Happy President’s Day, dear readers.
In the event that your boss didn’t give you the day off (mine didn’t), here’s to hoping that your favorite dispatch from the outdoor world can give you 5-or-so minutes to yourself as you prepare for the onslaught of another week.
So, without further ado, let’s grab that coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get caught up on the outdoor news and views from the past few days.
Here's what's worth reading about today:
That was quick - Michigan’s unique fishing season closes in just 48 minutes ⏱️
Mandatory reporting - Mississippi harvest reporting measure passes house 📋
Captive deer killed - Idaho officials dispatch of 82 mule deer and donate meat 🦌
Increases coming - Iowa is the latest state to eye increases in fishing and hunting licenses 💰
Don’t interfere - Don’t get between these two 🥊
DON’T BLINK
MICHIGAN’S 48-MINUTE FISHING SEASON ENDS BEFORE BREAKFAST
Ending likely in less time than it takes to binge your favorite Netflix episode, this year’s edition of Michigan’s Black Lake sturgeon harvest went out with a bang and resulted in six anglers hauling in just as many of these prehistoric fish and a little under an hour.
This year's season kicked off at 8 a.m. sharp on Saturday, February 7th, with nearly 700 hardy anglers registered and ready. The rules for this unique season are simple but strict and allow for anglers to catch-and-keep up to six lake sturgeon (with a buffer quota of seven to account for any "oops, we got two at once" moments, per tribal agreements). The season was slated to run through February 11—or until that magic number was hit, whichever came first…
QUICK HITS // FROM AROUND THE WEB
MS deer harvest reporting bill passes House. What hunters need to know: "We're in the Top 5 whitetail producers in the country," said Rep. Bill Kinkade, R-Byhalia, Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee chairman. "We're the only state in the country that doesn't have harvest reporting. We don't have any data." Read the full story.
Maryland DNR seeks public input for upcoming hunting seasons and bag limits: The public can review the proposed regulations and submit comments online through February 28. Proposals include regulations on the use of drones to recover injured or deceased game, expanded electronic check-in options for additional species, and modified firearm requirements for deer and bear hunting. Read the full story.
New York Cracks Down After Shocking Illegal Hunting Cases Exposed: New York State DEC officers across the Hudson Valley and New York State are cracking down on illegal deer hunting, and several recent cases show just how seriously the state is taking violations. Read the full story.
Mule deer lethally removed from captive elk facility will be donated to local food banks: Over the past few months, Idaho Fish and Game has removed 82 wild mule deer from inside a high-fenced captive elk facility in Game Management Unit 60A. After evaluating several options, including hazing deer out of the enclosure, Fish and Game determined that the lethal removal of these deer was the most responsible course of action. Read the full story.
Meat set for delivery | Idaho Fish and Game
Iowa Natural Resource Commission passes increase in hunting, fishing fees: “I know we’ve had a lot of good discussion and comments from the public about that. I think it is well overdue and needed,” he says. The fees have not been raised since 2019 and commissioners have pushed for several years to get the increase. Read the full story.
Elk Captured on the Crow Reservation Test Negative for Brucellosis: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, in conjunction with Crow Tribe Fish and Game, recently captured elk on the Crow Reservation as part of a collaborative effort between the Crow Tribe, FWP and the Department of Livestock. Blood samples from all 99 captured elk tested negative for brucellosis. Read the full story.
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
🥊 These bear fight videos are insane. And not just because some dude happened to be there when it happened but because I think of what it would be like to tangle with one of these fellas.
Imagine trying to break that up?
MONDAY MEME // WANT TO MEET HIM?
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
Early morning bourbons, skinny-dipping, McDonald’s runs and a few other quirky morning rituals of US Presidents. The article came at an interesting time in my life as I was just watching the luge event at this year’s Olympics the other night and pondering (with whiskey in hand), about how the hell this sport came to be. And more importantly; at which point was some dude like “you know what would make this better? If you laid on top of me and we called it doubles!” And speaking of interesting ideas, we all know about SMART goals, right? Well, what about DUMB ones?? Where and when possible, I’m a big napper but not in the sense that I will sacrifice an entire afternoon for one. Instead, I’ll often take what I call a “quick 20”, or a 15-20 minute nap in the afternoon, where and when possible (which isn’t as often as I’d my brain would like). It really works for me and apparently does wonders for the brain.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
That’s a rare picture right there.
Oh, and one more thing…
