Cali Couple Sentenced in Wildlife Trafficking Case Involving Tigers, Rhinos and More 🐅

ven•a•tic: fond of or living by hunting

NORTH AMERICA’S MOST-READ OUTDOOR NEWSLETTER

I’m currently at the “it’s Thursday already?” phase of the workweek and am unsure as to whether or not that is a good thing as of yet.

With that in mind, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get this Thursday morning dispatch out the door.

Here's what's worth reading about today:

TRADING GALLBLADDERS FOR TIGER PELTS
CALIFORNIA COUPLE SENTENCED IN WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING CASE INVOLVING TIGER PELT, RHINO HORNS AND MORE

An Anaheim couple has been sentenced after pleading guilty to their role in an international scheme that moved protected wildlife parts between Oregon and Vietnam, including a tiger pelt, rhinoceros horn segments, and lion teeth.

Late last week, Linh Luu and Kevin Le pleaded guilty in federal court in Eugene, Oregon, to violating the Lacey Act, the federal law that prohibits the illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife products. For their actions, the pair got off with relative ease, each receiving just three years of probation and a $10,000 fine for hauling exotic animal parts across international borders…

🚔 El Paso Traffic Stop Uncovers 72 Exotic Animals, Including Caracal; Woman Charged with Cruelty. And in keeping with the exotic wildlife theme, an early evening traffic stop in El Paso ended up in an arrested driver and 72 exotic animals being seized after they were found illegally stashed inside the driver’s minivan.

The hoard was uncovered last Thursday after deputies stopped a black Chrysler Pacifica that was being driven by 48-year-old Kelli Pinnock. Inside they found 56 tortoises, two kinkajous, 11 hedgehogs, two guinea pigs, and one caracal (an exotic wild cat). Several animals were held in overcrowded or undersized containers that restricted their movement, with accumulated feces and urine, poor ventilation, and no accessible food or water. Investigators learned Pinnock had traveled through multiple states with the animals and noted licensing issues tied to a prior animal cruelty arrest in Florida. The feds were soon made aware of the bust and all 72 animals were voluntarily surrendered and taken to facilities for care. Pinnock was charged with five counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals and booked into the El Paso County Downtown Detention Facility on a $10,000 bond.

🐻 Woman Hospitalized After Black Bear Attacks Her from Behind While Walking Dog in Washington Backyard. A Snohomish County woman was hospitalized after a black bear attacked her from behind while she was walking her leashed dog in her backyard on Sunday morning. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the bear knocked her to the ground and continued to bite and claw at her until she was able to get up, get inside her house, and call for help. She was treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries, and officials say she did nothing to provoke the attack.

The two main suspects are a possible adult female and a cub, who were later spotted in the area. Wildlife officers searched with dogs but were unable to locate the animals, later setting a trap and ramping up patrols. It wasn’t until Tuesday, after tips from local residents, that WDFW officers located the adult bear and cub up a tree behind a local business. Both were euthanized due to their contact with people and human food sources and are scheduled to undergo disease testing. Officials described the decision as difficult but necessary for public safety, and noted that such attacks remain rare.

🎣 Montana Commission Orders Anglers to Kill Flathead Brown Trout, Approves New Fishing Rules. The Montana FWC voted earlier this month to approve the 2027–2028 statewide fishing regulations, which included 44 changes, and unanimously adopted a catch-and-kill order for brown trout in the Flathead River drainage.

The order responds to increasing reports of the non-native species, which are believed to stem from illegal introductions in places such as Ashley Lake, the Flathead River, and Church Slough. Anglers are ordered to immediately kill any brown trout caught in Flathead Lake or upstream waters and report the catch. The broader package includes more liberal harvest limits on species such as lake trout, northern pike, and smallmouth bass on Flathead Lake to help suppress non-natives that compete with native bull trout. Commissioner Ian Wargo raised concerns about the effectiveness of long-running lake trout suppression efforts and withdrew one amendment after FWP committed to more stakeholder meetings and better tracking of management outcomes.

✌️ He just let himself out! Watch as this fisherman is completely flabbergasted after this pike completely bails on the idea of being caught.

No pictures today, Sammy…

🪶 The Demon Grouse: It was October 1904, and the timber doldrums of northern Michigan were bitter, dark, and hollow. The wind that swept through the high prairie grass sounded eerily like a dying man’s breath. Westcoast city slickers Arthur and his brother, Thomas, both recent transplants, ignored it. The two were riding in a creaky two-horse-drawn iron-rimmed wagon heading into a nearby forest. Carts remained common for folks during this time period and were used for commerce, agriculture, and in this case—recreation and fast getaways.

The two had plans to hunt overgrown logging slashes, seeking fat woodland grouse that thrived in the young aspen thickets. They brought two things of value: their fine Parker Brothers 12-gauge shotguns and Arthur’s seasoned, liver-and-white English Setter, named Nell. Read the full story.

🐃 The Great Buffalo Con Job:  “Hurry and shoot before he runs away,” urged Totze.

“Yes, hurry,” added Bawlo. “He’s a wonderful trophy, and if he gets away we’ll never find another half as big.”

Even grizzled old Malkopje joined in.

“Ah, look at those horns, the biggest buffalo I’ve ever seen in my life.”

I didn’t know it at the time, but I was the beneficiary of an African con job. It probably would have worked too, except the trio of African trackers crouched behind me were jabbering in a bush lingo as strange to me as my language was to them. Read the full story.

🦆 Dangerous Game: Waterfowl hunting’s popularity soared while I attended college, with countless waterfowl hunters fueled by Duck Dynasty and social media welcoming the cold morning from a duck blind and snapping a few pictures. What began as an exciting way to share duck hunting adventures quickly morphed into an obsessive, dangerous game that prioritized all the wrong metrics. 

I was not immune. Read the full story.

Oh, and one more thing…