Judge Jails Former Brand Inspector in Wyoming Moose-Roping Case 🤠

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

NORTH AMERICA’S MOST-READ OUTDOOR NEWSLETTER

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the newsletter. If you’re still with us, that means you’ve made it to the middle of yet another week.

With that said, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey and get this mid-week dispatch out the door.

Here's what's worth reading about this morning:

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JUDGE JAILS FORMER BRAND INSPECTOR IN WYOMING MOOSE-ROPING CASE

It’s been over five years since a trio of Wyoming cowboys thought it a good idea to rope and ride a sickly moose and a Uinta County judge has finally put the case to bed. Sitting in court earlier this month, Third District Judge James Kaste sentenced the three men involved in the May 2021 incidents on the M Arrow Ranch, and did something the pre-negotiated plea deals did not anticipate: he put the adult in the room in jail.

For those who have followed the coverage here, the basic facts have not changed. In May 2021, Range Martin (then 18) and Kylan Platt (then 17) roped, rode, and spurred a visibly infirm cow moose on Justin Martin’s roughly 5,000-acre ranch north of Bear River. Video later recovered from Justin Martin’s phone shows him filming one of the encounters, laughing, and encouraging the rider saying “All right now, spur that son of a bitch.” The animal was described by investigators as unhealthy and was believed to be blind in one eye. The younger men initially claimed they were simply trying to move the moose while working cattle, but Game and Fish testimony at sentencing indicated the video showed no nearby cattle or fences…

Ohio Closes Ruffed Grouse Hunting For First Time Since 1937 As Number Crash: Ohio hunters heading into the woods this fall will not find a general ruffed grouse season anywhere in the state for the first time since 1937. The Ohio Wildlife Council voted in May to restrict grouse hunting to permit-only controlled hunts on four designated public areas, ending nearly nine decades of open-season hunting for a bird that once thrived across the state's forests. Read the full story. 

Charges upgraded in hunting-related shooting after death of Braxton County man: A Braxton County hunter is now charged with involuntary manslaughter after the death of the hunter that state police say he accidentally shot. Troopers said Tuesday charges have been upgraded against Arthur Neff, 64, of Strange Creek, to involuntary manslaughter following the Monday death of Bobby Stillwell, 42, also of Strange Creek. Read the full story.

Virginia Department of Wildlife  Resources Warns of Deer Overpopulation, Encourages Hunting: Deer populations on private lands are above objective in many areas of Virginia, according to the Virginia department of wildlife resources. the report indicates Frederick county, Virginia is among the areas highlighted as needing significantly more doe harvested on private lands. that is creating plenty of opportunity for private land hunters to fill the freezer while helping balance the herds. Read the full story.

Minnesota DNR decides not to implement three-duck limit option: “We considered the perspectives shared and also evaluated the potential biological impacts of this option,” said Nate Huck, DNR migratory gamebird consultant. “Our assessment suggested this evaluation would not negatively impact duck populations. However, we heard from many hunters who believe the existing six‑bird structure supports a culture of responsibility, mentorship and tradition.” Read the full story.

Iowa loses 10,000 acres of public hunting access ahead of pheasant season: Iowa's pheasant hunting season opens Oct. 31, but hunters will have fewer places to hunt this year after approximately 10,000 acres were removed from a state program that provides public access to privately owned land. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says roughly one-third of the land previously enrolled in the Iowa Habitat and Access Program, or IHAP, is no longer available for public hunting. Read the full story.

Grant County man dies in fall while hunting in eastern Baker: A Grant County man died Sunday, Oct. 18, in eastern Baker County after falling down a rock chute while hunting chukars. Anthony Newton Van Cleave, 49, of Mount Vernon, died from his injuries, said Ashley McClay, public information officer for the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.  Read the full story.

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