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:
Is this a joke? - No, this group wants an outright ban on killing any animals in the state of Oregon 🤦
I love big
bucksdoes and I cannot lie - Kentucky officials are asking hunters to take more does next season 🫡Aerial assault - A new Georgia bill may allow for drone hunting for hogs 🚁
Top 10 showing - It was a great year to be a deer hunter in the Buckeye State 🦌
Don’t bite that end - Watch as this young mountain lion chomps on the business end of a skunk 🦨💨
YOU’RE KIDDING, RIGHT?
OREGON’S RADICAL IP28 AIMS TO BAN HUNTING, FISHING AND SLAUGHTERING LIVESTOCK FOREVER
It’s safe to say that we’ve all seen some pretty bat-sh*t crazy ideas surface over the past 5 or 6 years, and if you thought that trend might be slowing down in 2026, think again. A new proposal coming out of the state of Oregon is aiming to redefine everyday practices like hunting and fishing as felony-level crimes. And what’s even more scary than the dystopian-level vibe that this initiative is packing is the fact that it’s damn near got enough support to make it on the November 2026 ballot.
Known officially as Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), but masquerading as the "People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act," this thing is nothing short of a full-frontal attack on hunting, fishing, trapping, and the very fabric of rural life. Pushed by out-of-touch animal rights activists, this ballot measure aims to strip away long-standing exemptions in Oregon's animal cruelty laws, criminalizing activities that have sustained families, economies, and wildlife for decades.
At its core, IP28 and its proponents are looking to yank most exemptions from the state's animal cruelty laws, which would include no more carve-outs for hunting, fishing, and trapping. No more for slaughtering livestock, artificial insemination (that’s "sexual assault of an animal", brother), and certainly none for taking out pesky gophers on the farm.
Buckle up because this is a wild one…
QUICK HITS // FROM AROUND THE WEB
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife urging hunters to harvest more does: In their annual report, the department said the overall deer harvest was the fifth-highest on record, with 145,433 deer harvested in the 2025-2026 season. However, doe harvest goals, which are set to maintain forest health and high quality herds, were well below their target. Read the full story.
You soon be able to hunt feral hogs with drones if Georgia passes new legislation: Rather than just sticking with traps, bows or guns, House Bill 946 would allow Georgians to hunt feral hogs with unmanned aircraft systems, but not weapons-enabled drones. Read the full story.
Illinois Extension’s local Hunters Feeding Illinois program provides over 2,600 pounds of venison to area food pantries: “This program is really all about making connections,” said SNAP-Ed Educator Alizah Harper, who spearheaded the program. “Hunters want to give back, local donors are willing to cover processing costs, and food pantries need quality protein. When these efforts come together, it helps meet local needs and ensures families in our communities have additional access to nutritious food.” Read the full story.
Deer hunting season in Ohio among top ten on record: Ohio hunters checked more than 230,000 white-tailed deer this season, making it the seventh highest total on record, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Read the full story.
Bear advocates seek regulation of hunting tactic, respect from regulators: Nevada’s black bear hunt amounts to an unsportsmanlike escapade, say wildlife advocates, who contend the state-sanctioned practice of hounding reduces the sport to shooting fish in a barrel. With a regulatory scheme that critics say has been hijacked by hunting interests, animal activists are hoping to make the bear hunt a political issue. Read the full story.
How to apply for the 2026 elk hunt in Tennessee: If you’d like to hunt elk in Tennessee this year, the application period for 2026 Elk Quota Hunts opens Feb. 4-25. Every year, thousands enter for a chance to take part, and for 2026, there are 19 permits available. Read the full story.
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
💪 You’ve got to be pretty dang hungry, man! Watch as this young lion takes a direct hit from the hind end of a skunk while trying subdue his next meal.
Word on the street is the cat’s gone vegan…
QUOTABLES // WORDS TO LIVE BY
“All America lies at the end of the wilderness road, and our past is not a dead past, but still lives in us. Our forefathers had civilization inside themselves, the wild outside. We live in the civilization they created, but within us the wilderness still lingers.”
— Larry McMurtry
HUMPDAY MEME // CAN TAKE A LIFETIME
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
As with most places you travel to, you’ll find a bar for just about every occasion and Japan is no exception. In fact, they’ve even got a bar specifically designed for folks who are thinking about quitting their jobs. I don’t think I’ve ever called ahead to a hotel that I had a reservation at. For the most part, I just show up and expect that everything is laid out for me as expected. As most of us know, that’s not always the case, and hence, why this advocates for a courtesy call ahead of time, every time. Last week we shared a meme about an old dude bidding farewell to his garage fridge. And as heart-shattering as that thought was to me, I am even more moved after reading this story of how explorer Steve Burgess bid farewell to his trusty Land Rover. And while I am not suggesting that any of you committed gentlemen out there skip Valentine’s Day, for those without a special enough someone, the easiest way to avoid it is simply to skip town.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
Story of my life.
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Oh, and one more thing…
