In the event that the weekend wasn’t quite long enough for you, here’s to hoping that your favorite dispatch from the outdoor world can give you 5-or-so minutes to prep yourself for yet 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:
Another one - Northern Idaho man sentenced in egregious poaching case 🧑⚖️
Apps open - North Dakota’s elk, moose and bighorn application period is now open 🗳️
Baiting on preserves - Alaska is toying with the idea of overturning the ban 🍎
Missing hunter - An Alabama man has gone missing after going hunting in Tennessee 🧭
Crook county crooks - Pair of bulls found dumped in Oregon 🤬
Down the hatch - You sure you can eat all that? 🫣
BIGGER FINES, PLEASE
NORTH IDAHO MAN SENTENCED FOR POACHING SPREE, LOSES HUNTING RIGHTS FOR 17 YEARS
A 23-year-old Coeur d’Alene resident has been sentenced to jail time and a lengthy revocation of hunting privileges following a two-month illegal hunting rampage in late 2024 that prosecutors and a judge described as a “killing spree.”
Cole R. Clark pleaded guilty back in December to a pair of felony counts of unlawfully killing wildlife within a 12-month period. The charges stemmed from incidents that took place between September and November 2024, during which Clark illegally killed multiple deer and at least one elk.
According to court records and reports from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Clark employed prohibited methods including spotlighting and illegal baiting sites to attract game. He also reportedly wasted edible portions of the animals, leaving meat to spoil rather than utilizing it responsibly.
In what is perhaps the most egregious aspect of the case, Clark went as far as posing as a guide and charged fees to lead illegal hunts. Unfortunately for our young man, he ended up organizing and conducting two such hunts specifically for undercover IDFG conservation officers…
QUICK HITS // FROM AROUND THE WEB
Applications open for North Dakota elk, moose and bighorn sheep licenses: Elk, moose and bighorn sheep hunting license applications are available in North Dakota through March 25. Read the full story.
Extended Hunting Season Shoots Deer Harvests to Near-Record High: The new extended deer hunting season this year produced one of the highest Vineyard harvests on record. The Vineyard pulled in 934 total deer from Oct. 6 through Feb. 14, a 17 per cent increase from last year according to preliminary state data. The winter season was enacted to help reduce the Island’s overabundant herd and added 171 deer to the total. Read the full story.
Bear baiting, other controversial sport hunting in Alaska’s national preserves may be back on the table: The Department of the Interior is moving to roll back nearly a decade of federal hunting restrictions in Alaska’s national preserves, reigniting a long-running battle over who controls wildlife management on federal lands. Read the full story.
Alabama man reported missing after leaving home to go hunting in Tennessee, sheriff says: Cahje Rector, 32, was last seen leaving his home in Stevenson, Alabama, around 3 p.m. on Thursday to go hunting around the Sherwood area of Franklin County, Tennessee. FCSO said he was reportedly riding a green 2019 Honda Rancher four-wheeler. Read the full story.
Missing hunter Cahje Rector
Michigan bills propose lifetime hunting and fishing licenses for disabled veterans: If signed into law, Senate Bill 821 and House Bill 5687 would create a tiered structure for the licenses that aligns discounted costs with the severity of a veteran's service-connected disability, according to officials on Thursday. Read the full story.
2 bull elk found dumped in Crook County, angering hunters; OSP seeks poachers: The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help identifying the people responsible for the apparently unlawful take of two bull elk in Crook County last week. Read the full story.
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
😲 Down the hatch. I often see these birds and remain fascinated by their ability to swim underwater.
Having now watched this, I am now equally as impressed by the size of fish they can shove down their throats…
MONDAY MEME // GOOD FOR THE SOUL
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
The sequel to the original Ace Ventura came out in the mid-nineties and, given my age at the time, I was particularly fond of the scene where Ace was butt-birthed by a rhinoceros. Well, as luck would have it, that memorable prop is now for sale. The greater prairie chicken was just removed from ESA protection so it seems fitting, now more than ever, to visit the world’s largest prairie chicken located in Rothesay, Minnesota. Some new research is indicating that, much like us humanoids, chimps are incredibly fascinated with shiny crystals and rare stones. And 15 of the weirdest liquor laws in the United States.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
Icons.
Oh, and one more thing…
