Buckling Under Pressure, Sen. Mike Lee Pulls His Public Land Provision ✊

In the event that the weekend wasn’t quite long enough for you, here’s to hoping that your favorite dispatch from the outdoor world can give you 5-or-so minutes to prep yourself for yet 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:

• Pulling out - Sen. Mike Lee buckles under the pressure ✊

• Time’s up - If you’re thinking of trying your luck at a MN elk, you’re running out of time ⏳

• Breaking into jail? - Georgia officials had to thwart a fawns attempt to get inside a jail 🚨

• Fee increase coming - Washington state’s increases start tomorrow 💸

• Check those brakes - Watch as this cyclist stops just short of a black bear and holds his ground through a false charge 🚴 

THIS WAR IS FAR FROM OVER
BUCKLING UNDER PRESSURE, SEN. MIKE LEE PULLS HIS PUBLIC LAND PROVISION

After facing immense pressure from hunters, anglers and many other outdoor enthusiast-types, our old friend Mike Lee finally buckled under the pressure. In an announcement Saturday night, the Utah Senator took to X to announce that he’d be withdrawing his public land sale provision from the “one, big, beautiful budget bill.”

After persisting like a child trying to get his way, no matter which way he spun it (and he spun it in a lot of ways), it was not enough to convince folks in the outdoor world and those on both sides of the aisle to see this sale as a good thing. Even with his love for ambiguous language and unclear targets, he was unable to convince any Democrats that the mass sell off of public lands was a good idea, not to mention the Republicans he needed to punch this thing through…

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

Indiana DNR discusses changes to deer hunting regulations: Among law changes coming to the Hoosier state in July is one impacting the regulations surrounding deer hunting season. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, there will be two big changes that the department says are meant to simplify rules for hunters. Read the full story.

Last Days to Apply for Elk Hunting Permit in MN: DNR elk coordinator Kelsie LaSharr says they have four different license options…

“Two of them are going to be available to take an either sex elk, which means you can take either a bull or an anterless elk, and then we’re going to have a second season. But this will only be available for anterless elk. So either to take a cow or a calf. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Minnesota residents” Read the full story.

Baby deer unstuck from fence after trying to break into Georgia jail: A fawn was detained and put in the back of a sheriff's car after trying to break through a fence and into a Georgia jail. Coweta County Sheriff's Deputy Austin Webb was doing paperwork in the parking lot outside the sheriff's office/jail when witnesses alerted him to the fawn, who was stuck in a fence.  Read the full story.

Washington Hunting, fishing license costs increase on Tuesday: Fees for Washington hunting and fishing licenses are about to take a leap. A new law raised prices for nearly all licenses for hunters and anglers by about 38%, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Read the full story.

Habituated bull elk claims Grand Teton National Park lake, terrorizing backpackers: Many people may think of grizzly and black bears getting a little too used to being around people when they hear the word “habituated.” But Yellowstone National Park wolves have stolen photographers’ camera gears, and Teton Park foxes have been euthanized after snatching human food. While many cases of habituation end in the animal being euthanized, Grand Teton rangers are taking a different approach to the bull elk so far.  Read the full story.

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

🚴 All clear on the trail ahead? Not quite for this cyclist up in Whistler. He managed to slam on his brakes in time, withstand a false charge and then get on his way.

Pretty friendly bear actually…

Trips.

📸 : @whitwhitehouse

Oh, and one more thing…