ven•a•tic: fond of or living by hunting
NORTH AMERICA’S MOST-READ OUTDOOR NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the newsletter. If you’re still with us, that means you’ve made it to the middle of yet another week.
With that said, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey and get this mid-week dispatch out the door.
Here's what's worth reading about this morning:
Unconstitutional - New Mexico AG is going after a small set-aside of outfitter tags he says are unconstitutional 🧑⚖️
Hunter rescued - Firefighters rescued a hunter suffering from a lower-leg injury near Idaho’s Galena Summit ⛑️
Dried out - Arkansas’ ongoing drought could leave popular duck hunting spots dry when the season opens 🦆
That’ll buff out - Yellowstone seasonal workers stranded after running into 2,000-lb bison 🦬
Therapy donkey killed - A local donkey was killed by a hunter’s stray bullet 🫏
Bad neighbors - These boys don’t know how to act on the neighbor’s patio 🫎
OVER 90% OF THOSE ELK TAGS WENT TO NONRESIDENTS
NEW MEXICO AG SAYS OUTFITTER HUNTING TAG SET-ASIDE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
New Mexico’s Attorney General ruffled some feathers earlier this week after releasing a formal legal opinion concluding that a state law that reserves 10% of big-game hunting licenses for hunters who hire outfitters violates the state Constitution’s Anti-Donation Clause and unfairly advantages wealthy out-of-state sportsmen.
As was requested by Democratic lawmakers back in April, AG Raúl Torrez’s opinion sets to examine a 2011 statute that requires the Department of Wildlife to set aside 10% of overall draw licenses for applicants under contract with a registered New Mexico outfitter. Their concerns, they say, are that the outfitter set-aside is leaving state residents “excluded from any opportunity to harvest healthy wild game as big game draw odds worsen year after year for residents.”
QUICK HITS // FROM AROUND THE WEB
Firefighters rescue injured hunter near Galena Summit: Firefighters rescued a hunter suffering from a lower-leg injury near Galena Summit in Blaine County Monday evening. The Blaine County Fire Protection District said its crews, along with several other departments, responded to the Galena Summit area on Oct. 12 to rescue a hunter with a lower-leg injury. Officials said they were able to carry the hunter out of the area and safely rescue them. Read the full story.
State Sees Success In Early Deer Hunts On Nantucket And Martha's Vineyard: The state's efforts to cull the massive deer herds on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard appear to be paying off. Combined with the totals from the new special winter season in early 2026 (Jan. 1 to Feb. 14) on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, the tally climbs to 522 deer killed on the islands during the new hunting seasons. Read the full story.
Drought could leave Arkansas duck hunting spots dry as season approaches: Arkansas’ ongoing drought could leave popular duck hunting spots dry when the season opens. At Stan Jones Mallard Lodge in Walnut Ridge, experts say low water levels — and less food — could affect where ducks gather this winter. Read the full story.
Yellowstone Seasonal Workers Stranded After Hitting 2,000-Pound Bison, Destroying Truck: Marie Ann and Jason Jaskula totaled their Dodge Ram when hitting a 2,000-pound bull bison in Yellowstone late last week. Now they have to find a way to haul out their fifth-wheel — also their home — before the park's interior roads close soon. Read the full story.
What your truck looks like after running into a 2,000-pound bison
Beloved therapy donkey killed by hunter’s stray bullet — and her owners are outraged: A beloved therapy donkey has been killed by a hunter – who blamed it on his bad shot. Angelique was with the rest of her herd in her pen at the Hasty’s Haven sanctuary in South Carolina when she was struck by a stray bullet on Sunday, the first day of the hunting season. Read the full story.
Apply for Utah's most prized hunting permits, starting Oct. 20: "If you draw a sportsman permit, you can hunt on almost every unit in Utah that's open to hunting the species you drew a permit for," DWR Administrative Services Assistant Chief Lindy Varney said. "Also, the season dates are much longer, so you'll have more time to scout different places to harvest an animal. It's truly the hunt of a lifetime." Read the full story.
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
🫎 You honestly can’t take these boys anywhere. Watch as these two big ol’ Jackson Hole bulls get after it on the neighbor’s back deck.
I wonder if they’re going to send the insurance company after them…
QUOTABLES // WORDS TO LIVE BY
When you are fed up with the troublesome present, take your gun, whistle for your dog, and go out to the mountain.”
— José Ortega y Gasset
HUMPDAY MEME // AH JUST MY SIZE
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
I’m not a big video game guy and never really was as I much preferred being out of doors. As such, I didn’t even get to try this E.T. game on Atari they say is one of the worst in the history of gaming. Here’s exactly what led to the deadly 1855 Portland Rum Riot in Maine. Traditionally known as an Omega guy, James Bond is set to wear a different watch in the the latest literary Bond adventure King Zero, which is set to publish in November. And I wish I never had to use this, but here’s how to tell (aside from them being insufferable) if someone is wearing smart glasses near you.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
When he gives you that look.
📸 by @eric.nature
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