It's the Catalina Wine Mixer...kind of 🍷

Well, we made it to Wednesday. Give yourself a pat on the back and buckle up for another edition of your favorite outdoors newsletter.

Grab your coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and let's get another Wednesday dispatch out the door.

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

• F**kin Catalina Wine Mixer- Helicopter mulie hunt possible on Catalina Island 🍷

• Elks heads are fallin' off - Another beheaded elk found on 910 Cattle Ranch 💀

• Civilian rescue - Man lends his Bobcat to help elk stuck in trench 🚜

• Ain't no love - Bull elk gores cow elk  to death after trying to mate 💔

• He's a she!- 18-point doe killed by Missouri hunter 🫤

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

THE MIXER
POTENTIAL HELICOPTER HUNT PROPOSED FOR MULE DEER ON CATALINA ISLAND

“The f***in Catalina Wine Mixer!” – Hunters, probably.

In what could potentially result in something better than a wine-fueled networking event, the Catalina Island Conservancy – the non-profit organization that manages 90% of the island’s flora and fauna – is proposing a cull that is drawing the usual sorts of controversy.

In addition to the annual event popularized by the 2015 movie Step Brothers, Santa Catalina Island, located off the coast of Los Angeles, is home to a variety of wildlife, dive sites and the island’s tallest peak, Mt. Orizaba.

In an effort to bring back the natural balance and beauty of the island, the Conservancy has grown weary of the number of mule deer that have taken up residence there. California mule deer were introduced to Catalina back in the 1930s in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game. With populations historically ranging between 500 and 1,000 animals for much of their history on the island, the Conservancy has long worked with guides and outfitters to effectively manage the deer through hunting.

👦 Great first outing: 13-year-old Minnesota boy downs trophy elk on first hunt.

🚜 Civilian rescue: Man lends his Bobcat to rescue elk caught in trench.

🐊 Arkansas' record season: 202 legally harvested gators were killed this year.

🫎 Fatal crash: Loaded down with 500 lbs of moose meat, plane carrying husband of Democratic Rep. crashes.

HE’S A SHE
MISSOURI HUNTER BAGS POTENTIAL RECORD 18-POINT DOE

In a world where we can identify as just about anything, it seems as though there are odd cases in the natural world where this happens as well. 

Looking to beat the September heat, Missouri hunter Kelly Moore set up for an evening hunt in Shell Knob, MO, looking for the same thing we all dream about; the shot at a record buck.

He prefers the evening hunt during this time of the season as the 80+ degree heat can be tough to beat.

“I told myself when I went out there that I’m not going to shoot anything unless it’s special because of the heat of the day,” Moore recalled. 

Passing on a few deer early on in the hunt, Moore was determined to wait it out for the right buck to wander his way. And wait it out he did and was eventually rewarded when a deer with amazing headgear stepped out into view.

Pulling up his trusty crossbow and letting an arrow fly, the anticipation was suddenly over. He gave the deer ample time to expire before he headed out of his blind to admire the amazing animal he had just taken.

ANOTHER DECAPITATED ELK
INVESTIGATION AT UTAH'S 910 CATTLE RANCH AFTER ANOTHER HEADLESS ELK FOUND

Although the Summit County council just passed an ordinance against hunting on the now famous cattle ranch on Sept 6th, the absence of proper signage is slowing down officials from enforcing laws.

While the lack of signage might disrupt things ever so slightly, it won’t stop the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources from kicking off an investigation after a beheaded elk was found on the property last month.

“Someone killed a bull elk on the property, which is clearly marked with ‘no trespassing’ signs,” DWR Northern Region Outreach Manager Mark Hadley said. “Whoever killed the elk removed its head and just a small portion of its meat. The rest of the meat was left to waste.”

The ranch was formerly owned by David Bernolfo who also prohibited hunting on the property before Summit County acquired it. The unfortunately reality surrounding the property is that poaching has always been and continues to be a problem. He has sued multiple individuals for poaching infractions in the past and this most recent incident eerily resembles a similar incident that took place last September that left two elk headless as well...

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🚫 No parking zone: Bull elk attacks parked car in Jasper NP.

🐊 Ain't no love: Bull elk gores cow elk to death.