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:
Doing what he loved - Cali businessman trampled to death by elephants while hunting duiker in central Africa 🐘
Missing hunter found - The body of Kaden Sikes has been located 🙏
Ticked off - Alabama Lt. Gov. contracts rare illness after tick bite while turkey hunting 🪳
Hunkering down - Colorado officials say slowed wolf activity is signaling that new pups are on the way 🐺
Ol’ legface - Another interesting deformity 🦵
HELL OF A WAY TO GO OUT
CALIFORNIA BUSINESSMAN AND LIFELONG HUNTER TRAMPLED TO DEATH BY ELEPHANTS IN AFRICA
A 75-year-old California businessman and avid big-game hunter was killed on April 17th after he and his professional guide accidentally surprised a group of five female forest elephants and a calf in the dense rainforest of Gabon’s Lopé-Okanda National Park area.
Ernie Dosio, who was the owner of Pacific AgriLands Inc. and a prominent figure in California’s Central Valley wine industry, was on a high-end guided hunt for the elusive yellow-backed duiker, a small forest antelope. Dosio and his PH were moving through thick vegetation with near-zero visibility in search of their prey when the elephants suddenly charged at them without warning. The PH was violently flung aside and seriously injured, losing his rifle in the chaos, while Dosio, armed only with a shotgun, was trampled and gored…
HEADLINES // DIGESTIBLE SNIPPETS
The body of Kaden Sites has been recovered
🙏 Missing Turkey Hunter Found Dead After Week-Long Search in Colorado. The body of 27-year-old Kaden Sites was recovered Saturday after a week-and-a-half long search in rugged terrain near Mount Shavano in Chaffee County.
Sites went turkey hunting on April 15th and was reported missing later that day when he didn’t return for a scheduled appointment. His truck was found abandoned near the Blanks Cabin Trailhead, prompting hundreds of volunteers, search and rescue teams, and cadaver dogs to cover thousands of miles in difficult high-country wilderness.
In the end, volunteer searchers located his body about 1.5 miles from his truck near Tabeguache Creek. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, along with Search and Rescue and the Coroner’s Office, stated that the cause of death will not be released until the investigation is over but foul play is not suspected.
"Our hearts go out to the Sites family and friends this evening. Chaffee County has lost a wonderful member of our community which has left a void in our hearts. There was always a measure of hope that Kaden would be found alive. We are thankful the family will have some level of closure. Thank you to everyone who joined in the efforts to bring Kaden home. It is such a loving community we have," said Sheriff Andy Rohrich.
🪳 Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth Warns Hunters After Contracting Rare Tick-Borne Illness on Turkey Hunt. Ainsworth was turkey hunting before Easter when he was bitten by a tick, a common occurrence and something he said has happened to him many times before without issue. About two weeks later, he developed severe symptoms including swollen glands, intense coughing, nausea, and stomach pain. He initially thought it was allergies, but tested positive for the rare tick-borne illness and thanks to quick medical treatment with antibiotics, he has fully recovered.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, caused by bacteria transmitted through infected ticks, is relatively uncommon (around 6,000–7,000 U.S. cases per year) but can be dangerous or fatal in 5–10% of cases if not treated promptly. Symptoms often include fever, headache, muscle pain, and a characteristic rash.
🐺 Colorado Wolves Hunkering Down as Pup Season Approaches, Officials Say. Colorado’s wolves have significantly reduced their wandering in recent weeks, according to the latest GPS tracking data from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The March 24 to April 21 map shows far less movement across the state, with activity concentrated in central and northwestern Colorado and no recent detections in southern or southwestern areas where exploratory wandering had previously been noted.
While some observers speculate that a few far-ranging wolves may have left the state, CPW maintains that the reason for the reduced movement is the upcoming births. Wildlife officials say the slowdown is expected as wolves are denning ahead of the spring pupping season, noting that the data suggests that packs are hunkering down near dens rather than roaming widely.
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
🦵 These antler deformities are getting out of control. Check out this big ol’ bull trying to get some action despite what God did to his face.
Apparently they call him “legface”…
MONDAY MEME // WHAT DO YA SAY?
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
For most of the guys out there, this research paper from the 1970s about urinal etiquette is already etched in our minds. For those without a clue, please revisit and learn the art of the “buffer” urinal. I’ve long had the idea of writing a long-form cookbook. You know, mixing a bit of narrative writing in with the recipes to liven things up a bit. I guess I was on the something. Did James Bond have this whole intergalactic warfare thing right? And Mark Twain’s timeless advice on how to be a critical thinker still applies today.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
He didn’t need another year.
Oh, and one more thing…
