Kansas Officials Close Interstate Poaching Case on Tennessee Hunter

While we continue to slowly inch 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:

UNCOVERED DURING A RELATED INVESTIGATION
KANSAS WILDLIFE OFFICIALS CLOSE INTERSTATE POACHING CASE ON TENNESSEE HUNTER

On Monday, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks announced the closure of a years-long poaching investigation, resulting in a guilty plea from a Tennessee man for illegally killing a trophy whitetail deer in Miami County, Kansas. The case, which involved some cross-state deception and a lot of damning digital evidence, serves as yet another example of how the persistence of game wardens paid off in a big way. Notably, this violation came to light as a byproduct of probing another prominent poaching scandal involving a hunting show host, demonstrating how one enforcement effort can cascade into others.

The Tennessee suspect's actions trace back to late 2023, when he allegedly shot the large-antlered deer with a rifle in Miami County—near the Kansas-Missouri border—without a valid Kansas hunting permit. In an effort to cover his tracks, he transported the animal across state lines and falsely tagged it in Missouri, making the kill appear legal. However, KDWP game wardens stumbled upon evidence of this infraction in early 2024 while delving into an unrelated poaching probe.

That "unrelated" case? It was the federal investigation into Matt Jennings, a 35-year-old from Bowdon, Georgia, and host of the online hunting series The Game…

🫎 Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Moose Population Declines, Prompting New Tracking Study. Recent aerial surveys conducted by Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources revealed an unexpected decline in the Upper Peninsula’s moose population, with an estimated 300 moose in the core survey area, down from 426 in 2023. The most significant drop occurred in a low-density area, plummeting from 143 to just 43 moose. The DNR attributes this shift to potential habitat changes and moose moving beyond the central Upper Peninsula survey zones, noting that the animals roam across a broader region than what is covered in the surveys. Factors like winter tick infestations, which cause hair loss and impact moose health, are also factors that could contribute to the decline.

To understand why the moose population has not grown as anticipated since the 1980s “Moose Lift” relocation effort, which aimed for 1,000 moose by 2000, the DNR launched a new study in earlier this year. This project, involving Michigan State University and other partners, has already collared about 20 moose in the Michigamme Highlands to track their movements, lifespans, and reproduction rates. By June 2025, over 50,000 GPS points were collected, revealing nine calf births, including three sets of twins. The study, set to collar an additional 40 moose and continue through 2028, aims to uncover why the population remains stagnant as researchers track movements across the northern regions of the state.

🐦 Montana Boosts Pheasant Hunting with Nearly 18,000 Birds Released This Fall. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is set to release nearly 18,000 pheasants across wildlife management areas, fishing access sites, and school trust lands this fall to enhance hunting opportunities and attract new hunters. The initiative, which began with over 2,000 birds released last week, aims to spark enthusiasm for hunting and foster a commitment to conservation among participants.

FWP encourages hunters to prepare for the season, which kicked off on October 11th, by reviewing the 2025 Upland Bird Hunting Regulations to ensure compliance and safety. The strategic release of pheasants across various public lands is designed to make hunting accessible and appealing, particularly for newcomers, while supporting the state’s conservation efforts.

🐻 Bears Reclaim Texas Territory, Raising Concerns Over Human Conflicts. Black bears, once eradicated in Texas due to hunting, are making a notable return, particularly in the Trans-Pecos region, with numerous sightings in Big Bend National Park. Researchers from the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University, who are currently tracking 33 collared bears in West Texas and four in South Texas, note that bears seem to be migrating long distances from southern Mexico and neighboring states with established populations.

As bears continue to recolonize in the Lone Star State, human-bear conflicts are on the rise due to urbanization, habitat fragmentation, and drought, pushing bears toward human food sources like trash, water guzzlers, and game feeders. Incidents include a mother bear killed in Del Rio in 2020 after entering an urban area and a bear struck by a vehicle near Kerrville in 2024. Black bears are a protected, state-threatened species in Texas, making hunting them illegal. TPWD is reminding the public to remain calm during encounters and to report any and all sightings to aid ongoing research and management efforts.

🐍 Oh, hell no.

That’s all I have to say about this one..

Oh, and one more thing…