Connecticut man cleared for shooting bear that killed his prized mini donkey 🫏

A new year is just about to be upon us, and while I don’t subscribe to a lot of that new year, new me bullsh*t, it’s a great time for true realizations rather than cheap resolutions.

For us here at the Venatic, we decided to hang it all out there this year. We made some yuge changes and y’all rewarded us for (most) of them. We’ve experience amazing growth over the past twelve months and we owe it all to you and your brutally honest feedback and unwavering support.

We trust you’ll be here for the long run and continue to share our little corner of the outdoors with your family and friends.

So, as we wait for 2025 and all it has to offer to arrive, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get into this year’s New Year’s Eve dispatch.

Here's what's we’re closing out the year with:

• You killed my dog donkey - Connecticut man goes John Wick on a black bear 🐻

• Bigfoot hunt gone bad - Two Oregon men turn up dead in Christmas outing 👣

• Nailed in Tennessee - Two men go down in tri-state investigation 🧑‍⚖️

• No draggin’ - Watch as this dude’s deer literally dies at his feet 😲

JUSTIFIED REVENGE
CONNECTICUT MAN CLEARED FOR SHOOTING BLACK BEAR THAT KILLED HIS PRIZED MINIATURE DONKEY

A Connecticut property owner’s actions have been proven justified after he went all John Wick on a local black bear after it broke into an enclosure and killed his pet donkey.

According to reports, state Environmental Conservation police were alerted to the situation on September 22nd after a Cornwall property owner reported shooting a black bear in defense of his 30-year companion, and pet miniature donkey, Carlos.

Connecticut officials stated that it seemed as though the bear had attempted to drag the nearly 200-pound donkey over the top of the wooden fence. When that didn’t work, officers believed the bear then decided to work the lower portion of the enclosure. While it remained relatively unclear as to which way the bear dispatched Carlos, the property owner was distraught - a feeling that would only be inflamed when officers reportedly told him “to take some time” to bury the donkey and then call them back. 

Notably taken aback by the official’s statement, it wasn’t until he was burying his pet of 30 years that he spotted a wandering black bear by the enclosure that once housed the donkey he was burying. With another donkey and a horse remaining on his property, he and a neighbor installed a trail camera to monitor the area in fear that the hungry bear would return to finish what he started…

👣 Two Oregon men found dead from exposure after a grueling Bigfoot hunt. A pair of Portland men didn’t make it home for Christmas after their search for Sasquatch went awry in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. According to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, their comms center received a report of two overdue subjects on Christmas Day who were scheduled to return home a day prior. 

The missing persons report indicated that the two men had headed into the deep wilderness in search of Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, and spawned a massive multi-agency search effort. With over 60 volunteers and additional help from trained K-9 units and the United States Coast Guard, the car belonging to the victims was soon located, helping rescue teams focus on that area. 

Braving frigid temperatures, the 59-year-old male and 37-year-old-male, were located, deceased, in a heavily wooded area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Both deaths appeared to be due to exposure, based on weather conditions and ill-preparedness.

🧑‍⚖️ Three-year suspensions and fines for Tennessee poachers. A pair of West Tennessee men have been handed their fates in a tri-state poaching case that has been months in the making. The investigation, which kicked off back in April, included wildlife officers from Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. Following the evidence, the agencies worked in tandem to nail the accused with violations including the illegal taking of wildlife, exceeding game limits, and hunting without a license.

On December 17, Dustin Goulder, 39, and Timothy McNeley, 43, appeared in Tipton County General Sessions Court. In a plea agreement, Goulder pleaded guilty to three counts of illegal possession of a turkey and one count of a big game tagging violation. He was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and $517.50 in court costs. Goulder will be on supervised probation for 11 months and 29 days, losing his hunting privileges for three years.

NYE MEME // ^{_{SEASON’S OVER, BOYS!}}

1. Egotism might just have been the beginning of all my life’s troubles.

2. It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun.

3. Regret is for the uncommitted.

4. Life wasn’t sweeter in your childhood because you were a kid. It was sweeter because you lived fully present in damn near every moment. 

5. Coincidences are just God’s way of remaining anonymous 🙏

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

😲 “I should try to do that every time” - This guy, probably. Well, if you’re not all that into dragging, you should try and do what this guy did and have the deer pile up right at your feet. According to the shooter, this happened on opening morning this year and left him with the easiest tracking job in the history of tracking jobs.

Oh, and one more thing…