Remember Tex the Grizzly Bear? Well, They Finally Found Who They Think Killed Him 🕵️‍♀️

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:

OL’ TEX MET HIS MATCH
REMEMBER TEX THE GRIZZLY BEAR? WELL, THEY FINALLY FOUND OUT WHO THEY THINK KILLED HIM

Ah, our old friend, Tex. The wandering grizzly who swam his way into the hearts of many (and onto Texada Island) like a furry folk hero in what has become a twisted Canadian wildlife management tale. If you've been following along, you'll recall the rogue band of islanders defying the government, hatching secret relocation plots, and roping in First Nations wisdom to save a "problem" bear from a bureaucratic bullet.

Well, no matter how many people and organizations banded together to save Tex, it wasn’t enough to save the agitating bear from himself. Now, nearly seven months after his untimely demise, the saga has a courtroom coda that's equal parts closure and head-scratcher…

🧸 Iowa Moves to Protect Black Bears with New Fines and Regulations Amid Growing Presence. Iowa lawmakers are advancing a bill to provide legal protections for black bears amid rising sightings in the state. House File 2099, introduced by Republican Rep. Brian Lohse of Bondurant, would designate black bears as a protected furbearer species. This would impose a $2,500 fine for unlawfully killing one and close a current legal gap where black bears aren't recognized under Iowa's wildlife or hunting laws, meaning no existing penalties or regulations apply to them. The measure received unanimous support from a House natural resources subcommittee and is seen as a foundational step toward better wildlife management.

Proponents, including the Iowa Conservation Alliance and Iowa Sierra Club, argue the bill acknowledges the growing presence of black bears and allows the Natural Resource Commission to eventually establish regulated hunting or trapping seasons if populations expand significantly. The bill doesn't create immediate hunting seasons but instead, provides a framework for future DNR oversight as bears become more established in areas like the northeast regions of the state.

🚜 Kentucky Farmland Owners Gain Hunting and Fishing License Exemption—Even If They Don’t Live on the Property. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has issued a formal opinion clarifying that Kentucky residents who own farmland are eligible for an exemption from hunting and fishing license requirements, even if they do not reside on the property itself. This reverses decades-old interpretations from 1963 and 1979 that had limited the exemption to owners living on their land. The opinion, announced on Thursday, stems from a request by State Sen. Gary Boswell (R-Owensboro) and was developed in consultation with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

Under Kentucky law, resident owners of farmland (along with their spouses and dependent children) can now hunt or fish on their own property during open seasons without needing licenses or permits, regardless of where they live in the state, so long as they meet the state’s residency definition.

⛈️ Stranded Duck Hunters Survive Gale-Force Winds and Freezing Temps After Boat Drifts Away on Louisiana's Northshore. A duck hunting trip on the Bayou State’s Northshore turned into a harrowing fight for survival when three men from Mandeville became stranded in freezing conditions after their boat drifted away. On Saturday, Aric LeBrun and his two friends launched their boat near Lake Road in the Big Branch Marsh close to Lacombe. As they hunted, their anchor slipped amid gale-force winds and bitter cold, sending the vessel drifting nearly two miles into Lake Pontchartrain. The men ended up on a remote beach in the Goose Point area, where they called 911 around 8:30 a.m. after watching the boat float out about a mile before the anchor caught again.

St. Tammany Parish Marine Division deputies, including Deputy Joey Schwindling and Sgt. Jared Mire, responded in treacherous weather with wind gusts up to 25 mph and icy conditions. Schwindling navigated a shallow-draft mud boat for 40 minutes to reach them, finding one hunter wading knee-deep in cold water without gloves. The deputies safely extracted the cold and shaken men, then recovered the drifting boat using a larger vessel. All three hunters returned home unharmed, and had nothing to show but one duck for the ordeal. Sgt. Mire noted the men might not have survived more than 45 minutes to an hour if they'd fallen into the water.

Kansas Wildlife and Parks asks lawmakers to raise migratory bird hunting fees: House Bill 2507 would raise the cap for migratory fowl stamp fees from $8 to $25 for Kansas residents and to $100 for nonresidents. The House Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony on the bill Wednesday. Read the full story.

Iowa DNR launches statewide hunting season review sessions to weigh rule changes: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will host a series of public, town hall-style meetings across the state to review recent hunting seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting regulations and gather public input. Read the full story.

Michigan House Passes Bill to Legalize Deer Baiting for Hunting Season: House Bill 4445 would amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to allow deer baiting during deer hunting season. It officially passed the Michigan House of Representatives by a vote of 66 to 38.  Read the full story.

Huge elk named ‘Split 5,’ regarded as the king of the Estes Park herd, killed by hunter: The gigantic bull elk, called “Split 5,” hailed as the king of the Estes Park herd, was apparently shot during Colorado’s fall hunting season. Experts believe the bull was a 400-class, which are about as gigantic as elk can get naturally. The name “Split 5” came from a split in the bull’s G5, or the fifth point branching off his main antler beams. Read the full story.

Utah lawmakers weigh aerial hunting expansion, tougher feral swine penalties: The animal depredation amendments bill, or HB 326, as it is known in Utah's 2026 Utah legislative session, aims to allow the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to issue aerial hunting permits and licenses for taking coyotes from aircraft, enable the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Board to set an annual predator control fee and alter criminal penalties relating to feral pigs, among other provisions.  Read the full story.

Delaware Spring Turkey Season Lottery Attracts Record Number of Applicants for Hunting State Wildlife Areas: The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that the 2026 lottery for State Wildlife Area Spring Turkey Season hunting permits has once again drawn the largest applicant pool since the State’s first turkey hunting lottery was held in 1991. This year, 540 permits were available to 992 hunters who applied for them ahead of the upcoming spring season. Read the full story.

💪 These hounds (and houndsmen) are braver than I am. Watch as these fellas corner a big old cat and show absolutely zero fear in approaching it.

Hell of a backdrop too…

The pull of the weekend.

📸 by: @littlecreekoutfitters

Oh, and one more thing…