Father-Son Duo Facing $60K in Fines for Poaching Trophy Elk 👮

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:

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NAIL THESE GUYS
FATHER-SON DUO COULD FACE $60K IN FINES AFTER MONTANA OFFICIALS SLAP THEM WITH FELONY WARRANTS IN TROPHY ELK POACHING CASE

There’s nothing quite like passing along your love for the great outdoors to your children. But when that shared love involves bending, twisting or outright disregarding the laws, you’re doing it wrong.

Such was the case for Ronald Shubert and his son Chad after a recent trip to beautiful Montana. It was there that the Belleville, Michigan residents set out to chase bull elk as a once in a lifetime bonding opportunity that has quickly turned into a nightmare for the paternal duo. With warrants released for their arrests this week following a string of wildlife violations in Treasure County, the pair now find themselves in hot water…

🐐 Oregon Couple Defies Odds, Both Secure Rare Mountain Goat Hunting Tags for Elkhorn Mountains. There’s lucky and then there’s having a horseshoe jammed in your a*s lucky. In a perfect example of the latter, Joy and Milo Kind, a couple from North Plains, Oregon, defied astronomical odds by both drawing rare mountain goat hunting tags for the Elkhorn Mountains. With only 23 tags issued statewide by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for 2025, and approximately 1,800 applicants vying for just three tags in the October 1-31 Elkhorn hunt, their simultaneous success is not only unprecedented - it’s kind of crazy. The Kinds, married for 23 years with a combined century of hunting experience, were stunned when Joy checked their results online and discovered both had secured tags. Initially skeptical, they confirmed the results with ODFW, an outcome so rare it left even their son incredulous. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as ODFW limits hunters to a single mountain goat tag, has the couple eagerly preparing for the challenging hunt in the rugged, 5,000-foot-high terrain.

The Kinds are gearing up for their October adventure with enthusiasm and support. Milo, 75, and Joy, 65, have been hunters for decades, with Milo applying for goat tags habitually since the 1960s, though he nearly skipped this year due to the physical demands of the steep Elkhorn terrain. Joy, a hunter for 25 years, has been researching the area, consulting with ODFW, BLM, and Forest Service officials, and connecting with experienced hunters. The couple plans a scouting trip in late September and will be joined by relatives and members of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep. With a high success rate for goat hunts due to the animals’ visibility above timberline, the Kinds are optimistic about securing two billy goats. Their home, already filled with 33 taxidermy mounts, may soon house full-body goat mounts if their incredible luck continues.

🚁 Alaska Army National Guard Rescues Two Injured Hunters in Back-to-Back Missions to Kick Off Sheep Hunting Season. Last weekend, Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers from G Co. 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion conducted two critical rescue missions for hunters with leg injuries, marking the start of the Alaska sheep hunting season. The first mission, prompted by a request from Alaska State Troopers via the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, involved rescuing a hunter in Peter’s Creek Valley. The crew located the hunter using an inReach satellite device, loaded him onto a stretcher, and transported him to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

Later that day, a second mission, requested by the National Park Service, took the crew near the Wrangell Mountains, close to the Canadian border, in a five-hour operation. After refueling in Gulkana, Alaska, they located and evacuated another injured hunter, transporting him to Mat-su Regional Hospital. The success of both missions was attributed to seamless coordination with the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and the hunters’ use of inReach devices, which significantly aided in locating them in Alaska’s vast backcountry.

🐺 Michigan Restores Year-Round Coyote Hunting Season. Yesterday, Michigan's Natural Resources Commission reversed its 2024 decision to restrict coyote hunting from mid-April to mid-July, reinstating a year-round hunting season that had been initially established back in 2016. The change, celebrated by State Sen. Michele Hoitenga and Rep. Parker Fairbairn, followed public outcry from farmers, hunters, and local leaders. Hoitenga criticized the earlier restriction for lacking scientific grounding, noting that it led to increased coyote populations, which threaten farmers and landowners by preying on livestock and pets.

The decision renders moot two bills introduced by Hoitenga and Fairbairn in June to legislatively overturn the commission’s restriction. Fairbairn highlighted the need for aggressive coyote population management due to their rapid proliferation and given that they are present in all 83 Michigan counties. The year-round season aims to mitigate coyotes’ impact on deer, turkey, hare, rabbit, and other species, and thus balancing their role in Michigan’s ecosystem.

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What hunters should know for the 2025 Utah deer and elk hunts: If you are going to hunt deer or elk in Utah this fall, here is some important information and tips that will be helpful when planning and preparing for your hunt.  Read the full story.

California Fish and Game Commission denies petition for additional bear hunting tags: The California Fish and Game Commission has denied a petition to increase the number of bears a hunter can shoot in one season. The decision, made during a meeting attended by both animal and hunting advocates, means hunters in California will continue to be limited to purchasing only one bear tag per season. Read the full story.

Surplus multi-season elk, deer tags available for Washington hunters next week: Hunters will have a shot at additional multiseason elk and deer tags starting next week. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday that there are 2,693 multiseason deer tags and 160 multiseason elk tags remaining and that they’d be made available to hunters who have already purchased a multiseason application. Read the full story.

Louisiana expands deer disease control zone after sick deer found:  Louisiana wildlife officials are expanding the area where special rules apply to help stop the spread of a deadly deer disease called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). This comes after a sick deer was found in Catahoula Parish. Read the full story.

How Too Many Deer Are Harming Maryland’s Forests: Maryland is home to a diversity of native wildlife and plant species, and the balance between the two can sometimes be difficult to manage. Like rabbits overrunning a garden, an overpopulation of deer will have detrimental effects on the undergrowth and vegetation in a forest.  Read the full story.

🦆 Did we just become BEST FRIENDS?? So the duck’s name is “Christopher” and, as you can see, this dad and him are the very best of friends.

If you ask me, I think we’d all be better suited to have a “Christopher” in our lives…

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The pull of the weekend.

📸 : @lonesome_chance

Oh, and one more thing…