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:
Busted - Group of illegal hunters bail from treestands and later get nailed for drugs, firearms and immigration charges 👮
Tragic - Ricocheted bullet accidentally kills 32-year-old raccoon hunter 🙏
No more second tags - PA officials are thinking of doing away with the second spring gobbler tags 🦃
Getting reps in - Watch this young fella take aim at a local deer 🔫
CAN OF WORMS
ILLEGAL HUNTING COMPLAINT SNOWBALLS INTO DRUG, GUN AND IMMIGRATION ARRESTS IN ALABAMA
A routine complaint about some suspected illegal hunting on private property has suddenly unraveled into a significant drug trafficking and firearms investigation, resulting in arrests and the seizure of substantial contraband.
The incident unfolded in December of last year, when Alabama Conservation Officers from the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division responded to a report of unauthorized hunting in rural Limestone County. Upon initial inspection, investigating officers spotted several individuals in tree stands on private land and ordered them to leave the property. But instead of simply complying with their requests, the subjects fled the scene…
HEADLINES // DIGESTIBLE SNIPPETS
Indiana DNR
🙏 Bullet Ricochets Off Tree, Kills 31-Year-Old Indiana Raccoon Hunter. Andrew Boots, 31-year-old man from North Judson, Indiana, died after being struck in the abdomen by a ricocheted bullet during a raccoon hunting trip in Fulton County on Saturday night around 10:30 p.m.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Boots was part of a group hunting raccoons in a wooded area near County Road 500 West, just south of State Road 110. One hunter fired at a raccoon climbing a tree, but the round ricocheted off the tree and hit Boots, who was standing nearby. Emergency responders transported him to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The incident remains under investigation by the DNR, with assistance from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, and other local agencies. No charges have been mentioned at this time, and appears to have been nothing more than a tragic accident.
🦃 Second Spring Turkey Tag on the Chopping Block to Offset Sunday Hunting Impact in Pennsylvania. The PA Game Commission is moving to eliminate the option for a second spring turkey tag, a change that would limit hunters to just one bearded gobbler per season starting in 2027. For nearly two decades, hunters have been able to purchase an additional tag (beyond the standard one) to potentially harvest two birds during the spring turkey season, with an average of about 26,300 second tags sold each year over the past five and success rates often higher for experienced hunters. The proposal, preliminarily approved in January and set for final vote at the commission's April meeting, aims to offset any potential increase in overall harvest once Sunday hunting is introduced to the spring season in 2027.
The key driver is wildlife management caution: recent data shows that in some Wildlife Management Units, adult male turkey harvest rates are approaching or nearing unsustainable levels, based on banding reports and harvest monitoring. PGC Wild Turkey Biologist Reina Tyl explained that the move addresses uncertainty around how added Sunday hunting days could boost participation and pressure on populations, particularly in vulnerable areas. While Pennsylvania's overall turkey numbers are stable or increasing, with a strong 2025 spring harvest of 42,543 birds (the highest since 2011), the commission wants to prioritize sustainability. They'll monitor the impacts closely through surveys, banding, and reports, and could reinstate the second tag if data shows the population can handle it. For 2026, the rules remain unchanged: the spring season runs May 2-30, with no Sunday hunting and the two-tag option still available.
THOUGHTS FROM THE STAND // FROM OUR NOTEPAD
Sometimes it’s better to talk to yourself than to listen to yourself
The best choices compound. The worst ones too.
Avoiding conflict means borrowing time and energy from your future-self… and the interest rates are high.
Not everything we want is something that he promised. 🙏
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
🔫 Ready, aim, FIRE! In this week’s edition of parenting done right, this young lad lines up his Nerf gun on a seemingly unsuspecting doe.
It ended up being a pretty good shot...
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
I’ve spent some time in Calgary but have never done any meaningful travel inside the great Canadian province of Alberta. This itinerary makes me think I ought to change that. To me, bidets are like foreign women. I’m really intrigued by them but have absolutely no idea how to approach them. Alright fellas (and ladies too, I suppose), underwear fitness is now becoming a thing. Be sure not to sit down on the bed or lean on a door frame to cover up your naughty bits. That’s right, forcing yourself to dance while doing it one leg at a time is now a wellness hack. And how the simple acts of giving people credit for their thoughts and beliefs, considering changing your perspective on things and being somewhat agreeable can show a great deal of intelligence.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
Oh, and one more thing…
