Sask. Game Farm Owner Fined Over $35K for Illegal Outfitting and Wildlife Violations 👮

As we continue to inch towards the Christmas break, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee, eggnog or whiskey (no judgement) and get into what this beautiful Tuesday has to offer.

Here's what's worth reading about so far this week:

BLURRING A LOT OF LINES
SASKATCHEWAN GAME FARM OWNER FINED OVER $35K FOR ILLEGAL OUTFITTING AND WILDLIFE VIOLATIONS

A year-and-a-half investigation by the Saskatchewan Conservation Officer Service has led to significant penalties for unlawful outfitting activities and the possession of wild animals at Hartland Whitetails Ltd., a domestic game farm near Briercrest, about 55 km (34 miles) southwest of Regina.

Allen Morhart, the owner of Hartland Whitetails Ltd. from Elbow, SK, pleaded guilty last month to four charges under the province's wildlife laws. The offences stemmed from incidents in September of 2023, when three European clients visited the farm for a 5-day hunt during the 2023 season.

The investigation began in December 2023 after Moose Jaw conservation officers received a tip about the illegal harvest of a wild moose inside the game farm enclosure and the baiting of wild deer. According to an agreed statement of facts, Morhart provided outfitting services without the required licence to one client, resulting in the unlawful harvest of a wild bull moose, along with a wild mule deer…

🕵️‍♀️ Cow Elk Found Shot, Stabbed, and Abandoned on Soccer Field in Western Washington. A cow elk was discovered unlawfully killed and left to waste on a soccer field at the Bishop Athletic Complex near Aberdeen in Grays Harbor County, Western Washington. The animal was found early on the morning of December 20th, by a citizen who reported it deceased and covered with camouflage netting. Investigators from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police determined that the elk had been shot in the spine and then stabbed with a knife, with no meat harvested—qualifying as unlawful waste under state wildlife laws.

The WDFW Police are actively investigating the incident and are asking for the public's help in identifying those responsible. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 877-933-9847, online via the WDFW website, or by texting/submitting photos to WDFWTIP at TIP411 (847411). Anyone providing information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward or bonus points toward special permit hunting opportunities.

🙏 Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Florida Fishermen. The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for Randall Spivey, 57, and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, 33, who went missing during a fishing trip off Fort Myers on December 19th. The massive effort, one of the largest in Southwest Florida history, covered nearly 67,000 square miles—roughly the size of Connecticut—using air and sea resources from the Coast Guard, local agencies, volunteers, and groups like the Cajun Navy.

The pair’s 42-foot Freeman boat was found unmanned and drifting about 70 miles offshore on December 20, still running in gear, with some life jackets missing, leading family to hope the men were afloat. Despite intensive searches through last night, no sign of the men was found. The Coast Guard expressed condolences to the families.

🐺 Judge Declines to Halt Montana’s 2025-26 Wolf Hunting and Trapping Seasons. A Montana district court judge refused to stop the state’s 2025-26 wolf hunting and trapping seasons despite an emergency petition from environmental and pro-wolf groups. On December 19th, First Judicial District Judge Christopher Abbott in Lewis and Clark County ruled that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated a likelihood of irreparable harm or that the wolf population was “plummeting.” He stated, “nothing suggests that the 2025/2026 season is likely to push wolf populations to an unsustainable level or cause them irreparable injury.”

The groups, including WildEarth Guardians, Project Coyote, Footloose Montana, and Gallatin Wildlife Association, challenged regulations adopted by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission in August 2025, which set a statewide harvest quota of up to 452 wolves (plus additional limits in certain areas and up to 100 via controlled removals for livestock issues). They argued the quotas risked driving the population below sustainable levels (around 450 wolves). The judge allowed the lawsuit to proceed and permitted the groups to amend their complaint to contest related 2021 laws aimed at reducing wolf numbers. The seasons are now proceeding as planned, with hunting starting September 1 and trapping varying by region (some delayed by federal injunctions).

🧸 When the young bear gets a little too curious. You’re sitting way up in your deer blind and this young fella just keeps pushing the limits, so you decide to give him a little spray to keep him at bay.

If you watch until the end, the poor bugger runs right into a damn tree…

Oh, and one more thing…