A Dozen Antelope Illegally Killed in Alleged Mass Thrill Killing in Wyoming

I’m currently at the “it’s Thursday already?” phase of the workweek and am unsure as to whether or not that is a good thing as of yet.

With that in mind, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get this Thursday morning dispatch out the door.

Here's what's worth reading about today:

• Thrill kill - A dozen antelope illegally blasted in Wyoming 🤬

• Appeal denied - The Lancaster County bear hunter is denied…again 🧑‍⚖️

• Here to stay - Oregon’s landowner tags appear to be here for the long haul 🏷️

• You don’t know tough - This gal fought off a grizzly and she’s got the scars to prove it 💪 

ASSHOLES
A DOZEN ANTELOPE ILLEGALLY KILLED IN ALLEGED MASS THRILL KILLING IN WYOMING

Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department has put out a BOLO for information regarding the illegal killing of twelve pronghorn. According to the department’s release, the dozen animals were shot near Kemmerer at some point over last weekend, many of the animals were left wounded and suffering when they were discovered.

Those that survived the initial barrage of bullets were then put down by game wardens who were on site to investigate the incident. Wardens believe the antelope were shot sometime between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning after they were discovered along Ham’s Fork Road north of Viva Naughton Reservoir, just north of Kemmerer.

Wyoming game warden Alex Poncelet indicated that several mature bucks were targeted by the individual(s) and the shooters made no attempt to preserve any of the animal's meat…

🧑‍⚖️ Hunter Loses Appeal for Illegally Killing First Black Bear in Lancaster County. Mr. John Stoltzfus, the man who claimed to have shot and killed the first legal black bear in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was back in court earlier this week in an attempt to appeal a guilty verdict hurled his way earlier this year. Stoltzfus, who represented himself, was in front of Lancaster County Judge Margaret Miller on Wednesday where he entered an appeal, once again feigning ignorance for trespassing on the Constellation Energy property on which he shot the bear. 

Judge Miller promptly rejected his defense, noting his familiarity with the area and deliberate entry via a steep, unmarked route, fining him $2,000 total—$1,500 for unlawful taking of wildlife and $500 for trespassing. 

The case arose after Stoltzfus reported the kill to the Game Commission on December 10th of last year, leading Warden Daniel Gibble to discover it occurred on posted land, prompted by Constellation Energy’s recent restrictions due to property damage. Stoltzfus admitted to bypassing a gated parking lot, walking along Norfolk Southern railroad tracks, and climbing a steep hillside to reach the site, claiming no trespassing signs were not visible. Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Baker argued the property’s clear postings, including purple paint, made trespassing evident. Game Commission officials lamented the illegal kill, noting it marred a historic moment, as bear sightings are rare in Lancaster County. Stoltzfus now has 30 days to appeal to the Pennsylvania Superior Court as a last ditch effort, but has not confirmed his intent.

🏷️ Oregon Landowner Hunting Tag Program Set to Become Permanent in 2025. The Oregon Landowner Preference Program, initiated in the early 1980s, is on track to become permanent law in 2025, following over four decades of operation on a temporary basis. The program grants landowners hunting tags for deer, elk, and antelope on their property, even when harvest limits are in place, recognizing the critical role private lands play in providing habitat and forage for wildlife. Supporters, including the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and organizations like The Nature Conservancy, highlight the program's stability, noting no significant changes have been needed since 2013. Senate Bill 812, which aims to eliminate the program's sunset clause, has passed the Senate unanimously and is now under review by the House Agriculture Committee. Landowners can receive two to 14 tags annually based on property size, with some transferable to non-family members, aiding in managing wildlife-related crop and property damage.

However, the program faces criticism from Humane Voters Oregon, which argues it contradicts the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation by prioritizing landowners and potentially allowing profiteering from tag transfers. Critics claim this could privatize wildlife, a public resource, as landowners may charge for access to their land alongside tag transfers. ODFW acknowledges that up to 45% of deer and elk tags are transferred to non-family members, though exact revenue data is unavailable. Despite these concerns, proponents like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Oregon Forest Industries Council argue the program is mature and effective, negating the need for periodic legislative reviews. The current version of Senate Bill 812 lacks provisions to restrict tag or access sales, and no amendments addressing this issue have been proposed.

🫎 Check out the scaring on this ol’ girl after she fought off a hungry grizzly. According to the dude that filmed this, she went hoof to claw with the apex predator and while her calf didn’t survive, she lives on to breed again.

Tough old girl…

👖 Mr. Green Jeans and the Severed Head: Like all Eastern whitetail guys, I grew up fascinated by two things: Western mountain hunting and 18th-century outlaws who used to roam the Rockies. Little did I know going into this elk hunt that I’d have a chance to live out the life of an outlaw and kill an elk at the same time.

The mountains took no time to baptize my eastern back and feet. I was ill-prepared, and the 7 miles on day one had me ready to tap. I felt like Atlas himself toting my 70-pound pack as our leader moved at what felt like a slow jog, his paid-for horse effortlessly carrying his gear. I wished I hadn’t been so cheap.

After what felt like an eternity, we made it to a spot we called base camp. My buddy and I figured we weren’t going to have much luck there, and our group of five was a crowd, so we found a spot on the map and continued to dive deeper into the wilderness. A measly couple of miles took multiple hours. I counted to myself 20 steps and then took a brief break, 20 more steps and a break, slowly but surely working our way straight up to what we hoped would be the promised land.

We got there, and man, did we make the right decision. The sign was unbelievable. We knew immediately that the couple of days of food we brought would have to last much longer. Needless to say, some pounds were lost. Read the full story.

🎣 The Last Migration - Alabama Surf Fishing: Every year, residents of Alabama and Florida’s Gulf Coast warily observe the final migration of the season, one bringing hundreds of thousands of exhausted parents with children carrying plastic beach toys. I have participated in this migration since my children were young. I’m not proud of it—as a rule, I prefer to go in the opposite direction of everyone else. Still, the pull of warm weather and sunshine speaks to my soul after a dreary Michigan winter and each April we join the caravan of road-salted and Big 10-stickered minivans and SUVs driving south through the night like mallards surfing a strong north wind. 

Our outlook on life shifts with the landscape. Indiana’s uniform blandness gives way to Kentucky’s cave country and the rolling hills of Tennessee. Children and adults stumble out of the vehicle at each gas station to feel that the air is a few degrees warmer than the last stop. After a seemingly endless night, the sun rises to reveal the sprawling horse farms of Alabama with their faded barns and white fences and we wonder if twelve hours of driving has brought us to another world. Then, finally, the coast.  Read the full story.

✍️ Do You Write, Mr. Faulkner?:  Early on the morning of November 10, 1950, William Faulkner received a phone call from a Swedish newspaperman informing him that he had won the Nobel Prize in Literature. The award is the greatest honor a living writer can receive, and for Faulkner, whose novels and short stories had been ignored for so many years by the literary establishment, it was a long overdue acknowledgement of America’s greatest 20th century writer.

In the following days Faulkner was besieged by newspapermen and well-wishers, who no doubt expected him to spend the succeeding weeks basking in the spotlight of his sudden international fame or preparing his Nobel Prize acceptance speech for the award ceremonies he would attend in Stockholm, Sweden on December 10. Faulkner, however, had another trip in mind.

On November 16 he mailed a hurriedly typed letter filled with typographical errors to Sweden, politely explaining he would not attend the Nobel Prize ceremonies. Duty out of the way, Faulkner turned his full attention to a more important matter: preparing for his annual week in deer camp. Read the full story.

Oh, and one more thing…