Is sandhill crane hunting coming to Wisconsin? 🏗️

The weekend might not be here just yet, but your favorite dispatch from the great outdoors is. And let me tell you, this one’s juicy.

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:

• Ribeye of the sky - Wisconsin’s sandhill populations are bulging, is it time for a hunt? 🥩

• Wascally wabbits - Four idiots take a beating for illegally killing two bunnies 🐇

• Fee hikes - Montana follows Wyoming and proposes big increase to application fees 💰

• Unexpected find - Duck hunters stumble across human remains 😵

• 300-yarder - Mississippi girl goes the distance for a monster 🦌

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IS IT TIME?
WISCONSIN’S SANDHILL CRANE RESTORATION IS PAVING THE WAY FOR POSSIBLE HUNTING SEASON

While not as synonymous as dairy products, the sandhill crane is surely an icon of the great state of Wisconsin, or at least it has become one over the course of the past few decades. In the midst of another conservation success story, the sandhill crane is revered within the state, which also serves as home to the International Crane Foundation.

Often referred to as the ribeye of the sky, the pursuit of these tasty birds is limited to a very select few states. But with budding populations in Wisconsin and in other states and provinces along the flyway, many are beginning to flirt with the idea of newly-minted hunting seasons for the tasty cranes.

In the east, the only other states that currently allow for any sandhill hunting at all are Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. In addition to Wisconsin’s proposed draft legislation that would open a hunting season in the Badger State, the nearly-situated Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec are also toying with the idea…

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🐇 Four Louisiana men cited for illegal night hunting in rabbit poaching case. The question those of us who abide by the laws seems to always go something like “well, was it worth it?” and there is no better way to describe this small, yet odd bust in Louisiana. LDWF agents were reportedly on patrol when they spotted a vehicle traversing along the Bayou Jack levee and heard shots ring out in the darkness. Agents then watched as one of the passengers jumped out of the vehicle to retrieve something out of the bushes and place it in the back of the truck.

Responding immediately, officers found Jonathan Smith, 19, of Cottonport, Richard Rogers, 20, of Plaucheville, Kade Dixon, 20, of Mansura and Landon Gremillion, 20, of Plaucheville in possession of two dead rabbits and a whole bunch of night vision equipment. The four young men were then cited for hunting wild game quadrupeds during illegal hours, hunting from a levee road, hunting from a moving vehicle and taking wild game quadrupeds with rifles outfitted with night vision.

In the state of Louisiana, the aforementioned charges come with a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail for each offense and hunting from a levee road carries up to a $50 fine and 30 days in jail. 

Bringing me back to my original question - were the bunnies worth it?

💰 Montana legislators join Wyoming in proposed hikes to application fees. After Wyoming tabled a proposal to hike application fees between 300% and 400%, neighboring Montana has since announced they are thinking of doing the same. Not looking to be outdone by their neighbors, Montana’s proposal will see application fees hiked by more than 500% for nonresident hunters.

The bill, tabled by introduced by Rep. Gary Parry (R-Colstrip), Rep. Eric Tilleman (R-Cascade), and Curtis Cochran (R-St. Regis), would increase the base fee for non-resident hunting licenses from $15 to $100, or a 566% increase.

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🏋️‍♀️ This boy is putting in the work on that there tree. Honestly, this mash up showing how hard this fella is working that rub made me think of him as the David Goggins of the deer world. STAY HARD!

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Duck hunters discover human remains deep in wooded area on hunting trip: The incident occurred on Monday afternoon at approximately 5:49 p.m. when two duck hunters were scouting an area in Taylorsville, North Carolina -- about 60 miles north of Charlotte -- when they came across human remains in a wooded area around the 1600 block of Highway 16 North, according to a statement from the Alexander County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday.  Read the full story.

Dog seen on video with leg caught in hunting trap saved by St. Louis animal rescue: According to non-profit Stray Rescue, the dog was first spotted by neighbors in Perryville a few weeks ago. The dog was seen with his back leg caught in a hunting trap, limping around with the trap attached to his paw. Read the full story.

'I couldn't believe it.' Mississippi deer hunter takes huge buck with 300-yard shot: Winter in Mississippi can bring miserable weather and Jan. 10 was one of those days, but even so, a hunter from Raymond decided it might be just the kind of morning that would give her a shot at a huge, 140-class buck. Read the full story.

Top Missouri deer hunting counties for lackluster 2024 season, revealed: MDC announced Thursday that state hunters harvested a total of 276,262 deer during the 2024-2025 hunting season. Read the full story.

Elk depredation prompts off-year changes to South Dakota hunting units:  Andrew Norton, wildlife program administrator for the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks department presented the proposal to modify the prairie elk-West River area unit to include all counties west of the Missouri River that are not currently in a prairie elk or Black Hills elk hunting unit, with the season to run from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31. Read the full story.

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Hook ‘em.

📸 : @johnnyadolphsonphotography

Oh, and one more thing…

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