses means it wouldn't restore his gun privileges. He argued passionately for reform, stating, "There should be some path to redemption. Even if it takes 30 years," emphasizing how his early felony derailed his life before he could legally buy alcohol or rent an apartment.

Jelly Roll, who has been incarcerated 40 times as chronicled in his 2023 documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me, credits hunting with his mental and physical recovery and wants at least the right to own a rifle for it. A devout Christian, he invoked themes of forgiveness, with Rogan highlighting how redemption aligns with his faith. He also noted practical benefits, like cutting his hefty security costs in half if he could carry a gun for self-protection: "I'm a million dollars plus a year in security. I'd cut that bill in half tomorrow." His advocacy is seeking a broader call for second chances, transforming personal pain from a youth marred by gun violence into a platform for policy change.

🤬 Prized 9-Point Deer Vanishes from Pennsylvania Forest After Legal Harvest. In a brazen theft that has stunned Pennsylvania's hunting community, a prized 9-point buck—described as a "lifetime" trophy deer with exceptionally dark, almost black antlers—was stolen from Tuscarora State Forest in Perry County on December 6th. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. when a group of hunters legally harvested the deer, tagged it, field-dressed it behind a tree, and stashed it along a pipeline off Wolf Road in Toboyne Township, about 200 yards from the road and out of sight. When the hunters returned later to retrieve it, the animal was gone, with evidence indicating the thief dragged the carcass to a nearby roadside parking area, and loaded it into a vehicle.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Tuscarora Forest District rangers are actively investigating the theft in the expansive 96,025-acre forest, which spans multiple counties. Officials believe the perpetrator may have shared photos or videos of the stolen buck online, given its trophy status, and are urging hunters and the public to review any trail camera footage or social media posts. Tips can be submitted anonymously to rangers at 717-543-1550, Operation Game Thief at 1-888-PGC-8001, or via an online portal.

🫎 Minnesota Deer Hunter Charged for Illegally Harvesting Moose Amid Declining Populations. A Duluth man faces charges after admitting to mistakenly shooting a moose while hunting deer in northeastern Minnesota. Dane Landon Nelson, 37, was charged with illegally taking the animal—a gross misdemeanor—following an incident on November 8th, the opening day of the firearms deer season, about 20 miles south of Eveleth in St. Louis County.

According to a criminal complaint filed on December 11th in St. Louis County District Court, Nelson killed the moose but quickly realized his error. He told investigators he "messed up" by bagging the protected animal, which has been off-limits to general hunters since Minnesota suspended its moose season in 2012 due to sharp population declines. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources lists moose as a species of special concern, with numbers far below levels seen two decades ago. While some Native bands in the region retain moose hunting rights, general licenses are not issued to protect the herd.

Nelson's court date is pending, and penalties for a conviction could include fines, jail time, and loss of hunting privileges.

PA deer hunter charged after firing rifle toward home where bullet whizzed by woman’s head: A hunter was charged with shooting a high-powered rifle in the direction of a Lancaster County home, sending a bullet whizzing past a woman’s head who had been standing in her backyard last month, police said in court documents. Read the full story.

TWRA urges hunters to stay alert as bird flu cases rise across the Southeast: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is reminding hunters to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautions for possible cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) among wild birds, backyard domestic flocks, and commercial poultry flocks in the Southeast.   Read the full story.

Oregon State Police seek public help in identifying elk poaching suspect near Waldport: Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public's help to locate the person(s) responsible for the waste of one cow elk in Lincoln County near Waldport. Read the full story.

Photographer Captures Dramatic Helicopter Rescue Of Elk Stuck In Icy Lake: Beth Moos of Bozeman, Montana, took up wildlife photography as a retirement hobby, but she knows a good tip when she gets it. When she heard a small group of elk was trapped in the middle of an ice-covered pond, she instinctively grabbed her camera.  Read the full story.

Brunswick police arrest 2 Maine men for night hunting after traffic stop: Lee Holbrook, of Durham, and Robert Little, of Lewiston, were arrested early Monday morning following a traffic stop, according to the Brunswick Police Department. Read the full story.

Bear relocated from under deck of Colorado Springs home: According to CPW, the relocation happened on Wednesday. Video shows wildlife officers pulling the approximately 200-pound black bear out from under the house. Read the full story.

🤤 Imagine this was your view for the weekend??

Wait for the end…

The pull of the weekend.

📸 by: @anthonykerrigan

Oh, and one more thing…