Freak Accident: Virginia houndsman dead after bear falls on him 🙏

If you’re still with us, that means you’ve made it to the middle of yet another week.

With that in mind, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey and get another mid-week dispatch out the door.

Here's what's worth reading about so far this week:

• Freak accident - More details emerge in death of Virginia hunter 🙏

• Missing teens - California duck hunters gone missing 🔎

• BIG losses - Two massive Utah bucks found illegally killed 🦌

• Shaping seasons - Wisconsin and Missouri planning ahead 📝

• Thin ice - Someone took their car out on the soft ice in Wisconsin 🙈

ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE
A FREAK ACCIDENT: VIRGINIA HOUNDSMAN DIES AFTER BEAR FALLS ON HIM

With new details emerging in this story of incredibly bad luck, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has confirmed the death of 58-year-old Lester Clayton Harvey, Jr.

According to the incident report, officials stated that a group of hunters, including Harvey, had treed a black bear they were hunting. Stepping away from underneath the tree's branches, VDWR officials stated that one of Harvey’s companions, not Harvey, shot the bear while the victim was standing approximately 10 feet away from the base of the tree’s trunk.

While the details of exactly what happened next remain scarce, from what we can gather, the bear fell out of the tree and directly on Harvey, causing serious injury.

Here’s what we know…

2 teens missing after weekend duck hunting trip in Butte County: The search has intensified for two teenage duck hunters who went missing in the Thermalito Afterbay area, near Oroville, over the weekend. Brothers Andruw Cornett, 19, and Wesley Cornett, 17, reportedly went hunting in the area on Saturday morning, Dec. 14, and did not return. Read the full story.

Resident opposition halts proposed deer hunt in Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids is holding off on a pilot deer hunt that was proposed to happen next month, after residents in the area expressed opposition to the idea.  Read full story.

Second Half Of Maryland’s Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Season Opens December 21: The second part of Maryland’s split muzzleloader deer hunting season will open Dec. 21 and run through Jan. 4. The first half of the split season was held in October. Read full story.

Utah DWR conservation officers seek info after 2 buck deer found illegally killed in Iron County: According to a news release issued Tuesday by the division, DWR conservation officers received a report about the first deer on Nov. 26. The deer had been shot by a rifle and left to waste in Parowan. It was a 22-inch, 3x3 buck deer, and investigators believe it was killed sometime between the evening of Nov. 24 and the morning of Nov. 25. Read the full story.

Missouri Sets Turkey and Deer Hunting Dates, New CWD Regs: Deer and turkey hunting dates have been set by the Missouri Department of Conservation for the 2025-26 seasons.  Read full story.

The Wisconsin DNR is working to reshape deer management units and is looking for your input:  The modifications are part of a draft rule issued by Department of Natural Resources to alter boundaries of select units in the northern forest, central forest and metropolitan areas.  Read the full story.

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

🙈 Not quite ice fishing season just yet. According to the surly videographer who had the camera rolling for this idiotic display, there was about 4 inches of soft ice on this Wisconsin lake when buddy decided to take his Jeep across it.

Stupid prizes, ladies and gents. Stupid prizes.

Oh, and one more thing…