7 hunting buddies among the casualties of last week's plane crash 🙏

In trusting that the weekend wasn’t quite long enough, here’s to hoping that your favorite dispatch from the outdoor world can give you 5-or-so minutes to yourself as we prepare for the onslaught of another week.

So, without further adieu, let’s grab that coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get caught up on the outdoor news and views from the past few days. 

Here's what's worth reading about today:

• Doing what they loved - 7 hunting buddies among the deceased in DC plane crash 🙏

• Utah odds - DNR trying to help us make sense of it all 🤔

• Grants for processors - Pa. toying with idea of more $ for processors 🔪

• Disease affecting Iowa harvest - Some counties saw sharp reductions 🦌

• Stampede! - Just get the hell out of the way! 🦬

TERRIBLE
7 HUNTING BUDDIES AMONG THE CASUALTIES OF LAST WEEK’S DC PLANE CRASH

Among the 67 people killed last week after American Airlines flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter was a group of seven hunting buddies who were on their way home from a hunting trip in Kansas. 

Chasing waterfowl in Great Bend, Kansas - about 100 miles outside of Wichita - the group was hunting with Fowl Plains Outfitters who played host to the seven men and three other buddies who were part of the group. With a ton of gear and dogs in tow, three of the members of the hunting group made the decision to make the trek to Kansas via automobile, while the remaining seven traveled by air, which ended tragically on Wednesday…

QUICK HITS // ^{_{FROM AROUND THE WEB}}

Iowa DNR to host community meetings on hunting, possible rule changes: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is hosting a series of public meetings to discuss the past hunting and trapping season and possible rule and regulation changes to the sports.   Read the full story.

Utah Big game drawing odds & points reports: Due to the complexity of the odds for hunters' second through fifth choices — which can be affected by residency status, youth status, group applications, dedicated hunter selections and weapon types — those odds are not included in these reports. Read the full story.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Considering Grants for Deer Processors: A new program being developed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission aims to fill a gap existing between the hunt and the dinner table. Read the full story.

Owasso police successfully de-escalate situation with persistent deer trying to enter SUV: The Owasso Police Department recently responded to a driver who was having issues with a deer trying to enter their vehicle. Read the full story.

Some Indiana counties see lower deer harvest numbers in wake of disease:  Some areas in northeast Indiana, such as Allen and Wabash counties, encountered a “significant” disease event among deer populations, and harvest results show numbers were noticeably down in those counties.  Read the full story.

Colorado deer rescued from tomato cage after month-long ordeal: Colorado Parks and Wildlife said on social media that a mule deer doe in Hotchkiss had a tomato cage wrapped around her body for about a month.  Read the full story.

VIDEO // ^{_{SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN}}

🦬 When a bison stampede comes right at your tour bus. According to the post, a tour bus cruising Yellowstone suddenly was in the middle of a bison stamped. Turns out they didn’t mow down the bus, but did wonder what in the hell all those tourists were looking at and why they were in the way of such a perfectly groomed runway…

Winter is so nice…in small doses.

📸 : @tom_the_funghi

Oh, and one more thing…