Louisiana’s First Recreational Alligator Season Is In the Books 🐊

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

NORTH AMERICA’S MOST-READ OUTDOOR NEWSLETTER

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:

A TRUE CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY
LOUISIANA’S FIRST RECREATIONAL GATOR SEASON IS IN THE BOOKS

The great state of Louisiana closed the books on its inaugural recreational alligator hunting season on October 31st, and the results are impressive. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported that 3,606 hunters killed 1,817 alligators during the month-long season that ran statewide during October across eight hunt zones. According to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the average size of the gators taken was about 7.5 feet, in line with long-term historic harvest data from the commercial season.

This newfound season was created by legislation passed earlier this year and administered through a lottery system, giving resident hunters a controlled opportunity to pursue alligators separate from the long-established commercial program…

😍 Missouri Park Closes After Young Bull Elk Accused of ‘Acting Like a Teenager’ During Mating Season. A first-year herd bull at Lone Elk Park in St. Louis County has been living up to every stereotype of a teenage male, all while weighing several hundred pounds and sporting a nice set of antlers atop his head. Officials closed the park Monday after the young bull, who was apparently recently promoted to herd leader, grew unusually protective and started treating visitors’ cars like unwelcome rivals. One woman watched him rake her Ford Fusion with his antlers, leaving scratches and a dent; she took it in stride, noting that she was, after all, sitting in his living room.

St. Louis County Parks and Recreation described the closure as an abundance of caution while the bull “acts a little bit like a teenager.” Eric Johnson, the acting parks director, said it’s been a decade since a bull this wound-up forced a shutdown. The park is expected to reopen once the rut winds down and the young bull finally calms down, assuming he doesn’t start demanding the keys to the family truck first.

🙏 Indiana Man Dies After Crossbow Accidentally Discharges During Wabash County Hunt. A Fairmount man has died as the result of a hunting accident in Wabash County, Indiana. Shortly before 6 p.m. on Sunday, Indiana Conservation Officers responded to a report near Lagro, where a preliminary investigation found that the hunter had accidentally discharged a crossbow, sending an arrow into his right leg and causing life-threatening injuries.

First responders treated him at the scene before he was airlifted to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne but he unfortunately later died from his injuries. The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and the incident remains under investigation by Indiana Conservation Officers, with assistance from the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department, Lagro Township Fire Department, Wabash Fire Department, and Indiana State Police.

👨‍⚖️ Georgia Inmate Sentenced to 8 Years for Selling Fake Florida Hunting Leases from Prison. 39-year-old Rodney Edward Smith of Chatsworth, Georgia, was sentenced late last month to eight years in a Florida prison after pleading guilty to running a hunting lease fraud scheme while incarcerated in a Georgia facility. Using smuggled cellphones and fake online identities, Smith negotiated fake hunting lease agreements and collected deposits from hunters across 15 Florida counties between July 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026, defrauding victims of thousands of dollars.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigators filed felony charges against him in back in May and Smith was extradited from the Georgia prison in mid-August. He pleaded guilty to three third-degree felonies, including scheme to defraud less than $20,000, illegal use of a two-way communication device, and cheating, plus a first-degree felony for fraudulently offering property for sale or lease.

🐻 The wilderness can be a cruel place. As the story goes, these two bears were seen feeding together for several weeks, that is until the salmon ran out.

It was at this moment that sow suddenly started looking like a literal snack…

Oh, and one more thing…