Louisiana hunter convicted after firing at federal wildlife officers 🤦

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

NORTH AMERICA’S MOST-READ OUTDOOR NEWSLETTER

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:

DUDE…
LOUISIANA HUNTER CONVICTED OF FIRING TOWARD FEDERAL WILDLIFE AGENTS’ BOAT

In what was supposed to be a productive day on Louisiana’s Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge, a 23-year-old Monroe hunter by the name of Carson McKoin let his emotions get the best of him when he heard a boat coming into a hole his group thought they owned for the morning. Growing annoyed that someone could possibly be infringing on his honey hole, he fired a shotgun toward it and soon found out that the boat was not carrying another party of duck hunters.

It was two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents on patrol.

McKoin later called it a “signal shot” — a flare-the-birds, stay-off-our-spot blast, rather than an attempt to hit anyone. Agents testified he aimed at them, that they were visible coming into the hole, and that he knew wardens worked that water. 

Following the January 2024 incident, McKoin was indicted in February 2025 on charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. An April 2025 trial ended in a hung jury and he was later released on a $50,000 unsecured bond before the retrial that produced the conviction.

That retrial ran late last month where a second jury, after three days, convicted him of assaulting federal officers. Following that conviction, McKoin is now up against a possible 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

“Louisiana, long known as ‘Sportsman’s Paradise,’ is blessed with one of the richest outdoor traditions in the country,” U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller said in a statement. “But that tradition only succeeds when hunters exercise due care and responsibility with firearms. Reckless actions put lives at risk and are taken very seriously.”

December’s sentencing will decide how much growing up this young man gets to do from here.

Yellowstone lifts remaining fishing restrictions on Firehole, Madison and Gibbon rivers: Effective Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, the remaining restrictions on the Firehole, Madison and Gibbon rivers — including the Gibbon downstream of Norris Campground — and all associated tributaries will be lifted due to cooling weather and water temperatures. Read the full story.

Up to $3,000 reward offered as Maine wardens investigate 2 illegal deer killings: An up to $3,000 reward has been offered for information into two illegal deer killings that Maine wardens believe could be connected. Wardens says they believe the illegal killing of this deer may be connected to a similar case in the neighboring town of Mercer. Read the full story.

CPW defends citation for hunter who mistook — and fatally shot —collared wolf for coyote: Colorado Parks and Wildlife defended its decision to fine a hunter $140 for fatally shooting a collared wolf he mistook as a coyote, saying the agency made a choice that kept the case out of the courts.   Read the full story.

Wildlife workers in Oregon rescue two elk that became heavily entangled in firefighting hoses: On August 30, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials (ODFW) were alerted of a bull elk who'd gotten its antlers tangled in a fire hose at the site of the Hagen Fire. Upon arrival, ODFW officials properly and effectively sedated the bull elk, untangling and removing the fire hose from its antlers.  Read the full story.

Grizzly bear attack north of Columbia Falls a 'defensive encounter,' carcass nearby: During the investigation, officials discovered "a cached whitetail deer carcass approximately 100 yards off the trail", according to the press release. Since the attack was a defensive encounter, FWP will no longer try to find the bear. However, the trail remains closed to the public. Read the full story.

Louisiana is expanding its recreational gator hunt — with 10,000 alligators in the crosshairs: As alligator attacks rise in Louisiana, the state is expanding its recreational alligator hunt, allowing hunters to harvest up to 10,000 alligators. Read the full story.

Widower Mauled to Death by Bear That Broke Into His New Mexico Home: A New Mexico man was fatally mauled by a bear that entered his home last month, according to Navajo authorities.Halona had recently become a widower and was dealing with health problems that had significantly limited his mobility.  Read the full story.

🐊 ➡️ 🐻 An alligator in pursuit of a black bear. Watch as these fellas captured a bear swimming for shore with an alligator in pursuit on the Kissimmee River near Lake Okeechobee.

I have to believe that gator could have caught up to him if he wanted to…

The pull of the weekend.

📸 by @ alexkittoephotos

 Oh, and one more thing…