Sask. Woman Fined $12K in Black Bear Parts Trafficking Case 🧸

We are back and in the event that the whole Christmas/New Years break wasn’t quite long enough for you, here’s to hoping that the return of your favorite dispatch from the outdoor world can give you 5-or-so minutes to prep yourself for yet another week year.

So, without further ado, let’s grab that coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get caught up on everything we missed from the black hole that is the end of December/beginning of January.

Welcome back. 

Here's what's worth reading about today:

A GROWING PROBLEM
SASKATCHEWAN WOMAN FINED $12,000 IN INTERPROVINCIAL BEAR PARTS TRAFFICKING CASE

In the frozen prairies of west-central Saskatchewan, a quiet little black-market empire just got slapped with a $12,000 reality check. A woman and small-town trafficker extraordinaire, pleaded guilty last month after she was busted for slinging black bear parts that can command thousands of dollars worth of proceeds on the shadowy traditional medicine circuit halfway across the world. 

The case came to a close following a three year investigation, a cross-province sting, and ended with fines, a hunting ban, and a polite government reminder that poaching for pseudoscience isn't something that will be tolerated. Unfortunately, as long as there's insatiable demand for magical bile and exotic soup ingredients, someone will inevitably step up and supply it, regulations be damned…

Brief deer hunting window open for Ohioans using muzzleloaders: The four-day muzzleloader season, which draws a hardy crowd and delivers substantial amounts of venison, began Jan. 3 and will end Jan. 6 at 30 minutes after sunset. From then on, only bowhunters can take a whitetail legally until season’s end on Feb. 1. Read the full story.

Wyoming teen recognized by governor for ethical hunting decisions: A Laurel teenager is being recognized by Governor Greg Gianforte for demonstrating exceptional hunting ethics during her elk hunt over Thanksgiving a part of the Governor's Youth Hunting Story Contest. Read the full story.

Agency to conduct helicopter captures of deer, elk, wolves in northern California: The B.C. government has announced hunters will be able to harvest an additional deer this season in the Kootenays, in an effort to increase testing for chronic wasting disease. Read the full story.

Hunting bison in Colorado? CPW accepting applications for potential opportunities: This month, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is capturing deer, elk and wolves by helicopter and outfitting them with GPS collars, according to an agency news release.  Read the full story.

Wyoming wildlife managers nearing completion of plan for feeding Jackson Elk Herd: After years of bureaucratic wrangling over the future of Wyoming’s state-run elk feedgrounds, wildlife managers have nearly completed a plan for feedgrounds serving the Jackson Elk Herd.  Read the full story.

Bird flu cases affect one Arkansas duck hunter’s business: Duck hunting season started at the end of November in Arkansas with hunters looking forward to a successful season. When the season first kicked off news crews went out to England to meet with hunters part of Duck Down Guide Services, the season was looking promising and the business was booked with hundreds ready to go hunting until the owner Ryan Henderson said he ran into a big problem. Read the full story.

🧐 Nothing impresses me more than some straight up redneck ingenuity. Like how these fellas use what’s at their disposal to easily load up this cow into the back of their truck.

Wouldn’t be quite this easy up in the mountains…

Winter work.

📸 : @muleyfreak_erik

Oh, and one more thing…