Reward increased in egregious Oregon crossbow poaching case

We are officially entering the dead zone of the year. The next week or two will be blurry, and will in all likelihood, fly by. But it also should, by all means, be filled with a fair bit of family time and some cheer. And for every minute of that we get, we ought to be grateful.

With that in mind, while the weekend might not quite be here yet, your favorite dispatch from the great outdoors is. 

So grab your coffee, eggnog 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:

• Upping the ante - More rewards levied in illegal crossbow killings 🏹

• Navy wife goes viral - Her husband returned from deployment to a special surprise 🫡

• CWD again - Washington finds four new cases 🤮

• Trapped in the blind - When you need your girl to rescue you 😆

• Dates solidified - ND releases tentative seasons 🗓️

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RECKLESS AND WASTEFUL
REWARD INCREASED TO $2,000 FOR INFORMATION IN OREGON CROSSBOW POACHING INCIDENTS

An Oregon crossbow killer remains on the loose after nearly two months of evading the law. And in response to the lack of answers in the case, the Traditional Archers of Oregon (TAO) has thrown some of their own money into the pot with hopes of someone coming forward with information regarding these heinous wildlife crimes.

With a total of $2,000 worth of rewards on the table, state officials and organizations such as TAO and the Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) are looking for clues after a pair of nice bucks turned up with arrows recklessly lodged in different parts of their bodies.

The incidents took place in Corvallis and the deer were believed to have been shot using a crossbow around October 25, 2024 and November 18, 2024 near NW Walnut and NW Witham Hill Dr…

QUICK HITS // ^{_{FROM AROUND THE WEB}}

North Dakota Game and Fish sets tentative 2025 hunting season opening dates: The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has announced the tentative opening dates for the 2025 hunting and trapping seasons. The department annually provides its best estimate for opening dates to help hunters prepare for the various seasons.  Read the full story.

4 deer, elk hunting proposals approved, 5 rejected by Pa. Wildlife Management Committee: The proposals deal with the agricultural deer tags for farmers, allowing some antlerless deer hunters to hold more than six licenses, and changes with how elk license applications are sold and limiting the number to nonresidents. Read the full story.

Navy wife goes viral for surprising husband with hunting trip after his 3-year deployment:  In a video posted to her Instagram, which reached 1.5 million views, Brennan captured the moment she tricked Patrick and told him his friends were stopping at their home to "drop something off."  Read the full story.

Wildlife officials report four new chronic wasting disease cases in Washington deer:  On December 19th, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced four new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease in the West. This brings the total to six cases in Washington State. Read the full story.

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🪤 POV: Your fiancé texts you to come save him from a whitetail that’s holding him hostage. Me? I’d die in there before admitting defeat to some little spike. But, hey, I’m prideful like that I guess 😆

Fairbanks in winter.

📸 : @johnwingfield

Oh, and one more thing…

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