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:
Bruh - Utah poacher busted again following 30-year history of bending the rules 🤦
Low-tech hunting only - Idaho laws come into play banning thermal, night vision, drones and more 🚁
Jersey Shore hunt? - There’s a “situation” on the shore and the only answer might involve a deer hunt ⛱️
Roadkill cafe - A Louisiana restaurant is busted after allegedly having a freezer full of roadkill 🍽️
Antler point restriction - Wyoming keeps mule deer restrictions in place 🦌
One very sick deer - Watch as it throws itself through a window 🪟
NOT SURE WE’RE GOING TO GET THROUGH TO HIM
SERIAL POACHER TAKES TWELVE BOBCATS USING DAUGHTER’S PERMITS WITH SUSPENDED LICENSE
In the great tradition of guys who just refuse to stop doing the thing they love, meet 66-year-old Donavon John Yates, a serial poacher apparently immune to the concept of a suspended hunting license. With multiple prior convictions on his record and a license revoked since 2019, Yates now faces a fresh batch of charges after authorities say he killed and tried to sell roughly a dozen protected bobcats using tags borrowed from his daughter.
Mr. Yates, of Nephi, Utah, was charged Wednesday in 4th District Court with four third-degree felony counts of wanton destruction of protected wildlife. In addition to the felony counts, he is also facing 10 class B misdemeanor counts of violating a suspended hunting license and one class B misdemeanor count of transferring a hunting or fishing license.
According to court documents, Yates allegedly stacked 12 bobcats between December 20, 2025, and January 18, 2026, then showed up on February 19th trying to sell them — all while his hunting license had been suspended since March 2019. Investigators later discovered that every animal was tagged with permits his daughter had obtained and quietly handed over to him…
QUICK HITS // FROM AROUND THE WEB
PA lawmaker to introduce bill allowing baiting while hunting in 'special circumstances': Pennsylvania lawmakers could mull whether there are special circumstances that would warrant using bait while hunting in the future, according to a memo introduced to the House of Representatives. Read the full story.
New law limits technology when it comes to hunting big game animals in Idaho: The law prevents hunters from using thermal imaging, night vision, drones, and transmitting trail cameras to hunt big game animals and game birds from August 30 to December 31. Read the full story.
Louisiana clears way for alligator hunting as reptile population explodes: Louisiana's Legislature has cleared the way for the state's first recreational alligator hunting season after the House unanimously approved a bill April 29 authorizing the Wildlife Commission to move forward in establishing the final regulations. Read the full story.
One of the Jersey Shore’s most popular beaches has a huge deer problem: Sandy Hook officials said they will discuss a new deer management plan at a public meeting Thursday. The deer are inside the 6-mile Sandy Hook section of the Gateway National Recreation Area in Monmouth County, which is managed by the National Park Service. Read the full story.
Pineville Police find roadkill deer in restaurant freezer: The release goes on to say that “the deer carcass was found stored in a freezer alongside other food items that were allegedly intended to be served to customers inside the establishment.” Read the full story.
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission keeps antler point restrictions on mule deer: The restrictions were put in place following the 2022-23 winter, when persistent snow and cold temperatures killed thousands of animals in the Sublette and Wyoming Range herds. The Wyoming Range Herd dropped from 30,000 to 10,000 animals. The Sublette Herd fared better, but lost about 4,000 animals. Read the full story.
Bear hunting licenses could soon be available to non-resident landowners: A bill establishing a non-resident bear hunting license for landowners, carried by Rep. Neil Riser, R-Columbia, would allow people from out of state who own land in Louisiana to enter a lottery for bear hunting tags. Read the full story.
VIDEO // SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN
🦌 This deer drove itself crazy enough to crash through a damn window. It looks very much like this deer was suffering from CWD or something similar as it made a few laps around the yard before making the charge.
You hate to see it…
WEEKEND MEME // KEEP IT COMIN’
WANDERINGS // A SFW GLIMPSE OF OUR BROWSER HISTORY
At one point in my life, I lived on a tiny island out in the Caribbean Sea that had literally just one or two cars on it. I would imagine that’s no longer the case, but you can still visit these six small towns that remain carless to this day. We all have our good days and our bad days. And while I try to control to have more of the former, the latter still seem to pop up a few times a week. Here’s why we might be so productive and focused on some days and incredibly foggy on others. Barrett, Foley and Cameron are just a few last names that used to be insults. And it’s the weekend. Perhaps its time to pour a couple of fingers and sit with a little poetry from the late, great Charles Bukowski.
EYE CANDY // PICTURES > WORDS
The pull of the weekend.
📸 by: @briwoolnough!
Oh, and one more thing…
