Justice served in one of PA's biggest poaching cases 🧑‍⚖️

ven•a•tic: fond of or living by hunting.

The weekend might not be here 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 few days. 

Here's what caught our eye this week...

• Justice served - Trio charged in one PA's biggest poaching cases 🧑‍⚖️

• Antler stabbing - Police officer cleared after antler-stabbing incident 🚔

• Deer snares - An odd case of deer poaching using snares 😵

• Dinosaurs among us - Massive Florida gator caught on film 🐊

SWEET, SWEET JUSTICE
TRIO FACING SLEW OF CHARGES FOR MONTH-LONG POACHING SPREE 

With the sounds of gunshots ringing through many nights during October and November of 2022, it wasn’t long before both complaints and anonymous tips began to pour in regarding what would soon become one of Pennsylvania’s largest poaching cases.

The allegations eventually landed on the desk of state Game Warden Bill Brehun. Working the case like a true bloodhound, Brehun and his team finally got a few breaks. With a number of substantial tips recorded on the state’s Operation Game Thief Hotline, Brehun began his investigation that resulted in five search warrants and eventual interviews with suspects involved.

The execution of the search warrants resulted in key evidence obtained from cell phone records, as well as the confiscation of a Rossi .22 rifle, which was believed to have been the weapon of choice for the illegal killings.

After the dust settled, Brehun and his team concluded that a total of 26 deer had been illegally shot during the poaching spree in the fall of 2022. The team noted that the majority of the animals that had been shot were left to rot where they were shot...

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🔫 Shooting justified: In a bizarre case of self-defense, a Pennsylvania police officer has been cleared after fatally shooting a man who attacked him using a deer antler. This week, the Cumberland County D.A. ruled that the officer's actions were justified after body cam footage revealed that the suspect resisted arrest and attempted to stab the officers with a deer antler he retrieved from his pocket.

🥩 Doing their part: FA pair of suburban hunters are doing their part to help the needy by donating nearly 700 pounds of venison to the Atlanta Salvation Army. Doing their part to help prune the city's suburban deer populations, the pair use bow and arrows to hunt deer on local homeowner's property with permission. They then donate all of the meat, a gesture Salvation Army organizers say will help them feed about 600 people every single day for 6 months. 

🐾 Dog killer charged: A South Carolina man has been arrested in a case that saw a number of hunting dogs killed during last year's hunting season. The DNR was called to the scene last fall when three rabbit hunting dogs were shot in cold blood. After an extensive investigation, they've charged David Andrew Healy with three counts of ill-treatment of animals, first offense, and one count of entry on another’s land without permission to hunt, fish or trap, first offense.

✊ Ultimate revenge: A Swedish man had his face all but removed from his body from a brown bear is serving up the best revenge he can. While on a hunting trip with his son, the pair were attacked by a brown bear that resulted in the victim requiring a complete facial reconstruction. He did, however, manage to kill the bear during the incident and now claims to thoroughly enjoy feasting on its meat. Savage.

⭕️ Illegal deer snares: A northern Ontario hunter is pressuring the province's Department of Natural Resources after finding a number of oddly-set snares on Crown Land. Hunting the late season with his bow, Roch Leduc stumbled upon the large snare and, over time, has noticed bodies piling up. In total he's found at least three deer that have been snared and left to waste. While officials have allegedly made contact with those responsible for setting the traps and have issued a warning. Leduc claims that the snares have been replaced and that the warning seems to have done very little to dissuade the alleged poachers. 

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🧸 Orphaned bear cubs get a new den: Watch as Colorado officials relocate a pair of abandoned bear cubs to a new artificial den. One in which they are hoping the cubs remain in until the spring season arrives.

🦖 A f**kin' dinosaur!: Watch as an absolute unit of an alligator crosses a popular path at a Florida reserve. Known locally as Fabio, he is rumored to be over 12 feet long and calls the Circle B Bar Reserve home, though locals say he seldom crosses on land during the day. Timing is everything.

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Scientists are making breakthroughs in decoding the speech and language of whales. The Key West legend of Bum Farto. The two neighbors who kept a friendly Nerf gun fight going for long time. Is this the world's largest fish?  Many are debating it, but there's no denying it's massive. And just in time for the Taylor Super Bowl, just who are the NFL's drunkest fans and a local's guide to Las Vegas,

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Big cat.
@jcutler223