Dozens of poached deer leads to one of California's biggest poaching busts 🚔

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 (no judgement) and get another mid-week dispatch out the door.

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

• California dreamin’- Dozens of poached deer lead to one of the state’s largest busts 🚔

• Indiana cops in hot water - A pair of cops are embroiled in a Kentucky turkey poaching case 🦃

• Fake news - No, two hunters did not die from CWD 🧟‍♂️

• Bodies are piling up - 16 moose calves found dead in Idaho 💀

• Trouble in paradise - Oklahoma man stuck on Caribbean island for ammo violation 🌴

  Thanks for following along. Don't forget to tell your friends.

A BIG BUST
DOZENS OF POACHED DEER LEADS TO CALIFORNIA’S BIGGEST POACHING BUST IN YEARS

Led by their alleged fearless leader, a group of California poachers has been brought down after what is believed to have been years of unlawful activity. 

Believed to be the leader of the group that is now facing conspiracy charges for poaching dozens of deer is 37-year-old Bradley Chilton. Over the course of several months in 2023, Chilton is believed to have headed up a group of residential poachers. Using the cover of night, Chilton and his accomplices would roam city streets with bows and rifles in search of deer.

According to Nevada County court documents, the group would poach the animals and then sell valuable parts of animals such as hides and antlers to willing buyers. The group also reportedly conspired to exchange and falsify hunting tags and permits…

🚔 Indiana police officers embroiled in poaching case - In news coming out of Kentucky, a pair of Indiana police officers have been implicated in a turkey poaching case. A citation has been issued to the two Jasper Police Department officers who are waiting on arraignment in Butler County, Kentucky for allegedly poaching a turkey over bait on April 6. According to the citation, the one named officer, Kaleb Chambers, was accompanied by a youth hunter at the time of the incident.

“The City understands the importance of transparency and cooperation in such matters,” a statement from JPD reads. “The Jasper Police Department is aware of an incident involving two city officers who were claimed to be turkey hunting in Kentucky. The JPD reached out to the Butler County, Kentucky prosecutor several times and we are waiting to hear back. Our priority remains ensuring the well-being and safety of our community and employees. Rest assured, the City will continue to monitor the situation closely and we will take appropriate action when deemed necessary.”

🧟‍♂️ No, two hunters didn’t die from CWD - Earlier this month a shocking study was published indicating that two hunters had contracted chronic wasting disease from eating venison and had died. While many remained skeptical (including myself), the idea was a frightening one. 

As the study grabbed the attention of millions, others thankfully took the opportunity to tear into the data including researchers at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and our friends(?) at the CDC. While both the agency and the researchers agreed that "that there is a need for careful investigation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) as a potential risk to people's’ health," they found that the two men’s death was "part of the normal number of cases of CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) we see in the U.S.," CDC epidemiologist Ryan Maddox said.

"A history of hunting and/or eating venison does not mean that someone got CJD that way," Maddox said. "Many Americans hunt and even more eat venison. Some will develop sporadic CJD by chance and others will not."

🕵️ Wyoming officials looking for clues in ‘thrill killing’ - Three elk carcasses were recovered in a remote section of Campbell County this month and Wyoming’s Game and Fish is reaching out to the public for help. Located in an area where legal tags are difficult to draw, the illegal killings have infuriated local hunters who have joined in to try and help find those that participated in what is being labeled as a “thrill killing.”

The bodies of two bull elk were discovered by a member of the public on April 24th while recreating on public land in the Rochelle Hills area. As Game and Fish later investigated, they also recovered a third body of a cow elk along with evidence that all three of the animals were shot from a distance, then shot in the head at close range. While the elk were believed to have been killed several days prior to the investigation, they remain hopeful that someone comes forward with information.

Anyone with possible information regarding this incident, or who was in the area and may have noted suspicious vehicles or activities, is encouraged to call South Gillette Game Warden Andy Enscore at 307-687-7157.

💀16 moose calves found dead - Idaho officials were busy investigating multiple mysterious deaths across the state’s Upper Snake Region. In total, 16 moose calves, one adult moose and three mule deer mortalities have been recovered and examined by state biologists. Test results later revealed that all of the animals had succumbed to the deadly Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease (AHD). According to Idaho Fish and Game, the difficulty with identifying those with AHD is that, unlike CWD, symptoms don’t often present physically in affected animals.

"The symptoms are mostly internal. So when we come across a carcass, we can dissect it and look at the lungs and the liver, and it'll show signs of hemorrhaging. Basically excess of blood," James Brower, the Idaho Fish and Game Spokesperson in the Upper Snake Region said.

A TERRIBLE MIX UP
OKLAHOMA MAN FACING 12 YEARS IN PRISON FOR AMMO MISHAP

An Oklahoma man has been detained after authorities in the Turks and Caicos islands discovered a small amount of deer cartridges in his luggage.

Arriving in the picturesque Caribbean islands, Ryan Watson was ready to kick off a fun week in celebration of his 40th birthday. Watson, accompanied by his wife and two close friends, arrived in search of a sun soaked good time, but instead found themselves embroiled in a heap of trouble. 

After a quick look inside Watsons carry-on luggage, authorities discovered a ziploc bag containing a few rounds of ammunition. Immediately recognizing the bonehead mistake of traveling abroad with live rounds, Watson went on to explain that the cartridges were accidentally left in the bag after a hunting trip last fall.

Despite the good back story, authorities detained the hunter and his wife, citing the territory’s strict laws surrounding guns and ammunition.

“They were hunting ammunition rounds that I use for whitetail deer,” Watson said. “I recognized them and thought, ‘Oh man, what a bonehead mistake.’”

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

🦭 Spearfisherman taxed by sea lion - While it’s nothing new for spearfishermen to be hassled by the occasional shark, one California diver had to take on a slightly different predator and was fortunate enough to get it on film. While hauling in a nice white seabass, the fish was intercepted by a fast-moving sea lion. Fighting off the sea lion and trying to regain his float line, the altercation ended after a 20-minute battle.

🐟 Goliath grouper establishes dominance: Watch as a Goliath Grouper, who arguably battle for supreme reign of the oceans, swallows a black tip shark whole.