Florida Man Arrested for Beating Up On Kids for Fishing in Neighborhood Pond 🎣

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:

AGAIN?
FLORIDA MAN ARRESTED FOR BEATING UP ON KIDS FOR FISHING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD POND

In yet another backyard brawl including fully-grown adults taking on children with fishing poles, a Florida man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting two children. According to reports, the two kids, aged 12 and 14, were fishing in a neighborhood pond behind his home just before the violent altercation took place.

The incident took place last Wednesday around 6:45 p.m. in the Riverstone Preserve neighborhood, where Aiden Minkov (12) and Alexis Disabato (14) were fishing in a pond managed by the Riverstone Homeowners Association. According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, 70-year-old Daniel Lukas confronted the children, yelling at them while ordering them to "get off his property." He allegedly chased them down the street to a neighboring driveway, where he pushed Aiden and grabbed him by the back of his neck. Fortunately, Alexis was able to capture the incident on her cell phone, providing critical evidence for authorities…

😵 22 Fawns Euthanized at Unpermitted Kentucky Sanctuary Over Chronic Wasting Disease Concerns. In Meade County, Kentucky, 22 deer fawns were humanely euthanized on Tuesday after being illegally held at the unpermitted Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The facility’s previous operator violated state regulations by accepting the fawns, which breached rules aimed at curbing the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease, a fatal neurological disease affecting deer, elk, and related species. Meade, Breckinridge, and Hardin counties were added to the CWD Surveillance Zone in October 2024, where deer rehabilitation is prohibited to protect wild deer and elk populations.

The euthanasia was carried out to prevent potential CWD transmission, a measure the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife agency described as regrettable but necessary to safeguard the state’s wildlife. The Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary stated on social media that their staff had raised the fawns with care and followed rehabilitation regulations, suggesting a possible misunderstanding or oversight regarding the updated CWD rules. Authorities also urged the public to refrain from relocating fawns or other wild baby animals to avoid similar violations.

🏹 New York Legalizes Crossbow Hunting for Big Game Statewide. Late last week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill S6360A into law, expanding the use of crossbows for big game hunting across the state. The legislation, which amends the environmental conservation law, allows crossbows to be used in any area where longbows are permitted, removing previous restrictions such as specific size and draw weight requirements. This change aligns New York with other states that permit unrestricted crossbow use during archery seasons, providing hunters with greater flexibility while maintaining safety regulations, such as prohibiting crossbow discharge within 500 feet of certain buildings in specified counties.

The bill, passed by the New York State Senate on June 11 and the Assembly on June 17, was celebrated by crossbow hunting enthusiasts and advocacy groups like the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, which has pushed for crossbow inclusion for over 15 years. The new law eliminates outdated requirements, such as minimum bolt length and limb width, making modern crossbows legal for hunting. It also allows the Department of Environmental Conservation to regulate crossbow use during any big game season, enhancing wildlife management and increasing contributions to conservation funding through equipment purchases. All said, crossbows remain prohibited in certain counties and for junior hunters during specific youth hunts, so be sure to check your regs before heading out.

🦈 It’s an all-out party at this Florida dock. Watch as a group gather around to take in a gaggle of swirling sharks and suddenly notice that another apex predator has entered the chat.

Fancy a swim anyone??

🏨 Beyond the Pages - Robert Ruark’s Southport : Southport is located in Southeastern North Carolina in Brunswick County, on the South Carolina border. Southport is known for seafood, a nice vacation spot, and being along the banks of the Cape Fear River. There are several landmarks to enjoy including the Old Brunswick Jail, Fort Johnston Southport Museum, and the River Pilots House. Another landmark is the Adkins-Ruark House, more commonly known as The Robert Ruark Inn, made famous by North Carolina author Robert Ruark in The Old Man and the Boy articles that appeared in Field and Stream and later compiled in book form. The Robert Ruark Inn is now a Bed and Breakfast, painted in its original yellow and located at 119 North Lord Street, within walking distance to downtown Southport and several local attractions.  

The Robert Ruark Inn was owned by Ruark’s maternal grandfather, Captain Edward Hall Adkins, and was built around 1890. Ruark would write about his adventures with the Old Man, an amalgamation of Captain Adkins and Ruark’s paternal grandfather, Hanson Kelly Ruark. The stories would usually end with The Old Man instilling insight, wisdom, and sometimes hard lessons for the Boy. Read the full story.

🗺️ Dad and the Bobcat: My Dad, Tom Hudson, tolerated no nonsense. As children, we feared him and the fiery, penetrating look in his eyes that meant we were doomed, guilty or not. As serious as he was,  having come to visit my parents with my young family in tow, I found myself wondering how he and I came to be in his truck, a smile on Dad’s face as we bounced across a freshly plowed Georgia cornfield chasing a bobcat.

It was the beginning of September, the opening day of dove season. Soon after our arrival at his home, Dad and I climbed into his pickup and headed to the nearby plantation where he was the game manager. It was early in the day when we arrived, with plenty of time to take a look around before the arrival of the day’s forty to fifty shooters.  Read the full story.

🥃 Having a round with Roger Pinckney: Like than the sentinel bald cypress commanding a gentle rise in the swamp, Roger Pinckney XI was the high-spirited cultural warrior who inspired his people and the curious. He had victories where so many others failed and wrote more than ten books and penned hundreds of essays, especially hunting stories.

Roger was known well beyond our shores as he had a regular gig with the national magazine Sporting Classics and often wrote about his early life out in Minnesota where he built a cabin and dwelled amid the woodlands for 15 years. In his most recent and perhaps final column, he poured out his heart about his current wife, “Miss Biscuits,” from their first date to her severe challenges with alcohol, which she overcame; he closes with how he welcomed her back.  Read the full story.

Oh, and one more thing…