Montana Man Loses Hunting Rights for 8 Years After Taking 181 Ducks Over-Limit 🦆

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

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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:

THEY JUST WANTED ENOUGH MEAT FOR THE YEAR
MONTANA MAN LOSES HUNTING RIGHTS FOR 8 YEARS AFTER TAKING 181 DUCKS OVER THE LIMIT

A Simms man showed up in court last week and quickly learned that simply “wanting enough meat to last the whole year” is not, in fact, a recognized exception to Montana’s waterfowl rules. Following an admission of guilt in the case that saw investigators recover over 220 ducks connected to him and a hunting partner, he’s been slapped with an eight-year suspension of his hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges, a suspended year in jail, and about $4,500 in fines and restitution.

John Carullo was one of two men originally charged in March with felony unlawful possession, shipment, or transportation of game birds after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks investigators recovered 223 ducks connected to the case. Prosecutors amended Carullo’s charge to two misdemeanors, leading Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Christopher Abbott to follow the plea agreement, imposing a one-year jail sentence, fully suspended, along with the financial penalty and the privilege revocation…

Outdoor Warrior's Alliance expands hunting access for veterans in Kentucky: For more than two decades, the organization has provided free hunting experiences for disadvantaged youth, combat-wounded service members and veterans with disabilities. Now, funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs will help the nonprofit improve its facilities and expand resources available to participants. In October, the VA announced a total of $16 million in new grants to 91 community-based organizations across the country that provide adaptive sports programs for Veterans and service members with disabilities. Outdoor Warrior’s Alliance share of the grant was $50,000. Read the full story.

Montana study finds hunting regulations influence elk movement: Researchers fitted approximately 60 female elk with GPS collars in central Montana's Devil's Kitchen Elk Management Unit during the winters of 2019-20 and 2020-21. The study included hunting districts 445, 446 and 455, along with the Beartooth Wildlife Management Area. Read the full story.

Illinois hunters harvest 257 wild turkeys during fall firearm season: Illinois hunters harvested a preliminary total of 257 wild turkeys during the 2026 fall firearm season, a slight increase from the 255 harvested in 2025, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Read the full story.

Suspect arrested after K-9 tracks illegal deer hunters in Union County: The Union County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission have arrested a suspect following an illegal deer hunting investigation in Union County. The investigation began after a homeowner witnessed a deer run into his field and die from a gunshot wound in an area where hunting was restricted to archery season, the sheriff said in a news release. Read the full story.

Colville Tribes Sue Washington Over Wenatchi Hunting Rights: The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation have filed a federal lawsuit against two Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials, accusing the state of unlawfully preventing Wenatchi tribal members from exercising ancestral hunting rights in the Wenatchee National Forest and surrounding areas of North Central Washington. Read the full story.

Feeding deer and elk could once again be banned in parts of Lower Peninsula: Deer and elk feeding restrictions lifted in July in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula could partially return as soon as next month. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recommendsthe Natural Resources Commission — the state’s hunting and fishing regulator — pass a rule that would prohibit recreational feeding of deer and elk in 11 counties: Alpena, Alcona, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle and Roscommon. Read the full story.

😮 Now that’s a fish breaking water. Watch as this fishing group gets an absolute treat as this monster sturgeon puts on a show while on a trip down the Fraser River.

Definite bucket list fishing excursion…

The pull of the weekend.

 Oh, and one more thing…