If nothing else, it's been a bangin' year for California's wolves 🐺

We’re officially in ‘Thanksgiving week’ and in the event you still have to work for a few days before digging into some bird, here’s to hoping today’s delivery at least helps to numb the pain.

With the weekend now in the rearview, let’s focus solely on coffee for today and get another Monday edition of your favorite outdoors newsletter out the door.

Here's what's worth reading about today:

• Gray wolf dreamin’ - Cali wolf packs are on the rise 📈

• Short handed - Oklahoma game wardens are short this season👮

• Mo’ problems - For hunting in Michigan at least 🦌

• Sunday hunting? - Well…maybe next year in Pa. ⛪️

• Bloody Caesars - And black bears 🧸

GROWTH IS GOOD…RIGHT?
CALIFORNIA DISCOVERS THIRD NEW WOLF PACK THIS YEAR

Earlier this month, California officials announced the discovery of the “Diamond Pack” marking the ninth known wolf pack and the third new pack in the Golden State this year. 

Experiencing explosive growth, at least as it pertains to gray wolves, California has a lot to celebrate, depending on who you are. For wolf advocates, the announcement that marks the largest single-year population increase in 100 years is music to their ears.  For those that enjoy hunting or ranching, on the other hand, the news isn’t all that welcome. With fourteen wolf depredations on livestock recorded since August, California’s Cattleman’s Association wants to ensure the public understands how this affects their industry.

“Obviously we don’t want to undercut that wolves are a conservation success,” Kirk Wilbur, vice president of government affairs for the California Cattlemen’s Association, said. “But it’s important for people to know that as the population [of wolves] increases, we see a similar increase in the rate that cattle, sheep and other animals are killed by those wolves.”

At least 3 Michigan hunters die within the first week of firearm deer season: "We wish that no family would have to go through this," said Kayla Adkins. Read the full story.

Pa. bill to provide Sunday hunting stalls, but here's why there's hope for change in 2025:  Even though legislation to provide more Sunday hunting opportunities in Pennsylvania stalled in the state House of Representatives, similar efforts will continue in 2025 with new bill packages. Read the full story.

Oklahoma game wardens will be shorthanded through state’s busy hunting seasons: “It’s probably the highest it’s been in a long time,” said Nathan Erdman, chief of the law enforcement division for the Wildlife Department, of the dozen openings. Read the full story.

Michigan's deer hunting problem isn't going away: Recent declines in the number of hunters who seek out deer in Michigan have continued in 2024, a worrying trend for the Department of Natural Resources, which must contend with less revenue from hunting licenses while managing an increase in the number of deer. Read the full story.

Kansas wildlife officials approve changes to deer, elk hunting seasons: Commissioners with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) met on Nov. 21 to discuss changes to existing hunting regulations for deer and elk. Commissioners approved the regulation changes at the outset of the meeting. Read the full story.

🗑️ Average Joe: Homecourt Advantage: While I understand that everyone experiences life differently, I do feel that if you’re reading this, we’re probably in a similar place in life. I mean, we’re just trying to do it all, right? What’s the point of working so hard if I can’t have the life that I want? 

The details might vary from person to person, but in general, life for us Average Joes is simple; cultivate a great home life, be the best parent you can be, kick ass at work, and finally, experience some adventure throughout the year. 

Unfortunately, (and my pile of “too small” Dad shorts can attest to this) we can’t have our cake and eat it too. Something along the line has to give, sacrifices have to be made. I know this is certainly the case for me. I’m an ambitious guy, I am trying to find the balance between climbing the ladder at work, and wanting to spend more quality time with my family; oh, and there’s also wanting to buy a house, save for retirement, and make sure that I can provide a better future for my kids, (I'm not even mentioning my addiction to buying gear). So what do I sacrifice? Well, my grandiose ideas of adventure in far away places. Read the full story.

🦆 SKYFALL's Wood Duck Wonderland:  We waded in fog and darkness, our headlamps reflecting off the black surface of the brackish water as silent ripples marked our slow but steady progress. The trunks of flooded hardwoods emerged from the gloom, standing like silent sentinels, rough-surfaced and moss-encrusted, like grizzled three-day beards.

It was just before first light at the Skyfall Reserve, southeast of Dallas, as guide Tucker and I, along with my hunting partner Tim, made our way toward Tucker’s set of woodie decoys.  The dekes floated gently within a tiny patch of open water just big enough to provide a safe landing zone for any passing wood ducks. Read the full story.

🍹 Bloody Caesars and a Black Bear:  My buddy, Jason, let out an involuntary “Whoa,” then continued, “that’s a big boy.” We slipped a couple of beers into koozies and continued to hunch over the laptop.

“He’s gotta be four or five hundred pounds,” I added.

We flipped through the pictures in sequence as this massive black bear spent the better part of two hours at our whitetail bait pile. 

“We should hunt him,” I continued.

“I just want the hide. I’m not sure about draggin’ his ass out of that hole if we shoot him,” my hunting partner replied.

“Fuck that, man. If we shoot him, we drag his ass out, skin him and butcher him properly,” I told him.

Now, I’m not one to make use of every asshole and elbow from the game I pursue, but I do believe that if you’re going to pull the trigger, someone ought to put the majority of that meat to good use.

“Fine. Let’s do it,” Jason agreed. Read the full story.

Oh, and one more thing…