Louisiana veteran makes good on inaugural bear hunt 🫡

Ho, Ho, Ho. We made it to the big show. 🎄

Ol’ Saint Nick is readying his sled and hopefully the rest of you are settling in to a relaxing few days with everyone you hold dear. ‘Tis the season for friends, family and a little extra cheer in your cup.

So, as we wait for the in-laws (or worse) to arrive, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee, eggnog or whiskey (no judgement) and get into this year’s Christmas Eve dispatch.

Merry Christmas, friends 🥃

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

• Big ol’ bear - Louisiana Veteran downs a 700-pounder 🐻

• Cat killer - Missouri man charged for killing cougar just because 🤷

• Banner year - New Brunswick deer hunters getting it done 🦌

• That dog’ll hunt - The hound that hung on to a bear’s ass 30-feet in the air 🐕

HELL YA
LOUISIANA BLACK BEAR HUNTER DOWNS 700-POUND BEAST IN STATE’S FIRST SEASON IN 35 YEARS

Following the closure of Louisiana’s first bear hunting season in 35 years, news of the historic harvest has since made waves throughout the hunting world. As the celebration of yet another true conservation success story continues, state hunters took down 10 bears this season, including one massive specimen that captured the attention of state wildlife officials and even the governor.

According to reports, Deron Santiny, a Louisiana military veteran and Purple Heart recipient, obtained his first-ever bear tag through the state’s Healing Road Foundation. The program, which gives veterans a chance at connecting to the outdoors as part of their rehabilitation process, offered Santiny the shot of a lifetime…

Missouri man charged for illegally shooting a mountain lion while chasing deer. It sounds as though one Missouri hunter found himself in contention with another predator while deer hunting and decided to eliminate the competition. According to court records, Joseph Licklider of Desloge, placed a call to the Iron County Sheriff’s Office confessing to shooting a double-ear-tagged mountain lion while he was deer hunting and was looking for advice on what his next move ought to be.

Authorities went on to say that Licklider stated that the lion had passed below the tree stand he and another hunter were hunting from and as it walked away from them, he decided to shoot it. Without any real motive for shooting the cougar (like threatening of life), Licklider admitted that he was simply too excited to have seen the lion in the first place, that he decided to shoot it as it walked away.

Baffled investigators later found texts and trophy pictures on Licklider’s phone helping them determine the unjustified and illegal killing. He is scheduled to appear in court in February.

New Brunswick deer hunters haven’t killed this many deer since 1997. With nearly 12,000 deer hitting the ground this fall, deer hunters in New Brunswick have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. 

"We were expecting an increase in harvest," said Joe Kennedy, a provincial deer biologist, in an interview on Information Morning Fredericton.

"We've been tracking an increase in the population for the last 10 years really, and we were expecting about an eight per cent increase in harvest this year, but the 31 per cent increase was larger than expected and we were quite surprised."

According to Kennedy, much of the province’s success stems from at least a decade’s worth of milder winters. With warmer temperatures and less snowfall, whitetail survival rates are through the roof and local deer hunters are the number one beneficiary of such ideal conditions.

While the increases in populations paint a happy picture in the Picture Province, Kennedy and other officials are growing concerned about food security for ballooning deer populations in the eastern Canadian province. With license sales increasing by 5 percent this year as well, for now officials will continue to monitor population growth and expect another banner season in 2025.

CHRISTMAS MEME // ^{_{WHERE YOU’LL FIND ME}}

1. We try to make virtues out of the faults we have no wish to correct.

2. In preindustrial  times most jobs made people strong. These days if you want to be strong, you have to work out. There are still strong people, but only those who choose to be.

   Same goes for smarts. There will still be smart people in the future, but only those who choose to be.

3. You get better at what you practice and every damn thing you do is practice.

4. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” 🙏

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

🐕 The hound that hung on to the bear’s ass 30 feet in the air. That’s the story these old houndsmen will be telling for years to come after watching this incredible video of a dog that just wouldn’t give up on the hunt.

Oh, and one more thing…