Justice is Served in North Idaho Poaching Spree Case 🧑‍⚖️

The weekend might not be here just yet, but your favorite dispatch from the great outdoors is. 

So grab your coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and let's get caught up on the outdoor news and views from the past 24-or-so hours. 

Here's what's worth reading about today:

WHAT A WASTE
ST. MARIES MAN SENTENCED IN NORTH IDAHO POACHING SPREE

After illegally knocking down seven nice-sized whitetails, one of two St. Maries, Idaho men involved in the poaching spree finally met their match in court earlier this week. The sentencing marks the near conclusion of the high-profile poaching case that sent shockwaves through the Panhandle Region after an anonymous tip alerted authorities of the egregious crimes the pair committed. 

The two men involved in the case were later identified in court records and media reports as William D. Clark, 24, and Lucas B. Mitchell, 28. While official Idaho Department of Fish and Game releases have not named the sentenced individual, charging documents and local news coverage linked these names to the initial felony charges. Clark was arrested on a $50,000 warrant shortly after charges were filed, and both men faced allegations of conspiracy and multiple big game violations.…

📑 Jackson Hole Elk Study Targets Drop in Long-Range Migrants Amid Habitat Shifts. Wildlife managers are investigating a notable decline in long-distance migrations among the Jackson Elk Herd, one of North America's largest elk populations. Historically, many elk in this herd undertook epic seasonal journeys, often averaging 39 miles one-way, with some traveling up to 168 miles, from summer ranges in southern Yellowstone National Park, the Teton Wilderness, Gros Ventre drainage, and northern Grand Teton National Park to winter on the National Elk Refuge or state feedgrounds. However, recent data shows that the proportion of true long-distance migrants has dropped significantly over time, with more elk opting for shorter migrations or staying closer to human-developed areas, otherwise referred to as "suburban elk" that summer on nearby ranchlands, hayfields, and residential subdivisions.

This change is linked to factors like supplemental feeding on the National Elk Refuge and state feedgrounds, which can reduce migratory instincts and encourage sedentary behavior, as well as habitat changes, development pressures, and possibly individual animal "personality" traits favoring bolder, shorter-range lifestyles. The trend has implications for herd health, disease risk, hunting opportunities (long-distance migrants bear more harvest pressure), rancher conflicts, and overall biodiversity in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Wildlife managers from Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the National Elk Refuge, and partners (including the Jackson Hole Cooperative Elk Studies Group) are ramping up efforts with new GPS collar studies, focusing on short-distance migrants, capturing more animals on native winter range and feedgrounds, to better track segments, survival rates, migration patterns, and habitat use.

🦌 After Scrapping Castration Plan, Iron Mountain Votes to Close Deer Pen. The city of Iron Mountain, Michigan, has decided to close its longstanding deer pen in City Park after decades as a public attraction. The pen, dating back to at least the 1940s, houses 17 captive white-tailed deer in a 6-acre enclosure. The small herd suffers from health issues due to inbreeding, leading to sickness and poor conditions. The city spends about $7,000 annually on feeding, but a USDA inspection last spring identified deficiencies in the enclosure (e.g., inadequate shelter, reliance on a pond for water) and ordered improvements, including vet care.

The city initially considered castrating the bucks to allow the herd to die off naturally, but scrapped that plan when federal requirements demanded $22,000 in upfront upgrades plus $16,000 annually for ongoing maintenance—costs the majority of the City Council refused to cover. On February 2nd, the council voted 5-2 to close the pen entirely, pausing earlier plans to shoot the deer after significant public backlash and revulsion over the cull idea boiled to the surface.

Now, the city awaits approval from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to relocate the herd to another facility, an idea the DNR had previously rejected over fears of spreading diseases like tuberculosis. If relocation fails, the deer will likely be euthanized.

🫎 To Boost Moose Health, Vermont Eyes 50% Drop in 2026 Hunting Permits. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has proposed a significant reduction in moose hunting permits for 2026, recommending only 85 permits in Wildlife Management Unit E, located in the northeastern corner of the state. This is roughly half the 180 permits issued annually from 2023 through 2025, with no additional permits being recommended for the rest of Vermont. The proposal, presented to the Fish and Wildlife Board on Wednesday, includes 60 either-sex permits and 20 antlerless permits, expected to result in a harvest of about 42 moose—around 6% of the WMU-E population.

The main goal is to improve moose health by lowering population density in WMU-E, where moose are most abundant. High moose numbers support elevated populations of winter ticks, which cause severe issues like heavy blood loss and poor survival (especially for calves, with over half dying in some winters). This controlled harvest is part of a long-term strategy to foster a healthier, more sustainable moose population that, overall, remains stable at around 2,000 animals.

Alberta man pleads guilty to multiple violations of Wildlife Act: “This investigation began when fish and wildlife officers responded to two seemingly unrelated reports of shot and left mule deer, reported through the Report A Poacher line,” Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement stated in a Facebook post on Wednesday, Feb. 18.  Read the full story.

New York State’s $5 Hunting Licenses Are a Steal: As we get ready for spring to arrive and winter to fade away, those of us who love turkey hunting are already dreaming of being back in the woods. If you have kids planning to hunt this season, the price of admission to hunt turkeys in New York State is surprisingly affordable. Read the full story.

Republicans jam together and pass wake boat and sandhill crane hunt bill: Republicans in the Legislature have been working for years to pass legislation that would allow sandhill cranes to be hunted in Wisconsin. GOP lawmakers have introduced several bills on the issue.  Read the full story.

Public Lands Hybrid Is Hunters One-In-A-Million Bird: Jeremiah Steinert was hunting public lands in Southwest Oklahoma in Nov. 2025 when he shot what he and biologists suspect is a mallard – wood duck hybrid.  Read the full story.

3 Ohio hunters sentenced after skipping mandatory deer game-check procedures: During the 2025–26 deer season, wildlife officers in Carroll and Tuscarawas counties discovered that three individuals had harvested deer without completing the mandatory game‑check process—something investigators say they had also failed to do in previous seasons. Read the full story.

Arkansas GFC proposes simplified deer season structure and reduced regulations for 2026 : Commissioners at today’s meeting heard the first reading of proposed regulations changes for 2026; the common theme: reduction in both the number and complexity of the rules hunters and anglers must follow as they enjoy the woods and waters of The Natural State. Read the full story.

😲 What a crazy thing to stumble upon. Watch as this fella comes across two monsters that met their fate while locked up in an epic battle.

Apparently he even managed to salvage the meat…

The pull of the weekend.

📸 by: @yellowstoneoutfitters

Oh, and one more thing…