Over 230 violations handed down in Virgie spotlighting case 👮

Welcome to 4th best day of the week besides Friday. Well, it’s been an eventful week so far and while I hope you all continue to read along each and every day, I am also hopeful that our open rates decline ever so slightly this month as more and more of you enjoy time afield.

Good luck to you if you happen to be reading this from a treestand - the rest of us will continue to live vicariously through you for the remainder of the week.

With that in mind, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and get into what Tuesday has to offer.

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

• Lights out - Spotlighting poachers nailed in Virginia 🔦

• Crime of opportunity - Montana man’s search for his stolen rack 🦌

• Mo’ wolves, mo’ problems - Colorado eyeing possible release sites 🐺

• Feeding the fire - Wyoming’s new supplemental feeding program 🔥

• Don’t be a glutton- Grizzly buries his big bull elk for later 🍽️

OVER 230 VIOLATIONS
ADULT AND JUVENILE CONVICTED AFTER KILLING OVER 50 DEER, TWO BEARS AND AN OWL

Two Virginia residents have been charged for their role in a heinous poaching case that has been several months in the making. With reports of multiple deer found killed, Virginia Conservation Police kicked off their investigation which covered two large counties in southern Virginia. 

“Scott and Lee counties combine for over 970 square miles,” said Conservation Police Officer (CPO) Derrik Rickels. “During this time, [the CPO position in] Lee County was vacant. We had to coordinate with other officers in the district to determine the best areas of the counties to spend our time and effort to work most efficiently. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their spotlighting route. There were several times that we had four or five officers working certain areas to catch the suspects in the act.”

By kicking up nighttime patrols and including the use of K9s, surveillance video and citizen assistance, after a few months worth of work, officers were finally able to catch up to the spotlighting antics of the accused…

🥷 An antler thief has stolen a 10-point rack after the man who shot it went to get a game cart. In another truly tragic incident, a Montana man is without his trophy after a crime of opportunity struck just west of Kalispell. Celebrating a great kill during Montana’s opening weekend, a Montana man spent a few minutes admiring his buck before deciding to go get a game cart to help him transport the animal.

Much to his dismay, when he returned to his kill, he found that his deer was now without its head, realizing immediately that he had become the victim of yet another antler theft. As the price for antlers on the black market continues to climb, incidents like this in the western US are becoming all too commonplace.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks put out a BOLO towards the beginning of the month, along with a picture of the deer’s head for reference. The deer head can be identified by five-by-five antlers with a unique drop tine.

Anyone with possible information is asked to visit tipmont.mt.gov or call the local game warden at 406-871-3104. Callers may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

🐺 Colorado officials name three possible release sites for additional wolves this winter. In a press release sure to garner more groans than grins, officials from Colorado Parks and Wildlife have announced the three counties most likely to be included in the upcoming wolf reintroduction efforts that have been mired with controversy. 

According to the release, officials are eyeing possible release sites in Garfield, Eagle, and Pitkin counties after disqualifying Rio Blanco County after an elected official (rightfully) lashed out at the idea.

"Other states have had their deer and elk herds cut in half by wolves,” Rio Blanco County Commissioner Doug Overton said. “This is one of the greatest elk herds in North America. We have a lot of hunting and recreation around here because of that. And they’re just throwing it away because somebody wants to go out in the woods and see a wolf that they’re never going to see anyway.”

It remains unclear when exactly officials are planning to release more wolves, or where they plan to find them. The announcement is in stark contrast to last year’s season that has since seen all 10 of the released wolves now captured and held in captivity. As of right now, wolf releases could begin as early as next month and stretch into March 2025.

🔥 Wyoming officials institute emergency feeding of elk in Bighorns following Elk Fire. After scorching nearly 100,000 acres of the eastern flank of the Bighorn Mountains through September and October, the Elk Fire has since been contained but not without issue. 

While the risk of fire may be extinguished, wildlife managers are now scrambling to protect elk, among other species, affected by the fall wildfires. In response to late-season winter range impacts from the fire, Wyoming Fish and Game has announced a supplementary feeding program in a select few areas including Amsden Creek and Kerns wildlife habitat management areas. At this point, officials are stating that this is not something that will continue into next year and is in place simply to provide supplemental forage to reduce the movement of elk onto adjoining private agricultural lands.

“This decision was made due to extenuating circumstances and after extensive evaluation of the properties by local wildlife managers,” Sheridan Region Wildlife Supervisor Dustin Shorma said. “Because the Elk Fire burned late in the season, there was no time for any significant regrowth of vegetation prior to winter. This creates high potential for conflict as elk seek to winter elsewhere, potentially overwhelming adjacent private lands that either did not burn or also experienced some loss of vegetation that they need to conserve for their livestock operations.”

1. Where the arrow lands is what matters, not how one draws the bow.

2. All good things are wild and free.

3. My grandad used to tell me to be still and quiet while we were fishing so the fish couldn’t hear us. Now that I am older, I realize that was bullshit.  The old man just wanted some peace and quiet out on the water - I can’t say I blame him.

4. Our Father who art in nature 🙏

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

🍽️ He’s just going to save this for later. In some incredible footage, someone managed to capture a grizzly covering up his latest kill and saving it for later. You can see in the video just how protective this collared bruin is and why getting between him and his next meal ain’t nothing to f*ck with.

CAMP TALK // ^{_{BEFORE YOU GO}}

We get a lot of questions and comments on here, and we figure it’s time to repay the favor. As part of our new Camp Talk section, we’re going to ask you, the reader, your opinion on some serious (and not so serious) topics to close out each newsletter.

Last week I asked, A bear shows up and tries to steal your fresh killed deer. Do you...

To which the majority of you responded with:

1. Tag the bear's ass as well (75% of votes)

2. Let him walk, he wins (25% of votes)

Here’s today’s question…

Oh, and one more thing…