Idaho Man Busted After Shooting Deer on Elementary School Playground 🎓

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:

HOW STUDIOUS
BIZARRE SCHOOL LAWN DEER POACHING CASE COMES TO A CLOSE IN IDAHO COURTROOM

In a town where the population of local deer outnumbers those of us that traipse around on two feet, one man couldn’t resist the temptation to shoot one, even if it meant turning his local elementary school into a late-night hunting ground. It was a crisp November night when Lars Nelson rolled up in his blue Ford pickup, stepped out under the glow of moonlight (and security cameras) and dropped a white-tailed buck with a crossbow right there on the playground grass of Orofino Elementary.

Footage later showed Nelson returning a couple hours later to retrieve his trophy, leaving behind enough evidence for the boys and girls at Idaho Fish and Game to piece together a compelling, yet peculiar case. That case was finally closed last week, ending with a plea bargain for the accused, but the incident and its setting still remains etched in the minds of some of the investigating officers…

😽 Cali Family Baits Trap for Coyote, Wakes Up to a 150-Pound Mountain Lion Inside. In Fallbrook, California, the Hernandez family set up a humane cage trap at their home after their backyard flock of chickens started thinning out and a few family cats went missing. They suspected a coyote and hoped to catch it the culprit non-lethally. Well, weren’t they surprised to wake up last Thursday and find a full-grown mountain lion calmly sitting inside the trap.

With something slightly larger than Wile E. Coyote on their hands, along with three young children in the home, the family immediately called 911 for help. Wildlife officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife arrived the next morning and released the mountain lion back into the same general area, as required by state law for such non-aggressive encounters. The family was notably unhappy with the decision, citing ongoing risks to their kids and remaining animals. Neighbors echoed the family’s common-sensical concerns, fearing the cougar, who is now familiar with an easy food source (and trapping methods), will likely return.

🎯 Blow Dart Attacks Target Deer, Ducks and Squirrels in Southwest Washington Neighborhood. Police in Battle Ground, Washington have launched a months-long investigation into a disturbing series of animal cruelty incidents they believe started around November 1st of last year. Local residents have since reported seeing a group of young men (estimated ages 18–25) shooting small animals with blow dart guns, pellet guns, and possibly a rifle. Affected wildlife included raccoons, squirrels, an adult deer, and ducks, all of which were pierced with long, razor-tipped blow darts that lodged in their bodies. Multiple darts were also found embedded in nearby home siding, rooftops, and trees, raising safety concerns for people and property.

The probe intensified when officers discovered four live ducks with darts stuck in them near Florence Robison Park; where one was captured and taken for veterinary treatment, while the others evaded rescue. The investigation seemed to catch a break last Wednesday as Battle Ground police, assisted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, executed a search warrant at a residence where they seized a pair of blowguns and other evidence. As of right now, no arrests have been made and detectives are still working to identify the suspects, who could face charges like reckless endangerment and animal cruelty.

🧑‍⚖️ Baton Rouge Court Schedules May Showdown Over Warrantless Hunting Checks on Private Property. A Baton Rouge court has set a tentative May trial date in a constitutional challenge against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The lawsuit, filed in March 2024 by East Feliciana resident Thomas Manuel (a forester and wildlife biologist who owns a 240-acre commercial tree farm in Ethel), questions whether LDWF agents can legally stop hunters and check licenses/tags on private property without suspicion, a warrant, or probable cause.

Under Louisiana's "entry statute," agents have authority for these warrantless inspections on private land, often justified by the "open fields doctrine", but Manuel argues it violates privacy protections in the Louisiana Constitution, allowing unrestrained government intrusion on his property. The dispute stems from incidents over the past two years where LDWF agents entered his land without permission to check for hunting violations (though no citations were issued in those cases). Manuel is represented by the Institute for Justice (IJ), which is challenging similar warrantless search practices in other states.

A judge recently denied summary judgment motions from both sides (including the Attorney General's office seeking dismissal), finding material factual issues that require a full bench trial. This sets up a key decision on the balance between wildlife enforcement powers and private property rights in Louisiana, potentially impacting how LDWF conducts compliance checks on non-public lands.

🔦 Shooting bears in a barrel cave. This is up close and personal and it’s dark and there’s bat flying around.

Ya, no. I’m not going….

Oh, and one more thing…